EP 477. Duck Season by the Numbers: Estimating North America Duck Populations and Harvests

Whether good years or bad, North American duck hunters probably harvest more ducks annually than the remainder of the world combined. There, I said it. Prove me wrong. This amazing feat is accomplished using science-based management that emphasizes maximum sustained yield and is the world's envy. A duck hunter since childhood, Brad Bortner is former USFWS Chief of Migratory Birds. While his job description encompassed far more than just waterfowl, he guides us through the murky, too oftentimes misunderstood swamp of managing North America duck populations and harvests, shining a q-beam on need-to-know, by-the-numbers topics. What goes into setting duck seasons and bag limits? What's adaptive harvest management (AHM) and how does it compare to models used elsewhere worldwide? How accurate are these estimates? Why aren't waterfowl surveys like counting piggy bank coins? What about the 2-year time lag between population surveys, harvest estimates and season settings--why does this time lag exist, should we be concerned? What is HIP (Harvest Information Program), what's its relevance, how's it used, and how can each citizen-scientist duck hunter improve harvest estimate accuracy--and why should we care? Listen. The duck hunting world is buzzing around these topics right now. Be well informed. ********** "You get what you put in, and people get what they deserve." - Kid Rock ********** Visit MOJO's Duck Season Somewhere Podcast Sponsors: MOJO Outdoors Benelli Shotguns BOSS Shotshells Ducks Unlimited Flash Back Decoys HuntProof Premium Waterfowl App Inukshuk Professional Dog Food Tetra Hearing Tom Beckbe Voormi GetDucks.com USHuntList.com Please subscribe, rate and review Mojo's Duck Season Somewhere podcast. Share your favorite episodes with friends! Business inquiries and comments contact Ramsey Russell ramsey@getducks.com