Our analysis of the 2024 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey results and a look ahead to hunting season
Before you pack your decoys and start scouting, tune in to watch waterfowl experts from Ducks Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and guest panelists from across North America as they dip into the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey results and share their expectations for waterfowl numbers and hunting prospects for the upcoming season. Stay up-to-date on the latest issues affecting waterfowl populations, habitats, and hunters and gain valuable insights for the 2024-2025 season.
Waterfowl Season Outlook is in partnership with Drake Waterfowl and Mossy Oak.
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Get to know Ducks Unlimited's leading waterfowl experts.
Senior Waterfowl Scientist, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Mike Brasher is a Senior Waterfowl Scientist at Ducks Unlimited’s National Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to this role, Mike served for 13 years as Biological Team Leader for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture in Lafayette, Louisiana. In his current position, Mike collaborates with DU staff and partners to communicate and advance the scientific foundation of DU’s conservation activities. Mike also serves as a co-host of the Ducks Unlimited Podcast.
Senior Waterfowl Scientist, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Waterfowl Research Scientist, Ducks Unlimited Canada
Matt Dyson is a Waterfowl Research Scientist at Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research who studies the behavioral and demographic responses of ducks to landscape change. Matt has studied duck nesting ecology in Alberta’s boreal forest, nesting and brood ecology of wood ducks in southern Ontario, Canada goose nesting ecology on James Bay, and even woodland caribou in northern Ontario.
Waterfowl Research Scientist, Ducks Unlimited Canada
Waterfowl Scientist, Western Region, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Dan Smith is a Waterfowl Scientist for Ducks Unlimited’s Western Region, where he participates in research and conservation planning to aid in delivering DU’s conservation mission. Before coming to DU, Dan was a graduate researcher at the University of California, Davis, where he focused on habitat management and waterfowl bioenergetics.
Waterfowl Scientist, Western Region, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
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Senior Director of Prairie and Boreal Conservation Strategy, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Scott Stephens is currently Senior Director of Prairie and Boreal Conservation Strategy. Scott has BS degree from Northwest Missouri State University, a MS degree from Mississippi State University, and PhD from Montana State University. Scott has worked for the Ducks Unlimited family for 28 years where he started as a Conservation Intern at DU’s national headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, and has served in roles of Research Biologist and Director of Conservation Planning with DUI and Director of Regional Operations – Prairies and Boreal and Director of Conservation Strategy and Support with Ducks Unlimited Canada. Scott, his wife Stacy, and their 8-year old black lab, Ulu, live in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Senior Director of Prairie and Boreal Conservation Strategy, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Vice President of Development, Drake Waterfowl
Jim Ronquest is the Vice President of Development for Drake Waterfowl, bringing over 50 years of hunting experience from the Canadian Prairies to the Gulf Coast, focusing on the mid-latitude portions of the Central and Mississippi Flyways. A recognized leader in the field, Jim was named Ducks Unlimited's Conservation Communicator of the Year in 2019. His extensive background includes serving as the Producer and Co-Host of RNT-V, working as a commercial duck guide, and winning the World Champion Duck Caller title. In 2023, he was honored with inductions into both the Arkansas Game and Fish Hall of Fame and the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame.
Vice President of Development, Drake Waterfowl
Get even more insights from wetlands conservation experts from across North America joining the discussion from the field.
Wildlife Biologist, Canadian Wildlife Service
Regional Biologist, Western Region, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Regional Biologist, Western Region, Ducks Unlimited Inc.
Associate Professor, State University of New York College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry
Wildlife Pilot-Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service
No, please contact your federal, state, and local wildlife agencies for your location's hunting rules and regulations.
The data collected from the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey are used to establish annual hunting regulations in the United States and Canada and provide a long-term time series important for researching bird-environment relationships critical to effective conservation planning for waterfowl.
The data collected through this survey are vitally important to the management of waterfowl across North America. The information gathered is used to set waterfowl hunting regulations for the following years.
https://www.fws.gov/library/collections/waterfowl-population-status-reports, or Google "Waterfowl Population Status Reports" and click on the link from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS.gov)
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