Tri-County Chapter of MWA Dissolving

ST. CLOUD -- It's a somber start to the duck hunting season for a number of hunters in central Minnesota. The President of the Tri-County Chapter of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association has announced they are dissolving at the end of this month.

Tom Kowal says the number of hunters continues to decline and there are a number of reasons why.  He says there are fewer birds, less good hunting habitat, the high cost to get started, and the difficulty in navigating some of the marshes and swampy terrain.

Kowal has been the president of the chapter for about half of its 38-year existence. He says they used to have well over 500 members, but those declining memberships don't make it feasible to stay in operation.

He's hoping the growing popularity of high school trap shooting will attract more young people to the sport.