Tweets & Obolians (is that the final name for us?),

FYI

Peggi
>>=================================================================
>>
>>August 2, 1996 Mitch Snow 202-208-5634
>>
>> SERVICE PROPOSES WATERFOWL HUNTING SEASON, LIMITS
>>
>>In response to a continued upswing in breeding duck populations,
>>the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing frameworks for
>>the 1996-97 waterfowl hunting season that generally maintain, and
>>in some areas slightly increase, hunting opportunities from last
>>year's expanded season and bag limits.
>>
>>Although duck populations generally are nearing the highest
>>levels they have reached in the past 20 years, Atlantic
>>population Canada geese are still substantially below objective
>>levels. Because of this, the Service is proposing to continue
>>the suspension of hunting seasons for these birds across the
>>eastern U.S. However, a limited number of special seasons to
>>harvest resident Canada geese is authorized in 11 states. Also,
>>due to reductions in population, the Atlantic brant season will
>>be shortened from 50 to 30 days.
>>
>>"Boosted by 3 successive years of plentiful rain and snowfall in
>>key nesting areas, nearly 83 million ducks should fly south this
>>fall," Acting Service Director John Rogers said. "This contrasts
>>with the late 1980s when the fall flight was only 57 million
>>ducks. Keeping in mind that these are the good times with
>>abundant water on the prairies, we also need to recognize there
>>will be drier years sometime in the future. Therefore, we must
>>continue our efforts to conserve and restore wetland habitat
>>through such programs as the North American Waterfowl Management
>>Plan."
>>
>>The resurgence in duck populations has made it possible for the
>>Service to extend hunting seasons and expand bag limits in the
>>past 2 years. Last year's harvest increased from 8.5 to 12.5
>>million ducks. In Louisiana, for example, the harvest more than
>>doubled from one million to more than two million.
>>
>>The frameworks for this year's hunting season are the result of
>>extensive discussions with the flyway councils representing the
>>four major migratory routes used by waterfowl, the states, and
>>the public. The proposals were developed using a new approach to
>>regulating duck harvests introduced in 1995 by the Service,
>>states, and flyway councils. Known as Adaptive Harvest
>>Management, this process is designed to improve our understanding
>>of the relationships between duck hunting regulations and duck
>>populations. This improved process is also aimed at reducing the
>>uncertainty and conflict that have marred rulemaking in the past.
>>
>>In addition to setting the season frameworks, the Service is
>>proposing a "Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day" on a trial basis. This
>>day would provide young people an extra hunting day before or
>>after the regular waterfowl season. The day would have to be held
>>outside of any regular duck season on either a weekend or holiday
>>when youths would have the maximum opportunity to participate.
>>The day could be held up to 10 days before or after any regular
>>duck season framewowrk or within any split of a regular duck
>>season. Participants would have to be 15 or younger and
>>accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old. The adult would
>>not be allowed to hunt ducks but could participate in other open
>>seasons. Under the proposal, the daily bag limit and species
>>restrictions would be consistent with the regular duck season in
>>the flyway.
>>
>>The good news on the estimated fall flight follows the results of
>>the annual spring breeding duck survey, which recorded an
>>estimated 37.5 million breeding ducks in the key nesting areas,
>>up 5 percent from 35.9 million in 1995. The survey samples 1.3
>>million square miles across the north-central United States,
>>western and northern Canada, and Alaska and estimates the number
>>of ducks in important breeding areas.
>>
>>Populations of four species--gadwall, blue-winged teal, northern
>>shoveler, and canvasback--reached record highs. In particular,
>>blue-winged teal, up 25 percent to 6.4 million, and northern
>>shoveler, up 21 percent to 3.4 million, showed substantial gains.
>>
>>Highlights of the proposed 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 of not more than 50 days between
>>October 1, 1996, and January 20, 1997. The proposed daily bag
>>limit is five and may include no more than one mallard hen, one
>>black duck, one pintail, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling
>>duck, two wood ducks, two redheads, and one canvasback. The
>>season on harlequins is closed. The proposed daily bag limit of
>>mergansers is five, only one of which may be a hooded merganser.
>>
>>Geese--For light geese, states may select a 107-day season
>>between October 1 and March 10, with a daily bag limit of 8 geese
