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Waterfowl
Hunting Season This Fall Similar to Last Year
July 30, 2004
Contact:
Nicholas Throckmorton,
202/208-5636
The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing hunting regulations
for the upcoming 2004-2005 waterfowl season similar to those set last
year. The proposal again contains restrictions on harvest of northern
pintail and canvasbacks because of continuing concerns about population
status.
Under the Service’s
late-season frameworks proposal, hunting season lengths will be 60
days in both the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, 74 days in the
Central Flyway, and 107 days in the Pacific Flyway.
"While breeding habitat
conditions in some of our survey areas are not as good as we have
seen in recent years, overall the habitat and populations of key waterfowl
species are sufficient to justify the hunting opportunity these regulations
afford," said Service Director Steve Williams. "All flyway
councils joined the Service in supporting these regulations."
Estimates of pintail and
canvasback numbers were similar to last year and the Service will
continue last year’s restriction. Seasons for pintails and canvasbacks
will be 60 days in the Pacific Flyway, 39 days in the Central Flyway,
and 30 days in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways.
Breeding populations of
scaup remain well below their long-term average, and as a result the
Service is proposing to maintain restrictions implemented in 1999
that reduced the bag limit from six (seven in the Pacific Flyway)
to three (four in the Pacific Flyway) per day. Restrictions on the
harvest of black ducks in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways that
have been in place for a number of years will continue this year.
This proposal will appear
in the Federal Register for public comment and on <http://migratorybirds.fws.gov>
soon.
Highlights of the proposed
late-season frameworks follow.
Atlantic Flyway:
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia
Ducks:
A hunting season of not more than 60 days (30 days each for pintails
and canvasbacks) between September 23, 2004, and January 30, 2005.
The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four
mallards (two hens), two wood ducks, three scaup, two redheads, one
black duck, one pintail, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling duck,
one canvasback, and four scoters. The proposed daily bag limit of
mergansers is five, only one of which may be a hooded merganser. The
season on harlequin ducks is closed.
Geese:
For light geese, states may select a 107-day season between October
1, 2003 and March 10, 2004, with a daily bag limit of 15 geese and
no possession limit. For Atlantic Population Canada geese, the season
this year will allow portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Vermont and New York to hold a 45-day season between the
October 25, 2003, and January 31, 2004 with a three-bird daily bag
limit. Delaware, Maryland and Virginia will be allowed to hold a 45-day
season in Atlantic Population areas between November 15, 2003 and
January 31, 2004, with a one-bird daily bag limit, and two-bird bag
limit for the last 20 days. In Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Long Island, New York, a 45-day season
on North Atlantic Population Canada geese is proposed between October
1, 2003 and January 31, 2004, with a two-bird daily bag limit. Special
or experimental seasons and regular seasons to harvest resident and
other populations of migratory Canada geese are authorized in Connecticut,
Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and
West Virginia. For Atlantic brant, the season length may be 60 days
with a daily bag limit of three.
Mississippi Flyway:
Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin
Ducks:
A hunting season of not more than 60 days (30 days each for pintails
and canvasbacks) between September 23, 2004, and January 30, 2005.
The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four
mallards (two hens), three mottled ducks, three scaup, two wood ducks,
two redheads, one black duck, one pintail, and one canvasback. The
proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only one of which
may be a hooded merganser.
Geese:
Generally, seasons for Canada geese may be held between September
23, 2004, and January 31, 2005, and vary in length, among States and
areas, with daily bag limits varying from one to three. States may
select seasons for light geese not to exceed 107 days with 20 geese
daily between September 23, 2004 and March 10, 2005; for white-fronted
geese not to exceed 86 days with a two-bird daily bag limit or 107
days with a one-bird daily bag limit between September 23, 2004, and
February 13, 2005; and for brant not to exceed 70 days with a two-bird
daily bag limit or 107 days with a one-bird daily bag limit between
September 23, 2004, and January 31, 2005. There is no possession limit
for light geese.
Central Flyway:
Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and
portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming
Ducks:
Duck seasons may be held between September 23, 2004, and January 30,
2005. In the High Plains Mallard Management Unit (roughly west of
the 100th Meridian), a 97-day season (39 days each for canvasbacks
and pintails) is proposed. The last 23 days may start no earlier than
December 11, 2004. A 74-day season (39 days each for canvasbacks and
pintails) is proposed for the remainder of the Central Flyway. The
proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than five
mallards (two hens), two redheads, three scaup, two wood ducks, one
mottled duck, one pintail, and one canvasback.
Geese:
States may select seasons between September 23, 2004 and February
13, 2005 for dark geese and between September 23, 2004 and March 10,
2005 for light geese. In the East Tier, states may select a 95-day
season for Canada geese, with a daily bag limit of three. In the Eastern
Goose Zone of Texas, the State may select an alternative 107-day season
with a daily bag limit of one. For white-fronted geese, states may
select either an 86-day season with a daily bag limit of 2 birds or
a 107-day season with a daily bag limit of one bird. In the West Tier,
states may select a 107-day dark-goose season with a daily bag limit
of five birds. In the Western Goose Zone of Texas, the State may select
a 95-day season with a daily bag limit of three dark geese (including
no more than one white-fronted goose). Colorado, may select a 95-day
season with an aggregate bag limit of three. For light geese, all
states may select a 107-day season with a daily bag limit of 20 and
no possession limit.
Pacific Flyway:
Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and
portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming
Ducks:
A 107-day season between September 23, 2004, and January 30, 2005.
The proposed daily bag limit is seven ducks, including no more than
two mallard hens,two redheads, four scaup, one pintail, and one canvasback.
Canvasbacks and pintails will be limited to one bird daily and open
for only a 60-day period of the regular duck season.
Geese:
A 107-day season is proposed in most parts of the Flyway between October
2, 2004, and January 30, 2005. Bag limits generally are three light
geese and four dark geese. Other restrictions vary by State and zone.
For brant, the season lengths are 16 days in Oregon and Washington
and 30 days in California, with a two-bird daily limit. Washington
may split its brant season into 2 segments. Goose seasons and bag
limits were increased in two of California’s waterfowl zones
in response to increasing populations of geese and to help address
depredation concerns that are resulting from these increasing numbers.
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