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Is Michigan’s 2026 duck count a mirage?

Dramatic spike comes with a historic caveat. (Photo courtesy of Ducks Unlimited)

Michigan duck hunters received encouraging news from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2026 Waterfowl Population Status report, as a wetter spring and improved conditions produced a dramatic increase in the number of breeding waterfowl counted across the state.
The number of breeding ducks surveyed jumped sharply, according to the USFWS. The 2026 Michigan estimate totaled 505,234 ducks, a 250% increase over the 2025 estimate. However, wildlife officials caution that the jolting year-to-year increase does not necessarily mean state’s duck population suddenly exploded.

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