Conclusions 
Observations more recent than the 
brood counts indicate that, because of the 
abundance of water during May and June, 
broods may have been scattered and pro¬ 
duction was not as low as the counts sug¬ 
gested. This was specifically noted in 
the Ogden Bay marsh from distant areas 
which had been flooded but were drying. 
These temporarily flooded areas were not 
included in the brood surveys. It is pos¬ 
sible the water factor could have an in¬ 
fluence on counts made on other areas as 
well as Ogden Bay. 
It is concluded that Canada goose pro¬ 
duction in Utah is down from 1963, but 
the reduction is not as pronounced as 
first suspected. The loss was due to 
failure to nest, and not to a reduced 
breeding population. 
IDAHO 
Data supplied by Elwood G. Bizeau 
Idaho Fish and Game Department 
Weather and habitat conditions 
Spring temperatures throughout Idaho 
were below normal. Spring precipitation 
was above normal. This weather com¬ 
bination resulted in one of the most re¬ 
tarded waterfowl nesting seasons on re¬ 
cord. Goose nesting in particular ranged 
from 2 to 3 weeks later than usual in all 
major production areas. 
Spring waterfowl movements were gen¬ 
erally late and spread over a longer per¬ 
iod than normal. This pattern tended to 
obscure peak counts and made comparison 
with former years impractical. 
Flooding was a general problem in 
southeastern Idaho in late spring as the 
heavy snow pack melted. Most reservoirs 
were full to overflowing by June, and con¬ 
siderable early duck nest loss occurred. 
Breeding population indexes 
Total geese for all units was down 
slightly (-7 percent) from 1963 but re¬ 
mained far above the long-term average. 
The one major unit which showed a large 
drop in breeding numbers from 1963 was 
Dingle Marsh in southeastern Idaho (table 
B-23). 
Production indexes 
For all Idaho units combined, gosling 
production was 14 percent below the top 
production year of 1963 and 14 percent 
above the long-term average. Gosling 
production for the resident goose flocks of 
southwestern Idaho was down slightly 
from 1963 (-5 percent) but 32 percent 
above the long-term average (table B-24). 
For the largely migratory goose flocks 
of southeastern Idaho, production was 
down appreciably from last year (-35 
percent) and down from the long-term 
average (-28 percent). A variety of local 
losses including flooding, predation, and 
nest disturbance by fishermen caused the 
drop in goose production for southeastern 
Idaho. The primary factor which trigger¬ 
ed the local production losses was the 
delayed nesting caused by winter extend¬ 
ing well into the normal spring period. 
Duck production trend routes were 
censused at Blackfoot Reservoir in south¬ 
eastern Idaho and on the Milner Canal in 
south central Idaho. Routes were run 
twice with all classes of broods counted 
on the early July run and only class I 
broods included for the late July survey. 
The duck brood trend on both routes was 
down somewhat from the excellent pro¬ 
duction year of 1963 (table B-25). Other 
brood routes were run only once because 
of the extremely late duck nesting sea¬ 
son, hence are not comparable with pre¬ 
vious years' data and are not included in 
this report. Good distribution and abun¬ 
dance of water and evidence of much re¬ 
nesting indicate that the current year's 
duck production in Idaho will be above 
average by the end of the season. 
SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN 
Data supplied by Ross alius C. Hanson 
and Gerald Pospichal 
Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife 
11 
