
233 
WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 
James A. Lee 
Introduction 
In order that it can be fully informed of the status of its waterfowl resources, 
the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, through its Management and 
Research Division, has annually conducted a three phase population inventory. The 
waterfowl breeding ground survey forms an integral part of this inventory. It 
provides the Department with detailed information on breeding success; brood sizes 
and mortality; extension or shifting of ranges of various resident species and the 
use of tne different habitat types by the nesting species. The status of its breeding 
population when combined with the fall inventory data, allows the establishment of 
open season dates which benefit ducks and hunters alike. 
Methods of Sampling and Area Covered 
The breeding ground survey this year marks the fifth year it has been carried 
out. The major share of the field work was conducted by the writer ably assisted by 
Mr. John Boyle, a graduate student. This work was carried on intensively through 
the months of May, June, July and August. The work in May consisted largely of 
detailed studies of the Wood Duck breeding population on key areas throughout the 
State. 
A total of 108 areas was visited, including most of those surveyed in the 
preceding years. Conservation Officer Fred T, Scott covered the more important 
areas in the Pittsburg area (Northern Region) for the fourth straight year. 
Methods used in the 1953 survey were identical to those of the previous years, 
Emphasis was placed on the location of broods rather than on breeding pairs or nests. - 
Repeated checks of the same areas provided information on brood mortality in the 
various age classes. Each area as it is surveyed is covered inits entirety. Actual 
survey may be one of several methods or a combination. A number of the areas 
adjacent to the road can be covered from a car, with the aid of a window mounted 
scope. Oftentimes observation with binoculars from a high tree provides adequate 
coverage. A canoe is used only when the other methods are not feasible or after the 
other methods have been used and a further check is desired, As a canoe disturbs 
the ducks it is usually difficult to get a complete count of ducklings in a brood. All 
data are entered on mimeographed forms immediately after an area has been surveyed, 
Broods are tallied as being complete, incomplete, probable or possible, on the basis 
of the observations. . os 1+ 
Representative habitat types are visited in each of the regions. It is known that 
the majority of waterfowl produced in New Hampshire come from the numerous small - 
areas such as beaver ponds, oxbow ponds, marshy coves in lakes and ponds, meadow 
marshes, and major streams, where from one to several broods are raised, Large, 
extensive waterfowl producing areas are few and atypical, and do not constitute in 
themselves an accurate sample of breeding conditions throughout the State. Also, 
these better areas with their extensive cover POLL OOHee.. a higher Ret orntser of. error 
into the survey than those more easily inventoried. - 
