WATERFOWL 



During the past several years Montana has been able to make 

 a very substantial contribution to the fund of information necessary 

 to the management of waterfowl. The various states within the im- 

 portant flyways have pooled their information in order that accurate 

 information would be available for management purposes on a flyway 

 basis. As Montana lies within both the Pacific and Central Flyways, 

 the Commission has cooperated closely with the states represented 

 in both. The following information is being obtained in Montana: 



Winter Duck Banding Operations 



First, a careful inventory of the waterfowl breeding grounds to de- 

 termine the annual production of waterfowl within the boundaries 

 of the state; possible ways of improving these breeding ground 

 conditions are being studied as a basis for a waterfowl development 

 program. 



Close observations in regard to the hunter distribution and take 

 are important features of the present management plan. Voluntary 

 checking stations have aided a great deal in this work. 



During the past several winters Montana's Fish and Game per- 

 sonnel have been able to carry out through the Restoration program 

 a banding project which has compared favorably with any in the 

 nation. The returns from this work are forming a very important 

 background to the knowledge of migrations of waterfowl throughout 

 the various flyways. 



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