Conservation Commission sets duck, goose seasons

Missourians will have 60 days of duck hunting and up to 107 days of snow goose hunting under waterfowl hunting regulations approved by the Conservation Commission Aug. 21. The regulations also double the number days set aside for youth duck hunting.

Duck and coot seasons

The Commission approved a 60-day 2000-2001 duck season. All waterfowl hunting regulations are subject to final federal approval. Hunting in the North Zone will open Oct. 26 and continue through Dec. 24. In the Middle Zone the season will run from Nov. 2 through Dec. 31. In the South Zone duck season will open Nov. 16 and run through Jan. 14.

Shooting hours will be one-half hour before sunrise until sunset. The bag limit will be six ducks daily, with the following species restrictions: four mallards (no more than two females); three scaup; two wood ducks; one pintail; one black duck; two redheads; one hooded merganser; one canvasback. The possession limit will be twice the daily bag limit.

Coot season will run concurrently with duck season in the respective zones, with a daily bag limit of 15 and possession limit of 30.

Youth hunting days

Two youth hunting days for waterfowl will precede regular duck season openings in each zone. Youth hunting day will be Oct. 21 and 22 in the North Zone, Oct. 28 and 29 in the Middle Zone and Nov. 11 and 12 in the South Zone.

Participants in Youth Hunting Days must be less than 16 years of age and must be accompanied by a licensed adult at least 18 years of age who will not be permitted to hunt. Adults need not be licensed if the youth possesses a valid hunter education certificate card. Bag limits for ducks and geese will be the same as during the regular season.

Goose seasons

The season for blue, snow and Ross’ geese will be Oct. 26 through Jan. 31 in the North Zone, Nov. 2 through Jan. 31 in the Middle Zone and Nov. 16 through Jan. 31 in the South and Southeast zones. This is in contrast to last year’s season on “light” geese, which was split in some zones. Also unlike last year, there will not be separate season dates for light geese in the Swan Lake Zone. Bag limits for blue, snow and Ross’ geese are the same as last year’s statewide/20 daily, with no possession limit.

White-fronted goose season will be split in each zone again this year. In the North Zone (except in the Swan Lake Zone), the season will be divided into three segments: Sept. 30 through Oct. 8, Oct. 26 through Nov. 26 and Dec. 23 through Jan. 31.

In the Swan Lake Zone white-fronted goose season will be in two segments, Oct. 26 through Nov. 26 and Dec. 16 through Jan. 31.

The Middle Zone (except the Southeast Zone) will have a three-segment white-fronted goose season, Sept. 30 through Oct. 8, Nov. 2 through Nov. 26 and Dec. 23 through Jan. 31.

The South and Southeast zones’ white-fronted goose season will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 8 and from Nov. 16 through Jan. 31.

The daily limit for white-fronted geese is two daily, with a possession limit of four.

Canada goose and brant hunting in the North Zone (except the Swan Lake Zone) will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 8, from Oct. 26 through Nov. 26 and from Dec. 23 through Jan. 20.

In the Swan Lake Zone, Canada goose and brant season will run from Oct. 26 through Nov. 26 and Dec. 16 through Jan. 14. No hunter is allowed to fire more than ten shells at Canada geese daily in this zone.

In the Middle Zone (except the Southeast Zone) Canada goose season will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 8, from Nov. 2 through Nov. 26 and from Dec. 23 through Jan. 20.

In the South and Southeast zones, Canada goose season will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 8, from Nov. 16 through Nov. 26 and from Dec. 16 through Jan. 31.

In the Swan Lake Zone, the limits for Canada geese are two daily and four in possession. In the North, Middle (except Swan Lake), South and Southeast zones, the limits for Canada geese are three daily and six in possession from Sept. 30 to Oct. 8 and two daily thereafter in each zone. The limit on brant is two daily and four in possession.

Other regulations

Falconry season for waterfowl is split/Sept. 9 through Sept. 24 and Oct. 16 through Jan. 14. The daily bag and possession limits are three and six birds respectively.

Light goose conservation order

United States and Canadian conservation agencies continue to encourage hunters to harvest snow and blue geese to minimize ecological damage being caused by record numbers of these birds. “We have seen increases in the blue and snow goose harvest for the past two years,” says Missouri Department of Conservation Wildlife Research Biologist Dave Graber. “But we need to continue increasing the number of birds taken by hunters if we are to stabilize or reduce light goose numbers. The damage these birds are doing to their own habitat is undeniable, and it is continuing.” The hunting season for blue, snow and Ross’ geese is closed statewide beginning Feb. 1, 2001, in order to implement the light goose conservation order. During the light goose conservation order, persons who possess a valid migratory bird permit may chase, pursue and take blue, snow and Ross’ geese between the hours of one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one-half (1/2) hour after sunset from Feb. 1 through April 30, 2001. Any other regulation notwithstanding, methods for the taking of blue, snow and Ross’ geese include using shotguns capable of holding more than three shells, and with the use or aid of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds. A daily bag limit will not be in effect between Feb. 1, and April 30, 2001.

Breeding numbers of several other waterfowl species are at or near all-time record levels. Only two duck species/pintails and scaup/remained below population goals set under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Numbers of both green-winged and blue-winged teal are at historic highs for the second year in a row.