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Outdoor Insights: Go figure duck numbers are dropping

Minnesota Outdoor News publisher Rob Drieslein looks deep into issues plaguing ducks and writes that it's no surprise that many duck numbers are dropping across North America after years of drought and losses to habitat. (Stock photo)

Late this summer, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued its annual Waterfowl Population Status Report, which showed some disturbing trends.
Total ducks in the continent’s heartland (32.3 million) are down 7% from 2022 and 9% off the long-term average (LTA). Year-on-year declines haven’t stopped the feds from allowing another liberal structure, including year three of Minnesota’s popular early teal season, which kicked off this past Saturday. Pintails provided arguably the lone bright spot in the survey, up 24% from 2022 at 2.2M birds, though still 43% off the LTA.

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