INTRODUCTION 
Each year, immediately after the shooting season, the Bureau of 
Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, U. &S. Fish and Wildlife Service, carries 
out a mail-questionnaire survey among waterfowl hunters. The purpose 
of this survey is to estimate the size of the waterfowl harvest and to 
provide data for relating the harvest to hunting regulations and hunter 
activity. 
During the 1960-61 hunting season, the Bureau carried out a mail 
survey of waterfowl hunters in each of the States in the Mississippi 
Flyway. The sampling effort ordinarily devoted to this project was 
augmented as a result of memoranda of agreement between the Bureau and 
nine of the States in the flyway: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, 
Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee. These States pro- 
vided funds for the augmented sample, so that the data would support 
reasonably good estimates for the individual States. 
The objectives of the 1960-61 survey were to estimate: 
(1) The total number of ducks, geese, and coots shot, 
including those that were lost as well as those 
that were retrieved. 
(2) The number of people who planned to hunt (potential 
hunters). 
(3) The number of people who did hunt (active hunters). 
(4) The average number of times active waterfowl 
hunters were in the field hunting during the 
season. 
(5) The proportional distribution of the duck bag and 
the proportional participation of hunters during 
the different parts of the season. 
Data in the tables of this report have been adjusted to allow for 
biases that tended to exaggerate the estimates of hunting activity and 
kill. These errors and methods for making the corrections are partially 
described in the publications listed below. A mimeographed description 
of methods is available on request. 
