195 
WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY IN THE DAKOTAS 
Jerome H. Stoudt 
Introduction 
A waterfowl breeding ground survey was conducted in North and South Dakota 
for the sixth consecutive year, Breeding pair transects were run by U. S. Game 
Management Agents Everett Sutton, Harry Jensen and Roe Meyer. Brood counts 
were run in July and August by Agents Harry Jensen, L. H. Harms, R. J. Meyerding 
and the author. Due to assignments in Canada, personnel was not available for 
intensive pround work to measure nesting success, breeding pair success or effects 
of weather and water conditions upon the breeding population. 
Area Covered 
The area covered was exactly the same as in 1951 and 1952. Brood counts 
were conducted from sun-up until 8 a.m. and from 5 or 6 p.m, until dark, depending 
on wind and weather conditions. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
When the early arriving pintails and mallards arrived in late March and April 
there were considerably fewer water areas than in 1952. This no doubt caused some 
mallards and pintails to move northward into Canada, which otherwise would have 
remained to nest in the Dakotas. However, from April 25to May l, an average of 
7 inches of rain fell over much of the breeding area, This brought water levels up and 
increased the total number of water areas although many were of a very temporary 
nature, The number of water areas on transects were as follows: 
North Dakota South Dakota 
1952 1,732 1,091 
1953 1, 809 1,154 
At the time of the breeding pair survey (May 11-18) it was estimated that from 
50 to 70 percent of the water areas present would be dry in 2 or 3 weeks but an 
exceptionally wet spring and early summer helped to maintain most of these water 
areas throughout most of the brooding season. 
On May 11 and 12 a spring blizzard descended upon most of the prairie breeding 
grounds from Alberta to and including South Dakota. Sub-freezing temperatures 
following the snow and the nesting season was retarded by 10 days or more. Asa 
result broods were even later than usual and on September 20, numerous broods are 
still unable to fly. 
NORTH DAKOTA 
Breeding Population Trends 
The breeding pair census in North Dakota yielded the following results: 
