LIBERAL DUCK-HUNTING RULES PROPOSED.Byline: Bill Schulz Associated Press For the 1996-97 season, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing liberal duck-hunting regulations, some of which allow more hunting than last year. That's because wet conditions on the prairie-pothole country of the United States and Canada again this year brought an increase in the duck population. This year's fall flight index, a measure of the duck population, is nearly 83 million birds, compared with last year's final index of 77 million and a low of 57 million in the late 1980s. Last year's liberalized regulations led to hunters bagging 12.5 million ducks, up from 8.5 million a year earlier. The service also is proposing a ``Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day,'' a weekend or holiday within 10 days of the regular duck season in which a child could hunt in the company of a non-hunting adult. ``We're very pleased with the way the service has gone with the new program,'' said Matthew B. Connolly Jr., executive vice president of Ducks Unlimited Inc., the country's major waterfowl waterfowl, common term for members of the order Anseriformes, wild, aquatic, typically freshwater birds including ducks, geese, and screamers. In Great Britain the term is also used to designate species kept for ornamental purposes on private lakes or ponds, while in conservation group. ``It will provide hunting opportunities but still be very much in keeping with erring on the side of the resource.'' For hunters under age 45, Connolly said, this could be the best season they've ever seen. States may set their seasons within the frameworks mandated by the Fish and Wildlife Service. California has not yet issued its 1996 hunting regulations for resident and migratory game birds. This year's frameworks, by flyway flyway: see migration of animals. , are: PACIFIC FLYWAY Ducks - A 93-day season between Sept. 28 and Jan. 19, except in the Columbia Basin Mallard mallard: see duck. mallard Abundant “wild duck” (Anas platyrhynchos, family Anatidae) of the Northern Hemisphere, ancestor of most domestic ducks. The mallard is a typical dabbling duck in its general habits and courtship display. Management Unit, where the season may go seven more days. Bag limit is seven, including no more than one mallard hen, two pintails, two redheads and one canvasback canvasback: see duck. canvasback Diving duck (Aythya valisineria), one of the most popular game birds. The male weighs about 3 lb (1.4 kg). . Geese - A 100-day season in most of the flyway between Sept. 28 and Jan. 19. Bag limit is three light and four dark geese, except in California, Oregon and Washington, where the dark goose bag limit does not include brant brant or brant goose, common name for a species of wild sea goose. The American brant, Branta bernicla, breeds in the Arctic and winters along the Atlantic coast. . Other restrictions vary by state and zone. CENTRAL FLYWAY Ducks - In the High Plains Mallard Management Unit, an 83-day season between Sept. 28 and Jan. 19. A 60-day season for the rest of the flyway. Bag limit is five, including no more than one mallard hen, one mottled duck, one pintail pintail Any of four species (genus Anas, family Anatidae) of sleek, long-tailed, long-necked dabbling ducks that are swift fliers and popular game birds. The common, or northern, pintail (A. , one canvasback, two redheads and two wood ducks. Geese - Dark geese, between Sept. 28 and Jan. 31, except in the western goose zone in Texas, where the season may extend to Feb. 16. Light geese, season between Sept. 28 and March 10, except for selected counties in Nebraska The following is a list of the 93 counties in the U.S. state of Nebraska, listed by name, FIPS code and license plate prefix: Abbeviation FIPS state code Name NE 31 Nebraska License plate prefix[2] FIPS county code Name 14 001 Adams County , where the closing date is Feb. 16. Bag limits vary. MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY Ducks - A season of no more than 50 days between Sept. 28 and Jan. 19. Bag limit is five, including no more than four mallards, one hen mallard, three mottled ducks, one black duck, one pintail, two wood ducks, one canvasback and two redheads. The daily limit of mergansers is five, including only one hooded merganser merganser: see duck. merganser or fish duck Any species of the diving duck genus Mergus. Essentially freshwater birds, they are classified as a sea duck (tribe Mergini). . Geese - Seventy-day season for dark geese between Sept. 28 and Jan. 31 and 107-day season for light geese between Sept. 28 and March 10. Daily bag limit is 10 light geese, three Canada geese, two white-fronted geese and two brant. There are area-specific restrictions. ATLANTIC ATLANTIC Cardiology A clinical trial–Angina Treatments–Lasers And Normal Therapies In Comparison FLYWAY Ducks - A season of not more than 50 days between Oct. 1 and Jan. 20. Daily bag limit is five, including no more than one mallard hen, one black duck, one pintail, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling duck The Fulvous Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna bicolor, is a whistling duck which breeds across the world's tropical regions in much of Central and South America, sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and the United States Gulf Coast. , two wood ducks, two redheads and one canvasback. The season on harlequins is closed. The daily bag limit of mergansers is five, including only one hooded merganser. Public comment on the proposed regulations will be accepted through Sept. 3. |
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