Post by osprey on Aug 7, 2010 10:03:21 GMT -5
Proposed Maryland Late Waterfowl Seasons & Bag Limits for the 2010-2011 Hunting Year
Each year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife and Heritage Service reviews waterfowl population status information and develops waterfowl hunting season proposals based upon federal frameworks. In reviewing these proposed hunting seasons and bag limits it is important to note that the priorities considered by the DNR in formulating hunting season proposals include (1) the biological needs of the waterfowl resource, (2) regulation simplicity, and (3) maximizing hunting days (especially Saturdays and holidays) and opportunity for all hunters. Hundreds of contacts are made each year with waterfowl hunters who express their opinions and desires about waterfowl hunting opportunities. This input is critical to the development of hunting season and bag limit proposals. It is important to note that states may be more restrictive than the federal frameworks, but not more liberal when selecting seasons and bag limits within the federal frameworks.
Note: Shooting hours for regular waterfowl seasons are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset except for (1) teal during the September season when shooting hours are sunrise to sunset, (2) for Resident Canada geese during September seasons when shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset/ and (3) for light geese during the Light Goose Conservation Order Season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. All dates are inclusive. There is no possession limit for light geese; for all other waterfowl, the possession limit is twice the daily bag limit. Waterfowl hunting is closed on Sundays in Maryland by federal regulation to compensate for the prohibition of hunting for game species other than deer on Sundays by Maryland law.
National Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day
Season Date: Nov. 6
Daily Bag and Possession Limits
6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck. In addition, youth hunters may take 2 Canada geese, 2 brant, 25 light geese, and 15 coots. No open season for harlequin ducks.
Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers
Regular Duck Season: Oct. 16 - Oct. 23
Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29
Black Duck Season: Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag and Possession Limits
6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck (during black duck season). No open season for harlequin ducks. In addition to the duck bag limit, hunters may take 15 coots per day.
Sea Ducks (Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, and Eiders)
Season Dates: Oct. 2 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 5 (no more than 4 scoters) per day
Atlantic Population Canada Geese
Season Dates: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 2 per day
Hunt Area: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester Counties and that portion of Carroll County east of MD 97 and MD 140, Baltimore County north of MD 137 and MD 13, Anne Arundel County east of Interstate 895, Interstate 97, and Route 3, Prince Georges County east of Routes 3 and 301, and Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia line.
Resident Population Canada Geese (Regular Season)
Season Dates: Nov. 15 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Mar. 5
Daily Bag Limit: 5 per day
Hunt Area: Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and that portion of Carroll County west of MD 97 and MD 140, Baltimore County south of MD 137 and MD 13, Anne Arundel County west of Interstate 895, Interstate 97 and Route 3, Prince George’s County west of Route 3 and Route 301, and Charles County west of Route 301 to the Virginia line.
Atlantic Brant
Season Dates: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26
Dec. 10 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 2 per day
Light Geese
Season Dates: Oct. 9 - Nov. 26
Nov. 29 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 25 per day and no possession limit.
Light Goose Conservation Order Season
Season Dates: Jan. 31 - April 16
Daily Bag Limit: No daily bag or possession limits
Hunt Area: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester Counties and that portion of Carroll County east of MD 97 and MD 140, Baltimore County north of MD 137 and MD 13, Anne Arundel County east of Interstate 895, Interstate 97, and Route 3, Prince Georges County east of Routes 3 and 301, and Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia line.
Special Regulations during Light Goose Conservation Order Season:
1.Hunters may use unplugged shotguns and electronic calls;
2.Extended shooting hours to one-half hour after sunset; and
3.Hunters must possess a Snow Goose Conservation Order Hunting Season Permit while hunting light geese.
Permits available from DNR sport license agents, online at www3.wildlifelicense.com/md/ or by phone (1-800-918-2870) for a $5 fee.
These seasons and bag limits are preliminary and are under consideration by the Maryland DNR – Wildlife and Heritage Service. Final season selections will be made in late August following the public review process. Final season selections will be forwarded to the USFWS no later than September 1 for approval. Final selections will not become official until mid-September. A synopsis of the 2010-11 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons will be distributed to sport-license agents throughout the State in mid September and will be available online at www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/waterfowl/index.asp.
