Waterfowl Season Reopens in Southern Michigan
December 30, 2008
Waterfowl hunters will have 30 days of Canada goose hunting and two days of duck hunting across most of southern Michigan beginning Saturday, Jan. 3, the Department of Natural Resources announced today.
The two-day duck season corresponds to the opening weekend of the late Canada goose season, as it has for the last several years.
The late goose season is Jan. 3 to Feb. 1 in all of the South Zone, except the Allegan County and Muskegon W.W. Goose Management Units (GMU). The daily bag limit is five, except in the Saginaw County and Tuscola/Huron GMUs, where it is two.
The Allegan County GMU has been open since Dec. 20. It closes Jan. 30. The daily bag limit is two. The Muskegon W.W. GMU is closed.
The daily bag limit is six ducks. Hunters may take four mallards, though no more than one hen; two redheads, one pintail, one black duck, three wood ducks and one scaup (bluebill). Up to five mergansers can be taken as part of the daily bag, no more than two of which may be hooded mergansers. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit. Canvasbacks may not be taken.
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Late Muzzleloader Deer Season Opens December 20 in Maryland
December 9, 2008
Annapolis, Md. — Maryland’s muzzleloader deer season reopens on Saturday, Dec. 20. and continues through Jan. 2, 2009. An estimated 59,600 resident and 7,900 nonresident hunters enjoy pursuing deer with muzzleloaders annually. Last year, muzzleloader hunters took 7,614 deer (1,870 antlered and 5,744 antlerless) during the late season, a 10 percent increase over the previous year.
“Muzzleloader season is an integral part of managing deer numbers in Maryland,” said Wildlife and Heritage Service Deer Project Leader Brian Eyler. “Generally, the October and December seasons account for nearly 20 percent of yearly deer harvest.”
In Region A (Garrett and Allegany Counties), the total muzzleloader season bag limit is two deer, one antlered and one antlerless. On public lands, only antlered deer may be taken from Dec. 20, 2008 through Jan. 2, 2009, and either sex deer may be taken on Jan. 3, 2009. On all other lands in Region A, only antlered deer may be taken from Dec. 20 through Dec. 31, and either sex deer may be taken from Jan. 1 through Jan. 3, 2009. No more than two antlerless deer may be taken on public lands in Region A with any combination of the bow, muzzleloader and firearm bag limits.
In Region B (all counties except Garrett and Allegany), the total muzzleloader season bag limit is two antlered deer and ten antlerless deer, which may be taken during the entire two week season. Hunters in Region B are reminded they must take two antlerless deer and purchase a Bonus Antlered Deer Stamp before pursuing a second antlered deer.
Sika deer muzzleloader season runs from Dec. 20 through Jan. 3 in Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties. The total muzzleloader sika deer bag limit is two deer, one antlered and one antlerless.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources urges hunters to inspect any permanent and portable tree stands before using them. Harness-style safety belts should be used while climbing into or out of a tree stand, as well as while in the stand. Hunters should always exercise the fundamental commandments of firearms safety while afield.
Deer hunting provides outdoor recreation for over 68,000 Marylanders, is a vital tool in managing deer populations, and contributes more than $150 million to the state’s economy each year.
Successful Maryland deer hunters must register their deer within 24 hours of harvest by calling 1-888-800-0121 or through the Internet at www.gamecheck.dnr.state.md.us
. Hunters must immediately attach a field tag to the deer’s head and record the harvest on the Maryland Big Game Harvest Record portion of their hunting license before moving the deer from the place of kill. Both forms must be completed in ink. Upon registering the deer, hunters will be given a confirmation number that is to be recorded on the Big Game Harvest Record. Detailed instructions for this registration process are located on pages 32 – 33 of the 2008-2009 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping issued with each hunting license.
For bag limits, season dates, and other deer hunting information visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide.
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2008 West Virginia Buck Season Fact Sheet
November 18, 2008
The West Virginia buck season is November 24 – December 6. It is open in all counties except Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming.- Approximately 320,000 licensed hunters will be in West Virginia’s woods during this season.
- Hunters should review the 2008-2009 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for detailed instructions concerning bag limits and season dates. The regulations are online at www.wvdnr.gov
- A list of deer checking stations in West Virginia can be found online at www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/check_stations.asp
- The bag limit during the two week buck season is two (one on the base license and one on an RG [resident] or RRG [nonresident] stamp). A hunter may take no more than three antlered deer per calendar year in all archery and firearms seasons combined.
- The last day to purchase an additional deer gun tag (Class RG/RRG Stamp) is November 23. Class RG and Class RRG additional buck stamps can only be used to take an additional antlered deer in buck season. Unused Class RG and Class RRG stamps may not be used in antlerless or muzzleloader seasons.
- A concurrent antlerless deer season will be available in all or portions of 44 counties on private land only during the entire two-week buck season and beginning November 26 through the remainder of the buck season on specified public land. This is not a “hunter’s choice” season, because hunters must have purchased the proper antlerless deer license (Class N for residents and Class NN for nonresidents) to participate. Hunters may take only one deer per day; therefore, a buck and an antlerless deer may not be taken on the same day. Class N and Class NN antlerless stamps are no longer county specific. See the 2008-2009 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for county and public lands specific regulations.
