The Indiana
Department of Natural Resources has proposed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS) the following hunting season dates for waterfowl and other
migratory birds.
The dates are not
final unless approved by FWS in July. A later announcement will either
confirm or amend these dates. Historically, they have been accepted as
proposed.
Beginning this
year, the federal regulatory cycle has been changed. Rather than two
separate processes for early and late seasons, all migratory bird hunting
seasons are selected together. The seasons are based on population and
habitat data gathered the year before. Therefore, the 2016-17 hunting
seasons are based on the same data used to set the 2015-16 seasons, and the
biological data currently being collected will be used to set next year’s
seasons.
The DNR’s
recommended dates for webless migratory game birds:
* Mourning doves:
Sept. 1 to Oct. 16, Nov. 1-13, and Dec. 10 to Jan. 8.
* Sora rails: Sept.
1 to Nov. 9.
* American
woodcock: Oct. 15 to Nov. 28.
* Common snipe:
Sept. 1 to Dec. 16.
The daily bag
limits for webless migratory birds are 15 mourning doves, 25 sora rails,
three American woodcock and eight common snipe. Possession limits are three
times the daily bag limits.
The DNR’s
recommended dates for ducks, coots and mergansers:
* Early teal (blue-
and green-winged only, statewide): Sept. 3-18.
* Regular waterfowl
seasons, North Zone: Oct. 22 to Dec. 11, and Dec. 24 to Jan. 1.
* Regular waterfowl
season, Central Zone: Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 19 to Jan. 8.
* Regular waterfowl
season, South Zone: Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 26 to Jan. 15.
The daily bag limit
for ducks in all zones is six, including no more than four mallards (of
which no more than two can be hens), three scaup, three wood ducks, two
pintails, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one black duck, and one mottled
duck. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. The daily bag limit for
mergansers, separate from ducks, is five, of which no more than two can be
hooded mergansers. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.
The proposed dates
for Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant and light geese:
* North Zone: Sept.
3-11, Oct. 22 to Nov. 20, and Dec. 10 to Feb. 12.
* Central Zone:
Sept. 3-11, Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 19 to Feb. 12.
* South Zone: Sept.
3-18, Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 26 to Feb. 12.
The bag limit is
five dark geese (Canada, white-fronted and brant in aggregate), no more than
three of which can be Canada geese. The bag limit in September is five dark
geese, all of which can be Canada geese. The possession limit is three times
the daily bag limit. The daily bag limit for light geese (snow, blue and/or
Ross’ geese) is 20, with no possession limit for light geese. The proposed
light goose conservation order is Feb. 13 to March 31, statewide.
The light goose
conservation order has no bag or possession limit. A free permit is
required. Details will be available later in the winter.
The DNR’s
recommended dates for youth waterfowl season:
* North Zone: Oct.
15-16.
* Central Zone:
Oct. 22-23.
* South Zone: Oct.
22-23.
Bag and possession
limits are the same as the regular seasons. The youth waterfowl season is
open to youths age 15 and younger, accompanied by an adult.
DNR’s recommended
dates for extended falconry seasons:
For ducks, coots,
and mergansers:
* North Zone: Sept.
27-30, and Feb. 14 to March 1.
* Central Zone:
Oct. 22-28, and Feb. 17 to March 10.
* South Zone: Oct.
22-28, and Feb. 17 to March 10.
For American
woodcock: Sept. 20 to Oct. 14, and Nov. 29 to Jan. 4.
Mourning doves:
Oct. 17-31 and Jan. 9-11.
The bag limit is
three migratory birds singly or in aggregate. The possession limit is nine
migratory birds singly or in aggregate.
For more
information, contact Adam Phelps, DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife at (812)
334-1137 or aphelps@dnr.IN.gov
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