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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Pheasant Season Opens October 1 in New Hampshire
September 24, 2008
CONCORD, N.H. - A long-standing fall tradition in New Hampshire, the hunting season for pheasant gets underway on October 1. Around the state, hunters will be afield in pursuit of the flashy, ring-necked upland game birds. This year, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will release 13,500 pheasants, purchased exclusively with revenues from the sale of pheasant licenses, at 73 stocking sites in 51 towns.
“Most of the pheasant release sites are on private lands, stocked with landowner permission and available to sportsmen only because of their cooperation,” said Fish and Game Pheasant Project Leader Karen Bordeau. “Please respect the property of these landowners, who make our pheasant-hunting tradition possible, by following all safety guidelines and by hunting courteously. Take the time to thank them for their generosity.”
The birds will be distributed over four stockings at all sites in 2008; stocking will be completed by October 18. In-season stockings will be done on Thursdays and Fridays to maximize weekend hunting opportunities.
The list of towns to be stocked (including road names) can be seen on the Fish and Game website at www.HuntNH.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_pheasant.htm; printed lists are also available at Fish and Game headquarters and regional offices.
The pheasant season runs from October 1 to December 31, with a daily limit of 2 birds and a season limit of 10. Pheasant hunters must purchase a $16 pheasant license, in addition to the regular New Hampshire hunting license. Non-residents may hunt with a pheasant license and either a non-resident NH hunting license or a non-resident NH small game license. Hunting licenses can be purchased at www.HuntNH.com or from any Fish and Game license agent.
Fish and Game asks hunters to refrain from training dogs at release sites during the three days prior to October 1. Dog training flushes pheasants from the release sites, often onto posted property or other areas not suitable for hunting.
Pheasant hunters are urged to follow these basic safety guidelines:
Wear hunter orange on your head, back and chest.
Control your firearm muzzle at all times.
Always wear safety glasses.
Know where your hunting partners are at all times.
Shoot only within your zone of fire.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond.
Always keep your hunting dog under control.
For more information on hunting in New Hampshire, including online license and permit sales, visit www.HuntNH.com/Hunting/Hunting.htm.
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Pennsylvania Game Commission To Participate and Host Events Promoting Wildlife, Hunting and Trapping in September
September 16, 2008
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Game Commission officials, in September, will participate in and host five outdoors events promoting wildlife and hunting and trapping.
On Sept. 19 and 20, the 2008 Elk Expo will be held at the Elk County Fairgrounds in Kersey, Elk County. Admission to the Elk Expo, which sponsored by the Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau, is $3 for those 12 years of age and older; those under 12 are free.
At 5 p.m. on Sept. 20, Game Commission officials will hold a public drawing to select the names of 45 hunters who will be awarded elk hunting licenses for the season that will be held Nov. 3-8. Of the 45 licenses awarded, the first 17 will be for antlered elk and the next 28 for antlerless elk. For information and a schedule of events, contact the Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau at 800-348-9393 or visit: visitpago.com/elkexpo/index.html.
In Crawford County, the 27th annual Pymatuning Ducks Unlimited Waterfowl Expo will be held Sept. 20-21 in and around Linesville, Crawford County. A highlight of the two-day event is the selection of the 27th Annual Pennsylvania Waterfowl Management Stamp from entries by many of the Commonwealth’s most accomplished wildlife artists, which will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Linesville High School, 302 West School Drive.
At 10 a.m., on Sept. 20, the Game Commission will conduct its annual public drawing to select those who will be afforded an opportunity to use one of the blinds for waterfowl hunting at Pymatuning. The drawing will be held at the Game Commission’s Pymatuning Administration Building, 9552 Hartstown Rd.
At 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 20, Game Commission Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer Bruce Ellis, from Mercer County, will hold a waterfowl information and banding program, with the opportunity for children to assist in the release of wild ducks, at the Learning Center, 12590 Hartstown Road. The Learning Center also will be open on Saturday and Sunday for visitors.
Also on Sept. 20-21, the Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area will host the 22nd Annual Middle Creek Wildfowl Show. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the Visitor Center, which is along Hopeland Road, two miles south of Kleinfeltersville, on the Lebanon-Lancaster county line.
