South Carolina Duck and Goose Hunting Report Archive

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PJ-Perea
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Rock Hill / Fort Mill Ducks Unlimited Membership Banquet 08-14-2006 09:33
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When: Thursday, September 07, 2006 6:00 p.m.
Event Type: Banquet
Location: Laurel Creek – The Magnolia Room
Contact Name: Drew Winn
Phone: (803)242-9255
Contact Email: winntuck@comporium.net

Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest

Waterfowl Advisory group meets Aug. 15 at Dennis Wildlife Center 08-11-2006 12:59
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Waterfowl Advisory group meets Aug. 15 at Dennis Wildlife Center—The Waterfowl Advisory Committee to the S.C. Natural Resources Board will meet 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. at the Dennis Wildlife Center in Bonneau. The meeting is open to the public. Anyone with business for the advisory committee, needing the agenda or directions to the meeting place should contact Susan Johnson at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources in Columbia at (803) 734-3889. #06–212

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PJ-Perea
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Migratory waterfowl group will meet Aug 8 in Columbia 08-04-2006 15:31
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The Migratory Waterfowl Committee will meet 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8 at the Rembert C. Dennis Building located at 1000 Assembly St. Columbia. The meeting will be held in Room 345 (board room).

The meeting is open to the public. Anyone with business for the advisory committee, needing the agenda or directions to the meeting place should contact Sandra Hartley at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources in Columbia at (803) 734-3838. South Carolina Natural Resources board member Milton Brazell of West Columbia is chairman of the Migratory Waterfowl Committee.

Items scheduled on the agenda for the meeting of the Waterfowl Advisory Committee include:

* Comments
* Old business
Items for board action
* New Business
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Artist commission contract extension status
* Other remarks

Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest

Early-season migratory bird seasons approved by Natural Resources Board 08-04-2006 15:29
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The S.C. Natural Resources Board recently approved migratory bird hunting seasons for mourning doves, marsh hens (rails), woodcock, snipe, moorhens, purple gallinules, teal and an early season for Canada geese.

The Natural Resources Board set the 2006-2007 hunting seasons for these migratory game birds at its July 21 meeting in Charleston. The seasons must still meet approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and be published in the Federal Register in order to become final.

For more information, write to Early-Season Migratory Birds, DNR, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202, call (803) 734-3886 in Columbia. Find out more about hunting season and regulations>>>

The 2006-2007 mourning dove season in South Carolina is Sept. 2-4 (noon until sunset); Sept. 5–Oct. 7; Nov. 18-25; and Dec. 21–Jan. 15. Legal hunting hours for mourning dove season, except for Sept. 2-4, are from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. The bag limit is 12 doves per hunter per day.

Hunters are reminded that mourning dove season will open this year on Saturday, Sept. 2. Dove season traditionally opens on either the first Saturday in September or on Labor Day, whichever comes first. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, seasons for migratory game birds cannot begin before Sept. 1. This year Sept. 1 is a Friday and the first Saturday of September does not fall until Sept. 2.

An early season for Canada geese will be Sept. 1-30. This season is statewide. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. The daily bag limit for Canada geese during this early season is 15 birds.

The two-part season for marsh hens—including king, clapper, sora and Virginia rails—and common moorhens and purple gallinules will be from Sept. 6-12 and Oct. 6–Dec.7. The daily bag limit for king and/or clapper rails is 15 birds per hunter and moorhens and/or purple gallinules is 15 birds per hunter. The daily limit for sora and/or Virginia rails is 25 birds per hunter. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.

The 2007 South Carolina season for woodcock will run Jan. 2-31. Three birds per hunter is the daily limit for woodcock. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.

The 2006-2007 season for common snipe, also called Wilson’s snipe, will be Nov. 14–Feb. 28. The daily bag limit is eight birds. Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.

