Black Duck Research Held at Lick Creek Bottoms WMA

Jamie Fedderson, TWRA Migratory Gamebird Program Coordinator, recently tasked a crew of Region IV staff to trap black ducks on Lick Creek WMA for research being conducted by the University of Saskatchewan in conjunction with several federal and state agencies and the Black Duck Joint Venture.

The goal of the project is to place GPS transmitters on black ducks primarily in the Atlantic flyway to collect location and acceleration data to monitor breeding and nesting ecology, track movements, and see where and how they utilize the landscape. Like a buzzer beater shot to win the game, the Region IV crew was able to shoot the rocket net on several. black ducks at last light on the last net attempt. After hours of preparation and several uneventful trapping attempts, the team which included Sterling Daniels, Region IV Species Program biologist, the entire Lick Creek crew with WMA Manager David Sams, technicians John Hudgens, John Heatherly, David Albright, and fisheries technician Kenny Goodman, along with several volunteers, were successful in trapping a total of 58 ducks. Thirty mallards and one wood duck were also banded and released. A total of 27 black ducks were captured, which included 11 females on which Jamie placed GPS transmitters. 

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