Admission is free, but donations are graciously accepted and will benefit the Wildlands Preservation Fund, which has helped to preserve more than 46,000 acres in an 18-county area in eastern Pennsylvania, including more than 1,200 acres at Middle Creek.
The show features wildfowl carvings and carving supplies, artwork, collectibles, dog training supplies and hunting items from more than 60 vendors. Retriever demonstrations will be at 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday, Sept. 20, and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. Two different retriever clubs will display their dogs’ abilities, both with water retrievals and upland retrievals. Demonstrations on Saturday will be performed by the Keystone Retriever Club, and on Sunday, by the Northern Piedmont Retriever Club.
Decoy competitions will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and winners will be announced at 4 p.m. Carvers may enter their creations into different categories to include decorative, working and shorebird gunning rigs. Each year, a different duck is chosen for the decorative competition. This year, the mallard was selected.
Pennsylvania State Duck and Goose Calling Championships will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The winner of the duck calling competition will likely go to the world duck calling championship in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and the winner of the goose calling competition will likely go to the world goose calling championship in Easton, Maryland.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, representatives of the Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, along with several respected statewide sportsmen’s organizations, will host a National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration in the East Wing Rotunda of the State Capitol in Harrisburg.
The event, which will feature a series of informational booths, will run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and will include a news conference at 11 a.m. The event will highlight the importance hunting, trapping, fishing and boating and the related activities supported by the two independent state agencies have had on and continue to provide to the state’s cultural heritage, outdoors recreation and economy.
On Sunday, Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Middle Creek will host a National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration. Planned events include hands-on activities for people of all ages.
Activities include (* denotes hands-on activities): exhibits/displays from local, state, and national sportsmen’s organizations; archery shoot*; muzzleloading rifles*; fly rod casting instruction*; fishing*; and trapping demonstrations.
Additionally, Red Creek Rehabers will conduct two live birds of prey demonstrations during the day.
Another highlight will be the laser SHOT system, available for kids of all ages to try. The SHOT system is a simulated hunting experience to test an individual’s marksmanship and decision-making in hunting situations.
In 1970, the first to suggest an official “day of thanks” to sportsmen was Ira Joffe, owner of Joffe’s Gun Shop in Upper Darby, Delaware County. Gov. Raymond Shafer adopted Joffe’s idea and created “Outdoor Sportsman’s Day” in the state.
With determined prompting from various sportsmen, the concept soon emerged on the national level when, in early 1972, Congress unanimously passed legislation authorizing a National Hunting and Fishing Day. On May 2, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the first proclamation of National Hunting and Fishing Day, and soon after, all 50 governors and more than 600 mayors had joined in by proclaiming state and local versions of National Hunting and Fishing Day.
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Woodcock Season Opens Sept. 20 in Wisconsin
September 9, 2008
MADISON — The woodcock population across its range in the Midwest and northeast United States has shown a steady decline over the last 30-plus years, a drop that wildlife biologists believe is primarily related to changes in forest habitat.
However, in Wisconsin, this decline appears to have leveled off with no significant change over the last decade.
“Interest in pursuing the ‘timberdoodle’ throughout the forests of Wisconsin remains high with more than 17,000 woodcock hunters spending 79,000 days in the field in 2007,” says Kent Van Horn, migratory wildlife specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “Wisconsin ranks second in the nation for woodcock harvest at about 48,000 birds. Overall, hunters should expect to see woodcock numbers similar to the last few years and depending on the weather, should enjoy a good fall.”
Woodcock season runs Sept. 20 to Nov. 3, with a daily bag of three birds.
Since woodcock are a migratory species, hunters should remember that if they wish to hunt woodcock they must not use a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells unless the magazine has been plugged. This also means they need to be registered for the Harvest Information Program (HIP), a federal program that helps the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitor the harvest of migratory bird species by randomly selecting a sample of HIP registered hunters and asking them to participate in a harvest survey. HIP registration is free and available at all locations where hunting licenses are sold.
Becoming HIP registered is a simple process. When hunters apply for a license they are asked if they intend to hunt migratory game birds in Wisconsin this year. If they answer “yes,” they are asked about the number of ducks and geese harvested last year and whether or not they hunted other migratory birds. Once those questions are answered, the hunter is HIP registered.
