Minnesota's breeding duck and goose numbers were up significantly from last year, and the state had a record number of wetlands, according to Department of Natural Resources spring waterfowl surveys.
The state's estimated breeding duck population was 687,000 compared with last year's estimate of 531,000. This year's estimate is 11 percent above the long-term average of 622,000 breeding ducks.
This year's mallard breeding population was estimated at 283,000, which was 17 percent higher than last year's estimate of 242,000, and 26 percent above the long-term average, according to the DNR.
The blue-winged teal population was 214,000 this year compared with 132,000 in 2010, and near the long-term average of 219,000 blue-winged teal.
The combined populations of other ducks, such as wood ducks, ring-necked ducks, gadwalls, northern shovelers, canvasbacks and redheads, was 191,000, which is 22 percent higher than last year and 7 percent above the long-term average.
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The estimated number of wetlands was 360,000, up 33 percent from last year, 44 percent above the long-term average, and the highest wetland count on record.
"When you combine the wet conditions across much of Minnesota last fall, lots of snowpack, and above-average spring precipitation, it's not surprising that we saw record wetland numbers across the survey area this spring," Steve Cordts, DNR waterfowl specialist, said in a statement. "With such good wetland conditions, I would expect production, or the number of young ducks hatched, to be good this year."
The Canada goose population was estimated at 370,000, up from last year's estimate of 311,000. The number of breeding Canada geese in the state has been relatively stable over the past 10 years.
The DNR has a long-term goal in its Duck Recovery Plan to attract and hold a breeding population of 1 million ducks.
The DNR will announce this fall's waterfowl hunting regulations early this month.
