Hrood Count Tata. {S92 Tablas 2 and 3.) 
Brood count data were collected on 40 water bodies in 4 Game Manarement 
Areas from June 28 to August &. In 6 of the arses tha counta wars mads between 
July 6 and 19. Counts were made along an estimated P12 miles of shoreline on 
an estimated 46,858 acres of water area. <A total of 7,777 waterfowl was 
ebsarved, In 1948, 5,748 waterfowl were observed on 42 areas sampled, Thus, 
in 1949, 1.2 mora areas were covered and 1.4 mors waterfowl obssrvsd. 
A total of 3,403 young ducks was observed this year. When the tetal acres 
of the survey (46,858) is divided by the totel numbor of young ducks (3,403) 
a figurs of 13.8 aerss per young duck 1s obtained. Acras par young duck wars 
calculated in previous years as follews: 1948, 17.3 acres; 1947, 66.1 acres; 
1946, 124.2 acres. These figures indicate a progressiva incroase since 1946 
in the number of young ducks on ths water arenas used for brood counts. 
In calculating an averags brood siza of 7.1 for all species and all Game 
Kanagoment Areas 462 broods totaling 3,278 young were considsred, Game Manage- 
ment Area X in the southwestern corner of the Stata had the largest average broad 
siazs, 7.7, and Aran T in the northeastern part of Minnesota had ths smallest, 
4.4. A¥erags brood sizes in the other 6 arass variod from 4.4 to 7.1. When 
individual species are considersad, the pintail had the largsst averare brood 
sizes, &.1. The 1948 averags for this species was 7.9, The L949 average for 
mellard was 6.6 as compared tao F.L in 1948. A deersess is also seen for blue 
winged teal, The 1949 avsrage was 7.4 younm per brood while thse 1948 average 
was LO,O, 
Blus-wingsd teal, mallard, and pintail young ranked higfhest in percentage 
composition of young waterfowl tallisd this year, In 1948, blue-wingsd teal, 
mallard, and redhead young renked highest, This yaar redhead young ranked 
ninth places. An inersas? in species composition of young is noted for biue- 
winged teal and pintail over the 1948 figures, Ths percent of blue-wingsd waa 
42.2 in 1948 and 49.5 in 1949. For pintail it was 1.9 percent in 1948 and 11.7 
percent in 1949. <A deersase is shown for mellard, 77.7 percent in 1948 as 
eomoared to 20.3 percent in 1949. 
Blue-winged teal, mallard, and pintall ranked highest in tha comparative 
abundeanes between total waterfowl observed. Elus-winged teal ranked hirhest 
with 32,5 pereent as compared to 35.4 percent in 1948. Ths percentage for mal- 
lard, 15.4, was much Lower this yaar than in 1946 when it was 29.7. Pintail 
incrsased from 3.7 pereent in 1948 to 6.4 percent in 1949. Ths pereentage for 
redheads deecrensed fram 11.9 in 1948 te 2.2 in 1949. The percentace for coots 
increased from 4.2 in 1948 te 14.3 this year. Ths 1948 coot to duck ration was 
1:24.1 and this ssason it was 1:4,1. 
Age-tlass data of 462 broods toteling 3,276 young were analygsd, 20,5 
percent of the young were in Class I (downy young}, $5.5 percent were in Class 
TI f{intermediats size), and 24.0 psresnt were in Class III {lergs). Ths 
average brood sizes for the thre: age classss wers as follows: Class I, 7.2; 
Class II, 7.2; Class TiI, 6.4. 
A comparison of 1948 and 1949 date was possible for sevsral indiridual 
water areas. At Thief Laks Refuge, 440 ducks were observed on 24 miles of 
eoveragcas in 1948 siving 18.3 ducks par mile. In 1949, 285 ducks wore seen along 
ten miles of shoreline -iving 28.5 ducks per mile. The 285 ducks on ton miles 
when adjusted by simpls ~roportion to a ?4-mile busis gives 684 ducks, or an 
L7& 
