LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will conduct a public hearing July 27 regarding waterfowl hunting seasons.
The Board of Commissioners, in its regular meeting, will provide waterfowl information and receive public input. The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Columbus. Commissioners also are expected to adopt regulations regarding early teal, Canada goose and youth waterfowl seasons.
In recent years, the Commission has not received information from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service necessary for season-setting until just prior to the July and August meetings, giving staff, Commissioners and the public little time to consider their preferences among season alternatives. The public-input process started earlier this year to improve communication among season-setting participants.
The July public hearing will help Commission staff make recommendations for the board’s consideration and final adoption of regular duck and goose seasons at its Aug. 31 meeting in Ponca.
Although final information from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pending, preliminary staff recommendations for the 2007 hunting seasons are listed below. Recommendations may change, pending biological data and public input.
Ducks and Coots
Low Plains Early: Oct. 6-Dec. 16 (72 days) and Dec. 22-23 (2 days)
Low Plains Late: Oct. 20-Tue., Jan. 1 (74 days)
High Plains: Oct. 6-Dec. 16 (72 days) and Dec. 22-Mon., Jan. 14 (24 days)
Pintail and Canvasback Season (39-day season)
Low Plains Early and High Plains: Oct. 6-Tue., Nov. 13.
Low Plains Late: Oct. 20-Tue., Nov. 27
Dark Geese
East Unit: Oct. 20-Jan. 23 (96 days)
North Central Unit: Oct. 6-Fri., Jan. 18 (105 days)
Platte River Unit: Oct. 20-21 (2 days) and Oct. 27-Wed., Feb. 6 (103 days)
Panhandle Unit: Nov. 10-Wed., Feb. 6 (89 days)
Niobrara Unit: Oct. 20-21 (2 days) and Oct. 27-Wed., Feb. 6 (103 days)
White-Fronted Geese
Statewide: Oct. 6-Dec. 16 (72 days)
Light Geese
Regular Season
Statewide: Oct. 6-Jan. 6 (93 days) and Jan. 26-Wed., Feb. 6 (12 days)
Conservation Action
Zone 1: Feb. 7-April 13 (67 days)
Zone 2: Feb. 7-April 13 (67 days)
Zone 3: Feb. 7-April 13 (67 days)
Crows
Statewide: Oct. 1-Nov. 15 (46 days) and Jan. 20-April 6 (77 days)
Special Public Health Hazard Order: Nov. 16-Jan. 19 (64 days)
Falconry
Statewide: Concurrent with duck season dates within zones and management units.
Other Considerations:
Change Panhandle Dark Goose Unit boundary along Sioux/Scotts Bluff county line to Interstate Canal north of Scottsbluff to Wyoming line.
Change Zone 1 of Light Goose Conservation Action boundary near Central City from U.S. Highway 30 and Nebraska Highway 92 to U.S. Highway 30 to Nebraska Highway 14 to Nebraska Highway 66 to U.S. Highway 81 to Nebraska Highway 92.
Early Seasons to be Adopted at July 27 Commission Meeting:
Early Teal Season: Sept. 8-23 (16 days – Low Plains) and Sept. 8-16 (9 Days – High Plains)
Early Canada Goose: Sept. 8-16 (9 Days)
Youth Hunt Season: Sept. 29-30 (2 Days)
Layne Monroe