TWRA Proposes 2009-10 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

The proposals will be presented to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission at its Aug. 20-21 meeting to be held at Paris Landing State Park. TWRA recommends the Statewide Zone duck hunting seasons to be held Nov. 28-29 and Dec. 5-Jan. 31 while the Reelfoot Zone will be held Nov. 14-15 and Dec. 5-Jan. 31. The recommendations will maximize the number of weekends open to duck hunting and will end on the latest date allowed (Sunday, Jan. 31).

 

Habitat conditions in the Prairie Pothole region of the United States and Canada were greatly improved over last year and duck populations were also improved. These conditions allow Tennessee to have the option to select a 60-day duck season.

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has offered a full season with no closed or partial seasons. TWRA recommends the maximum USFWS frameworks regarding duck bag limits. A daily bag limit of 6 ducks may include no more than: 4 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be a hen), 3 wood ducks (during the late waterfowl season only), 2 scaup, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, and 1 black duck. The daily bag limit of merganser would be 5, only 2 which may be hooded mergansers.

 

The USFWS has allowed a 4 mallard bag limit (2 of which can be a hen) for the past 11 years under the Adaptive Harvest Management framework. Waterfowl populations have increased and decreased over that time based on wetland conditions but have not shown any relationship to harvest by hunting over that time period.

 

For goose hunting seasons, the agency has again recommended the maximum number of days allowed and within in the Federal frameworks. Goose seasons are set as late as Federal frameworks allow in order to take advantage of any migratory geese that may be available in late winter.

 

Season dates for Canada geese are Oct. 3-Oct. 9 and Nov. 28-Jan. 31 in the Statewide Zone. In the Northwest Zone, the dates are Dec. 5-Feb. 14. The daily bag limit is 2 per person.       

 

The white-fronted goose season runs statewide from Dec. 5-Feb. 14. The daily bag limit is 2 per person. Season dates and bag limits for light geese (snow, blue, Ross) are similar to last season with a shift for the calendar. The standard season will run from Nov. 25 through Feb. 14.

 

Federal Conservation Order provisions allow the use of electronic calls and unplugged shotguns for the Feb. 15 through March 10, 2009 portion of the season. The daily bag limit of light geese is 20 per person.

 

The youth waterfowl season would also be similar to last year with only a calendar shift. For youth ages 6-15, the Statewide Zone dates are Feb. 6-7 while the Reelfoot Zone would be Feb. 13-14               

---TWRA---