Of special note to South Dakota duck hunters is the mallard count. Vaa noted that the type of duck hunting season framework South Dakota receives is predicated on two criteria: The number of mallards surveyed in the traditional survey area, includingthe states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, and the number of ponds from the prairie regions of Canada.
"Both numbers are favorable this year, so prospects look good for a repeat of the type of seasons we have experienced in recent years," Vaa noted.
Another item of interest from this year's survey is the rebound in the population status of pintails, a species that has been in decline for several decades. "Pintails returned to southern Alberta and Saskatchewan in large numbers in response to the improved wetland habitat, but whether they will be successful in recruiting young will greatly depend upon the amount of grassland habitat available on the landscape," Vaa said. "Undisturbed grasslands in the form of pastures, hayland, native prairie, fall seeded cereal grains, such as winter wheat, and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) cover, along with wetlands, are the key to healthy waterfowl populations."
Canada geese are also surveyed during May by the USFWS, and South Dakota's population of resident giant Canada geese increased from 89,000 in 2002 to an estimated 130,000 in 2003. According to Vaa, " the Department has an active goose damage management program that prevents and responds to goose depredation, and hunters have the opportunity to harvest resident Canada starting in early September in certain parts of eastern South Dakota."
WISCONSIN
Preliminary 2003 ruffed grouse drumming survey results
Ruffed grouse drumming activity was down 1 percent compared to 2002 levels, according to preliminary data from the annual spring drumming survey. Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists say the annual survey is an indicator of where ruffed grouse populations are in their 10-year cycle of population growth and decline.
Surveys are conducted by driving a route and stopping at sites roughly one to two miles apart to count drumming activity over a four-minute period. Current survey routes were randomly selected to give the yearly surveys statistical comparability from one year to the next.
"An overall drop this small is within the range of error of a survey of this kind," said Keith Warnke, DNR upland game ecologist. "On a statewide basis, there is no change from last year's count but there were some measurable changes regionally."
This year's survey yielded 0.78 drums per stop in 2003 vs. 0.79 in 2002. A decrease of 6 percent was found in the northern grouse zone while the southwest zone was up 8 percent.
"The results are in line with the 10-year ruffed grouse population cycle that peaked back in 1999," says Warnke. "We are currently on the downward side of the cycle and expect numbers to begin climbing in about a year or two. Depending upon the hatching success this spring, grouse numbers may begin to slowly increase this year."
The ruffed grouse season runs this year from Sept. 13 through Dec. 31 in the northern zone; Sept. 13- Jan. 31 in the western zone; Oct. 18 through Dec. 8 in the eastern zone. The daily bag limit is 5 birds in the northern and western zone and 2 birds in the eastern zone. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Warnke (608) 264-6023 or Andrea Robidoux (608) 261-8458
State Supreme Court to hear arguments on mourning dove hunt
The Wisconsin Supreme Court announced Friday, June 13, 2003 that it would consider a petition from Wisconsin Citizens Concerned for Cranes and Doves (WCCCD) to review a Count of Appeals decision reinstating a mourning dove hunting season set to begin on Sept. 1, 2003.
The hunting season previously had been scheduled to open on Sept 1, 2001 but had been halted by an injunction issued by Judge Daniel Moser. The appeals court subsequently removed the injunction allowing the season to open this year.
It is not likely that the Supreme Court will issue a decision until after this fall's dove hunt, according to Tim Andryk, an attorney with the state Department of Natural Resources. Information on the mourning dove hunting season dates, bag limits and regulations can be found on the Department of Natural Resources Web site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: about the litigation contact Tim Andryk, DNR attorney (608) 264-9228
FOR MORE INFORMATION about the hunting season and mourning doves contact: Keith Warnke DNR wildlife ecologist (608) 264-6023
USFWS
DUCK NUMBERS UP
Experts credit improved habitat on northern breeding grounds
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released the breeding duck population and May pond numbers from its 2003 survey, conducted each year in cooperation with the Canadian Wildlife Service.
Numbers of birds have improved greatly over what was observed in 2002. Overall duck numbers are at 36.2 million birds, up from the 31.2 million birds estimated in 2002. The index for breeding habitat conditions stood at 5.2 million ponds, 91 percent above the 2.7 million counted last year.
"These results pretty well confirm what our staff and others in the breeding areas have been observing this spring," says Dr. Bruce Batt, Ducks Unlimited's (DU) chief biologist. "The extraordinary snow and rains that started in April have provided much-needed moisture that will benefit waterfowl and the farming community. That precipitation, along with habitat put in place by DU and other groups, and vital federal habitat programs like CRP, are combining to produce an effective recipe for duck production."
As always, hunting success in any given location is very much affected by regional and local weather. For ducks to remain in a given area during open seasons, there must be adequate rainfall to fill waterholes, and temperatures must be cool enough to keep waterfowl around but warm enough to keep them from migrating farther south.
Numbers for each of the 10 most common species of duck is up from last year. Mallards are at 7.9 million birds compared to 7.5 million in 2002.
Pintail numbers have also made a surprising and welcome jump from several down years, climbing 43 percent from 1.8 million to 2.6 million. Pintails remain of concern to biologists because they are still 39 percent below their long-term average. Nevertheless, this is a relief from recent trends.
Waterfowl managers have adopted the population goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan to measure the progress of management efforts across the continent. Of the 10 most common duck species, only the pintail and scaup are seriously below the plan's goals, by 54 percent and 40 percent, respectively. Wigeon are up by 9 percent but are still 14 percent below the plan's goal. All others, including mallards, are above or very near the goals in 2003.
Gadwall numbers are up 14 percent over last year and continue to be well above the goal, and green-winged teal are up by 15 percent. Northern shovelers showed a very large increase - 3.6 million birds, which is 82 percent above the goal. Relative to last year, the other two common diving ducks, canvasbacks and redheads, are up by 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively - a welcome change from steady declines during the previous two years.
Blue-winged teal total 5.5 million birds - a number that will be welcomed by hunters who participate in the September teal season. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may recommend a longer season if the population is above 4.7 million birds.

That's it for state news, more bird counts in next issued as they come in.