- All deer must be field tagged and checked in within 72 hours of the time of kill or within 24 hours of the close of the season, whichever comes first. Additional deer may not be taken until all previously taken deer have been checked. Only one deer may be taken per day during the buck season.
- Deer hunting in West Virginia generates a total annual economic impact of $233 million, much of it in the rural areas of the state that depend upon the deer seasons for a large portion of their annual income.
- In 2007, deer hunters in West Virginia harvested 67,213 bucks during the two-week buck season, an increase of 1.7 percent from the previous year.
- Based upon scouting reports and mast production, DNR is looking for the buck kill to be slightly higher than last year. Poor weather conditions last year during the first week of buck season resulted in a large number of antlered deer carrying over to this hunting period, meaning more and bigger bucks will be harvested. Hunters who have done their pre-season scouting and have located food sources for deer will have the best chance of success.
- Sunday hunting is legal in the following 14 counties on private land only: Boone, Brooke, Clay, Hancock, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Marshall, Mingo, Ohio, Wayne, Wetzel and Wyoming. The only Sunday that is open in these counties during the buck season is November 30. Hunters are reminded that deer gun seasons are closed in Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming counties.
- Hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange (about the size of a vest) as an outer garment for visibility and safety. Blaze orange camouflage patterns are legal as long as 400 square inches of blaze orange are displayed on the garment. A blaze orange hat is not required, but the hunter must have blaze orange visible from both the front and the back.
- Hunting licenses may be purchased online at any time and printed out on a home computer printer. Go to the goWILD! Web site at www.wvhunt.com, fill out the application, and purchase it over a secure server with a credit card.
- Hunters who wish to donate deer meat or dollars to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program, which distributes deer meat through the Mountaineer Food Bank and the Huntington Food Bank, should call (304) 558-2771 or visit the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov to find a participating meat processor.
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November 15 Marks DNR’s 14th Annual Maryland Junior Deer Hunt Day
November 6, 2008
Annapolis, Md. — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites junior hunters to try deer hunting and refine their hunting skills during Maryland’s 14th Annual Junior Deer Hunt Day on Saturday, November 15, 2008. White-tailed and sika deer firearms hunting will be open exclusively to hunters aged 16 years and younger who are accompanied by an unarmed, licensed (or exempt from license requirement) adult who is at least 21 years of age.
“This popular hunting day provides an opportunity for experienced adult deer hunters to mentor and pass on the knowledge and skills required to be a safe, effective and ethical hunter,” said Harry Spiker, Wildlife and Heritage Service Game Mammal Section Leader. “Junior Deer Hunt Day is dedicated to teaching young hunters the ethics, techniques and traditions of hunting, and encouraging appreciation of our natural resources.”
New this year, the Junior Deer Hunt Day bag limit is separate from the Deer Firearms Season bag limit. This change allows successful Junior Deer Hunt Day participants to continue to pursue deer during the Deer Firearms Season in all regions of the state. Junior Deer Hunt Day is open concurrently with the Bow Season. Hunters pursuing deer with archery equipment on November 15 must wear fluorescent orange.
All hunters participating in the Junior Deer Hunt Day must have passed a Maryland Hunter Education Course and exam and demonstrated proficiency during a practical test and live firing exercise. The Hunter Education course includes instruction in hunter responsibilities, firearms safety, the principals of wildlife management and other outdoor fundamentals.
Successful junior deer hunters are encouraged to visit one of Maryland’s Junior Hunter Certificate Agents to receive a special certificate for any deer they harvest. The certificate is available to junior hunters during any of the Maryland deer hunting seasons. A list of participating certificate agents, bag limits, season dates, deer registration procedures and other deer hunting information are online at www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping 2008-2009 issued with each hunting license contains detailed information about all of Maryland’s hunting seasons.
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Ohio’s 2008 Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Season Underway
October 20, 2008
547 birds harvested during first five days of season; tops last year’s number
COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters harvested 547 wild turkeys during the first five days of Ohio’s fall wild turkey hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The season opened on October 11 and will run through November 30.
Last year, hunters killed 504 birds in the same time period. The top 10 counties for wild turkeys killed to date are: Ashtabula - 39, Noble and Tuscarawas - 21, Harrison and Washington - 20, Coshocton - 19, Columbiana and Holmes - 18, and Jackson and Trumbull - 17.
Wild turkeys can be hunted in 46 counties during the fall season with the addition of nine additional counties: Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne. Also new this year, shotguns have been added to the list of legal implements that can be used throughout the season. More than 19,000 hunters pursued wild turkeys in Ohio last fall.
Fall wild turkey hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit is one turkey of either sex per hunter, per season. A fall turkey permit is required in addition to a current Ohio hunting license. All turkeys killed must be taken to an official turkey check station by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest.
The Division of Wildlife reminds hunters that turkey season will partially overlap the Early Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Season (October 20-25) on three state-owned areas: Wildcat Hollow in Perry and Morgan counties, Salt Fork Wildlife Area in Guernsey County and Shawnee State Forest in Scioto County. Turkey hunting will not be allowed on these areas during the muzzleloader deer hunting season.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.gov.
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