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Western palearctic duck populations have to stand a very high hunting pressure in seasons running from mid-July to the end of May, having an annual kill of about 10 million ducks; this leaves a January population of about 15 million. A wide discrepancy occurs between the very few countries which are responsible for these high mean figures because of night shooting, long hunting seasons, and heavy kill. Consequently the winter distribution of ducks is biased in favor of the lightly hunted countries where the overall population level. Lowering the hunting pressure must be achieved through international cooperation to restore western palearctic duck populations. Stopping night shooting and shortening the hunting season to run from September in the northern and eastern countries and October in the western and southern countries until the end of January would be helpful. Protection of wetlands is fruitless as long as hunting regulations are not changed. Considerable discussion is made over varying levels of hunting disturbances in various countries.