The South Carolina early season for teal will be Sept.22-30. The daily bag limit is four birds. Shooting hours are sunrise until sunset (not 30 minutes before sunrise, as with other migratory bird seasons).
South Carolina migratory bird hunters age 16 and older must have a state hunting license and a free migratory bird permit. Completion of an approved hunter education course is mandatory for resident and nonresident South Carolina hunters born after June 30, 1979, to purchase a license, and voluntary for older and younger hunters.

Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest

2007 Regs 08-01-2006 11:17
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Southeast Region E-mail Announcement

Contact: Joshua Winchell, 202/208.5634

On Friday, July 28, 2006, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed
liberal hunting regulations for the upcoming 2006-2007 late waterfowl
seasons due to improved habitat conditions and waterfowl production
estimates. Hunting season lengths will be 60 days in both the Atlantic and
Mississippi Flyways, 74 days in the Central Flyway, and 107 days in the
Pacific Flyway.

“Based on improved breeding habitat conditions and an improved outlook for
production in many breeding areas, the agency adopted the ‘liberal
package,’” said Service Director H. Dale Hall. “Good to excellent
conditions in the northern grasslands and parklands of Manitoba and
Saskatchewan, and above average precipitation in previously dry portions of
Southern Alberta will benefit many prairie-nesting species this year. The
exception is in the Dakotas.”

When compared to last year, there will be an extra hooded merganser in the
daily bag limit in three eastern flyways. The canvasback and pintail daily
bag limit will be one for the entire season. Last year’s reduction in the
daily bag limit to two scaup in the Atlantic, Mississippi and Central
Flyways and three in the Pacific Flyway will remain unchanged.

“The scaup population has experienced a significant long-term decline and
this year’s estimate is the lowest on record,” said Hall. “The Service is
proposing to continue the reduction on the daily bag limit it established
last year in all flyways. We may need to consider additional restrictions
in the future if the trend continues.”

Highlights of the proposed frameworks (states select their season from
within the frameworks or the outer limits of season length, bag limits and
season beginning and ending date) include:

· Hunters in the Atlantic, Mississippi and Central Flyways will be
allowed two hooded mergansers per day; and
· The Central Flyway will initiate a three year evaluation of the
Hunter’s Choice duck bag limit.

“It is also important to consider what hunters think about waterfowl
regulations in developing the season proposals,” said Hall. “Until now,
wildlife managers did not have data to quantify this. Thanks to efforts by
the National Flyway Council and the Wildlife Management Institute and
completion of The National Duck Hunter Survey 2005, that information is
available and was used in development of these frameworks. It will help us
recruit and retain duck hunters and allow managers to fine tune the
regulations process.”

The survey is available at .

The Service also published its proposed early season waterfowl hunting
regulations in Friday’s Federal Register. Under these regulations, the
special September teal season is available between September 1 and
September 30, and may not exceed nine consecutive days in the Atlantic
Flyway and 16 days in the Mississippi and Central Flyways. The daily bag
limit is four teal. The seasons for Canada goose, youth hunting days, sea
ducks, snipe, woodcock, rails, common moorhens and purple gallinules,
sandhill cranes, band-tailed pigeons, mourning doves, white-winged and
white-tipped doves and falconry will continue with little change from last
year.

Both the early and late season waterfowl frameworks appear in the Federal
Register for public comment and on:

The early season regulations will post today. The late season posted
Friday.

Audio recording of season highlights is available at
.

Highlights of the proposed late-season frameworks are as follows:

Atlantic Flyway: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West
Virginia

Ducks: A hunting season is proposed of not more than 60 days between
September 23, 2006, and January 28, 2007. The proposed daily bag limit is
six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), two wood ducks,
two scaup, two redheads, two hooded mergansers, one black duck, one
pintail, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling duck, one canvasback, and
four scoters. The season on harlequin ducks is closed.

