WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY - SUCCESS STUDY 
AREA - SASKATCHEWAN, 1955 
Henry Reeves, Maurice Lundy and Fred Kreller 
Introduction 
The Success Study Area in the shortgrass prairie of southwestern 
Saskatchewan was established this year for the following purposes: 
1. To obtain breeding pair, brood, and water area data for 
comparison with those obtained by aerial crews working 
the identical area. 
Z To obtain information on habitat requirements of breed- 
ing birds, and the effects of water, climatic conditions, 
and habitat on production and survival of young. 
The study was initiated on May 4 by U. S. Game Management Agents 
Henry Reeves and Maurice Lundy of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Agent Lundy 
was relieved by Agent Fred Kreller during the latter half of the study until 
August 11 when field work was concluded. 
The Study Area 
Located 12 miles north of Swift Current and just south of the South 
Saskatchewan River, the area extends outwards one-eighth of a mile on each side 
of four roads intersecting to form a rectangle (Figure 1}. Saskatchewan Highways 
4 and 32 form the east and south sides of the rectangle, while secondary roads 
form the north and west sides. The towns of Stewart Valley and Success are 
located on the northeast and southwest corners. 
Distance around the area to point of bepinning is 46 miles. A total 
of 7,147 acres, or 11.17 square miles, composed of 69 percent agricultural lands, 
24 percent grasslands, and 7 percent water areas, is included. Most of the agri- 
cultural land is devoted to small grain production, while the native grasslands is 
usually grazed moderately. 
The locale is situated at an elevation of about 2,500 feet in the 
Missouri Coteau. Major topography is largely of ice age derivation and much is 
of knob and kettle formation, although ground moraines and glacial lake remains 
may be found locally. Soils are typically brown and their textures range from 
clay to fine sandy loam with loam predominating. Soils of the few large poorly 
drained basins are heavily alkaline, 
