This Week on DUTV: Central Saskatchewan

This week on DUTV Mike Checkett travels north to the agricultural fields and potholes of Central Saskatchewan to meet up with old friends , Pat Kehoe and Craig Rath, for a waterfowl combo in the Quill Lakes of Saskatchewan, the site of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan's first project.

By 1985, waterfowl populations had plummeted to record lows, and 53 percent of the wetlands found in the United States had been destroyed. Wetland habitat was disappearing at a rate of 60 acres per hour. The picture was similar in Canada, where a large percentage of North America's waterfowl nest.

Recognizing the importance of waterfowl and wetlands to North Americans, the U.S. and Canadian governments developed the North American Waterfowl Management Plan restore waterfowl populations. Signed in 1986, NAWMP has invested $4.5 billion to protect, restore, and/or enhance 15.7 million acres of waterfowl habitat.

The Quill Lakes were named for bird quills collected near shorelines and shipped to England for use as quill pens. Quill Lake is Canada's largest saline lake, covering 245 square miles. In 1987, it was the first implementation site in Canada for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.

Designation as a premier provincial marsh under the Saskatchewan Heritage Marsh Program and as a globally important Ramsar wetland has emphasized intensified management of the Quill Lakes and existing Ducks Unlimited Canada projects within the region.

In addition to a great hunt each week, you can pick up useful tips on shooting and hunting from expert Wade Bourne while you learn more about waterfowl and waterfowl habitat and conservation. Extend your season each week with DUTV as we celebrate conservation and our rich waterfowling heritage.

DUTV is presented by Browning- Dirty Bird and appears three times each week on the Outdoor Channel, America's leader in outdoor TV. Don't miss an episode! http://www.ducks.org/news-media/du-tv

Monday 1:30 p.m.
Thursday 10:00 a.m.
Sunday 4 p.m.

Watch full DUTV episodes from the 2006-2011 seasons online at: http://www.ducks.org/DUTV

Contact:
Mike Checkett (901) 758-3793 or mcheckett@ducks.org