Geese: For light geese, states would be able to select a 107-day season
between October 1, 2006, and March 10, 2007, with a daily bag limit of 15
geese and no possession limit. For Atlantic Population Canada geese, the
proposed season this year will allow portions of Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont and New York to hold a
45-day season between October 28, 2006, and January 31, 2007 with a
three-bird daily bag limit. Delaware, Maryland and Virginia (except Back
Bay, Virginia) will be allowed to hold a 45-day season in Atlantic
Population areas between November 15, 2006 and January 31, 2007, with a
two-bird bag limit. Back Bay, Virginia, and the Northeast Hunt Unit of
North Carolina would be able to select a 30-day season between December 25
and January 27, 2007 with a two-bird daily bag and a one-bird per season
respectively. In Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode
Island, and Long Island, New York, a 60-day season on North Atlantic
Population Canada geese is proposed between October 1, 2006, and February
15, 2007, with a three-bird daily bag limit. Special or experimental
seasons and regular seasons to harvest resident and other populations of
migratory Canada geese would be authorized in Connecticut, Florida,
Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
For Atlantic brant, the season length may be 30 days with a daily bag limit
of two.

Mississippi Flyway: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and
Wisconsin

Ducks: A hunting season is proposed of not more than 60 days between
September 23, 2006, and January 28, 2007. The proposed daily bag limit is
six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), three mottled
ducks, two scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one
pintail, and one canvasback. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is
five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers.

Geese: Generally, seasons for Canada geese would be held between September
23, 2006, and January 31, 2007, and vary in length among States and areas,
with daily bag limits varying from one to three. States would be able to
select seasons for light geese not to exceed 107 days with 20 geese daily
between September 23, 2006, and March 10, 2007; for white-fronted geese
this proposed season would not to exceed 72 days with a two-bird daily bag
limit or 86 days with a one-bird daily bag limit between September 23,
2006, and February 8, 2007; and for brant it would not exceed 70 days with
a two-bird daily bag limit or 107 days with a one- bird daily bag limit
between September 23, 2006, and January 31, 2007. There would be no
possession limit for light geese.

Central Flyway: Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota,
Texas, and portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming

Ducks: Duck seasons are proposed to be held between September 23, 2006, and
January 28, 2007. In the High Plains Mallard Management Unit (roughly west
of the 100th Meridian), a 97-day season is proposed. The last 23 days would
be able to start no earlier than December 9, 2006. A 74-day season is
proposed for the remainder of the Central Flyway. This is the first year of
a proposed 3-year evaluation of the Hunter’s Choice duck bag limit in the
Central Flyway. The Hunter’s Choice bag limit is an aggregate bag of which
only one duck from the following may be taken: hen mallard, canvasback,
pintail, or mottled duck. Hunter’s Choice regulations are intended to
reduce the harvest of all the species included in the one-bird bag, while
maintaining full hunting opportunity on abundant species such as drake
mallards.

Five States (North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas, and Texas) have
been randomly assigned to have Hunter’s Choice regulations and the
remaining 5 States (Montana, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, and New Mexico)
will serve as controls (season within a season regulations for canvasbacks
and pintails) as the evaluation proceeds. The season length would be 74
days. Within the High Plains Mallard Management Unit, an additional 23
days of season would be available, provided that these days are taken
starting no earlier than December 9, 2006. In Montana, Nebraska,
Colorado, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, the daily bag limit shall be 6 ducks,
with species and sex restrictions as follows: mallard – five, no more
than two of which may be females; redhead, scaup, wood duck – two; pintail,
mottled duck, canvasback – one. For pintails and canvasbacks, the season
length would be 39 days, which may be split according to applicable
zones/split duck hunting configurations approved for each state. The
possession limit would be twice the daily bag limit.

In North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas, and Texas, the daily bag
limit would be five ducks, with species and sex restrictions as follows:
scaup, redhead and wood duck – two; only one duck from the following group
– hen mallard, mottled duck, pintail, canvasback. The possession limit
would be twice the daily bag.

