cancrusher
08-13-2008, 08:16 PM
DATE: Aug. 13, 2008
CONTACT:
Kent Van Horn, DNR waterfowl ecologist, (608) 266-8841
SUBJECT: Natural Resources Board sets 2008 waterfowl seasons
MADISON – Waterfowl hunters will again enjoy a full 60-day Wisconsin duck hunting season in 2008 including an increase in allowable wood duck harvest and an additional 10-days of dove hunting. Due to actions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hunters will not be able to harvest any canvasback ducks in 2008 and bag limits for scaup will be limited compared to past seasons.
Prior to the NRB action setting the 2008 Wisconsin waterfowl seasons, Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank sent a letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service requesting reconsideration of the canvasback and scaup season sideboards to allow for some harvest of canvasback ducks and a more liberal bag limit for scaup.
The board approved a 2008 Wisconsin waterfowl season structure that includes a 60-day season for ducks, a closed canvasback season and a 1-scaup bag for 40 days and a 2-scaup bag for 20 days. A 5-day, Monday-Friday split in the southern duck zone and southern exterior Canada goose zone. Shooting hours will begin at 9 a.m. on opening day for duck and geese instead of noon as in previous years.
Hunters are also reminded that starting with the 2008 season they may only use non-toxic shot for hunting doves on DNR managed lands.
“ Wisconsin waterfowlers should have a good hunting season,” said Kent Van Horn, Department of Natural Resources migratory game bird ecologist. “Overall, populations of waterfowl game species are healthy and abundant and should provide ample opportunity to carry on the traditions of waterfowl hunting in Wisconsin
“With the extensive flooding earlier this year there was concern that broods might be affected. That is not the case. Most broods were hatched by the time the floods arrived and the increased water in the southern half of the state were actually beneficial to raising those broods.
“As always, hunters who do the early legwork, seeking out the potholes and backwaters that have decent water levels and securing landowner permissions, will be the ones filling their bags.
Youth Waterfowl Hunt Sept. 20-21
“A recent survey of Wisconsin waterfowl hunters indicates that they are committed to passing on waterfowl hunting traditions,” said Van Horn. “Seventy-nine percent of Wisconsin ’s waterfowl hunters have introduced at least one new person to waterfowl hunting. I’d like to remind hunters to keep up the great work by introducing a son, daughter, relative or an interested youth to the great Wisconsin waterfowl hunting tradition during the September 20-21 Youth Waterfowl Hunt.”
2008 Waterfowl season framework
Each year, state, provincial and federal biologists from the United States and Canada cooperatively review spring waterfowl breeding surveys across North America and other biological and social data. State biologists provide season recommendations to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which in turn establishes a season frame work, or sideboards, within which states can establish their waterfowl hunting seasons. Wisconsin wildlife managers conducted a series of hearings around the state in early August to gather hunter comments on the season proposal approved by the Natural Resources Board today.
Early September Canada goose season – September 1-15, with a daily bag of 5 geese.
Youth Waterfowl Hunt - September 20-21. The daily bag is the same as the regular seasons.
Ducks
60 Day Season – Daily bag of 6 ducks, no more than 4 mallards of which only 1 may be a hen, 3 wood ducks, 1 black duck, 2 redheads, 1 scaup for 40 days and 2 for 20 days, 1 pintail (60 days). Closed canvasback season. In addition, 5 mergansers to include not more than two hooded mergansers. Coot daily bag of 15.
Northern Zone: Sept 27 – Nov 25
Southern Zone: Oct 4 -12, Oct 18- Dec 7
*Opening day shooting hours will begin at 9am.
Scaup
The Migratory Committee of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress agreed upon the following dates and the WDNR concurred.
Special Scaup Season - North zone:
The daily bag limit for scaup will be 1 except that from Oct. 18 to Nov. 6 in the north zone the daily bag limit may include 2 scaup.
Special Scaup Season South zone:
The daily bag limit for scaup will be 1 except that from Nov. 1 to Nov. 20 in the south zone the daily bag limit may include 2 scaup.
Canada Geese - Year 2 of 5 year Mississippi Flyway stable Canada goose season
Exterior Zone: Daily Bag of 2.
North - Saturday Sept 20 - Dec 13.
South – Saturday Sept 20 – October 12, and October 18 – December 18.
Mississippi River Subzone : Oct. 4 - Oct. 12 and Oct. 18 – Jan. 1st.
Horicon Zone: Only 2 periods simplify and provide more hunting days.
H1- Sept 16 – Nov 2
H2- Nov 3 – Dec 16
Daily Bag of 2. 6 Tags per hunter.
Collins Zone: 3 Time periods. Daily Bay of 2. 6 Tags per hunter
C1: Sept. 16- Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 at 9am- Oct. 5; C2: Oct. 6- Oct. 26; C3: Oct. 27- Nov. 21.
Light geese, brant and white-fronted geese - Light geese (Snow, Blue and Ross) and Brant: Seasons are the same as for the Canada goose zones and subzones. Daily Bag Limit: 1 brant and 20 light geese. White-fronted geese: Season is the same as for Canada geese in the Exterior and Collins zones. In the Horicon zone the season will be September 22 – December 16. Daily Bag Limit: 1 white-fronted goose.
Important Changes in 2008:
Federal frameworks close canvasback season, offer scaup at 40 days/1 bird bag and 20 days with a 2 bird bag for a total of 60 days, and an increased daily bag of wood ducks from 2 to 3.
Horicon zone simplified to 2 time periods.
Mourning dove season extended by 10 days, Sept. 1- Nov.9; Non-toxic shot required on DNR managed lands.
Additional season information and maps showing zones and tables with daily legal shooting hour times are available on the Waterfowl in Wisconsin page of the DNR Web site or contact a local DNR Service Center or wildlife biologist.
