2022 Waterfowl.

[Okie4570]

Surely there's statistics out there on the number of duck stamps sold to determine hunter growth or decline. Just from personal experience in my areas, I've gone from not hearing or seeing any other hunters for years and years as in decades, to now losing places and not being able to hunt without hearing shots in multiple directions on every hunt no matter which properties I hunted.

 

[Dorkus]

Surely there's statistics out there on the number of duck stamps sold to determine hunter growth or decline. Just from personal experience in my areas, I've gone from not hearing or seeing any other hunters for years and years as in decades, to now losing places and not being able to hunt without hearing shots in multiple directions on every hunt no matter which properties I hunted.

This is really hard to read on your phone, so look off a laptop:
https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/federal-duck-stamp-program-stamp-sales-by-year.pdf
A quick glance shows the 60s and 70s were the top sales years.

 

[Okie4570]

 

[Okie4570]

This is really hard to read on your phone, so look off a laptop:

https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/federal-duck-stamp-program-stamp-sales-by-year.pdf


A quick glance shows the 60s and 70s were the top sales years.

I wonder what happened in the early 90's ? No rain fall up north?

 

[Dorkus]

There was a major drought in the late 80s, early 90s up north if I remember correctly. Limits were reduced quite a bit with at one time mallard drakes were 50 points each, a hen was 100. So you go get all set up and could be limited out with one bird.

It was also the beginning of steel shot, which was beyond horrible for the first decade or so of its existence. Shot would literally bounce off ducks and we spent a lot of $$$ on swatter loads for cripples. That is when I bought my ten gauge and used it exclusively for that reason.

We still went whenever we could but they were lean years and it drove a lot of people away from duck hunting.

 

[Dorkus]

There was a major drought in the late 80s, early 90s up north if I remember correctly. Limits were reduced quite a bit with at one time mallard drakes were 50 points each, a hen was 100. So you go get all set up and could be limited out with one bird.

It was also the beginning of steel shot, which was beyond horrible for the first decade or so of its existence. Shot would literally bounce off ducks and we spent a lot of $$$ on swatter loads for cripples. That is when I bought my ten gauge and used it exclusively for that reason.

We still went whenever we could but they were lean years and it drove a lot of people away from duck hunting.

Edit: Canvasbacks were even closed for full seasons at a time.

 

[Bocephus123]

There was a major drought in the late 80s, early 90s up north if I remember correctly. Limits were reduced quite a bit with at one time mallard drakes were 50 points each, a hen was 100. So you go get all set up and could be limited out with one bird.

It was also the beginning of steel shot, which was beyond horrible for the first decade or so of its existence. Shot would literally bounce off ducks and we spent a lot of $$$ on swatter loads for cripples. That is when I bought my ten gauge and used it exclusively for that reason.

We still went whenever we could but they were lean years and it drove a lot of people away from duck hunting.

Remington Nitro Mag Shells gave us hope. I hunted those years and supported Ducks Unlimited.

 

[retrieverman]

There were quite a few ducks on the river this afternoon.

 

[Hangfire]

 

[Bocephus123]

View attachment 358411

Amen!