Geese: Under the proposal, States may select seasons between September 23,
2006 and February 18, 2007 for dark geese and between September 23, 2006
and March 10, 2007 for light geese. East tier states would be able to
select a 107-day season for Canada geese season with a daily bag limit of
three. For white-fronted geese, states would be able to select either a
72-day season with a daily bag limit of two birds or an 86-day season with
a daily bag limit of one bird. In the West Tier, states may select a
107-day dark- goose season with a daily bag limit of five birds. In the
Western Goose Zone of Texas, the State would be able to select a 95-day
season with a daily bag limit of three dark geese (including no more than
one white-fronted goose). Colorado would be able to select a 95-day season
with an aggregate bag limit of three. For light geese, all states would be
able to select a 107-day season with a daily bag limit of 20 and no
possession limit.

Pacific Flyway: Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming

Ducks: Under the proposal, states are allowed 107-day season between
September 23, 2006, and January 28, 2007. The proposed daily bag limit is
seven ducks, including no more than two mallard hens, two redheads, three
scaup, one pintail and one canvasback.

Geese: 100-day seasons are proposed for California, Oregon, and
Washington, with outside dates between September 30, 2006, and March 10,
2007. Proposed basic daily bag limits are four light geese and four dark
geese, except in California, Oregon, and Washington, where the dark goose
bag limit does not include brant. 107-day seasons, with outside dates
between September 23, and January 28 would be able to be selected in
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
Proposed basic daily bag limits are four light geese and four dark geese.
Other restrictions vary by State and zone. For brant, the proposed season
lengths are 16 days in Oregon and Washington and 30 days in California,
with a two-bird daily limit. Washington and California would be able to
choose seasons in each of two zones.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services
field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation
efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program, which distributes
hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting
equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

-FWS-

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Register now for the upcoming Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day 07-10-2006 08:28
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Register now for the upcoming Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day

Representatives from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Forestry Commission, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Georgia and Fort Valley State University will come together to share information with the public at the Agroforestry and Wildlife Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the University of Georgia Griffin Campus (Griffin, GA).

This all-day event is designed to inform private landowners, hunters and those in the forestry or agribusiness fields about using their land to maximize all aspects of the natural environment.

This Field Day is an exceptional education opportunity for landowners and others as participants will have the opportunity to talk directly to wildlife biologists and other speakers about quality management of various species, ways that wildlife can benefit their land and how the participating agencies can help them better manage their land.

Some of the more than 25 topics to be covered include:

* Wildlife Opening Management
* Managing nuisance wildlife problems in Georgia
* Pond management
* Managing for wild turkeys
* Pinestraw production
* Prescribed burning
* Cost Share Assistance Programs
* Bobwhite Quail habitat management
* Thinning (3rd row vs. 5th row)
* GPS/GIS
* Invasive insects, disease and plants

A complete listing of topics and speakers is available at the AWFD website at
www.caes.uga.edu/events/awfd06/.

Participants attending AWFD will receive lunch and a program booklet that contains a short synopsis of each presentation. They may choose which presentations to attend and can board trams that will take them to the presentation areas where they will hear lectures and see site and equipment demonstrations. Attendees also will have the opportunity to visit with agency personnel, sponsor personnel and others at an exhibitor booth area.

Those interested in attending are encouraged to pre-register, at a cost of $30 per person, before August 29, 2006 as the cost will rise to $40 per person after this date. Those who pre-register also are assured of receiving an AWFD ball cap.

This event is co-sponsored by the University of Georgia-College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia-Warnell School of Forest and Natural Resources, Georgia Forestry Commission, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fort Valley State University and WRD.
For more information or to print off a copy of the registration form, visit the AWFD website at www.caes.uga.edu/events/awfd06/.

Posted By:
PJ-Perea
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Waterfowl Numbers Up! 07-10-2006 08:25
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Duck Numbers, Habitat Conditions Improve

BISMARCK, N.D.—The water is back and the ducks are back. So says the preliminary 2006 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, released this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Highlights of the report include:

The May pond count across the traditional survey area was the eighth highest in the 46 years biologists have been tracking ponds.

