Waterfowl Season Setting Process

Process for Setting Duck Seasons for 2019 and Beyond

Choosing the "best" duck season dates has long been a contentious topic amongst duck hunters. Depending on which species you're interested in pursuing or the types of habitat you hunt (e.g., shallow marshes, deep water, fields, etc.), the "best" dates for each zone can vary from person to person. DEC and the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell University developed a new process that includes input from a greater number of duck hunters to determine the optimal duck season dates in each zone.

Surveys and Collaborative Research

Last fall, Cornell University surveyed about one-third of the duck hunters in New York State (6,000 of about 18,000; see below for more details). The survey was sent a random selection of duck hunters and aimed to identify what duck hunters value and what drives their duck hunting satisfaction. The survey asked hunters to rank, in order of importance, the following six key objectives that were developed by the Waterfowl Task Force and DEC biologists:

• Seeing and shooting wood ducks and teal (being able to hunt when wood ducks and teal are most abundant)
• Seeing and shooting mallard and black ducks (being able to hunt when mallards and black ducks are most abundant or most susceptible to decoying)
• Seeing and shooting diving ducks (e.g., scaup, redheads, common goldeneye) (being able to hunt when diving ducks are most abundant or most susceptible to decoying)
• Seeing and shooting any ducks (regardless of species) (being able to hunt when abundance of ducks (any species) is highest, or when the variety of duck species is greatest)
• Having maximum opportunity to go hunting duck hunting (including the most weekend days and holidays in the season)
• Minimizing overlap of waterfowl and deer hunting seasons (minimize duck season overlap with the first week of firearms deer season and avoiding opening duck season on the same day as youth big game seasons)

In addition to the hunter survey, DEC worked with the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to develop zone-specific migration information and relative abundance estimates for each week for 12 species of ducks that frequently occur in the hunter's bag. During the summer of 2018, DEC worked with the waterfowl task forces in each zone to develop 5-10 unique season date "alternatives" (i.e. different season dates that would accomplish each of the above objectives described above). DEC and Cornell University will use the results of the survey in conjunction with the migration and abundance data to determine which of the alternatives developed by the hunter task forces best matches the values of duck hunters in their zone.

2019-2024 Duck Season Structures

The season date structure for the next 5 duck seasons (2019-2020 through 2023-2024) in each zone, barring any changes to the number of days allowed by the federal framework (i.e. if the season length is shortened). For detailed information on how these season date structures were identified, please click on the handouts below for your specific zone.

• Western Zone - Beginning the 3rd Saturday in October, running 23 days, ending on a Sunday and a second split beginning on the last Saturday in November, running 37 days, and ending on a Sunday (e.g. Oct 19, 2019 - Nov 10, 2019 and Nov 30, 2019 - Jan 5, 2020). See more details in the Western Zone Structured Decision Making Analysis and Results (PDF).
• Northeastern Zone - Beginning on the 1st Saturday in October, running for 23 days, ending on a Sunday, and a second split beginning the 1st Saturday following the closure of the 1st split, running 37 days, and ending on a Sunday (e.g. Oct 5, 2019 - Oct 27, 2019 and Nov 2, 2019 - Dec 8, 2019). See more details in the Northeastern Zone Structured Decision Making Analysis and Results (PDF).
• Southeastern Zone - Beginning the 3rd Saturday in October, running for 44 days, ending on a Sunday, and a second split beginning the 1st Saturday following the closure of the 1st split, running 16 days, and ending on a Sunday (e.g. Oct 19, 2019 - Dec 1, 2019 and Dec 7, 2019 - Dec 22, 2019). See more details in the Southeastern Zone Structured Decision Making Analysis and Results (PDF).
• Long Island Zone - Beginning on the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving, running for 9 days, ending on a Sunday, and a second split running for 51 days, opening on a Saturday, and ending on the last Sunday in January (e.g. Nov 23, 2019 - Dec 1, 2019 and Dec 7, 2019 - Jan 26, 2020). See more details in the Long Island Zone Structured Decision Making Analysis and Results (PDF).

Tentative season dates for all migratory game birds will be posed on the Waterfowl Hunting Seasons webpage in early April and finalized in federal regulation by mid-summer. Please check the DEC website prior to going afield for final season dates.

2017 New York State Duck Hunter Survey

View a full size graph of Mean Importance Rankings of Factors
that Influence Satisfaction with Duck Season Dates (PDF).

