Question about duck season dates

[Don Miller]

I'm guessing the MS duck season will have to open earlier than the Friday after Thanksgiving? Am I correct that our season can't go past the last Sunday of January which is the 25th?

[levi127]

Correct. Thats how im understanding it as well

[Don Miller]

This sux!!!! I was hoping to get in a few days of hunting in Arkansas before MS opens but there will obviously have to be an overlap again this season for MS to be able to get 60 days in our season.

[Hambone]

If I counted correctly, the season could open on Thanksgiving day and run straight through to January 25. I will have to look at my journal, but I think that's what happened one year in the late 1990's.

[teul2]

So has the framework been announced?

[Greenhead22]

So has the framework been announced?

Probably won't be til the end of the month. I just don't see them opening the same weekend as deer season but may have to.

[tica-tica]

August 1, 2014

Contact: Laury Parramore, 703-358-2541, laury_parramore@fws.gov

*Service Proposes Liberal Waterfowl Hunting Season Frameworks *

*Surveys show most duck species populations remain strong*

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes liberal hunting season lengths and bag limits for the upcoming 2014-15 late waterfowl seasons. States will select their individual seasons from within the federal frameworks that establish the earliest beginning and latest ending dates and the maximum season length and bag limits. According to the Service’s 2014 Waterfowl Population Status Report, population estimates for most species of ducks remained strong for this breeding season.

The waterfowl hunting frameworks are set using annual results of cooperative population surveys, banding programs and harvest surveys that produce the largest data set on any wildlife species group in the world.
They guide the Service’s waterfowl conservation programs and provide hunting opportunities while ensuring the long-term health of waterfowl populations.

In the traditional survey area, which includes Alaska, the north-central United States, and south-central and northern Canada, the 2014 total duck population estimate was 49.2 million birds, an 8 percent increase from last year’s estimate of 45.6 million and is 43% higher than the long-term average (1955-2013). Although most duck populations remain strong, where and when waterfowl will be encountered this year depends on many factors.
Weather, food availability and water conditions influence local duck abundance, distribution, behavior and, ultimately, hunter success.

Overall, habitat conditions in the survey area were similar to or slightly improved from last year. The 2014 pond estimate for the north-central United States was 2.6 million. Pond numbers in the United States were similar to 2013 and 53 percent above the long-term average (1974-2013).

The proposed federal frameworks include duck hunting season lengths of 60 days in both the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, 74 days in the Central Flyway (with an additional 23 days in the High Plains areas), and 107 days in the Pacific Flyway. The proposed late season waterfowl frameworks will appear in the *Federal Register* for public inspection and comment in mid-August.

Each year, the Service works in partnership with states from the four flyways to establish regulatory frameworks for waterfowl hunting season lengths, dates and bag limits. Flyway-specific highlights of the proposed late-season frameworks are as follows:

*Mississippi Flyway* (Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and
Wisconsin):

- *Ducks*: A hunting season is proposed of not more than 60 days between
Sept. 27, 2014, and Jan. 25, 2015. The proposed daily bag limit is 6 and
may include no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 1 mottled duck,
2 redheads, 3 scaup, 2 pintails, 1 black duck, and 1 canvasback. The
proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is 5, only 2 of which may be hooded
mergansers. In states that include mergansers in the duck bag limit, the
daily limit is the same as the duck bag limit, only 2 which may be hooded
mergansers.


- *Geese*: Generally, seasons for Canada goose would be held between
Sept. 27, 2014, and Jan. 31, 2015, and vary in length among states and
areas. States would be able to select seasons for light geese not to exceed
107 days with 20 geese daily between Sept. 27, 2014, and March 10, 2015;
for white-fronted goose the proposed season would not exceed 74 days with a
2-bird daily bag limit or 88 days with a 1-bird daily bag limit between
Sept. 27, 2014, and Feb. 15, 2015; and for brant it would not exceed 70
days with a 1-bird daily bag limit or 107 days with a 1 bird daily bag
limit between Sept. 27, 2014, and Jan. 31, 2015.

[tica-tica]

Could be a really dumb questions but since the MS flyway states can open duck season as early as Sept. 27th (not more than 60 days between
Sept. 27, 2014, and Jan. 25, 2015)

Could a state opt for a couple days early for the bluewing teal migration? Heck most years I see tons of bluewing in October and few in Sept. when most southern states have the 10 day teal season. And if they did mark an early weekend for bluewing would they get the 4 teal limit or the 6 teal limit. Always thought it funny that you get 4 teal in Sept and 6 teal in November. What's up with that?

[7ducks]

x

[YazooValley]

I just don't see them opening the same weekend as deer season but may have to.

Last year it opened the Friday before deer season.

[Blackduck]

I just don't see them opening the same weekend as deer season but may have to.

Last year it opened the Friday before deer season.

Yep. It was due to an early thanksgiving. Ducks on fri and rifle for deer was Saturday. First time I can remember that.

[slayem]

And if they did mark an early weekend for bluewing would they get the 4 teal limit or the 6 teal limit. Always thought it funny that you get 4 teal in Sept and 6 teal in November. What's up with that?

Get 6 teal this year in sept!

[Wingman]

If I counted correctly, the season could open on Thanksgiving day and run straight through to January 25. I will have to look at my journal, but I think that's what happened one year in the late 1990's.

Pretty sure there has to be two closed segments. I could be wrong.

[chattahoochee]

Figured it would open the weekend before Thanksgiving again like last year.

[tica-tica]

And if they did mark an early weekend for bluewing would they get the 4 teal limit or the 6 teal limit. Always thought it funny that you get 4 teal in Sept and 6 teal in November. What's up with that?

Get 6 teal this year in sept!

I don't think they have updated the Alabama website because it says 4 teal in teal season and 1 pintail in regular duck season when the MS flyway has 2 pintail in 2014-15.