Many hunters hunt ruffed grouse and woodcock at the same time and the federal requirements for HIP registration and hunting with a shotgun limited to holding thrershells are not required for ruffed grouse. However, these regulations must be followed if hunting both species at the same time.
Detailed woodcock hunting regulations can be found in the Small Game Hunting Regulations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Van Horn, DNR Migratory Game Bird ecologist - (608) 266-8841 or James Christopoulos (608) 261-6458
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Dove Hunting Regulation and Safety Reminders
August 29, 2008
Doves are migratory birds so hunters must use a plugged shot gun with a capacity not to exceed three shells in the magazine and chamber combined.
Dove hunters must be registered with the federal Harvest Information Program (HIP). HIP registration is free and available at all locations where hunting licenses are sold. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service randomly selects a sample of HIP registered hunters and asks them to participate in a harvest survey.
Remember to avoid shooting at doves near power lines and horizontally at low-flying birds where other hunters may be present.
Dove hunters are encouraged to be sure to pick up all litter, including spent shell casings, while hunting. DNR wardens report some dove hunters are leaving behind large numbers of shell casings on public lands and that they will be increasing enforcement of litter laws this season.
“Take a moment to think about how you’d like to find a hunting spot – clean, picked up and with only boot prints left hehind,” said Mike Dickhoff, DNR Rock County conservation warden. “Then extend that same courtesy to the next hunter.”
Always remember the basic rules of firearms safety: TAB-K:
- Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Be sure of your target and beyond.
- Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you’re ready to shoot.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Van Horn (608) 266-8841
Mourning dove season opens on Sept. 1 In Wisconsin / 2008 season extended by 10 days
Hunters participating in the 2008 mourning dove season in Wisconsin will enjoy an extra 10 days of hunting opportunity, and those hunters hunting on state and federal lands will only be able to use nontoxic shot.
The 2008 season opens Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 9, which is 10 days longer than previous seasons. In a June 2008 decision, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided for states to select an additional 10 days of dove hunting. In August, the state Natural Resources Board approved extending the Wisconsin mourning dove season to Nov. 9. Because the change was made so late, the 2008 Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet does not reflect this increase of 10 additional hunting days.
Also new this year is a requirement for nontoxic shot for hunting mourning doves on all DNR managed lands in addition to the previous requirement for nontoxic shot on National Wildlife Refuges and federally owned Waterfowl Production Areas.
Between 10,000 and 15,000 hunters have taken to the fields in pursuit of mourning doves in recent years, according to Kent Van Horn, migratory game bird ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources.
“During this same period, mourning doves have shown a 1 to 5 percent increase in population, while hunters were harvesting 100,000 to 200,000 doves annually,” Van Horn notes.
The mourning dove is a fast flying game bird, which Van Horn says, presents a challenging target but fine food on the dinner table. Additional information on dove hunting is available on the DNR Web site.
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Big Game Licenses for Mentored Hunters Available Online
August 28, 2008
PIERRE, S.D.—Big game license for mentored hunters are now available through the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department Web site.
The big game licenses allow mentored youth to hunt antlerless deer, antelope and turkey. Available to resident mentors for a $5 fee, the licenses are valid during the youth deer season, the archery and firearms antelope seasons and the fall turkey season.
The last session of the S.D. Legislature passed a law that allows children as young as 10 years of age to take part in mentored hunts. The availability of mentored hunting licenses for three big game seasons is just the latest step in providing more hunting opportunities for young people.
License applications may be submitted through the Web site at www.sdgfp.info or by printing out a paper application available on the site and through license dealers. To apply by computer, on the GFP home page hold the cursor over “Licenses and Reservations” and then click on “Limited Issue Licenses.” Then follow the instructions to complete and submit the application. A credit card is needed for making the payment online.
The purchase of a mentored hunting license does not affect the eligibility of the parent or guardian to purchase a license in other deer, antelope or turkey seasons. “However,” said GFP Licensing Office Supervisor Scott Simpson, “the purchase of such a license renders the mentored youth hunter ineligible to purchase regular licenses for the youth deer, antelope or fall turkey hunting seasons.”
