With good habitat conditions expected to produce the largest fall duck flight ever recorded, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to implement most season lengths and bag limits used last year for the upcoming 1999-2000 waterfowl season.
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 survey information collected throughout North America. Breeding population and habitat surveys conducted in May 1999 found abundant ponds and excellent nesting cover in much of the survey area.
Most of the Dakotas, northern Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Western Ontario saw improved habitat conditions over 1998. The estimated number of May ponds in prairie Canada and portions of the north central U.S., critical to the reproductive success of waterfowl, rose 46 percent over 1998 levels, to a level 37 percent above the long-term average.
The total fall flight index is predicted to be 105 million, a substantial increase both from last years 84 million birds and the 1997 record high of 90 million birds. The Service estimates a fall flight of 13.6 million mallards for 1999, 16 percent greater than last years estimate.
"The record fall flight we anticipate is a product of many factors, including improved weather and increased rainfall. But no less important are ongoing wetland habitat restoration efforts fostered by partnerships of federal and state wildlife agencies, hunters, landowners, and conservation organizations," said acting Service Director John Rogers. "While we celebrate record duck populations, the need for continued habitat conservation has not diminished."
The population of breeding ducks rose by 11 percent to 43.4 million, reversing an 8 percent decline in 1998, and representing a 32 percent increase over the 1955-98 average.
Breeding populations of mallards rose 12 percent to 10.8 million, 47 percent greater than their long-term average. Blue- winged teal numbers, at 7.2 million, were similar to 1998, but 65 percent greater than the long-term average. Other species also saw improvement, with northern pintails up 21 percent, northern shovelers up 22 percent and green-winged teal up 26 percent.
Improving waterfowl populations also appear to have increased hunting opportunities in the field. According to preliminary estimates of waterfowl harvest and hunter activity gathered during the 1998-99 season, hunters harvested over 16.5 million ducks, a 4 percent increase over the previous season. Persons buying duck stamps for hunting averaged nearly 9 days afield and harvested an average of more than 10 ducks, an increase of 7 percent over the previous seasons level.
Surveys of goose populations have continued the good news.
"Im especially pleased to announce the reopening of the season for Atlantic Population Canada geese. Population levels have improved to the point that hunters can again hunt these birds," Rogers said.
Despite these overall improvements, several duck populations have not responded to the habitat conditions as hoped. Scaup populations rose 27 percent, an encouraging sign for a population that has declined steadily in recent years. But scaup populations remain 18 percent below their historic average, while pintail populations also remain 30 percent below their long-term average.
"Pintails are still well below their target populations. As a consequence, the Service will continue a bag limit of one pintail in all flyways. And even with this years improvement in scaup numbers, the Service believes it is necessary to reduce scaup bag limits in all four flyways to help populations continue their recovery," Rogers said.
The population level of mid-continent snow geese remains dangerously high and continues to threaten the arctic ecosystems on which snow geese and so many other species rely. Hunters in areas frequented by these geese and other growing goose populations will enjoy tremendous hunting opportunities this fall.
Highlights of the proposed late-season frameworks follow:
Atlantic Flyway--(Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia)
Ducks--A hunting season of not more than 60 days between October 1, 1999, and January 20, 2000. The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than three scaup, four mallards (two hens), two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling duck, one canvasback, and four scoters. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only one of which may be a hooded merganser. The season on harlequin ducks is closed.
Geese--For light geese, states may select a 107-day season between October 1 and March 10, with a daily bag limit of 15 geese and no possession limit. For Atlantic Population Canada geese, the season has been restored, allowing portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont and New York to hold a 15-day season concurrent with the duck season between November 1 and January 20 with a one-bird daily bag limit. Delaware, Maryland and Virginia will be allowed to hold a six-day season in Atlantic Population areas between November 15 and January 20, concurrent with the duck season. In Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Long Island, New York, a season on North Atlantic Population Canada geese is proposed between October 1 and December 15, with a two-bird daily bag limit. Special or experimental seasons and regular seasons to harvest resident and other populations of migratory Canada geese are authorized in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. For Atlantic brant, the season length may be 50 days with a daily bag limit of four.
Mississippi Flyway--(Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin)
Ducks--Hunting seasons of not more than 60 days between October 2, 1999, and January 23, 2000. The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), three mottled ducks, three scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail, and one canvasback. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only one of which may be a hooded merganser.
Seasons in the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee may extend to January 31. If a season extending beyond January 23 is chosen in any part of the state, the season length will be reduced to 51 days throughout the state.
Geese
