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Rationale for Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

Northeastern Zone
Duck Hunting Season 2009-10

Regular Season Dates:
Oct 3 (Sat) - Oct 11 (Sun) & Oct 23 (Fri) - Dec 12 (Sat)

Youth Days:
Sept 19 (Sat) & Sept 20 (Sun)

The Northeastern Zone Waterfowl Hunter Task Force met on April 5, 2009, to develop recommendations for duck season and youth waterfowl hunting dates. They provided the following rationale for the above dates:

  • A split season structure starting in early October and ending in mid December was developed to provide ample hunting opportunity for the diverse gunning interests in the zone, ranging from very early season hunting on Adirondack beaver ponds to late season hunting on the large waters of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Very few Northeastern Zone hunters desire seasons closing after mid December.
  • There is great interest throughout the entire Northeastern Zone to open the season on the first Saturday in October. The first Saturday has essentially become a traditional opening day for the Northeastern Zone. Nearly 70% of duck hunters in this zone favor a weekend opener.
  • The Task Force concluded that the Monday Columbus Day is not heavily utilized by duck hunters. It was not included in the 2009 Northeastern Zone first split.
  • The nine-day first split provides hunt opportunity for local ducks and early migrating birds that have moved into the zone. The later, longer second split allows hunting for birds that begin heavy migration movements into the zone in late October. Hearty ducks, such as mallards and divers, continue to stay in the larger open water areas until mid December.
  • Closing the season for more than a week after the first split closes takes hunt pressure off the remaining local and early migrant ducks and allows new arriving birds in later October to "settle in" before hunting resumes.
  • The opening of the second split coincides with the typical peak of duck migration starting in late October and continuing into November. Hunting in early to mid December is favored by Oneida Lake and St. Lawrence River hunters, but harvest opportunities after that become very limited in most years.
  • There will be a 12-day break in hunting between the Youth Hunting Days on September 19 and 20 and the beginning of the regular duck season starting on October 3. The September Canada goose season will be open at this time so that adult mentors will also have opportunity to harvest game.
  • The season maximizes weekend hunting opportunity with nine full weekends and one additional Saturday of duck hunting.

Southeastern Zone
Duck Hunting Season 2009-10

Regular Season Dates:
Oct 10 (Sat) - Oct 18 (Sun) & Nov 7 (Sat) - Dec 27 (Sun)

Youth Days:
Sept 19 (Sat) & Sept 20 (Sun)

The Southeastern Zone Waterfowl Hunter Task Force met on April 11, 2009, to develop recommendations for duck season and youth waterfowl hunting dates. They provided the following rationale for the above dates:

  • The split season structure of 9 days in early October and 51 days starting in early - mid November has been used for a number of years and seems to be satisfactory to most hunters in this zone. Southeastern Zone duck hunters generally prefer the season to be open from early to mid October and extending to late December.
  • The first split includes two full weekends providing ample early season hunting opportunity for locally produced ducks and waterfowl that migrate early and stop in the zone. Closing the season for more than two weeks after the first split closes takes hunting pressure off the remaining local and early migrant ducks and allows new arriving birds to "settle in" before hunting resumes.
  • The second split also maximizes weekend hunting opportunity (8 full weekends) and holiday time (Thanksgiving and Christmas), and opens when many additional ducks are migrating into the zone.
  • Mid to late December hunt time is set to coincide with a later wave of duck migration and concentration of wintering birds that occurs at that time.
  • The Youth Hunting Days on the weekend of September 19-20 provides for a three-week break before the regular season starts. The September Canada goose season will be open at this time so that adult mentors will have opportunity to harvest game.

