The abundance of the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) as a breeding duck in Minnesota is known only from general reports until about 20 years ago when systematic censuses began. Records suggest an early decline in abundance prior to 1900. More recently, there has been a slight increase to a level of approximately one pair per square mile in the ten better duck-breeding counties of the western and northeentral portion of the state. During the 1950s, the first-year total mortality of wild young mallards reared in the state was high (7985 percent). Most of this mortality was from hunting (5565 percent) and about 70 percent of this was reported from Minnesota. Mallard reproductive success in the state is considered average, or better than average, compared with other breeding localities, but productivity of young per acre of wetland indicates an under-use of suitable habitat. A review of kil] statistics and hunting regulations clearly indicates that in years of highly restrictive regulations, especially those having a daily limit of one mallard, there has been a reduction in the harvest of local mallards and increased survival of local birds. Within large refuge units, survival and subsequent production of mallards has been higher than in non-refuge areas of Minnesota. There is a conflict between maximum sport-hunting use of wetlands and maximum production of mallards. It is suggested that this conflict can be resolved in part by setting aside a portion of the state wetlands in a pattern of small refuges. Additional protection thus gained locally in Minnesota, together with judicious hunting regulations throughout the Flyway, can increase the breeding population and harvestable surplus of mallards. to have bred in Minnesota in 19!68, of which about one-fifth were mallards ) but is a state in which there is a high mallard harvest (435,000 in 1967, as calculated from Martin and Carney 1968, Croft and Carney 1969 ) . Also, in Minnesota, many refuge areas have been established and many wetlands have been purchased by both state and federal agencies for waterfowl and for public hunting. Flyway-wide, mallard populations have been in serious trouble in recent years (1962-1968) because of continual loss of breeding areas in the United States and Canada, drought over much of the prairie, and (in the opinion of at least some waterfowl biologists ) overshooting. Because Minnesota is both a breeding ground and a heavily hunted area, this summary of the history and status of the mallard in Minnesota has been prepared. The results suggest that current management practices must be changed to insure and enhance the status of this important species. This paper is based on studies made by