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Tier II bag limit regulations were developed to lessen constraints to participation by new duck hunters. By opting for the three-duck bag limit, hunters would not be subject to the species and sex-specific regulations of the six-duck limit. We surveyed hunters in Nebraska and South Dakota to gain an understanding about how Tier II regulations would be received by the current waterfowl-hunting population. We found that less experienced hunters stated they had greater difficulty identifying ducks and were more likely to use Tier II than experienced hunters. A significant proportion of new waterfowl hunters may make use of Tier II, and these regulations may relieve hunting constraints in a meaningful way. Wildlife agencies may want to consider how hunters transition between bag-limit regulations from year-to-year and consider means to integrate Tier II into hunter R3 efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence that decoy harvest techniques primarily remove individuals of poorer body condition is well established in short‐lived duck species; however, there is limited support for condition bias in longer‐lived waterfowl species, such as geese, where decoy harvest is considered primarily additive because of their high natural survival rates. We evaluated support for the harvest condition bias hypothesis of 2 long‐lived waterfowl species, the lesser snow goose (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) and Ross's goose (Anser rossii). We used proximate analysis to quantify lipid and protein content of lesser snow and Ross's geese collected during the Light Goose Conservation Order (LGCO) in 2015 and 2016 during spring migration in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota, USA. In each state, LGCO participants collected birds using traditional decoy techniques and we collected birds from the general population using jump‐shooting tactics. Total body lipid content in both lesser snow and Ross's geese varied with age, region of harvest, and harvest type (decoy or jump‐shooting). On average, adult lesser snow and Ross's geese harvested over decoys had 60 g and 41 g, respectively, fewer lipids than conspecifics collected using jump‐shooting. We observed lower lipid reserves in decoy‐shot geese in all 4 states sampled despite general gains in lipid reserves as migration chronology progressed. Our data support that the harvest condition bias extends to longer‐lived waterfowl species and during a life‐history event (spring migration) in which harvest is not normally observed. In the case of overabundant light geese, the disproportionate harvest of poorer‐conditioned lesser snow and Ross's geese may serve as an additional challenge against any realized effects of harvest to reduce the population, in addition to extremely low harvest rates. © 2019 The Wildlife Society. Decoy harvested light geese during the Light Goose Conservation Order exhibited lower total body lipids relative to geese sampled from the population via jump‐shooting tactics. Disproportionate harvest of poorer‐conditioned lesser snow and Ross's geese in decoy‐hunting situations may serve as an additional challenge against any realized effects of harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the findings of two surveys about waterfowl hunter crowding and its influence on dissatisfaction with outdoor experiences. Due to unlimited access for hunters at the Santee Area in the Lewis and Clark Lake on the Missouri River between Nebraska and South Dakota, crowding became a problem in the area. It describes the mail survey among duck hunters and the boat ramp survey on duck hunting experience and satisfaction. The mail survey revealed a crowding problem while the boat ramp survey found that crowding is also a resource problem.