| | Description: | Annual survey of waterfowl duck, goose, and coot hunters to determine their activities, harvests, characteristics, and opinions in Illinois. Abstract: A total of 2,725 potential Illinois waterfowl hunters returned usable questionnaires for the 2005-2006 Illinois Waterfowl Hunter Survey (59% response rate). Of those, 2,244 reported purchasing a 2005-2006 Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp, of which 1,890 (84%) hunted waterfowl in 2005-2006. An estimated 48,772 Illinois waterfowl hunters spent 868,299 days hunting during the 2005-2006 season, and they harvested 526,221 waterfowl. There were 6,686 September teal hunters; they spent 17,708 days hunting and harvested 10,953 teal. Harvest during the regular duck season included 240,897 mallards, 37,942 wood ducks, and 133,509 other ducks. Hunters harvested 9,896 Canada geese during the 2005 September season. During the regular goose season, 30,614 hunters spent 271,708 days hunting and harvested 74,293 Canada geese and 9,353 other geese. We examined hunter attitudes toward waterfowl hunting, with a particular emphasis on duck season dates and zone boundaries. | |
