The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-08-15
DUCK COUNTS
Being TAKEN
Flush SO Black Mallards OFF
Lapond Lake, But Workers
Couldn't Count Them.

To count them or not to count them
taking the duck census on Portage river
short time ago. The men marked
down the two barren hens that they
saw on the river, but didn't officially
record the SO black mallards that flew
off Lapond lake because they were
cred in the count.
Just what to do in a case like that
was left to officials of the u. S. forest
service, who are tabulating the results
obtained from eight sample areas in
the Superior National Forest to secure
information on the duck population
thereof.
Besides the Portage river from Big
lake to Lapond lake, which yielded two
hens without broods, Big Rice lake and
Third lake were worked. On Big Rice
one black mallard with young ducks was
spotted, one barren hen, and one un-
identified duck. No waterfowl was seen
on Third lake
While these waters were believed not
to furnish a true picture of the duck
population, Lapond was probably above
the average. Besides the so ducks,
three broods were flushed off the lake,
which is covered with wild rice and is
very good duck ground
The forest service has more or less
scientific system based on long study
and observation for determining duck
populations from the surveys made.
Boots and boats are usually used by
the counters in obtaining the data of
the duck crop on each national forest
in the Lake States. One counter pad
dies, the other follows on foot along
the shore and as the broods are located
the count is made. Counters work
early in the morning and late in the
evening when the ducks are feeding
in shallow water and are easily
spotted. During the day the broods are
hiding in the vegetation, often on high
ground some distance from water.
Most everyone is familiar with the
broken wing or injured leg act that the
mother grouse pulls on the initiated
when her brood is threatened but few
persons know that a mother duck can
equal a grouse in putting on a fake
show. So definite is this characteristic
exhibited that duck hunters state that
even if the brood cannot be found,
materially acting duck should be given
credit for the average number of duck
lings per brood.
Each year the same areas are counted
to determine the abundance of the
duck population. While the results for
this years count have not been COM
pletely tabulated, it appears that there
has been an increase on areas where
the water level has remained constant,
while the reverse is true on those lakes
where the water levels have fluctuated.
Details of the counts are forwarded to
the fish and wildlife service in Wash
ington for compilation of the total duck
population in the United States.
Jerome Stoudt, wildlife assistant in
the u S. forest service at Cass Lake,
said the warm weather in April fooled
many Minnesota mallards who ap-
parently though summer had arrived
and accordingly started to raise
families. These broods got an early
start, said Stoudt, and learned to fly
during the first part of July. But then
came cold days in June and duck rails
ing practically ceased for a time,
starting again when the weather turned
warm.
Stoudt, who has just completed count
Of the duck population on the Chip
pewa Forest, said the variation in the
size of the new ducks was much more
noticeable than in any year since the
counting began in 1886. Ordinarily
some variation in size is to be expected
as the so-called puddle ducks, mallards,
and blue-winged teal nest earlier than
the diving ducks of which the ringed-
neck and golden-eye are most common
to the Chippewa.