BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA — A $68,000 grant award from Cabela's Outdoor Fund to Delta Waterfowl's Hen House program will put more mallards into the fall flight, ducks that will migrate down all four flyways in North America.

The grant money will be used to establish a pair of 100-nest-structure sites — Hen House Supersites — one each in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The grant will pay for the construction of the 200 nest cyclinders and poles, installation on the wetlands, and 10 years of annual maintenance.

"Cabela's Outdoor Fund is excited to support Delta Waterfowl and their Hen House program," said Scott Wanetka, vice president of Cabela's Outdoor Fund. "This program will have an outstanding and long-lasting impact on mallard hatches for years to come."

Used primarily by mallards, Hen Houses are nesting cylinders placed over water in small wetlands. Delta focuses Hen House sites in wetland areas with limited nesting cover where nest predators such as red foxes, raccoons and skunks can easily find duck nests in the sparse patches of grass.

Delta Waterfowl research has found duck nesting success rates of less than 3 percent in some intensely farmed areas of Canadian prairie, said Matt Chouinard, waterfowl programs manager. In those same areas, Delta studies have shown nest success of 60 to 90 percent in Hen Houses. Mallards using a Hen House in program areas of Prairie Canada are 12 times more likely to hatch a nest than those nesting in the grass.

"We've found that Hen Houses are the most cost-effective management tool to produce mallards," Chouinard said. "For duck hunters, that means more mallards migrating south each year per dollar spent."

Delta Waterfowl maintains more than 7,000 Hen Houses in key duck production areas, with plans for 7,000 additional nest structures by spring of 2019. Currently, Delta's Hen House program adds 15,000 mallards to the fall flight annually.

Cabela's Outdoor Fund continues to be a generous supporter of Delta Waterfowl programs. In 2015, the organization awarded a $50,000 grant to pay for annual maintenance and repairs of Hen Houses in Manitoba.

"Delta Waterfowl appreciates the commitment of Cabela's Outdoor Fund to enhancing mallard production and benefiting duck hunters throughout North America," Chouinard said. "Importantly, these grants allow Delta to further grow the Hen House program. Ultimately, our goal is to add 250,000 mallards annually to the fall flight."

Cabela's Outdoor Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to efforts that promote and protect hunting, shooting sports, trapping, fishing, camping and conservation. This fund is possible through generous Cabela's customers who choose to "round up" their purchases to the nearest dollar at Cabela's stores. The Cabela's Outdoor Fund contributes to other like-minded organizations in the communities we serve and across North America working to make the great outdoors even better.

"The generous donations made by Cabela's customers across North America make it possible for Cabela's Outdoor Fund to support organizations like Delta Waterfowl and the Hen House program," Wanetka said. "We are truly grateful our customers see the importance of these efforts."

To learn more about Cabela's Outdoor Fund, visit cabelas.com/outdoorfund. For more information on Delta Waterfowl's Hen House program, contact Matt Chouinard at (888) 987-3695 or mchouinard@deltawaterfowl.org.

Delta Waterfowl Foundation is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group dedicated to ducks and duck hunters in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.