14 
Waterfowl Harvest Surveys 
Data supplied by Samuel M. Carney, Michael F. Sorensen, and 
Elwood M. Martin 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
This report provides estimates of waterfowl hunting 
activity and harvest during the 1977 season and compares 
them with estimates for the 1976 season. Estimates for 
both vears were derived from information obtained from 
three sources: (1) the Postal Service’s report of duck stamp 
sales, (2) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Question- 
naire Survey of Waterfowl Hunters, and (3) the Service's 
Waterfowl Parts Collection Survey. 
Procedures 
An explanation of procedures employed in estimating 
hunter harvest and activity may be found in Special 
Scientific Report—Wildlife No. 138. Similar sample 
selection, stratification procedures, and computations 
subsequently have been followed. Major adjustments to 
data include those for activity by hunters less than 
16 vears old, who are not surveyed because they are not 
required to purchase duck stamps (Table C-1), and those 
used to compensate for memory and prestige biases 
(Table C-2). 
Administrative Reports 
Data in this report are based on final duck stamp sales 
information. In the Administrative Report “Waterfowl 
Harvest and Hunter Activity in the United States During 
the 1977 Hunting Season” (9 June 1978), preliminary esti- 
mates based on duck stamp sales through the third quar- 
ter of the July 1977-June 1978 duck-stamp-sales year 
were made available for the annual waterfowl regu- 
lations meetings in early August 1978. Age and sex com- 
position are not included herein, but were presented in 
the Administrative Report “Age and Sex Composition of 
Ducks and Geese Harvested in the 1977 Hunting Season 
in Comparison with Prior Years” (12 June 1978). 
Results 
Bias-adjusted estimates of the total U.S. harvest of 
ducks (by species), coots, and unretrieved kill are pre- 
sented in Table C-3. Similar estimates relating to geese 
are in Table C-4. Detailed State-level estimates of the 
duck, goose, and coot harvest; migratory waterfowl 
hunting-stamp sales; and hunter activity and success may 
be found in Tables C-5 through C-9. These results include 
hunter activity and harvest during regular and special 
seasons combined. For States having a September teal 
season, the harvest and species composition during that 
season is also shown separately in Table C-10. Estimates 
are presented as derived to assure agreement between 
totals and their component parts. This does not imply 
precision to the last hunter, duck, or day. 
The following is a resume of 1977 hunter activity and 
harvest success by flyway, showing degree of change from 
1976. 
Atlantic Flyway.—Duck stamp sales totaled 434,557 
(no change), and 1,874,720 ducks (-10%), 53,591 coots 
(-57%), and 493,076 geese (+30%) were harvested 
during 2,744,893 hunter-days (-5 %). Those persons buy- 
ing duck stamps for hunting averaged 6.29 days afield 
(-4%) and retrieved an average of 4.36 ducks (-10%) and 
1.16 geese (+31%) each. Estimates for the Atlantic Fly- 
way are recorded in Table C-5. 
Mississippi Flyway. — Duck stamp sales totaled 872,064 
(+2%), and 5,986,795 ducks (-1%), 284,446 coots 
(-52%), and 506,253 geese (+9%) were harvested 
during 6,677,686 hunter-days (+5%). Those persons 
buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 7.31 days afield 
(+2%) and retrieved an average of 6.70 ducks (-4 % ) and 
0.57 goose (+7%) each. Estimates for the Mississippi 
Flyway are recorded in Table C-6. 
Central Flyway.— Duck stamp sales totaled 423,871 
(-1%) and 2,412,683 ducks (-13%), 40,859 coots 
(-33%), and 508,555 geese (+10%) were harvested 
during 2,919,165 hunter-days (-3%). Those persons 
buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 6.51 days afield 
(-1%) and retrieved an average of 5.51 ducks (-11%) and 
1.18 geese (+ 12%) each. Estimates for the Central Fly- 
way are recorded in Table C-7. 
Pacific Flyway. —Duck stamp sales totaled 383,195 
(-1%), and 3,083,378 ducks (-26%), 112,883 coots 
(-21%), and 314,875 geese (-15%) were harvested 
during 2,821,769 hunter-days (-4%). Those persons 
buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 7.03 days afield 
(-1%) and retrieved an average of 7.95 ducks (-24 % ) and 
0.82 goose (-13%) each. Estimates for the Pacific Flyway 
are recorded in Table C-8. 
Alaska. — Duck stamp sales totaled 19,253 (+ 4%), and 
108,994 ducks (-1%), 438 coots (-60% ), and 17,052 geese 
(+22%) were harvested during 86,042 hunter-days 
(-4%). Those persons buying duck stamps for hunting 
averaged 4.18 days afield (-7%) and retrieved an average 
of 5.49 ducks (-4 %) and 0.86 goose (+ 19%) each. Esti- 
mates for Alaska are recorded in Table C-9. 
United States.—Duck stamp sales totaled 2,132,940 
(no change) and 13,466,570 ducks (-11%), 492,217 coots 
(-47%), and 1,839,811 geese (+9%) were harvested 
during 15,249,555 hunter-days (no change). Those 
persons buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 6.87 
days afield (no change) and retrieved an average of 6.21 
ducks (-11%) and 0.86 goose (+ 9%) each. Estimates for 
the United States are recorded in Table C-9. 
APPENDIX 

