Use, efficiency, and hunter opinions of motion-wing decoys at Neosho Wildlife Area.

Abstract

Motion-wing decoys (MWD) have spread in use and popularity among duck hunters in the past decade, with little thought on possible effects on harvest. I examined use, efficiency, and hunter opinions of MWD at Neosho Wildlife Area (NOWA) in southeast Kansas during the 20012002 and 2002-2003 hunting seasons. A survey was conducted as part of daily hunting permits to determine MWD use and effects on harvest, early and late season harvest, and crippling loss. During the sampling periods there was an 18% increase in the percent of hunters using MWD. A difference was detected for total harvest by hunters hunting with and without MWD (P S 0.001). Mallards were the most susceptible to MWD use for both sampling periods (P S 0.001), while results for wood ducks, teal, others, and cripples lost showed mixed results for the sampling periods. Crippling rate was lower among hunters using MWD for both seasons, and both groups experienced a decrease in crippling rate between early and late season. Multiple linear regression suggested that area hunted and hours hunted have an effect on cripples lost for both sampling periods (P ~ 0.001). MWD use during early season showed an increase in harvest probability of 1.81 and 1.58 (ducks/hunter/trip) for total harvest, and an increase of 3.8 and 3.91 (ducks/hunter/trip) for mallard hens in 2001 and 2002 respectively. However, there was a difference for all species between early and late season with the use of MWD (P ~ 0.001). The mallard drake-to-hen harvest ratio for hunters using and not using MWD was similar. In general, my results suggest that effectiveness of MWD does decrease as the season progresses. Of hunters surveyed, 46.8% responded that duck behavior was unclear, and appeared to respond in some instances but not in others, while 58.8% were in favor of methods that improve hunting success as long as season length and bag limits were not affected. Roughly half of hunters surveyed (49%) would agree or strongly agree to volunteer not to use a MWD if asked. Surprisingly 70% would favor some type of regulation on MWD, while 35.5% would favor a complete ban on MWD if increases in harvest had a biological impact on waterfowl populations.