Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Hunting created disturbances on both lake and upland feeding sites. Field-feeding mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and northern pintail (Anas acuta) flocks were dispersed from the easily reached shores, and gathered in less accessible regions in the northeastern and southwestern portions of the lake. Since hunting from boats was banned these loafing concentrations were rarely disturbed. Well-defined goose flight lines formed during both autumns but usually dispersed after a few days, probably because of hunting pressure on the fields. Geese also preferred the fields near the lake but unlike ducks that were easily forced further away, constantly used them from their arrival until freeze-up almost regardless of weather or shooting. Disturbances by humans on the lake or on fields could not be definitely correlated with variation in flight schedules. However, Girard (1941) in Montana, Pitman (1947) in the British Isles, and Bellrose (1944) in Illinois claim that disturbances, chiefly hunting, caused changes to routines that permitted more peaceful feeding. Hunting pressure at Whitewater Lake may have been too low to influence feeding schedules significantly.