Ducko 
 
gy DUCKS UNLI 
 
 
             SUMMARY 
  1. More ducks are breeding on    the 
southern prairies of Alberta and Saskatche- 
wan than last year. Fewer ducks are 
breeding in Manitoba. 
  2. -The spring flight in Alberta was down 
about 20% so the increased breeding stock 
in the southern sections is probably at the 
expense of the more northern areas. 
  3. The increase in the breeding popula- 
tion in southern Saskatchewan is phenom- 
enal--estimated at 50-75%o more than last 
year  particularly in the western section 
of the province. The ducks thin   out 
gradually east of Regina and into Manitoba 
where the nesting population is less than 
last year. 
  4. Spring opened very late in Manitoba 
and eastern Saskatchewan, about two to 
three weeks behind southwestern Saskatche- 
wan and southern Alberta. In the northern 
areas of all three provinces the season was 
 
 
J 
 
 
SUMMARY OF KEE-MEN REPORTS UP TO JUNE 6, 1947 
 
 
    Province 
Manitoba ........... 
Saskatchewan ...... 
Alberta ................ 
      Totals ........ 
 
 
          No. of Dist. 
          Reported on 
              73 
      ....... 146 
......... ....... ....  1 2 7 
     .........  346 
 
 
   Ducks Breeding             Water Levels               Prospects 
More    Less    Same      High    Low     Dry      Good    Poor   Avge. 
20       34      16        42      24      4        35      17      18 
76       39      21       103      35      8        75      19      44 
65       45      15        78      37      2        59      21      37 
161     118      52       223      96      14      169      57      99 
 
 
SUMMARY OF KEE-MEN REPORTS BY SPECIES 
              SURFACE FEEDING DUCKS 
 
 
    Province 
M anitoba .......... 
Saskatchewan. 
Alberta ...... 
 
 
    Province 
Manitoba........... 
Saskatchewan.... 
A lberta .............. 
      Totals ..... 
 
    Province 
Manitoba ........... 
Saskatchewan.... 
Alberta ............. 
      Toti1 
 
 
  Mallards        Gadwall       Baldpate       G.W. Teal 
  I.  D.   S.   I.   DL  S.   I.     .s.     I. 1 .    S. 
  24  24   22    4       21    2   '4   24   13 -1     30 
  64  39   35   17    "8 28    19       28   23        38 
  57  38   28   10   20' 19    14   1' 25    21        37 
145  101   85  31   46   68   35   4    77   57 (87   105 
 
 
       Redhead 
          I.  S. 
          6    26 
........ 1.10  t 3,7 
      9        19 
 
 
      Buffiehead 
      I   D    S. 
      4        18 
   .... 7      25 
   ... 12      27 
     23   32  7n 
 
 
DIVING DUCKS 
      Canvasback 
      I. D.   S. 
      9       27 
      27      39 
      15 24   26 
      51 69i 92 
 
 
I. 
0 
4 
4 
 
 
Scoters 
 
 
S. 
13 
10 
24 
 
 
e '-i1~ A7 
 
 
I. 
5 
9 
11 
 
 
  B.W. Teal 
I. ,  2   S. 
11        28 
29        39 
17        38 
57  x    105 
 
 
Scaup 
 
 
S. 
21 
23 
32 
 
 
25   39   76 
   Ruddy 
I.4       S. 
4L        14 
2         17 
4         15 
 
 
  Shoveller 
1. 4      S. 
7         26 
36        37 
22        35 
65   64   98 
 
 
  Ringnecks 
 
  3       19 
  3       17 
 
  8 (L9   47 
Canada Goose 
I.        S. 
4         25 
15 A      28 
25   13   23 
AA ý,ftZ 1 70. 
 
 
    Pintail 
 I19  2   S22. 
 71        31 
 56   23   18 
14 (70 71 
 
 
 
  Golden-eye 
  I.      S. 
  2        17 
  5        24 
  10       20 
  17       61 
     Coot 
 I.   D    S. 
 12        25 
 26        25 
 24        38 
 1    Gt~') '7 QQ 
 
 
                                            We are pleased to announce that
the Federation executive has appointed 
                                        F. F. (Ray) Montague as secretary
of the Manitoba Game and Fish Associa- 
          RAY     MONTAGUE              tion succeeding Gil Law who resigned
early in the year. We are particularly 
                                        fortunate to name a man of Ray Montague's
business ability and knowledge 
               NW ~de'ati Scf~tfjlof game and fish matters in this key position.
He is fully experienced in 
                                        Federation affairs having served
as the organization's first president and 
                                        therefore had a large share in its
launching. Complete story next issue. 
GAMI& AND FISH. Jdjoe,          We   don't     place     lduqh   faith
    in   the     KEANr~p           ,rts;     11 
 
     ann apparent yu            doesn~t either. In all but two of the above
there 
 are    more     declines       than    increases.          I  item     6
 is   the   beginning        of   an 
 assault       upcn     the   F&7W,18   figures.                    
                                      I(ver) 
 
 
MITED CANADA 
 
 
slow and ice remained in the lakes until 
well into May.     These conditions are 
reflected in the distribution of breeding 
ducks. 
   5. Surface water conditions on  the 
 southern prairies are excellent.  Heavy 
 rains have been general during the period 
 June 2-10 inclusive, halting the deteriora- 
 tion of sloughs and potholes. Cloudbursts 
 east and north of Regina, Sask. may have 
 caused some flood losses. 
   6. The overall picture of the spring flight 
 and breeding population is that many more 
 ducks returned than we had any reason to 
 expect from the official Winter populatioh 
 -e-sti-mate of fifty-four millions. 
   7. Breeding conditions are favorable and 
 the broods, which are appearing in increas- 
 ing numbers daily, are average or a little 
 better. Prospects right now are encour- 
 aging. 
   Ducks Unlimited spring questionnaire to 
 
 
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more than 800 Kee-men was sent out on 
May 17 with the request that returns be 
made by June 10 so that the information .S 
could be made available by June 15. Up 
to June 6, 346 reports had been received 
and are summarized below. The number is 
sufficient to indicate current conditions, 
keeping in mind that surface waters have 
improved since a majority of the reports 
were received. 
   Pintails dominate the breeding popula-     " 
 tion with Mallards a close second. The 
 reverse has been our experience in the past. 
 All other species except Shovellers show 
 more decreases than increases. Redheads 
 and Ruddy ducks, prairie breeders, con- 
 tinue to show  recessions. Ring-necks, 
 Golden-eyes and Buffleheads are birds of 
 passage through the prairies, and the same 
 is true of the bulk of the Scaup (Bluebill). 
 Consequently, the Kee-men observations on 
 these species may not be as significant as 
 on species of dominantly prairie habitat.  j 
 
   We are pleased that we can repirt favor- 
 a51h-oflditions at this-time, both as regards 
Sand breeding conditions. 
P            definitely good but much can 
happen between now and when the bulk of 
the hatch is safely on the wing. The 
weather between now and the end of July 
will be the deciding factor.