Service Proposes Early Season Migratory Bird Hunting Frameworks

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced proposed frameworks for early season migratory bird hunting today that, if approved, will be used by State wildlife agencies to set season dates, lengths and bag limits.

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 information collected by surveys of breeding grounds throughout North America in the spring of 2001.

"Although duck numbers declined slightly this year, they remain above their historic average. From the Service