Nest searching … or “chain dragging” … is a simple and safe way to locate duck nests on the prairie. And it’s intriguing. Female ducks scrape out a depression at the base of the grass, line it with down, then lay their eggs. Dragging a long chain between two ATVs creates a disturbance to flush the hen off the nest, but leaves the eggs unharmed. Researchers then mark the nest and track its progress through the season.