With the first mentored hunts set to take place this fall, the Game, Fish and Parks Department is anticipating plenty of interest and plenty of questions.
“The Resident Mentored Hunting pamphlet available online is a good source of information about the requirements and restrictions governing these hunts,” said GFP Licensing Office Supervisor Scott Simpson. “Even if a mentor applies for the licenses online, printing out the pamphlet and keeping it on hand is still a good idea.”
Other online sources of information can be found by clicking on “Mentored Hunting” under the “What’s New” tab on the home page of the GFP Web site. The information there includes regulations governing young hunters and mentors as they take part in small game and big game seasons and frequently asked questions. Among those questions are:
What do I need to do to grant permission to my neighbor to take my child on a mentored hunt?
Written permission is required. The parent or guardian may write a note as simple as, “I grant permission for <mentor name> to take my child, <child name>, on a mentored hunt.” Signed (your name)
Can an adult mentor carry a gun on a mentored big game hunt?
One firearm may be carried between the mentored hunter and the adult mentor. Only the youth may shoot the gun under this mentored season. However, if there is a concurrent season in progress (for example, East River Deer) and the adult mentor is legally licensed, the adult mentor may have possession of the firearm and shoot an animal he/she is licensed to take. Any adult or mentor who possesses a valid concealed pistol permit may possess a pistol.
What do you define as immediate control between the adult and mentored hunter?
Immediate control is most appropriately described as within arm’s length.
Does my child need to take the HuntSAFE class to participate in a mentored hunt?
No. The intent of the mentored program is to expose youth to the sport of hunting. We believe that once a youth has participated in a mentored hunt that the experience will spark their interest in hunting and they’ll make the decision to enroll in a HuntSAFE class at the appropriate time.
Since the Mentored Hunt big game license is issued to the parent and the parent may assign the responsibility of mentorship to another adult, may the parent also assign another mentored hunter to use the license?
The mentored hunter license is not transferable, and is specific to the mentored hunter named on the license.
How many people can hunt in this mentor situation?
The maximum party size is six individuals. There can be two mentors, two mentored hunters, and two observers; or there can be as many as three mentors and three mentored hunters. The ratio of mentors to mentored hunters must remain one-to-one and there can be no more that six people total in the group.
My child is 9 years old but will turn 10 during the hunting season. May I apply for a mentored hunting big game license?
Yes, you may apply and receive a license for the mentored hunt. The license will not be valid until your child’s 10th birthday.
I took the hunter education course many years ago but I don’t have my certification card. May I still mentor a hunter?
The adult mentor must have the hunter education certificate/card in their possession while hunting. If you took a South Dakota course, you may check the Game, Fish and Parks Web site at http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/hunting/safety/CardReplacement.htm or call the GFP office at (605) 773-7154.
If I want to mentor a hunter but have never taken a hunter education class, how can I get my hunter education certification?
You may check for a class near you by going to: http://www.sdgfp.info/wildlife/hunting/Safety/HuntSAFEindex.htm
Does becoming a mentor affect my ability to hunt other seasons during the time I am a mentor?
Being a mentor does not affect the eligibility of the parent/guardian or mentor for any other hunting license.
How many big game mentor licenses can be purchased for a mentored hunter?
For each mentored hunter a parent or guardian can purchase one mentored deer license, one mentored antelope license, one mentored fall turkey license, and one mentored spring turkey license.
How do I apply for a mentored big game license?
Mentored big game license applications can be found at all GFP offices, license agents throughout the state, or you can apply online at this link: https://secure.state.sd.us/applications/gf79biggame/login.asp
As a parent who does not hunt but would like my son/daughter to learn to hunt, am I restricted to designating only one person to serve as a mentor to my child?
As the parent of the mentored hunter, you can grant permission to multiple individuals to serve as a mentor, as long as they have written permission from you and they meet the requirements to be a mentor.
If I purchase a mentored hunt deer license for my son/daughter, why can’t they also purchase a license for the regular youth deer season?
The idea behind the mentored hunting program is to provide the experience and exposure to a young person who is interested and just getting started in hunting. The emphasis of the mentored hunt should be to have fun, learn and become more knowledgeable about hunting, not to harvest as many animals as possible.
