
SCOPE OF INVESTIGATIONS AND METHODS USED 
Waterfowl Kill 
During the 1952-53 waterfowl shooting season the Fish and Wildlife 
Service inaugurated a new method of measuring the waterfowl kill. The method 
functions through the cooperation of the Post Office Department and provides for 
a sampling of the hunters in each Flyway in proportion to their occurrence in the 
various States. The objectives of the kill survey are to determine for each Flyway 
(1) the number of birds taken by hunters with an error not to exceed five percent; 
(2) the size of the average daily bag; and (3) the average number of times a hunter 
went afield during the season. 
The mailing addresses for the questionnaire survey are obtained at the 
time duck stamps are purchased at Post Offices. The questionnaires are mailed 
out on the closing date of the shooting season in each State. Three weeks later, 
a follow-up questionnaire is mailed to those who have not answered the first 
questionnaire. The number of questionnaires mailed out and the number returned 
in each Flyway is shown in the following table: 
Questionnaires Questionnaires Percent 
Sent Out Returned Returned 
Flyway 52-53 53-54 54-55 52-53 53-54 54-54 52-53 53-54 54. 
Atlantic 3091 6643 8274 2449 4645 5758 79.2 69.9 69.6 
Mississippi 3995 11549 14133 3130 8126 10168 78.4 70.4 71.9 
Central 2644 7035 8081 1988 4560 5795 75.2 64.8 71.7 
Pacific 2828 7903 13227 2334 5601 9794 82.5 70.9 74.1 
EEE e————— EEE eee 
Total 12558 33130 43715 9901 22932 31515 78,8 69.2 72.1 
Winter Survey of Waterfowl Distribution and Conditions 
The annual waterfowl survey to obtain information on wintering conditions 
and distribution covered the major wintering grounds of known importance in 
Alaska, Canada, the United States, Mexico and the West Indies. The cooperative 
survey was conducted mostly during January. In Alaska, Mexico and the West 
Indies, the Fish and Wildlife Service organized and conducted the surveys. In the 
United States the Service organized the survey but most of the field work was 
performed by personnel of the 48 State Conservation Departments. In Canada the 
survey was organized by the Canadian Wildlife Service and the field work was 
-conducted by the Service and the Provinces. 
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