Early Season Hunting proposals by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Home

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PROPOSES EARLY SEASON MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING FRAMEWORKS

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced proposed frameworks for early season migratory bird hunting today that, if approved, will be used by State wildlife agencies to set season dates, lengths and bag limits.

The hunting season proposals were developed after consultation with the four Flyway Councils, made up of State representatives, following extensive review of habitat and population information collected by surveys of breeding grounds throughout North America in the spring of 2001.

"Although duck numbers declined slightly this year, they remain above their historic average. From the Service's perspective, the stability seen over the past five years is very encouraging," said acting Service Director Marshall Jones.

Blue-winged teal abundance this spring was approximately 5.8 million, down from last year's record high of 7.4 million, but 29 percent above the 1955-2000 average. Green-winged teal abundance was estimated at 3.2 million, which is 21 percent below last year's estimate, but 39 percent above the long-term average.

Woodcock Singing-ground Survey data indicated that the number of displaying woodcock in the Eastern Region was not significantly different from 2000 levels.

Analyses of Mourning Dove Call-count Survey data indicated significant declines in doves heard over the most recent 10 years and the entire 36 years of the survey in both the Central and Western Management Units. A project has been funded recently to develop mourning dove population models for each unit to provide guidance to improve the decision-making process for harvest management.

The Service is proposing to approve an operational September teal and wood duck special season in Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida, rather than continuing it on an experimental basis. As a condition of this status, Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida would maintain wood duck population monitoring and banding efforts. The September teal/wood duck season in all three States will be five days, with a daily bag limit of four birds, no more than two of which can be wood ducks.

The 2000-01 season was the third consecutive year of an extended 16-day September teal season in the Central and Mississippi Flyways, as well as the third year of a three-year experimental September teal season in the Atlantic Flyway. Preliminary harvest estimates from last year's September teal season indicate that the combined estimated harvest in the Mississippi and Central Flyways was 631,200 cinnamon, blue- and green-winged teal, which is 17 percent greater than the 1999 estimate. Six states in the
Atlantic Flyway harvested an estimated 31,000 blue-and green-winged teal, similar to the 32,000 harvested during 1999.

Other highlights of the proposed early season frameworks follow.

SPECIAL SEPTEMBER TEAL SEASON - Between September 1 and September 30, an open season on all species of teal may be selected by the following States in areas delineated by State regulations:

Mississippi Flyway - The states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee may select a teal season that cannot exceed 16 consecutive days. The daily bag limit is four birds. Shooting hours may extend from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except in the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio, where the hours are from sunrise to sunset.

SEPTEMBER DUCK SEASONS
Kentucky and Tennessee: In lieu of a special September teal season, a 5-consecutive-day special teal/wood duck season may be selected in September. The daily bag limit may not exceed a total of 4 teal and wood ducks, of which no more than 2 may be wood ducks.

SPECIAL YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING DAYS
States may select two consecutive days (hunting days in Atlantic Flyway States with compensatory days) per duck-hunting zone, designated as "Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days," in addition to their regular duck seasons. The days must be held outside any regular duck season on a weekend, holidays, or other non-school days when youth hunters would have the maximum opportunity to participate. The days may be held up to 14 days before or after any regular duck-season frameworks or within any split of a regular duck season, or within any other open season on migratory birds.

The daily bag limit may include ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, moorhens, and gallinules and would be the same as that allowed in the regular season. Flyway species and area restrictions would remain in effect. Shooting hours may extend one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Youth hunters must be 15 years of age or younger. In addition, an adult at least 18 years of age must accompany the youth hunter into the field. The adult may not hunt ducks but may participate in other open seasons on the special youth day.

SPECIAL EARLY CANADA GOOSE SEASONS

Mississippi Flyway
General Seasons- Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be selected, except in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, where the season may not extend beyond September 10. The daily bag limit may not exceed 5 Canada geese.

WOODCOCK
Central Region (Mississippi Flyway) - States may select a 45 day season between September 22 and January 31, with a daily bag limit of 3 birds.

MOURNING DOVES
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 15, except as otherwise provided, States may select hunting seasons and daily bag limits as follows:

Central Management Unit
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 70 days with a daily bag limit of 12, or not more than 60 days with a daily bag limit of 15.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

Steve McCadams
is a professional hunting and fishing guide here in the Paris Landing area and host of The Outdoor Channel's television series IN-PURSUIT.

Home

Owned and Operated by:
The Hometown Network

Ya'll Come Back Now...Ye Hear!

*Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley Outdoor Guide- Fishing, Hunting and everything outdoors......*