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Area Summaries 
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Following are summaries of breeding pair and brood data for the Game 
Management Areas. These are condensations of the more detailed reports 
prepared by the area game biologists, and in some cases, comments of the writer 
are incorporated. 
Areal! - Milton H. Stenlund, Ely - Eighteen miles of canoe transect were run on 
wilderness streams and lakes in northern St. Louis County from May 12 to May 15. 
The route began on the Moose River and continued as follows: Nina Moose River, 
Portage River, Agnes Lake, Oyster Creek, Oyster Lake, Shell Lake Creek, Rocky 
Lake and Green Lake. Waterfowl were seen in the following numbers: black duck, 
26; goldeneye, 5; mallard, 3; lesser scaup, 3; wood duck, 2; American merganser, 
6; hooded merganser, 10. These species all breed in the area except the lesser 
scaup, for which there are no nest records. This amounts to 3.1 ducks per mile 
counted. Repeated counts have not been made over identical routes, because of 
the problem of getting assistance in canoeing the transects. It is believed that this 
year's breeding population was quite normal and that the breeding waterfowl popu- 
lation of Area I remains relatively stable from year to year. No brood size data 
were secured for Areal. A count on Camp 4 Lake showed no ducks. A count on 
Sand River showed no young, but one pair of ringnecks, one male goldeneye, two 
single mallards, and one black duck were noted. Broods reported early in June 
indicate an early nesting season. 
Area Il - Vernon E. Gunvalson, Bemidji - Auto transects totaling 325 miles and 
representing 81 square miles of area sampled were run in Beltrami, Cass, 
Clearwater, and Hubbard Counties. Data summarized for the entire 325 miles 
show 3.06 pairs per square mile and 5.65 ducks per square mile. In 1951, figures 
of 2.1 pairs per square mile and 3.4 ducks per square mile were obtained. The 
substantial difference in ducks per square mile is due in part to lesser scaups that 
linger on later than most species in their migration. Considering a change in the 
transect route which included some better waterfowl habitat (Hubbard County), and 
general observations in the area, it is concluded that breeding duck numbers were 
about the same as in 1951. Water levels during the spring were generally down, 
and some 1951 water areas were dry or drying up. This year there were 2.2 water 
areas per square mile of transect compared with 2.6 for 1951 and 2.5 for 1950. 
The percent of occupancy was somewhat higher this year, 40.6 compared with 30.8 
last year and 35.5 in 1950. The three major species continued to be ringneck, 
mallard, and blue-winged teal. The duck hatch appeared to be extremely early this 
year and hatching conditions were excellent. An earlier brood count may have given 
more favorable results. Many broods were seen on some of the check areas in early 
June that were not seen during the regular check in July. Brood counts were completed 
on six water areas on which a total of 44 broods was recorded, compared with 59 in 
1951. One area was not covered completely, due to adverse weather and in general, 
checking conditions were unfavorable. Counts were made on Upper Rice Lake and 
Four-legged Lake, Clearwater County; Rux Pond, Refuge Pond, and Fisheries 
Rearing Pond, Beltrami County; and Sucker Lakes, Cass County. A total of 42 
class "A" broods contained 298 young, giving an average brood size of 7.1 compared 
with 7 for 1951 and 7.9 for 1950. Ringnecks, mallards, and goldeneyes made up the 
bulk of these broods. Considering all data, it seems that the summer duck population 
in Area Il is approximately equal to that of 1951. 
