Duck hunters reported one of their worst years on record last year. The USFWS says mallard numbers are up and breeding ducks are looking their best in a decade. So what's going on? Are duck hunters just whining over a bad season? Or is the USFWS orchestrating some kind of cover up of bird declines so duck hunters keep buying licenses to fund their agency? As it turns out, neither. 

This episode is brought to you by Federal Prairie Storm.

Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio.

Hosted by editor in chief Alex Robinson.

Produced and reported by executive editor Natalie Krebs.

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