Western Zone
Duck Hunting Season 2009-10

Regular Season Dates:
Oct 24 (Sat) - Dec 6 (Sun) & Dec 26 (Sat) - Jan 10 (Sun)

Youth Days:
Oct 10 (Sat) & Oct 11 (Sun)

The Western Zone Waterfowl Hunter Task Force met on April 18, 2009, to develop recommendations for duck season and youth waterfowl hunting dates. They provided the following rationale for the above dates:

  • The first split provides 44 hunting days with 7 full weekends including the entire Thanksgiving holiday period. This split also covers the peak of duck migration in the Western Zone, which generally extends from late October through November.
  • Current policy for hunting the migrant Atlantic population of Canada geese requires that the goose season opens on or later than the fourth Saturday in October (Oct 24. Many hunters desire to have the duck and goose season open on the same day. Opening the duck season on October 24 allows hunting both ducks and Canada geese on the same day.
  • The opening date of October 24 provides opportunity to hunt ducks migrating through the zone and some locally-produced waterfowl before they depart. Local mallards often remain in the zone as long as some open water is available. Many local as well as migrant wood ducks are available to hunters during this season.
  • Western Zone Task Force members have observed that duck hunting success rapidly declines after the first few days whenever the season begins in early to mid October. Duck harvest does not begin to pick up again until late October and early November when large numbers of migrant ducks begin to arrive in the zone. The October 24 start will avoid the lower quality hunt days and focus on the more abundant migrant birds.
  • The opening date of October 24 avoids overlapping the archery deer and pheasant openers (scheduled for October 17 this year).
  • The first split ending date of December 6 provides hunting in late November and early December. This hunt time is of increasing importance to hunters in the Western Zone, especially on the smaller lakes that typically freeze over in mid December.
  • The 16-day second split, beginning in late December, was developed to provide opportunity to hunt waterfowl wintering on the larger waters and rivers that do not freeze over early. The January days provide late season hunting valued by many Finger Lakes hunters. Western Zone duck hunters indicated that late December to mid January was nearly as important as mid October to mid November.
  • The second split includes three weekends when many young hunters are on vacation and many adults are off from work. The December 26 (Saturday) opening allows those without weekdays off to participate, and avoided Christmas Day when many hunters would be involved in other activities.
  • Youth Days are Oct 10 & 11 and will provide a break of 12 days before the regular season starts, and avoids the pheasant hunting and archery season opener.

Long Island Zone
Duck Hunting Season 2009-10

Regular Season Dates:
Nov 25 (Wed) - Nov 29 (Sun) & Dec 8 (Tues) - Jan 31 (Sun)

Youth Days:
Nov 7 (Sat) & Nov 8 (Sun)

The Long Island Zone Waterfowl Hunter Task Force met on May 2, 2009, to develop recommendations for duck season and youth waterfowl hunting dates. They provided the following rationale for the above dates:

  • Duck hunting starting in late November and ending in late January provides the most opportunity for the diverse waterfowl hunting interests in the zone. This year a split season allows for both a short 5-day initial season that includes Thanksgiving weekend and a much longer second period that extends until the end of January.
  • The season dates provide a brief hunting opportunity for local and early migrant ducks and an extended period for ducks that typically migrate into the zone later or overwinter in the zone.
  • The first split opens on the fourth Wednesday of November and includes the full Thanksgiving holiday and weekend. This time period has been a part of Long Island's duck season for many years in the past.
  • The second split coincides with peak numbers of migrating waterfowl coming into the zone. Also, many of the inland ponds are frozen over during late December and January which encourages ducks to move to coastal waters where they are more accessible to hunters.
  • The latest possible hunting season dates typically provide the best and most consistent hunting success for Long Island hunters. Federal regulations require that duck hunting must stop on the last Sunday in January. This year that date is the 31st.
  • Youth Hunting Days on November 7 and 8 allow a 16-day break before the start of the regular season and allow the participants to harvest local and early migrating waterfowl, and the milder weather should encourage greater participation by young hunters.

