Knoxville, Tennessee (December 15, 2021) – SportDOG® Brand, an industry-leading manufacturer of electronic dog-training products and accessories, is pleased to announce that it is contributing $30,000 from its Conservation Fund to be used by conservation partner Delta Waterfowl to support the building and maintenance of hen houses.

Hen houses, which benefit waterfowl by offering elevated nesting sites, vastly increase nesting success by keeping hens and their eggs safer from ground predators. An extensive Delta study in the Parkland region of Manitoba revealed that mallard nest success in typical upland habitat averaged less than 5 percent, while the use of hen houses increased that success to an incredible 61 percent.

“It’s this kind of hands-on effort producing real, measurable results that SportDOG Brand is proud to lend our support to and why our Conservation Fund was created,” said Lance Tracy, Radio Systems Corporation (SportDOG Brand Founder) CCO. “Delta Waterfowl’s employees and volunteers, who are out there growing this huge project, reflect the same positive attitude exhibited by our teammates,” explained Darrell Douglas, SportDOG Brand Director. “It’s a great example of what happens when like-minded groups focus on common goals.”

Delta maintains hen houses across the key breeding areas of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, North Dakota, Minnesota and Ontario. By 2022, Delta will have nearly 10,000 hen houses available for hens, with the expectation that more than 45,000 ducklings will hatch from them annually. “These funds will help Delta Waterfowl and their volunteers construct, erect and maintain these valuable tools so important to duck production,” said Brad Heidel, Delta Waterfowl’s Sr. Director of Marketing & Corporate Relations. Delta volunteers also manage and maintain another 5,000-plus nest structures.

“The Parklands are Delta’s number one target area for hen houses because they have the biggest net benefit in that region,” according to Matt Chouinard, Senior Waterfowl Programs and Delta Marsh Property Manager. “Based on usage and nest success rates for hen houses in our primary target areas, between 4.5 and 4.75 ducklings hatch in each hen house.”

To find out more about the success of Delta Waterfowl’s hen house program and how you can become involved, visit https://deltawaterfowl.org/hen-houses/

For more information about SportDOG Brand, visit www.sportdog.com.

About Delta Waterfowl

Delta Waterfowl Foundation is The Duck Hunters Organization, a leading conservation group working to produce ducks and ensure the tradition of duck hunting in North America. Visit deltawaterfowl.org.