According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's annual Waterfowl Population Status Report, duck hunters can expect a season similar to 2024-25.

The good news, such as it is, is that duck populations are relatively stable despite very poor nesting conditions this spring in the Prairie Pothole Region. The bad news is that, because of precarious habitat availability and quality, duck numbers will not improve as long as current conditions persist.

The Waterfowl Population Status Report is compiled from data obtained by the USFWS, the Canadian Wildlife Service and state and provincial wildlife management agencies.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates a total of 34 million breeding ducks during the spring. That number is the same as in the spring of 2024, but it is 4% below the long

See Full Page