ND Game & FIsh Water Conditions Public News Release

[brittman]

September 24, 2007

Wetland Habitats Variable in North Dakota

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual fall wetland survey indicates approximately 33 percent more wetlands available for duck hunting than last year. However, the increase is mostly due to large amounts of precipitation in the eastern one-third of the state, especially the northeast.

“Hunters will definitely need to do their homework this fall to find places to hunt, especially in the western two-thirds of the state,” said Mike Szymanski, migratory game bird biologist. “Getting out there and scouting is the best solution.”

The northeastern and extreme southeastern portions of the state had excellent winter and summer precipitation, and had more water carry over from last fall, Szymanski said.

A similar number of wetlands were counted in the central and northwestern portions of the state as last fall, but their conditions have declined, especially in the north central. “Rain in late May and early June helped sustain some breeding and brooding habitats in the central portion of the state, but it’s been dry in those areas since, causing many wetlands to dry up, or they will dry up in the near future,” Szymanski said.

Wetland habitats across the central and northwestern portions of North Dakota have been declining in recent years due to drought. Minimal runoff because of a lack of snow, and infrequent summer rains, did not replenish wetlands west of N.D. Highway 3, Szymanski said. “Drying of wetlands is all part of the natural cycle that they need to go through to remain productive,” he added. “Unfortunately, many places that people have hunted in recent years will likely be dry again.”

The wetland survey is conducted in mid-September just prior to the waterfowl hunting season to provide an assessment of conditions duck hunters can expect.

From their web site.