
To obtain the fraction of hunters who were active during any 
one period: multiply this average daily percentage of activity © 
(column 4) by the number of days in the period (column 2), then by 
the average number of periods reported per hunter. For example, 
35% hunted during period 4 in the Pacific Flyway States. 
The daily average number of ducks bagged (column 6) is derived 
as follows: the daily percentage of ducks bagged (column 5) is 
divided by the daily percentage of hunting activity (column 4). 
This quotient then is multiplied by the average daily bag for the 
season, 
RESULTS 
It was estimated that 7,051,140 ducks were retrieved during 
the 1959-60 waterfowl season in the United States (except Alaska 
and Hawaii), as shown in Table 1. This was the smallest bag 
since the new sampling system was inaugurated during the 1952-53 
season. The estimated decline from 1958-59 was nearly 42 per 
cent and the estimated decline from the seven year average 
(1952-58) was almost 41 per cent. [It was estimated that 1,377,720 
ducks were killed but not retrieved. This also was the smallest 
estimate since 1952. It was about 45 per cent lower than the 
estimate for 1958-59 (Table 1). There were decreases from 1958-59 
among all species of ducks retrieved except the scaup and scoter; 
the greatest relative decreases were among canvasbacks (61%), 
redheads (58%), and ring-necked ducks (59%). Canvasbacks decreased 
71 per cent from the average for 1952-58 and redheads and ring- 
necks decreased about the same amount. In general, the decrease 
in the bag of species whose principal nesting area is in the 
prairie provinces was proportionally greater than the decrease 
in number of hunters (26%). The bag of species whose principal 
nesting area is elsewhere did not follow so uniform a rule. 
It was estimated that 734,323 geese were bagged, a decrease 
of about 15 per cent from 1958-59 (Table 1). Estimates of the 
bag of blue geese and brant increased, The increase in brant 
was in the Atlantic Flyway, and was great enough to offset a sub- 
stantial decrease in the bag in the Pacific Flyway. It was esti- 
mated that 142,475 geese were killed but not retrieved, a decrease 
of about 16 per cent from 1958-59, 
The bag of coots was estimated at only 167,080, a decrease of 
almost 72 per cent from 1958-59. Coots that were killed but not 
retrieved were estimated at 95,585, down 45 per cent from 1958-59 
(Table 1). Both of these estimates were the smallest since 1952. 
st ai be 
