Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Commonly waterfowl depredations to small grains are resolved by scaring ducks using mechanical scare devices or pyrotechnics. Such scaring can cause waterfowl to damage, by trampling, up to twice the amount of grain consumed. Conditions such as weather, harvest stage, cultural techniques, farm equipment, length of damage season, availability of alternative feeding sites, and waterfowl population could combine to increase trampling losses. Thus, these conditions should be evaluated to determine if large-scale scaring projects may actually increase damages to small grains. A large number of scare devices were built, collected and distributed throughout the state, including propane exploders, black plastic flags, firearms, 15-mm flare pistols, racket bombs, whistle bombs, noise bombs, cracker shells, and M-80 type bird bombs.