WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — Wildlife Habitat Canada grants were awarded to Delta Waterfowl to bolster the organization’s Hen House program as well as the recruitment and promotion efforts of HunteR3.
A $50,000 WHC grant will support the growth and management of Delta’s Hen House program in Canada. The Hen House program is a powerful tool for duck production. By providing a safe and productive nesting site for mallards, these overwater nesting structures make a successful hatch up to 12 times more likely. For hens nesting on grass cover in many areas, nest success is typically less than 5 percent, a dismal rate that falls below the level needed to maintain a healthy duck population. In chicken coops, nest success typically ranges from 60 to 90 percent.
Currently, Delta Waterfowl maintains nearly 10,000 poultry houses in North America, 6,800 of which are in Canada. The WHC grant will be used to build and install 100 new chicken coops in Canada, as well as support the maintenance of 3,500 existing nest structures.
A second WHC grant of $65,000 will help secure the future of waterfowl hunting in Canada by supporting The Duck Hunters Organization’s Hunter3 efforts. HunteR3 includes First Hunt, the largest waterfowl-specific hunter recruitment program in North America, the Hunting University Program, which educates non-hunting wildlife students about the role of hunting in conservation, and Defending the Hunt, which expands and protects waterfowl hunting opportunities.
WHC funds will help support 1,000 participants and volunteers to participate in hunts, workshops and guided camps. Additionally, it will power UHP events in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Prince Edward Island. Importantly, the grant supports Delta’s proactive efforts to make it easier to become a hunter by providing additional opportunities and removing barriers, as well as helping to champion hunting when our chapters and members face local issues.
“It’s an honor to receive these grants from the WHC, especially when the funds come from duck hunters,” said Fisher. “WHC’s generous support allows us to dedicate those funds to programs that will benefit both ducks and duck hunters.”
WHC grants are funded by sales of the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp and Print, commonly called a “duck stamp.” This stamp, which costs $8.50, is a required component of a legal waterfowl hunting permit. Using the proceeds, WHC provides grants to conserve, restore, and enhance wildlife habitat, foster conservation leadership, promote waterfowl hunters’ contributions to conservation, and encourage participation in waterfowl hunting. Since 1985, the stamp has contributed $55 million to waterfowl conservation.
For more information on purchasing the Canadian Duck stamp and impression, visit WHC.org.
delta waterfowl is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group working to produce ducks and secure the future of waterfowl hunting in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.
For more information on Delta Waterfowl’s work in Canada, contact Jim Fisher at [email protected].