AERIAL WATERFOWL BREEDIKG GROUND SURVEY 
IN NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND N@BRASRA = 19149 
Edward G, Wallsin 
Tntreduction 
An aerial wetsrfowl bresding ground aurvay was conductad again this apring 
in the States of North Dekota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, For North Dakota 
‘this was the fourth successiys yoar that ths surrey has basn conductsd, In 
South Daketa and Nebraska suryoyea hars been made for only tro years. 
Hins transects ware flown in past yoars and thoy ware this yaar in ths 
same manner. In addition to thesas, and at ths request of Jsroms H. Stoudt, an 
additicnal transsct was run in South Dekota. This transect was located for tha 
most part in the area wast of the Missouri River from Pisrrsa and Chamberlain. 
This transact will be treated separately in the analysis of ths data, 
The inclusivs dates for tha SUTVSy this yaar wera May 10 to 146 aa compared 
with May 10 to 19 in 1948. Ths datss cempars fayorably from a phenological 
standpoint, 
The survsy, 85 in ths past, was conducted in a LOO h.p. Cub Cruiser 
operated by ths Branch of Gams Management, Mr. Roy Farguson, Filot-Agent, 
acted both as pilot and observer. The sucesss of thia survey in ths paat 
4 Foars has bean in a largs part dus to the cocpsration of ths Branch of Gams 
Management in assigning a plans and a capable man to this project. 
The primary objective of the survey was to abtain annual comparativs 
data on ths waterfowl breading population indax for ths area involted, 
Tn addition to this reguler survey, two trensscts wers run as a4 
cooperative measure for the State of North Dakota. Theas transscts wares 
located in the narthern part of North Baketsa and extended completely across 
the State sast and wast. Ths total mileage flown on this project was anprozi- 
mately FOO miles. ‘Thess data will tbs analyzed by the North Dakota PR staff 
and are not ineluded herein. 
Techniques 
Although by this time ths -ensral technique amployead in asrial watorfowl 
transect work ig fairly well undsrateood, it may tbs wall, nevsrthslsas, to 
includs some information on this point, 
The 1/4 mile strip was the basis for ths survey. Transects were “tied 
down" as much as possitls by references points (roads, railroads, aection 
lines, ste.} and the 1/4 mile strip extended from the refersnes paint 1/4 
mils out, Hecauss of this, it was pessibls to cover exactly the sama strip 
gach tims a surrey wag mads, 
Ths pllot usually covsred that part of the transect on the left side of 
the aircraft and tha obsaryer the right sids. Ths flight path of ths aircraft 
was not necessarily streight down the middl¢ of the 1/4 mile strip, but was 
altered anywhers oer tha strip to ottain the dasired covysrags of weter. arena. 
L56 
