SCOPE OF INVESTIGATIONS AND METHODS USED 
' Waterfowl Kill Survey 
Each year following the shooting season the Bureau carries 
out a mail-questionnaire survey among waterfowl hunters for the purpose 
of determining the number of birds killed and the relationship between 
hunting regulations, hunter activity, and harvest. Mailing addresses 
for the questionnaire survey are obtained at. the time the duck stamps 
are purchased at a series of randomly selected post offices. During 
the past year the plan for selecting Post Office Sampling Units was 
modified somewhat. by including post office substations as well as the 
main post offices in the list from which the units were drawn. This 
modification reduced the average size of the sampling units and in- 
creased their uniformity. This change became possible as a result of 
certain modifications in accounting practices in the Post Office 
Department and has resulted in an increase in sampling efficiency. 
The specific objectives of the 1958-59 kill survey were as 
follows: 
1. To estimate total retrieved! and unretrieved ducks, 
geese and coots, by Flyways. 
2. To estimate total number of potential and active 
waterfowl hunters, by Flyways. 
3. To estimate the average times hunted per waterfowl 
hunter. 
4, ‘To estimate the geographic and density distribution 
of hunters in the areas of waterfowl hunting. 
5S. To estimate number of banded waterfowl bagged. 
6. To determine proportion of waterfowl hunting on 
lands under private and public jurisdiction, 
7. To estimate the distribution of hunters on seven 
broad habitat types. 
Only the results related to Objectives 1 through 3 above 
are being reported at this time. Data related to Objectives 4 
through 7 will be summarized and analyzed in a later publication. 
tthe primary sampling objective being a standard error not in excess 
of 5 percent of the mean bag of ducks. 
