Table IV - State-wide Duck Populations in North Dakota as Indicated by 
Spring Surveys 
AERIAL COUNT GROUND COUNT 
, Minimu 
Ducks Per Square Mile Per Square Mile Srate ee 
Year Observed Corrected Ducks Pairs Population Index 
1948 11,4 17.6 11.9 8.1 1, 243, 704 
1949 “15.7 20.7 13.2 8.7 1,462, 766 
1950 22.2 27.6 19.7 12.3 1,950, 354 
1951 15.6 20.8 13.9 9.2 1,469, 832 
1952 13.4 18.1 10.8 7.0 1, 279, 037 

Table V - State-wide Individual Species Population Indices in North Dakota as 
Species 
Indicated by Spring Surveys 


1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 
Pintail 343, 262 506,117 589, 007 424, 781 361, 967 
B-w. teal 386, 792 334,973 618, 262 438,010 409, 292 
Mallard 160, 438 207,713 245,745 213, 126 194,414 
Shoveler 162,925 174, 069 222, 340 144, 044 89,533 
Gadwall 88, 303 81,915 79, 965 61,733 71, 626 
Canvasback 16, 168 23,404 40,957 54, 384 35,813 
Baldpate 9,950 27,793 37.057 27,927 25, 580 
Redhead 36, 067 45, 346 50,709 38,216 29,418 
Scaup 26,118 35, 106 25, 355 45,565 33, 255 
Ruddy duck 13,681 23,404 37,057 19, 108 17,907 
Others - 2,926 3,900 2,938 10, 232 
Total 1, 243, 704 1,462, 766 1,950, 354 1,469, 832 1,279, 037 
Comparison of the corrected aerial count population figures for 1951 and 1952 
indicate a decrease of 13 percent in total duck populations in 1952. 
Comparison of 
the breeding pairs per square mile figures from the 1951 and 1952 ground counts 
indicate a decrease of 23.9 percent in breeding pairs in 1952. 
From these data, it is concluded that the over-all State -wide 1952 spring duck 
breeding population in North Dakota was from 15 to 20 percent less than that of 1951. 
All species except gadwall showed a decrease. Largest decreases occurred 
in the case of shoveler, 39 percent; canvasback, 36 percent; scaup, 28 percent; 
redhead, 25 percent; and pintail, 17 percent. 
