Delta Waterfowl Awarded Grant from Manitoba Conservation Trust

Funding will boost Hen House and hunter recruitment programs

DELTA MARSH, MANITOBA — Delta Waterfowl has been awarded $105,000 from the Manitoba Conservation Trust, managed by the Manitoba Habitat Conservancy, to further its duck production and hunter recruitment efforts across the province.

The grant includes $80,000 to expand Delta’s Hen House program and $25,000 to support Delta’s HunteR3 initiatives in Manitoba, including University Hunting Program and First Hunt events delivered through local chapters.

“We’re especially grateful to the Manitoba Conservation Trust and the Manitoba Habitat Conservancy for recognizing the impact of the Hen House program with increased funding this year,” said Matt Chouinard, waterfowl programs director for Delta Waterfowl. “This support directly translates to more ducks on the landscape and helps ensure that new hunters have meaningful opportunities to connect with the outdoors.” 

MCT funding will allow Delta to install 300 new Hen Houses in high-priority waterfowl breeding landscapes in Manitoba. These nesting structures are a proven method to significantly boost mallard nest success, a key strategy in Delta’s duck production efforts in the Canadian prairie pothole region. Delta Waterfowl maintains 14,325 Hen Houses in key breeding areas for mallards, including 6,180 in Manitoba.

In addition, the grant will help sustain Delta’s HunteR3 efforts across the province by continuing support for six University Hunting Programs and a series of First Hunt events, offering mentored hunting experiences that introduce new participants to waterfowl conservation and the hunting tradition. Delta is seeking to focus on programs for participants ages 18-35 as these new hunters have the greatest ability to continue hunting on their own.

Delta Waterfowl appreciates the Manitoba Conservation Trust and Manitoba Habitat Conservancy for their ongoing partnership to advance targeted, high-impact conservation work that benefits wildlife and future generations of hunters.

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 about Delta Waterfowl’s work in Canada, please contact Jim Fisher at jfisher@deltawaterfowl.org.