If I want to take my 10-year-old son on a mentored waterfowl hunt, what license does he need? What license do I as the mentor need?
Your son would need no license. As the mentor, you would need to have the proper South Dakota hunting license, Federal Waterfowl Stamp, and Migratory Bird Certification.
As a mentor, do I need to carry my hunter certification with me in the field?
Yes. It is required that the mentor possess their hunter education certification.
Can a mentored hunter use a bow and arrow to harvest a deer or antelope?
Yes, bow and arrow may be used to hunt during firearms seasons. If a bow is used to harvest deer or antelope, it must meet all equipment restrictions currently in place for big game hunting.
If a mentored hunter chooses to hunt with a bow, do the National Bowhunter Archery Education requirements also apply?
No, the bowhunter education requirements apply only to archery-only hunting licenses.
If a mentored hunter is accompanied in the field by an adult mentor who is not the parent or guardian, who should sign the big game tag once the animal is harvested?
Because a mentor was granted permission by the parent/guardian, the mentor will sign the tag once the animal is harvested.
What is the limit for the mentor while small game hunting, for example pheasants?
The mentor does not have a separate limit from the mentored hunter. Between the mentor and mentored hunter, only three pheasants can be harvested. For example, if the mentored hunter harvests two roosters, the mentor would only be allowed one additional rooster the remainder of that same day.
Can a mentor take out more than one mentored hunter in a given day?
Yes. However, the ratio of mentor to mentored hunter must be one-to-one. Also, if a mentor were to hunt with two different mentored hunters in one day, the daily limit would apply to both hunts. For example, if a mentor takes out 2 mentored hunters, between the two groups only three pheasants could be harvested in one day.
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2008-09 Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Bag Limits Selected in Pennsylvania
August 26, 2008
HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that the agency has made its selections for the 2008-09 migratory game bird hunting seasons and bag limits.
“Waterfowl and migratory game bird hunters will see some changes, including modifications to the Canada goose zone boundaries and expanded opportunities for wood ducks, Atlantic brant and doves,” Roe said. “However, the season for canvasbacks has been closed for 2008-09, and bag limits for scaup have been modified.”
Annual waterfowl seasons are selected by states from a framework established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Game Commission selections were made after reviewing last year’s season results, waterfowl survey data, and input gathered from waterfowl hunters and the public. Final approval from the USFWS is expected by late September.
In addition to releasing waterfowl seasons, Roe also noted that the Game Commission again has posted the waterfowl seasons brochure and maps on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). The agency currently is mass-producing brochures to be distributed to U.S. Post Offices within the next two weeks.
“Many hunters already have purchased their hunting licenses and federal waterfowl stamps in anticipation of the season,” Roe said. “For their convenience, in addition to being able to pick up the waterfowl brochure and maps at post offices and license issuing agents, hunters can obtain this important information from the Game Commission’s website.”
John Dunn, Game Commission Game Bird Section supervisor, said the federal frameworks are again allowing for a 60-day season with a six-duck daily bag limit, with the usual species restrictions and bag limits, except for wood ducks, canvasbacks and scaup. Wood duck limits have been increased to three daily and six in possession. While the season for canvasbacks has been closed, bag limits for scaup have been modified to a two-bird daily bag limit for a portion of the season and a one-bird daily limit for the remainder of the season.
“Recent analysis of wood duck harvest rates and populations by the USFWS suggests wood ducks can tolerate more hunting pressure than currently exists,” Dunn said. “An increase in the wood duck daily bag limit will provide more opportunity on this plentiful duck species. Wood ducks are the second most abundant duck in Pennsylvania’s waterfowl harvest. Monitoring tools such as banding and breeding population surveys are presently in place to measure any impacts caused by the bag limit change on wood ducks. Information gained from this bag limit change will help the USFWS and flyway councils develop a wood duck harvest strategy to help better manage this important duck species.”
Dunn noted that a decline in the canvasback breeding population and poor habitat conditions in their prairie nesting habitats have made it necessary to close the season this year, since the predicted harvest with a restrictive season would exceed the allowable harvest specified in the Canvasback Harvest Strategy.
