
104 
WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY IN OREGON, 1950 
William B. Morse 
Introduction 
The purpose of this survey is to measure waterfowl production trends 
throughout the State. This is the second year such a survey has been made, 
Samples are located in each of the 13 game districts of the State and all 
measurements are made by the resident game biologists. 
Methods 
The strip count or transect method of sampling is used, Samples are run 
by foot and car. Owing to personnel changes, it was impossible to run the samples 
in the Klamath Basin this year. Data for 1949 in the comparative tables have been 
recomputed without the Klamath samples to allow a more exact comparison of trends. 
Samples, particularly in Eastern Oregon, are generally located on choice habitat and 
do not indicate over-all production for the State as a whole, 
Data Collected 
Weather and water conditions were generally goad, with a run-off above 
average. Spring migrations and nesting season were about one to two weeks later 
than in 1949. 
Breeding population trends (See Tables 1, 2, 3, and 4). This census shows 
the following increases: 
East of Cascades: +157 percent 
West of Cascades: ~ 70 percent 
State-wide increase: Estimated ~# 125 percent 
Success of the Season 
Data on broods are presented in Tables 5, 6, and 7. Substantial increases 
in all sections of the State were noted during the entire season. 
Summary 
All measurements indicate that substantial increases in breeding populations 
and productionoccurred during 1950, However, samples are not large, and some of 
this increase may lie within the statistical probable error; therefore, it is believed 
that the actual increase is not as great as indicated by the figures. 
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