Each year, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife and Heritage Service reviews waterfowl population status information and develops waterfowl hunting season proposals based upon federal frameworks. In reviewing these proposed hunting seasons and bag limits it is important to note that the priorities considered by the DNR in formulating hunting season proposals include (1) the biological needs of the waterfowl resource, (2) regulation simplicity, and (3) maximizing hunting days (especially Saturdays and holidays) and opportunity for all hunters. Hundreds of contacts are made each year with waterfowl hunters who express their opinions and desires about waterfowl hunting opportunities. This input is critical to the development of hunting season and bag limit proposals. It is important to note that states may be more restrictive than the federal frameworks, but not more liberal when selecting seasons and bag limits within the federal frameworks.
Note: Shooting hours for regular waterfowl seasons are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset except for (1) teal during the September season when shooting hours are sunrise to sunset, (2) for Resident Canada geese during September seasons when shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset/ and (3) for light geese during the Light Goose Conservation Order Season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. All dates are inclusive. There is no possession limit for light geese; for all other waterfowl, the possession limit is twice the daily bag limit. Waterfowl hunting is closed on Sundays in Maryland by federal regulation to compensate for the prohibition of hunting for game species other than deer on Sundays by Maryland law.
National Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day
Season Date: Nov. 6
Daily Bag and Possession Limits
6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck. In addition, youth hunters may take 2 Canada geese, 2 brant, 25 light geese, and 15 coots. No open season for harlequin ducks.
Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers
Regular Duck Season: Oct. 16 - Oct. 23
Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29
Black Duck Season: Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag and Possession Limits
6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck (during black duck season). No open season for harlequin ducks. In addition to the duck bag limit, hunters may take 15 coots per day.
Sea Ducks (Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, and Eiders)
Season Dates: Oct. 2 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 5 (no more than 4 scoters) per day
Atlantic Population Canada Geese
Season Dates: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 2 per day
Hunt Area: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester Counties and that portion of Carroll County east of MD 97 and MD 140, Baltimore County north of MD 137 and MD 13, Anne Arundel County east of Interstate 895, Interstate 97, and Route 3, Prince Georges County east of Routes 3 and 301, and Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia line.
Resident Population Canada Geese (Regular Season)
Season Dates: Nov. 15 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Mar. 5
Daily Bag Limit: 5 per day
Hunt Area: Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and that portion of Carroll County west of MD 97 and MD 140, Baltimore County south of MD 137 and MD 13, Anne Arundel County west of Interstate 895, Interstate 97 and Route 3, Prince George’s County west of Route 3 and Route 301, and Charles County west of Route 301 to the Virginia line.
Atlantic Brant
Season Dates: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26
Dec. 10 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 2 per day
Light Geese
Season Dates: Oct. 9 - Nov. 26
Nov. 29 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 25 per day and no possession limit.
Light Goose Conservation Order Season
Season Dates: Jan. 31 - April 16
Daily Bag Limit: No daily bag or possession limits
Hunt Area: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester Counties and that portion of Carroll County east of MD 97 and MD 140, Baltimore County north of MD 137 and MD 13, Anne Arundel County east of Interstate 895, Interstate 97, and Route 3, Prince Georges County east of Routes 3 and 301, and Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia line.
Special Regulations during Light Goose Conservation Order Season:
1.Hunters may use unplugged shotguns and electronic calls;
2.Extended shooting hours to one-half hour after sunset; and
3.Hunters must possess a Snow Goose Conservation Order Hunting Season Permit while hunting light geese.
Permits available from DNR sport license agents, online at www3.wildlifelicense.com/md/ or by phone (1-800-918-2870) for a $5 fee.
These seasons and bag limits are preliminary and are under consideration by the Maryland DNR – Wildlife and Heritage Service. Final season selections will be made in late August following the public review process. Final season selections will be forwarded to the USFWS no later than September 1 for approval. Final selections will not become official until mid-September. A synopsis of the 2010-11 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons will be distributed to sport-license agents throughout the State in mid September and will be available online at www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/waterfowl/index.asp.