deltawaterfowl

Although snow and ice still have a firm grip over most of the prairie pothole region, field work has started for Delta’s Predator Management Program in preparation for the 2026 duck nesting season.

March 23, 2026 — Delta’s team of professional trappers has begun working at 51 sites in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, and South Dakota, key areas that serve as vital nesting grounds for North American waterfowl. Up to 70% of the continent’s ducks hatch in the PPR, which is often referred to as “North America’s Duck Factory.” Millions of ducks hatched in the region migrate through all four flyways each fall and winter.

“Our efforts in the PPR give hens a leg up to produce a successful nest,” said Mike Buxton, waterfowl programs director. “Fewer predators on the landscape gives more ducks a fighting chance to make it to the fall flight.”

Delta’s proven Predator Management Program is a targeted approach to increase nest success, adding hundreds of thousands of ducks to every fall flight. Nest success, defined as a nest with at least one hatched duckling, is often less than 5 to 10% in many key breeding areas of the PPR. A hatch of 15 to 20% is required just to maintain current populations.

“Delta’s trappers focus on areas of the PPR with high waterfowl breeding density but low nest success,” said Joel Brice, Delta’s chief conservation officer. “By strategically managing predators in these areas, we increase the likelihood of more nests hatching.”

Raccoons and skunks are two primary duck nest predators on the prairie, species that were absent or scarce across most of the prairie before the 1950s. Today, these overly abundant predators can have devasting impacts on duck nests — research shows that up to 90 percent of failed nests are destroyed by predators.

“Targeting areas of the prairie with a predator/prey imbalance has proven to be a sound way to ensure more ducks will hatch each year,” Brice said. “This strategy is central to Delta’s mission of producing more ducks.”

Delta’s trappers, and more importantly, the returning ducks, face variable habitat conditions across the PPR. Late summer and fall rains in 2025 across the Dakotas kept many of the wetlands in good shape throughout the winter despite intermittent snowfall. Conditions in the Canadian provinces are mixed, with some areas still suffering drought, while other areas have better water to start nesting season.

“There’s a lot of variability in a vast place like the PPR,” Buxton said. “An area that’s dry today can be full of water in a matter of weeks. Spring rains can dramatically improve drought-stricken areas in time for returning waterfowl.”

To support and grow Delta’s capacity to produce ducks through effective Predator Management, the organization must recruit, train, and work closely with a team of professional trappers.

In April, Delta is hosting its first trapper training course, a comprehensive program designed for interested trappers to learn about essentials like safety, equipment, tactics, and lures. After attending the course, those prospective trappers will spend time afield with a member of Delta’s trapping team to gain eligibility for a contract in 2027.

“The ability to identify prospective trappers and train them well in advance provides us with a solid growth trajectory,” Buxton said. “This way, we’re expanding the impact of our Predator Management Program each year.”

Delta Waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization™, a leading conservation group founded in 1911 that uses science-based solutions to produce ducks, conserve prairie wetlands, and secure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.

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