CONTACT:
Kent Van Horn, DNR waterfowl ecologist, (608) 266-8841
SUBJECT: Natural Resources Board sets 2008 waterfowl seasons
MADISON – Waterfowl hunters will again enjoy a full 60-day Wisconsin duck hunting season in 2008 including an increase in allowable wood duck harvest and an additional 10-days of dove hunting. Due to actions by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hunters will not be able to harvest any canvasback ducks in 2008 and bag limits for scaup will be limited compared to past seasons.
Prior to the NRB action setting the 2008 Wisconsin waterfowl seasons, Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank sent a letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service requesting reconsideration of the canvasback and scaup season sideboards to allow for some harvest of canvasback ducks and a more liberal bag limit for scaup.
The board approved a 2008 Wisconsin waterfowl season structure that includes a 60-day season for ducks, a closed canvasback season and a 1-scaup bag for 40 days and a 2-scaup bag for 20 days. A 5-day, Monday-Friday split in the southern duck zone and southern exterior Canada goose zone. Shooting hours will begin at 9 a.m. on opening day for duck and geese instead of noon as in previous years.
Hunters are also reminded that starting with the 2008 season they may only use non-toxic shot for hunting doves on DNR managed lands.
“ Wisconsin waterfowlers should have a good hunting season,” said Kent Van Horn, Department of Natural Resources migratory game bird ecologist. “Overall, populations of waterfowl game species are healthy and abundant and should provide ample opportunity to carry on the traditions of waterfowl hunting in Wisconsin
“With the extensive flooding earlier this year there was concern that broods might be affected. That is not the case. Most broods were hatched by the time the floods arrived and the increased water in the southern half of the state were actually beneficial to raising those broods.
“As always, hunters who do the early legwork, seeking out the potholes and backwaters that have decent water levels and securing landowner permissions, will be the ones filling their bags.
Youth Waterfowl Hunt Sept. 20-21
“A recent survey of Wisconsin waterfowl hunters indicates that they are committed to passing on waterfowl hunting traditions,” said Van Horn. “Seventy-nine percent of Wisconsin ’s waterfowl hunters have introduced at least one new person to waterfowl hunting. I’d like to remind hunters to keep up the great work by introducing a son, daughter, relative or an interested youth to the great Wisconsin waterfowl hunting tradition during the September 20-21 Youth Waterfowl Hunt.”
2008 Waterfowl season framework
Each year, state, provincial and federal biologists from the United States and Canada cooperatively review spring waterfowl breeding surveys across North America and other biological and social data. State biologists provide season recommendations to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which in turn establishes a season frame work, or sideboards, within which states can establish their waterfowl hunting seasons. Wisconsin wildlife managers conducted a series of hearings around the state in early August to gather hunter comments on the season proposal approved by the Natural Resources Board today.
Early September Canada goose season – September 1-15, with a daily bag of 5 geese.
Youth Waterfowl Hunt - September 20-21. The daily bag is the same as the regular seasons.
Ducks
60 Day Season – Daily bag of 6 ducks, no more than 4 mallards of which only 1 may be a hen, 3 wood ducks, 1 black duck, 2 redheads, 1 scaup for 40 days and 2 for 20 days, 1 pintail (60 days). Closed canvasback season. In addition, 5 mergansers to include not more than two hooded mergansers. Coot daily bag of 15.
Northern Zone: Sept 27 – Nov 25
Southern Zone: Oct 4 -12, Oct 18- Dec 7
*Opening day shooting hours will begin at 9am.
Scaup
The Migratory Committee of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress agreed upon the following dates and the WDNR concurred.
Special Scaup Season - North zone:
The daily bag limit for scaup will be 1 except that from Oct. 18 to Nov. 6 in the north zone the daily bag limit may include 2 scaup.
Special Scaup Season South zone:
The daily bag limit for scaup will be 1 except that from Nov. 1 to Nov. 20 in the south zone the daily bag limit may include 2 scaup.
Canada Geese - Year 2 of 5 year Mississippi Flyway stable Canada goose season
Exterior Zone: Daily Bag of 2.
North - Saturday Sept 20 - Dec 13.
South – Saturday Sept 20 – October 12, and October 18 – December 18.
Mississippi River Subzone : Oct. 4 - Oct. 12 and Oct. 18 – Jan. 1st.
Horicon Zone: Only 2 periods simplify and provide more hunting days.
H1- Sept 16 – Nov 2
H2- Nov 3 – Dec 16
Daily Bag of 2. 6 Tags per hunter.
Collins Zone: 3 Time periods. Daily Bay of 2. 6 Tags per hunter
C1: Sept. 16- Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 at 9am- Oct. 5; C2: Oct. 6- Oct. 26; C3: Oct. 27- Nov. 21.
Light geese, brant and white-fronted geese - Light geese (Snow, Blue and Ross) and Brant: Seasons are the same as for the Canada goose zones and subzones. Daily Bag Limit: 1 brant and 20 light geese. White-fronted geese: Season is the same as for Canada geese in the Exterior and Collins zones. In the Horicon zone the season will be September 22 – December 16. Daily Bag Limit: 1 white-fronted goose.
Important Changes in 2008:
Federal frameworks close canvasback season, offer scaup at 40 days/1 bird bag and 20 days with a 2 bird bag for a total of 60 days, and an increased daily bag of wood ducks from 2 to 3.
Horicon zone simplified to 2 time periods.
Mourning dove season extended by 10 days, Sept. 1- Nov.9; Non-toxic shot required on DNR managed lands.
Additional season information and maps showing zones and tables with daily legal shooting hour times are available on the Waterfowl in Wisconsin page of the DNR Web site or contact a local DNR Service Center or wildlife biologist.