Rationale for 2009-10 Canada Goose Hunting Seasons

Hudson Valley Canada Goose Hunting Area - (45 days)

Regular Season Dates: Oct 24 (Sat) - Nov 20 (Fri) & Dec 18 (Fri) - Jan 3 (Sun)
  • Goose management in this Hunt Area is focused on the migrant Atlantic Population Canada geese. These geese breed in northern Quebec, migrate through New York State in the fall and mostly winter along the Atlantic coast. The number of birds in this population is below the Atlantic Flyway objective. Modest harvest restrictions - including reduced number of hunt days and a later season start date of the fourth Saturday in October (the 24th in 2009) - are necessary to encourage growth of this population.
  • The season begins on the earliest possible date for regular season Canada goose hunting in New York State - the fourth Saturday in October.
  • The first split ends on Friday, November 20. This portion of the season is completed before the opening day of the Southern Zone deer gun season (Saturday, Nov 21) preventing potential interference between the two hunting activities.
  • The second split begins in mid December when both Atlantic Population and Resident Population Canada geese are still very abundant in the Hudson Valley area. The split concludes on the Sunday of New Year's Day weekend, when students and many workers are off and have opportunity to hunt.

East Central Canada Goose Hunting Area - (45 days)

Regular Season Dates: Oct 24 (Sat) - Nov 20 (Fri) & Nov 28 (Sat) - Dec 14 (Mon)
  • Goose management in this Hunt Area is focused on the migrant Atlantic Population Canada geese. These geese breed in northern Quebec, migrate through New York State in the fall and mostly winter along the Atlantic coast. The number of birds in this population is below the Atlantic Flyway objective. Modest harvest restrictions - including reduced number of hunt days and a later season start date of the fourth Saturday in October (the 24th in 2009) - are necessary to encourage growth of this population.
  • The season begins on the earliest possible date for regular season Canada goose hunting in New York State - the fourth Saturday in October.
  • The first split ends the day before the Southern Zone deer gun season, preventing potential interference between the two hunting activities.
  • The second split opens after a full week of closure during the deer gun season. The season continues until mid December providing hunting opportunity during a time when many Canada geese are still available to hunters in this area.

Northeast Canada Goose Hunting Area - (45 days)

Regular Season Dates: Oct 24 (Sat) - Dec 7 (Mon)
  • Goose management in this Hunt Area is focused on the migrant Atlantic Population Canada geese. These geese breed in northern Quebec, migrate through New York State in the fall and mostly winter along the Atlantic coast. The number of birds in this population is below the Atlantic Flyway objective. Modest harvest restrictions - including reduced number of hunt days and a later season start date of the fourth Saturday in October (the 24th in 2009) - are necessary to encourage growth of this population.
  • The season begins on the earliest possible date for regular Canada goose hunting in New York State - the fourth Saturday in October - to take advantage of the abundance of geese in the Area in late October.
  • The season runs a straight 45 days to December 7. Most lakes, ponds and streams freeze by mid December in this Hunt Area and there are fewer hunting opportunities after that occurs.

West Central Canada Goose Hunting Area - (45 days)

Regular Season Dates: Oct 24 (Sat) - Nov 21 (Sat) & Dec 26 (Sat) - Jan 10 (Sun)
  • Goose management in this Hunt Area is focused on the migrant Atlantic Population Canada geese. These geese breed in northern Quebec, migrate through New York State in the fall and mostly winter along the Atlantic coast. The number of birds in this population is below the Atlantic Flyway objective. Modest harvest restrictions - including reduced number of hunt days and a later season start date of the fourth Saturday in October (the 24th in 2009) - are necessary to encourage growth of this population.
  • Hunters in this Area have a strong desire to hunt Canada geese whenever the duck hunting season is open, so the entire Canada goose season occurs within the regular duck season.
  • The first split begins on the earliest possible date for regular season Canada goose hunting in New York State - the fourth Saturday in October AND will also start with the opening of the Western Zone duck season opening day.
  • The second split is set to coincide exactly with the later portion of the Western Zone duck season and run 16 days, including three full weekends.