The total number of breeding ducks stands at 36.2 million, a 14 percent jump from last year and 9 percent higher than the long-term (1955-2006) average.

Breeding populations of redheads, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, gadwalls, canvasbacks and northern shovelers are among the highest they’ve been in the 52-year history of the survey.

Even the beleaguered pintail took a 32-percent jump from 2005.

“There’s plenty of good news in the B-pop,” says Delta Waterfowl President Rob Olson of the survey, which is conducted jointly by FWS and the Canadian Wildlife Service. “Obviously, we have to be thrilled about the improved habitat conditions and the higher total population,” says Olson.

“Mother Nature has set the table for ducks. With the exception of 1996 and 1997, prairie Canada is the wettest it’s been since the ‘70s, and this is the second year Canada has been wet. If you put enough water on the landscape, ducks should respond.”
Species 2006 2005 % change
from ’05
% change
from LTA

Mallard 7.277 6.755 +8 -3
Gadwall 2.825 2.179 +30 +67
Wigeon 2.171 2.225 -2 -17
Green-winged Teal 2.587 2.157 +20 +39
Blue-winged Teal 5.860 4.586 +28 +30
Shoveler 3.680 3.691 +2 +69
Pintail 3.386 2.561 +32 -18
Redhead .916 .592 +55 +47
Canvasback .691 .521 +33 +23
Scaup 3.247 3.387 -4 -37

The figures support Olson’s optimism. Six of the 10 most popular species surveyed saw their breeding populations approach their all-time highs. Gadwall are up 30 percent from last year and are 67 percent above their long-term average; green-winged teal are up 20 and 39 percent respectively; blue-winged teal were up 28 and 30 percent; northern shoveler climbed 2 percent and 69 percent above their LTA; redheads were up 55 percent and 47 percent, and canvasbacks were up 33 percent for the year and 23 percent from their LTA.

The pintail population of 3.4 million is the highest it’s been since 1997, but remains 18 percent below its LTA.

Scaup continued their downward spiral, slipping another 4 percent to 3.247 million birds, 37 percent below its long-term average. American wigeon also continued to slide, dropping 2 percent to 2.2 million, 17 percent below its long-term average.

Despite all the good news, Olson says he’s somewhat concerned about mallard numbers. “The breeding populations of six species were up 20 to 55 percent from a year ago, which would suggest we had some pretty good production last year. Those species are now far above their long-term averages.

“Yet mallards only rose 8 percent and remain 3 percent below their long-term average. Given the fact that mallards are our most adaptable species, those numbers have to be a concern.”

The biologists who wrote Southern Saskatchewan Breeding Population Survey echoed Olson’s concern. “Surprisingly, our estimate for mallards has not been as quick to respond to the improved habitat in the Parklands,” they wrote. “Mallards typically prefer the Parkland region and in previous wet years we have seen big increases in the population estimates over a short period of time.”

Says Olson, “Since 2004, Saskatchewan has seen an 86 percent increase in wetlands and Alberta is 95 percent wetter, but the mallard breeding populations in those provinces have not responded. The breeding population in Saskatchewan this year remains 12 percent below its long-term average, and the mallard B-pop in Alberta is 18 percent below the LTA.

“Those numbers are cause for concern, and bear watching,” says Olson.

The mallard breeding population on the U.S. side of the PPR is well above its long-term average—92 percent higher for the eastern Dakotas and 35 percent higher in the western Dakotas and Montana, Olson notes.

Unfortunately, moisture conditions on the U.S. side of the Prairie Pothole Region have deteriorated since the survey flights were conducted in May. “Drying conditions could impact production on the U.S. side of the border and put more pressure on Canada, where wetland conditions remain excellent,” Olson says.

Editors: For more information, contact John Devney at 1-888-987-3695.

Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest

Waterfowl Numbers Up! 07-10-2006 08:12
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Duck Numbers, Habitat Conditions Improve