Big question goes unanswered in survey of duck hunters

Minnesota's waterfowl hunters generally like to keep their hunting spots secret, but they aren't shy about making their views known.

They have been vocal in their support of improved waterfowl habitat, in their opposition to some hunting restrictions and in their disappointment in recent years over the lack of birds seen over their decoys. But they remain passionate about duck and goose hunting.

The most recent survey of state waterfowl hunters shows that almost 62 percent say waterfowl hunting is their most important, or one of their most important, recreational activities. And they are generally satisfied with their experience, though not with the number of ducks they see and shoot.

The random survey, conducted by the Minnesota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Minnesota and the Department of Natural Resources, was taken after the 2007 waterfowl season. The results, with 469 respondents out of 800 surveys distributed, were made available this year. It's the latest of five such surveys done since 1995, all to gauge duck hunter opinions on a variety of issues, including bag limits, hunter restrictions and hunter satisfaction. The latest survey provides a wealth of information, but it doesn't answer a key question: why waterfowl hunter numbers are declining.

A key finding is that about 64 percent of duck hunters were satisfied (slightly, moderately or very) with their overall waterfowl hunting experience in 2007, and 30 percent were dissatisfied (slightly, moderately or very). Those are considerably better results than in surveys in 2005 (53 percent satisfied), but worse than in 2002 (68 percent satisfied) or 2000 (66 percent).

"We'd like to see [satisfaction] higher," said Dave Schad, DNR fish and wildlife section chief. "Obviously, putting more ducks in front of their decoys is first and foremost, but there might be some other things we can do."

While hunters enjoyed their experiences, only 40 percent were satisfied in 2007 with their duck harvest; 48 percent weren't.

Here are other key findings:

Lack of ducks: Fifty-eight percent said they were dissatisfied with the number of ducks and geese seen. Only 38 percent were satisfied.

Feeling satisfied: The survey asked duck hunters what the minimum number of ducks and geese they needed in a day and a season to "feel satisfied." The average was 2.5 ducks and 1.5 geese for a daily harvest, and 15 ducks and nine geese for the season.

Harvest improves: Hunter success rebounded in 2007 compared to previous surveys. In 2007, 51 percent of hunters shot one to 10 ducks and 42 percent shot more than 10 ducks -- the highest percentage of any of the five surveys since 1995. In 2005, 60 percent shot one to 10 ducks but only 23 percent shot more than 10.

Hunting effort: Hunting effort has remained about the same since the 1995 survey; hunters spend about 10 days afield hunting waterfowl. (It was 10.2 days in 2005, 9.7 days in 2002, 11.5 in 2000 and 10.7 in 1995.)

Bag limits: A majority of hunters -- 61 percent -- supported the six-duck daily bag limit, though 26 percent said that was too high and 5 percent said it was too low. About 62 percent support the state's one-hen mallard bag limit; 17 percent said that is too low and 14 percent said it is too high.

About hunters: Wildlife officials have expressed concern about the state's aging hunting population, and efforts have been made to encourage young people to take up the sport. The average age of the respondents in the 2007 survey was 42.3. (The average age was 43 in 2005, 45 in 2002 and 41 in 1995 and 2000.)

Forty-seven percent started hunting waterfowl in the 1950s, 60s or 70s. On average, hunters have been hunting waterfowl in Minnesota for 21 years, but nearly one-third have been hunting 30 or more years.

"Our hunting public is aging," Schad said, adding that waterfowl hunters tend to be a bit older than other hunters.

The DNR isn't doing another general waterfowl hunter survey after this season (the surveys cost $5,000 to $6,000), but Schad said the agency is going to conduct a "dropout survey" of former waterfowl hunters to find out why they quit hunting ducks and geese here.

The number of Minnesota duck hunters hit a 16-year low last year and has declined 34 percent in the past decade. About 81,000 hunters hunted ducks last fall, and the DNR sold fewer than 100,000 state duck stamps for the first time in 20 years.