>>and 24 in possession. For Atlantic population Canada geese, the
>>season is suspended. However, special or experimental seasons to
>>harvest resident geese are authorized in Connecticut, Georgia,
>>Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
>>Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
>>
>>
>>Mississippi Flyway--(Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
>>Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
>>Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin)
>>
>>Ducks--Hunting seasons of not more than 50 days between
>>September 28, 1996, and January 19, 1997. The proposed daily bag
>>limit is five and may include no more than four mallards (one
>>hen), three mottled ducks, one black duck, one pintail, two wood
>>ducks, one canvasback, and two readheads. The proposed daily bag
>>limit of mergansers is five, only one of which may be a hooded
>>merganser.
>>
>>Geese--Generally, states may select 70-day seasons for dark geese
>>between September 28, 1996, and January 31, 1997, and 107-day
>>seasons for light geese between September 28, 1996, and March 10,
>>1997. The daily bag limit is 10 light geese, 3 Canada geese, 2
>>white-fronted geese, and 2 brant. There are, however, area-
>>specific restrictions and exceptions to these frameworks.
>>
>>Central Flyway--(Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South
>>Dakota, Texas, and portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and
>>Wyoming.)
>>
>>Ducks--In the High Plains Mallard Management Unit (roughly west
>>of the 100th Meridian), an 83-day season is proposed between
>>September 28, 1996, and January 19, 1997. The last 23 days may
>>start no earlier than December 7, 1996. A 60-day season is
>>proposed for the remainder of the Central Flyway. The proposed
>>daily bag limit is five and may include no more than one mallard
>>hen, one mottled duck, one pintail, one canvasback, two redheads,
>>and two wood ducks.
>>
>>Geese--Seasons for dark geese are proposed from September 28,
>>1996, to January 31, 1997, except in the western goose zone in
>>Texas where the season may extend to February 16, 1997. For
>>light geese, the proposed seasons may extend from September 28,
>>1996 to March 10, 1997, except for selected counties in Nebraska
>>where the closing date is February 16, 1997. Goose bag limits
>>vary by state and management unit.
>>
>>Pacific Flyway--(Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,
>>Utah, Washington, and portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico,
>>and Wyoming)
>>
>>Ducks--A 93-day season between September 28, 1996, and
>>January 19, 1997, except in the Columbia Basin Mallard Management
>>Unit, where the season may be extended an additional 7 days. The
>>proposed daily bag limit is seven ducks, including no more than
>>one mallard hen, two pintails, two redheads, and one canvasback.
>>
>>Geese--A 100-day season is proposed in most parts of the flyway
>>between September 28, 1996, and January 19, 1997, with a bag
>>limit of no more than three light geese and four dark geese,
>>except in California, Oregon, and Washington, where the dark
>>goose bag limit does not include brant. Other restrictions vary
>>by state and zone.
>>
>>Additional details on the proposed hunting regulations will be
>>published in the Federal Register. Public comments will be
>>accepted through September 3, 1996, and should be addressed to
>>the Chief, Office of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and
>>Wildlife Service, 1849 C Street, NW., Mail Stop 634 ARLSQ,
>>Washington, DC 20240.
>>
>>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal
>>agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish
>>and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the
>>American people. The Service manages 508 national wildlife
>>refuges encompassing 92 million acres, as well as 72 national
>>fish hatcheries.
>>
>>The agency also enforces Federal wildlife laws, manages migratory
>>bird populations, stocks recreational fisheries, conserves and
>>restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, administers the
>>Endangered Species Act, and assists foreign governments in their
>>conservation efforts. It oversees the Federal Aid program that
>>funnels Federal excise taxes on angling and hunting equipment to
>>state wildlife agencies. This program is a cornerstone of the
>>Nation's wildlife management efforts, funding fish and wildlife
>>restoration, boating access, hunter education, shooting ranges,
>>and related projects across America.
>>
>> -FWS-
>>
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>>
>>
>Ben & Peggi Rodgers
>Veneta, OR (near Eugene)
>prodgers at efn.org
>peggir at ori.org
>
>"A bird does not sing because it has an answer,
> It sings because it has a song"
>
>
>



Peggi Rodgers
Oregon Research Institute
Eugene, OR
peggir at ori.org
prodgers at efn.org
"A bird does not sing because it has an
answer, It sings because it has a song"