Dunn added that scaup also are undergoing hard times.
“Waterfowl managers continue to be concerned about the status of scaup,” Dunn noted. “This year’s breeding population estimate for scaup was 27 percent below the long-term average. The USFWS is seeking a 25 percent reduction in scaup harvest commensurate with the status of this duck species. To maintain the diving duck hunting tradition on important scaup harvest areas, such as Lake Erie, we were allowed to implement a hybrid scaup season composed of a two-bird bag for 20 consecutive days during the 60-day duck season.”
Once again, young Pennsylvania hunters will be provided with a special day of waterfowl hunting on Saturday, Sept. 20. The Youth Waterfowl Day will be open to those 12-15 years of age who hold a junior hunting license. To participate, a youngster must be accompanied by an adult, who may assist the youth in calling, duck identification and other aspects of the hunt. During this special day-long hunt, youth can harvest ducks, mergansers, coots and moorhens, as well as Canada geese, depending upon the zones that they are hunting in. Youth Waterfowl Day bag limits for ducks, mergansers and coots will be consistent with the limit for the regular season.
Also, this agency again will hold a special youth-only waterfowl hunting day at the controlled hunting blinds at both Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area. The youth day for Middle Creek is Nov. 15, for Pymatuning, Nov. 29. A special drawing of applications submitted by junior license holders will be held immediately before the regular drawing for goose blinds. Interested youth should use the same application on page 29 of the 2008-09 Digest. Only one application will be accepted per junior hunter.
Dunn noted that there have been modifications to the other migratory game bird seasons that previously were announced. All changes are reflected in the 2008-09 brochure. The seasons, including adjustments, are:
- There will be only three zones for managing Canada geese this year: the Southern James Bay Population, the Atlantic Population and Resident Population. For boundary zone descriptions, as well as season dates and bag limits for the early, regular and late Canada goose seasons, please see the listing at the end of this news release;
- Dove season dates are: Sept. 1-27, when hunting will start at noon and continue through sunset daily; and Oct. 25-Nov. 29, and Dec. 26-Jan. 1, with hunting hours a half-hour before sunrise until sunset. In all three seasons, the daily bag limit is 15, and the possession limit after opening day is 30;
- Pennsylvania’s woodcock season will open Oct. 18, and continue through Nov. 15. The daily limit is three, and the possession limit is six;
- A season for common snipe will run from Oct. 18 to Nov. 29. The daily limit is 8, and the possession limit is 16;
- Virginia and sora rail hunting will run Sept. 1-Nov. 8. Bag limits, which can be one species or combined, are 3 daily or 6 in possession. The season for king and clapper rails is closed; and
- Hunting for moorhen and gallinules will run from Sept. 1 to Nov. 8, and the bag limits are three daily and six in possession.
In addition to a regular Pennsylvania hunting license, persons 16 and older must have a Federal Migratory Bird and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as a “Duck Stamp,” signed in ink across its face. All waterfowl hunters, regardless of age, must have a Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird License to hunt waterfowl and other migratory birds, including doves, woodcock, coots, moorhens, rails and snipe. All migratory game bird hunters in the United States are required to complete a Harvest Information Program survey when they purchase a state migratory game bird license. The survey information is then forwarded to the USFWS.
“By answering the questions on the survey card, hunters will improve survey efficiency and the quality of information used to track the harvest of migratory birds for management purposes,” Dunn said.
Hunters must use non-toxic shot while hunting ducks, geese or coots in Pennsylvania. The use of decoys powered or operated by batteries or any other source of electricity is unlawful in Pennsylvania. Also, the use of any sort of artificial substance or product as bait or an attractant is prohibited.
Dunn noted that, although hunting hours have been extended to one-half hour after sunset for big game (except spring gobbler), as well as small game and furbearers, federal regulations prevail for waterfowl and migratory game birds and shooting hours for these species will continue to close at sunset. The only exception to this is during the early September Canada goose season, in which the USFWS has permitted states to extend the hunting hours to one-half hour after sunset, and the first part of the dove season (Sept. 1-27), when hunting hours are from noon through sunset.
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Now is the Time to Plan for 2008 Minnesota Deer License Options
August 5, 2008
