News Release
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
DNR Central Office – Madison
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707
Phone: (608) 266-6790 Fax: (608) 264-6293
For Release: August 2, 2007
Contact(s): Kent Van Horn – (608) 266-8841 or Kim Benton – (608) 261-6458
Changes made to proposed Wisconsin waterfowl hunting season
Season proposal changed under federal framework approved today
MADISON – Wisconsin waterfowl hunters will have an increased bag limit for canvasback ducks (two) and no reduction in the bag limit for scaup (two), under a waterfowl hunting season framework announced by federal officials today.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials and partner states in the Mississippi Flyway have been reviewing the current status of duck and geese populations and negotiating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regarding the 2007 waterfowl hunting seasons. The federal government has ultimate authority over hunting seasons for migratory birds and states have the authority to set waterfowl hunting seasons within the federal framework. USFWS announced their final waterfowl season frameworks today, allowing Wisconsin to complete its season proposal that will go to public hearings next week.
Daily bag limits for canvasback ducks and scaup were two regulations for which the Wisconsin wildlife officials had been waiting for a final decision. While conditions in Wisconsin have been dry across much of the state this summer, wetland conditions across waterfowl breeding grounds in Canada and the U.S. prairies have been very good. As a result, several duck species including blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, redheads and canvasbacks are at high levels. At a breeding population of 865,000, canvasbacks were at their highest continental breeding population recorded in more than 50 years of surveys. Based on this population status, Wisconsin wildlife staff led the way nationally in proposing an increase in the canvasback bag limit from one to two birds per day. The biological data supported this recommendation, as did most of the states.
A few states did not support this recommendation based on procedural issues.
Tom Hauge, director of the DNR Bureau of Wildlife Management, was at the table in Washington DC advocating for our duck hunters on this issue.
“The USFWS ultimately approved this request showing the waterfowl regulation process can respond promptly to biological data to provide for increased hunting opportunity,” said Kent Van Horn, DNR waterfowl ecologist.
At a population of 3.5 million, scaup are still the fourth most abundant ducks species counted in the traditional survey area and harvest is relatively low at 281,000 annually, with data showing slight improvement. Consequently, states asked and the USFWS approved a two scaup bag limit for 2007.
With these final decisions as a basis, the proposed Wisconsin season is:
Ducks
A 60-day season with a daily bag limit of six ducks to include not more than 4 mallards of which only one may be a hen, one black duck, two redheads, two wood ducks, two scaup, one pintail and two canvasback (for the entire season). In addition the season provides for five mergansers to include not more than two hooded mergansers, and a coot bag limit of 15. The Northern Zone season would run from Sept. 22 at 9 a.m. through Nov 20. The Southern Zone season would run Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. through Oct. 7 and Oct. 13 through Dec. 2
Canada Geese – Early Season
The Early Canada goose season will run statewide from Sept. 1-15, with a daily bag of five geese. *Burnett County Subzone: Closed
Canada Geese-Regular Season
In the Exterior Zone (including Brown and Rock Prairie subzones), the North Zone season would run Sept. 16 through Sept. 21, and Sept. 22 at 9 a.m. through Dec. 9, with a daily bag limit of two. The South Zone would run Sept. 16 through Sept. 28, and Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. through Dec. 9, also with a daily bag limit of two.
The Mississippi River Subzone would run Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. through Oct. 7, and Oct. 13 through Dec. 27 with a daily bag limit of two.
Horicon/Collins Zones
Hunters with Horicon and Collins Zone permits will be issued six tags for the time period that they are awarded, with a daily bag limit of two geese and a possession limit of six. New this year for the Horicon zone, Periods 1 and 2 and periods 3 and 4 would run consecutively:
Periods 1 and 2: Sept. 16 – Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. – Oct. 26
Periods 3 and 4: Oct. 27 – Dec. 16
Collins Zone
Period 1: Sept. 16 – 28 and Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. – Sept. 30;
Period 2: Oct. 1 – Oct. 21
Period 3: Oct. 22– Nov. 16
Other geese
Light geese (Snow, Blue and Ross) and Brant: Seasons are the same as for the Canada goose zones and subzones. Daily Bag Limit: one brant and 10 light geese. White-fronted geese: Seasons are the same for Exterior Zone and Collins zone. For the Horicon zone the season begins on Sept 22 and ends on Dec. 16. Daily Bag Limit: one white-fronted goose. The Burnett County Subzone is closed.
Youth Waterfowl Hunt
The dates for this year’s youth hunt are Sept. 15-16. The daily bag for ducks is the same as the regular season. This year, this special season straddles the early and the regular goose seasons. The daily bag for geese on Sept 15 is the same for the early season (five geese) and the daily bag on Sept 16 is the same for the regular season (two geese, regardless of zone). Youth will have to possess an Early Goose permit on the Sept. 15 and a Regular season permit on Sept. 16 (Exterior, Horicon or Collins) to harvest a goose. The Burnett County Subzone is closed.
Public meetings
A public informational meeting will be held on August 4 prior to the hearings to present information on waterfowl populations and to discuss the season proposal with hunters. This meeting will begin at 1 p.m. in the Bayberry meeting room of the Best Western Midway Hotel at 2901 Hummingbird Road, Wausau.
The final proposal will be presented at the public hearings, which will all begin at 7 p.m. on the following dates at the locations listed:
August 6, La Crosse – Rooms B-19 and B-20, State Office Bldg., 3550 Mormon Coulee Road
August 7, Rice Lake – Room R228, Meggers Hall, UW-Barron County, 1800 College Drive
August 8, Appleton – Main Conference Room, Agricultural Services Center, 3369 W. Brewster St.
August 9, Waukesha – Main Conference Room, State Office Bldg., 141 N.W. Barstow St.
Comments on the season proposal may also be sent to the Migratory Assistant:
Kim Benton, DNR Bureau of Wildlife Management, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 or by e-mail to [[email protected]].
All comments on the season proposal must be received by midnight, Thursday August 9.
Please remember: The most important factors to the success of your fall waterfowl hunting experience are fall weather, fall water levels and the time you spend scouting.
