197 
On August 2, 1953 transect III A was re-run by Game Agents Jensen, Harms, 
and Meyerding and they found 53 broods where there had been only 37 on July 23, 
This represents an increase of 43 percent and if this percentage held up on all other 
transects then 37:53::238 (total broods seen on July census): x or X = 341, This is 
equal to 3.97 broods per square mile or only 12 percent less than in 1952 which 
compares favorably to the loss of 9 percent in breeding pairs. The second census 
of transect III A yielded over twice as many blue-winged teal broods and more 
broods of pintail and gadwall. We believe it safe to say that the 1953 hatch was not 
too far below that of 1952 by probably not more than 15 percent. The increase in 
canvasback broods was apparently due to a very successful breeding season for this 
Species, the same as occurred in Saskatchewan. 
In general we might conclude by saying that we lost some breeding pairs and 
broods on our transects in North Dakota but the loss was not a serious one. Lack of 
water in April may well have been the cause of the decrease in breeding population 
of mallard and pintails. 
SOUTH DAKOTA 
Breeding Population Trends 
The breeding pair transects in South Dakota yielded the following results: 
Table III. - Breeding Pairs in South Dakota (88 Square Miles) 
Pairs Per Square Mile Percent Change Species Composition 
Species ~T951 +1952 ~=«21:953 from 1952 T95l #1952 #1953 
B-w. teal 9.49 9.81 10,33 + 5 39.0 36,1 41.3 
Pintail 5.57 7.41 5.25 - 29 22.9 27.3 20.9 
Mallard 3.32 3.81 3.74 - 2 13.6 14.0 14.9 
Gadwall D9 = 2 BT 2.17 - 15 10.6 9.4 8.6 
Shoveler 1.61 1.70 1,43 - 21 6.6 6.6 5.8 
Redhead 0.72 0.85 0.97 + 13 2.9 3.1 3.8 
Baldpate 0.35 0,18 0.19 - 6 1.4 0.6 0.7 
Lesser scaup 0.20 0.32 0.51 + 61 0.8 led a, 
Ruddy duck 0.28 0,14 0.07 - 50 1,2 0.5 0.3 
Canvasback 0.11 0.10 0.22 +111 0.5 0.4 0.9 
All Others 0.07 0.19 0.18 - 5 tr. 0.5 0.7 
Total 24.36 27.08 25.06 -~ 8 100 100 100 
The South Dakota transects were run during a period of bad weather including 
the snowstorm of May 11. This may have affected the results to some extent. 
Most of the diving ducks showed an increase on the transects in question with 
the exception of the ruddy duck which in all probability was delayed enroute to the 
breeding grounds due to inclement weather. The blue-winged teal which makes up 
about 40 percent of the breeding population seemed to hold its own in 1953 and in 
fact gained a little. 
On the 1953 ground transects the Waubay Hills area was down 16 percent in 
breeding pairs while the Leola Hills were up 15 percent, Transects running through 
the James River Valley and adjacent areas were also down 17 percent. 
