WYONG 
Weather and “ater Conditions 
| rhenologically, the season of 1959 has been similar to 
that of 1955. Various areas within the State that showed a 
drying trend iast year have remained that way and those areas 
having an ample supply of water in 1950 are in relatively good 
condition again this season, 
During the month of April, belcew normal temperatures 
and precipitation were recorded for much of Wyoming. Low tempera- 
tures continued into May with a low of 10° above zero being 
recorded on May 5 at Big Piney. Precipitation during May ranged 
from slightly above normal in some areas to slightly below in 
others. June and July have been hot and dry generally and some 
brooding havitat at the lower elevations is being lost due to this 
drying trend. 
Breeding Population Indices 
Table 1 presents a summary of the duck breeding ground 
survey for 1959. The estimated breeding pair population for 1959 
shows an increase of 16.3 percent over 1958 and an increase of 
2h..3 percent from the 1955-1958 average. 
The total number of ducks counted as computed by 
combining the number of breeding pairs with birds that were found 
in groups. It will be seen that the total number of birds counted 
in 1959 is 218,483 or 27.0 percent above the estimate for 1958. 
This figure also represents a 39.1 percent increase from the 
previous li~year average. 
Table 2 indicates the long-term breeding ground trend 
for Wyoming geese. During 1958 little change was noted from the 
previous year, but the 1959 survey reveals a significant increase 
of 36.0 percent from the 1958 statewide total. The figure 
recorded for 1959 is still 16.0 percent below the 7-year average. 
Conclusions 
All of the available data indicates that the fall Plight 
of ducks from Wyoming will be the best that has occurred from this 
State in recent years. The increase in the number of geese on the 
breeding areas indicates that the fall flight of this species from _ 
Wyoming will be somewhat greater than the one of 1958, but still 
below the long-term average. 
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