Almanac: South Dakota study tells waterfowl tale

A new survey of South Dakota waterfowl hunters might help explain why duck hunter numbers are falling not only in South Dakota but in Minnesota, too.

Minnesota has lost about 40,000 waterfowl hunters in the past 10 years.

South Dakota, where duck hunting has been generally excellent in recent years, also is seeing the decline.

Resident waterfowl hunter numbers have fallen from more than 30,000 in 2001 to about 18,000 in 2008. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department surveyed hunters last year to try to figure out why.

The results are in:

There's a mix of factors. The top reason hunters didn't hunt the past five years: Almost 27 percent said they were too busy with family or work. Another 23 percent said they hunted pheasants instead. Almost 20 percent said they had switched to big game.

Half of those surveyed reported a decrease in the number of days they hunted ducks. The reasons: work and family obligations; it's hard to find good places to hunt; or they're more interested in hunting other game. Only about 10 percent said low duck numbers were a reason.

A significant number of hunters don't hunt ducks every year. More than half the duck and goose hunters in 2008 had not hunted at least once in the past five years. Only about 35 percent of hunters said they hunted ducks every year; another 27 percent said they hunted most years.

The survey estimated that South Dakota could lose another 13 percent to 15 percent of current waterfowl hunters over the next decade.

Young hunters The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources might try to simplify youth hunting regulations to break down barriers to hunting.

"The bottom line is to make it easier for youth hunters and their parents to understand licensing options and remove the complexity," said Jay Johnson, DNR hunter recruitment and retention coordinator. "It ultimately will make it easier for parents to take kids out hunting."

A committee of hunters and DNR officials recommended standardizing the minimum age to start hunting, the age when hunter education and firearms safety is required and youth regulations for all species. It also suggested that license fees be reduced for the majority of youth hunters. DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten will decide which recommendations to pursue at the Legislature.

Deer hunter survey About 3,000 deer hunters in central Minnesota should have received surveys in the mail from the DNR. The survey is similar to ones given hunters in other parts of the state, including the southeast. It will try to gauge their support for managing the herd for more mature bucks, among other topics. It also will ask about cross-tagging, youth seasons and antler-point restrictions.

Did you know? • Anglers have been catching sauger, northerns, bluegills and crappies on the Mississippi River near La Crescent.

• The walleye bite on Lake Mille Lacs has slowed a bit.

• Thanks to a TIP call, charges are pending for a person near Onamia who shot a deer out of a house window at night, with lights and over bait.

• Near Duluth, two snowmobilers were stopped for driving over 90 miles per hour -- and both were carrying children under 10 as passengers.

• A rare white fisher was brought into the fur registration station in Backus, but it was trapped out of season and was seized.

• An arrest warrant has been issued for a Kansas man who didn't show up for a boating-while-intoxicated case in Minnesota.