COLUMBIA, Mo. — Flocks arrived by the dozens in the dark before sunrise. Some travelled in groups. Others flew solo. They all wanted to land in a wetland, but these specimens needed to wait for the Missouri Department of Conservation to get all their ducks in a row. The MDC and a small bingo cage would decide who got a spot.

No, this was not a crowd of mallards. It was hunters waiting for a shot at migrating waterfowl.

Throughout the state, duck hunting is permitted at 14 public wetlands but daily reservations are required. Half the spots get awarded through an online lottery before and during the season. The rest are for the “poor line.” Historically, this queue is for people who don’t have access to private land or didn’t score a public reservation.

On a November morning 30 hunters we

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