Fall Duck Flight Down in ND This Year

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota's fall duck flight is expected to be down significantly from last year but still similar to the good fall flights of 2007-2011.

Mike Johnson with the state Game and Fish Department says the fall flight estimate is a combination of a spring breeding duck survey and a summer brood survey.

The breeding duck survey in May indicated the duck index was down 17 percent from 2012 but still exceeded the long-term average by 73 percent.

The mid-July waterfowl production survey indicated a duck brood index down 48 percent from 2012 but still 27 percent above the long-term average.

The index doesn't count every duckling in the state. Instead, biologists sample representative areas across North Dakota each year to provide trend information that allows annual comparisons of waterfowl production.