Raw data taken from: Duck
Hunting in Northern Minnesota: Recollections
of 50 Years. By George Rossman.
Duck seasons
of the 1920's opened on September 16 and closed on December 31.
During these years, the weather was favorable for duck
production. There was a substantial amount of ducks shot, usually
around the 1.4 million mark. Hunters usually harvested over 20
ducks per year. The number of hunters more than doubled, so daily
limits were cut from 15 to 10.
The 1930's brought drought.
As a result, duck populations suffered. Total ducks harvested
fell to an all time low of 500,000, with the average number of
harvested ducks for the year of less than 10.
As the rains came back in the 1940,
so did the ducks. Total harvest of ducks increased to over 2
million a year. The high populations of ducks caused an increase
in the number of hunters, and average number of harvested ducks rose to
around 20.
During the 1950's and 1960's, duck
populations suffered. The average number of ducks harvested per
hunter was at about 5, with only 500,000 ducks shot for the entire
year. Limits dropped to an all time low of 2 ducks daily.