South Canada Goose Hunting Area - (80 days)

Regular Season Dates: Oct 24 (Sat) - Dec 16 (Wed) & Dec 26 (Sat) - Jan 10 (Sun) & Mar 1 (Mon) - Mar 10 (Wed)
  • Canada goose management in this Hunt Area is focused on Resident Population Canada geese. These birds breed all throughout the lower United States and southern Canada. The population is far above the objective set for the Atlantic Flyway. The birds in this population are the source of many nuisance problems for landowners, shoreline recreationists and farmers. Harvest management actions are designed to encourage high take of Resident Population geese.
  • Federal regulations allow a maximum hunting season period of 107 days. The September Canada goose season is 25 days and Youth Days add 2 additional days. 80 days remain for the balance of the hunting season.
  • Federal regulations prohibit any regular hunting season from extending past March 10.
  • The season begins on the earliest possible date allowed by federal framework in New York State - the fourth Saturday in October (the 24th in 2009).
  • The first split continues for 54 days into mid December. Resident Population Canada geese are abundant throughout the entire area during this period.
  • The second split begins on the Saturday after Christmas and should provide ample opportunity for youth on vacation and adults with days off from work to hunt. This time period is also very important to golf course owners and other large landowners in the southern Hudson River area to exert hunting pressure on nuisance Canada geese.
  • The second split coincides exactly with the second split of the Western Zone duck season. Matching duck and goose hunting dates is important to hunters, especially in the western portion of the state.
  • A third split in early March is available for the third year. Late season hunting opportunity is planned to increase the take of Resident Population geese as they disperse from winter concentration areas.

Eastern Long Island Canada Goose Hunting Area - (60 days)

Regular Season Dates: Nov 25 (Wed) - Nov 29 (Sun) & Dec 8 (Tues) - Jan 31 (Sun)
  • This Hunt Area is considered to be a "high harvest" area for migrant North Atlantic Population geese. These geese breed in Labrador, Newfoundland and other areas of eastern Canada. Biologists believe that this group of birds is not producing at full potential and, therefore, modest harvest restrictions in the form of fewer hunt days is required.
  • The first split is set to coincide with the first portion of the Long Island Zone duck season. It will include the last full weekend in November, covering the entire Thanksgiving holiday.
  • The second split of 55 days will end on the 31st day of January, as late as possible, taking full advantage of the federal framework for the North Atlantic Population goose hunting season.

Central Long Island Canada Goose Hunting Area - 70 days

Regular Season Dates: Nov 25 (Wed) - Nov 29 (Sun) & Dec 7 (Mon) - Feb 9 (Tues)
  • This Hunt Area is considered to be a "low harvest" area for North Atlantic Population geese. Relatively few geese from that population occur in the area. Harvest management is focused more on the removal of Resident Population geese.
  • The first split will coincide with the first portion of the Long Island Zone duck season. It will include the last full weekend in November, covering the entire Thanksgiving holiday.
  • The second split is set to both maximize the number of hunt days coinciding with the later portion of the Long Island Zone duck season and end just before the Special Late Canada Goose Hunt Area season begins. This action serves to provide uninterrupted Canada goose hunting in the North Shore area.

Western Long Island Canada Goose Hunting Area - 80 days

Regular Season Dates: Nov 25 (Wed) - Nov 29 (Sun) & Dec 2 (Wed) - Feb 14 (Sun)
  • Canada goose management in this Hunt Area is focused on Resident Population Canada geese. These birds breed all throughout the lower United States and southern Canada. The population is far above the objective set for the Atlantic Flyway. The birds in this population are the source of many nuisance problems for landowners, shoreline recreationists and farmers. Harvest management actions are designed to encourage high take of Resident Population geese.
  • Federal regulations require that there be no more than the 80 hunting days between October 1 and February 15 in this portion of Long Island. Those days do not include the 23 days in the September season and two days of Youth Hunt.
  • The first split will coincide with the beginning portion of the Long Island Zone duck season. It will include the last full weekend in November, covering the entire Thanksgiving holiday.
  • The second split of 75 days runs as late as possible while ending on a Sunday.

Special Late Canada Goose Hunting Season - (6 days)

Special Season Dates: Feb 10 (Wed) - Feb 15 (Mon)
  • This special late season for the north shore of central Long Island further targets Resident Population geese. The dates for this season start after the close of the Central Long Island Area and run for 6 days until Feb 15th creating a continuation of the regular season in this area.