Why is our duck limit 6 per day(in MN)?

[fishface5]

Keep the limits at six if it's biolgicly responsible. If not the national, no, flyway limit should be set at whatever it should be set at. Just because we don't see ducks in Mn. doesn't mean they don't exsist. But then maybe it does. Let the biologists decide. Keep polatics and "feel good" environmentalism out of it. We should be able to shoot more wood ducks too. Mn. needs to take care of and enhance her habitat.

[Guest]

I know this a bit late....but better late than never. I am in full support of a higher daily bag limit. I think the limit should be 10-12 ducks per day....and at least 8 of them should be mallards.

I will support a shorter season. After all if you really want to decrease harvest the way to do that is reduce the season legnth.

All states in the Mississippi Flyway are allowed the same season and limits. Individual states may lower the bag and length. But they can never go above what the USFWS offers.

[smalls]

It's good to see that everyone wants to be good stewards and sportsman, but there is no real data suggesting that our populations are being hurt by current bag limits. One drake can fertilize the eggs of many suzies, so if we just don't shoot the brown ones boys...

Plus, most recreational hunters won't even come close to the limit of 6, cutting it to 4 would reduce actual harvest very little IMO. Like others have said, the lack of ducks in MN isn't due to nationwide lack of fowl, its just that MN habitat has been run into the ground and overpopulated, which really isn't a problem for the rest of the country.

[Farley]

When I first read the title of this subject I thought, no way, for the time I have to hunt and for the amount of effort it takes to either drag a boat out or wade through a muddy bottom swamp, I want to be able to take 6 ducks. But after reading all the replies, I guess it would be a good idea as long as the southern boys stick to the same limits. It makes me sick to watch those videoes of guided trips in Arkansas, Miss, Louisiana, etc... and see all those millions of birds in the sky and then listen to them dam about short seasons and how we areate our lakes and all that talk. Give me a break. So I say lower the daily to 4 with a possesion limit of 10 or 12. But like stated before, the whole problem is not just in the limits, I dont remember who said it but they're right, housing developments are going up faster than hell, golf courses are getting out of hand in this state, and there's the whole farming thing that is too hot a topic to touch. If you want waterfowling like it used to be, the state has to be a hell of a lot tougher on this kind of stuff.

[Fishing Realtor]

I'm both a DU and DW member, and a firm believer in conservation...but has anyone read the latest DU "Praries Under Siege" (#4) article? Data shows hunter harvest only has a 9% overall impact on duck populations - while breeding success was something like 85%. I used to get worked up about the numbers of birds shot, and while I'm not saying that passing on hens doesn't do anything, perhaps we need to focus even more on wetland conservation. There's still a long road ahead with this tough issue...
By the way, we are attemping to start (actually revive) a new DU Downtown Mpls. chapter. Focus is on guys 40 and under: more info to follow.

[greenwinger_13]

Personally, for me it could be 4 ducks.... I could say i got my limit then finally. Last season, i hunted every single day before college... and weekends... The season ended... and i was only absent from the blind once. I went different places... and blah blah blah... but i never completed the 6 duck limit. I have to work too hard for my ducks. I don't disagree with anyone who wants to keep it at 6 though. My area just isn't duck filled... and when it is, there is always a varibale that disrupts what could have been limits.

[hanson]

I'm going off topic a little bit here but I think I might be onto something. I think I see less birds in northern MN when I'm duck hunting because they are all making their homes in the Twin Cities now year round. I went for a little bike ride the other day through Plymouth and the trails are basically following drainage ditches, creeks, ponds, all sorts of low lying areas, etc. I cannot begin to count the number of greenhead mallards I saw yesterday. One persons backyard had to have had 50 greenies sitting in it. Lots of the birds never leave either. All winter long you can see ducks flying around in the morning & evening. Being the nature lover that I am, being able to go for a bike ride or walk and seeing hundreds of birds is incredible. I sometimes wonder why I pack up the duckboat & decoys in the fall to head north to look for birds when they are right in my back yard.

We've even got a nesting pair of mallards somewhere in our apt. complex. Darn hen mallard was on my patio the other day throwing a fit & quacking like it was nobody's business. They survived the big thunderstorm that came through Sunday night and then the pair were out playing around in the freshly formed water puddles. I think they are just teasing me. If they only knew the 870 Wingmaster was sitting inside, they might not be so brave.

[Borch]

Personally I think it should stay where it's at. As it is, MN duck hunter numbers have declined. As those buying liscenses and stamp decline so do funds for creating and preserving habitat.

I firmly believe that the reduction in ducks seen is due to the Mississippi Flyway shifting west. It has been doing this due to habitat changes for decades. Hunting pressure has little effect on the ducks total numbers.

Also with the reduction in fur prices trapping has decreased dramaticly. Results are there are more nest robbing, duck/pheasant killing varmits out there. A lot more of them. This definitely has an impact on nesting success.

Oh one more thing. Last fall was one of my best in the past 10 years. We saw more of just about every duck species this year. Only exceptions were canvasback and bluebills. Does anyone really know what's happing to our bluebills. Man I miss those birds!

That's my opinion.

Borch

[Guest]

Borch,
Check out my post on the subject...

[WALLEYENUTZ]

I have read most of the posts from this thread and they all raise good points and concerns. In my opinion, they reason for most of the duck and pheasant problems in this state is do to the lack of habitat (obviously). Why is there a lack of habitat? It’s not entirely the DNR’s fault, it’s not entirely our fault, but I would put most of the blame on the Department of Agriculture and a majority of farmers. Ask yourself, who controls the land, who rights most of the laws pertaining to agricultural land, and who has more power in the Government. Maybe we should stop pointing fingers at the DNR and start pointing them elsewhere.

my 2 cents

[FOOT]

OK people, one more time. Waterfowl Hunting seasons are set by The US Fish and Wildlife service, as GUIDELINES, and by the 4 flyways. Each INDIVIDUAL state (per flyway) then sets their seasons according to those GUIDELINES. The states can NOT stray outside those GUIDLINES except to REDUCE either the length, bag limit or hours of hunting. IF a Southern state (such as Louisana) chooses to take full advantage of an EARLY TEAL season and Minnesota does not the SAME number of days available to hunt waterfowl for each state is the same, 60 days (2003).
Minnesota could take advantage of the Early Teal season and then have less days of hunting in November but Minnesota Hunters would still have 60 days to hunt UNLESS Minnesota decided to hunt less. NO stste in the Mississippi Flyway (Louisana and Minnesota both belong to the Miss. Flyway) can allow waterfowl hunting for more then 60 days (2003).
Please get over the idea that those Southern boys can shoot more ducks per day ot can hunt more days then Minnesota. We have the ability to hunt the same, it's a matter of how each state sets their seasons under the GUIDELINES.
I will agree that the later seasons up North tend to freeze up limiting the opportunities to hunt.
By the way I'm a life long Minnesota resident and waterfowl hunter.