The number of South Dakotans hunting geese and waterfowl in 2008 has decreased from surveys taken three years ago.

State officials said there were only 13,376 resident duck hunters, down 14 percent in 2008 and 13,463 Canada geese hunters, down 19 percent.

Larry Gigliotti, who performs hunter-opinion research for the state Wildlife Division, blames the decrease on hunters who choose to participate in other activities, as well as new hunters who don’t take up the sport quickly enough to replace the ones giving it up.

Game, Fish and Parks Commissioner and waterfowl hunter Tim Kessler of Aberdeen called waterfowl hunting a “dying sport.”