Duck Numbers Up Slightly Overall

Preliminary report shows increase in breeding ducks for 2007

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 11, 2007 - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) today released its preliminary report on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May.

Overall, duck populations increased 14 percent since last year with an estimated 41.2 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. As a result of winter snowfall and good precipitation, habitat conditions are similar or slightly improved compared to conditions in 2006.

Full Story & Species Breakdown

Take Action to Protect Duck Hunting

The ducks need your help to keep a critical waterfowl habitat program alive. Congress is working on the Farm Bill now, and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is in jeopardy of being eliminated.

The Wetlands Reserve Program has restored more than 2,000,000 acres of wetlands on marginal farmland, providing critical habitat for waterfowl and many other wildlife species. WRP is integral in helping to offset the 80,000 acres of wetlands that continue to be lost in the U.S. each year. It is a totally voluntary conservation program.

WRP funding will be eliminated by Congress unless you take action.

Know Your Ducks

So, you think your waterfowl IQ is pretty sharp? See if you can identify the name of the waterfowl species with following traits:

• I am a medium-sized dabbling duck, but my size doesn't slow me down. I'm a swift flyer and often twist and turn like a teal.
  
  
• Because one-third of my diet is animal matter (invertebrates), some people don't think I'm good to eat. What they don't know is that on the rice prairies of east-central Arkansas, Texas and California, I eat lots of waste rice, so I taste like most other dabbling ducks (but let's keep that quiet).
  
  
• My large, spatulate bill earned me a nickname known for miles around, but this big bill serves a purpose. I have something called lamellae on my bill. They look like teeth and work like a sieve, allowing me to sift out mud and water, while retaining seeds, bugs and other good grub.

Stumped? Click here for the Answer!

Brush up on your Waterfowl IQ in our Waterfowl Gallery!

Bank of America

Be one of the first to carry the latest in outdoor gear and earn points that give you Ultimate AccessTM

Apply today and be one of the first people to carry the newest
Ducks Unlimited Visa® WorldPointsTM credit card. Now offering three new card designs: the camo card featuring Advantage Max-4, a yellow Lab and a black Lab.
 
Introducing Ultimate Access Rewards—A Benefit of the Ducks Unlimited WorldPoints credit card that gives you the ability to redeem points for once in a lifetime experiences, access to special events and exclusive memorabilia. For details, visit WWW.WORLDPOINTSULTIMATEACCESS.COM.

Apply Today!

Winchester

Winchester is giving Ducks Unlimited members only the chance to win an all-expense paid* two-day hunt at NILO Farms - Winchester's prestigious hunting preserve in Brighton, Illinois. DU members can go to www.winchester.com/dusweeps to complete an official online entry form and hit the submit button to enter the Winchester/Ducks Unlimited Online Sweepstakes. Information requested will include email address and other pertinent information required to win the hunt.

To learn more about this special opportunity just for Ducks Unlimited members, visit the Web site - and good luck. Win with Winchester!

And from the most trusted brand in ammunition comes Winchester Legends.  Beginning this August, tune in to Versus, www.versus.com, and join host Ron Spomer on some of the most classic hunts this world has to offer.

Watch a promotional video clip for Winchester Legends.

Click here to find the VERSUS TV channel on your cable or satellite system.

Duck Burritos

From the frying pan to the fryer, it's the finest in wild game recipes with Fresh from the Field, featuring chef Scott Leysath.

Here's a great dish with lots of flavor that you can use with either freshly cooked or leftover duck breast.

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