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For Release: Monday, May 23, 2005

DEC Announces Tentative 2005-06 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

Early Announcement Will Allow Hunters to Plan Trips

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced the tentative schedule for most of New York's 2005-2006 waterfowl hunting seasons, allowing sportsmen and sportswomen to plan outdoor activities well in advance.

"By announcing this schedule, we are giving hunters who enjoy this exciting sport a better opportunity to plan vacations and activities around the hunting seasons," Commissioner Sheehan said. "Although the dates won't be finalized until late summer when federal regulations are official, preliminary indications of waterfowl populations and habitat conditions suggest that the tentative season dates will conform with expected federal requirements for the coming year."

The tentative duck hunting season dates in the attached table were developed by a team of DEC biologists representing all regions of New York. The season selections were based on anticipated federal regulations for the coming year and hunter input. DEC's season-setting team assumed that duck seasons would again be 60 days in length and that bag limits for most species would be the same as last year.

In the Western, Northeastern, and Southeastern zones, DEC adopted dates recommended by three waterfowl hunter task forces. This approach has helped DEC set seasons in areas where hunter preferences are diverse.

In other zones, DEC staff relied on hunter input from correspondence and public meetings held in recent years. No dates are available yet for the Lake Champlain Zone because they will be finalized in late August by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board after a mid-August public hearing to be held in Burlington, Vermont. The dates will be based on recommendations received from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, DEC, and public comments from the hearing.

A "Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend" will be held in each zone this fall, providing additional days for junior hunters (ages 12-15) to hunt ducks, coot, mergansers, Canada geese and brant. The junior hunter must be fully licensed and accompanied by an adult hunter in accordance with all New York State regulations, and only the junior hunter may take birds on these days. This special opportunity is intended to encourage experienced waterfowl hunters to help teach young hunters the techniques and ethics of this sport.

September Canada goose seasons will be similar to last year. The dates for each Waterfowl Hunting Zone are as follows:

Lake Champlain Zone: September 6-September 25
Long Island Zone: September 6-September 30
All other zones: September 1-September 25

The daily bag limit for Canada geese taken during the September season is now eight geese per day, except in the Lake Champlain Zone where it remains three geese per day.

Tentative dates for the regular hunting seasons for Canada geese will be announced in late summer, once breeding populations in northern Canada and summer productivity are evaluated.

The most significant change in the tentative 2005-06 seasons from last year is the possibility that brant seasons may be reduced from 50 days to only 30 days this fall. That change is possible because mid-winter counts of this species in the Atlantic Flyway have fallen to slightly below 125,000 birds, which is a threshold for continuing the 50-day seasons of recent years. Brant breed in High Arctic regions of Canada, and are subject to highly variable nesting success due to weather conditions. Waterfowl biologists will assess this year's production before deciding the final regulations for brant.

As soon as the final federal waterfowl hunting regulations are known, the official State regulations for the 2005-2006 waterfowl seasons will be posted on DEC's website and announced by a statewide news release. Final season dates are expected to stay as listed here unless federal regulations require changes. Hunters should confirm the final season dates before going afield.

DEC also plans to mail a copy of the 2005-2006 regulations brochure to everyone who registered in New York's Harvest Information Program (HIP) last year. Hunters must register with HIP for each state they intend to hunt in and for each hunting season. Hunters may register for HIP on-line at www.wetland.net or by calling 1-866-GAME-RPT (1-866-426-3778). The HIP website and phone number will be activated in early August. HIP provides hunter names and addresses that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses for harvest surveys and DEC uses to mail hunters the annual regulations brochure.

Unlike past years, a new HIP confirmation number will have to be obtained prior to hunting any migratory game birds this fall, including seasons that are open during September. In the past, HIP confirmation numbers were considered valid for the entire license year (through September 30), but beginning this year, HIP confirmation numbers will be valid only until June 30 (the same as federal duck stamps). Consequently, all hunters must obtain a new HIP number to hunt during any of the 2005-06 seasons.

DEC encourages all waterfowl hunters to consider purchasing a Habitat/Access Stamp when they purchase their license. The Habitat/Access Stamp is available to people who want to support the Department's efforts to conserve habitat and increase public access for fish and wildlife-related recreation. Buying a $5.00 habitat stamp is the perfect way for young or old, angler or hunter, birder or photographer to help conserve New York's fabulous wildlife heritage. More information is available on DEC's website.

TENTATIVE 2005-06 WATERFOWL HUNTING SEASONS IN NEW YORK

Waterfowl hunting season dates will not be final until the final federal regulations have been adopted in late summer. Be sure to check the final regulations before going hunting.¹

Please Note: Waterfowl hunting seasons for the Lake Champlain Zone will be announced in late August following a public meeting in mid-August in Burlington, Vermont.

¹Final regulations will be posted on the official DEC web-site, mailed to persons who hunted waterfowl last year, and announced in a press release.

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