During fall 2017, DEC and Cornell University sent out a survey to 6,000 randomly-selected New York duck hunters to better understand factors that influence hunter preferences for the timing of waterfowl hunting seasons. Duck hunters seized the opportunity to provide their feedback on what they value with nearly 50% completing the survey (2,791 duck hunters). Hunters in all zones consistently ranked seeing and shooting mallards and black ducks as the most important factor influencing their satisfaction with duck season dates in their zone, followed closely by seeing and shooting any duck (regardless of species). Click on the figure to the right for detailed information on hunter preferences in each zone.

For more information, please see the complete Cornell University report of the 2017 Duck Hunter Survey - Understanding Factors that Influence Hunter Preferences for Timing of Waterfowl Hunting Seasons (PDF). This survey gave a representative, large number of duck hunters direct input into how season dates will be selected. Their input will be used in the decision-making process for selecting the optimal duck season in each zone.

2022 Waterfowl Season Task Forces

Below is the contact information for the 2022 task force members in the Western, Southeastern, Northeastern and Long Island Waterfowl Hunting Zones. The names and contact information for current task force members can be found below. Task Force members act as representatives of all duck hunters in each zone, and they meet each spring to make suggestions to DEC for Canada goose, brant, youth, and other special season dates.

There is no task force for the Lake Champlain Zone because seasons there are set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Management Board, with consultation from DEC and input from hunters in New York and Vermont. Although there is no formal task force for this zone, interested hunters may send their input directly to DEC for consideration.

You can provide input on Canada goose, brant, youth season dates or any other general comments about waterfowl hunting in New York by:

• directly contacting one of the task force members in your zone - the list of members can be found on the DEC website, or
• sending an email to the Waterfowl Season Input Mailbox - suggestions sent to this inbox will be forwarded to all task force members in the zone

DEC Waterfowl Season Setting Team

Task Force Membership

• The Bureau of Wildlife develops and maintains the TF membership lists of avid waterfowl hunters the represent the values and interests of duck hunters in the State.
• To establish a membership list, the SST first looks to organized groups to provide a member to serve on a TF. Examples of types of these groups include:
  • organized, long-standing waterfowl hunting organizations;
  • NYS Conservation Council regional Waterfowl Committee representative;
  • county sportsmen's federations;
  • waterfowl interest groups; and
  • sportsmen's organizations with waterfowl hunting interests within their membership.
  • "At-Large" members may be chosen by several methods. Hunter interest groups may be asked to provide the SST with a person to serve on the TF (they may be asked for several names from which the SST may choose). The SST may select a member on their own, based on prior contacts with local hunters.

Duties of Task Force Members

• The names, addresses, phone, and e-mail are made available to the public.
• TF members are expected to actively solicit the opinions and desires of hunters in their zone.
• They should be available to any and all hunters to receive their opinions.

Objectives and Expectations of the Annual Task Force Meeting

• TF members are representatives for all hunters within the zone. They must be willing to sit with other members to discuss issues, negotiate and, ultimately, compromise in order to recommend season dates that all members can live with and that are satisfying to the majority of hunters in the zone.
• All decisions are by consensus; there is no voting.
• TFs will develop Recommendations for:
  • dates for youth waterfowl hunt dates; and
  • regular Canada goose hunting dates.
• In all cases the final decisions for season dates and regulations are made by the BOW Chief and Commissioner.
• The TFs may also be asked for opinions on waterfowl management issues (for example, preferences for alternative bag restrictions on a specific species) and used as a sounding board for hunter interests and concerns.

Responsibilities of Bureau of Wildlife

• Develop the annual TF membership lists.
• Provide public communications (news release, website) on the TF process, including names and contact information for all TF members.
• Accept public input to be shared with all TF members.
• Provide a facilitator to oversee the TF meeting.
• Provide TF meeting locations.
• Be available to answer all questions concerning the TF process and waterfowl management.
• Provide a SST member to participate in the meeting to provide information and insight.
• Provide harvest and management information to TF members.

Timing of Annual Meetings

• Each TF meets one time, usually on a Saturday in February, March or April. TFs base their discussions on the anticipated upcoming federal frameworks. Recommendations from all TFs are reviewed by the SST and subject to approval by the Bureau Chief and Commissioner.
• DEC submits final season dates to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for approval annually by late April.

• Find on this Page
• • Task Force Membership
  • Duties & Responsibillities
  • Annual Meeting
  • Season Setting 2019 and Beyond
  • Western Zone Task Force
  • Northeastern Zone Task Force
  • Southeastern Zone Task Force
  • Long Island Zone Task Force
• PDF Help
• For help with PDFs on this page, please call 518-402-8883.
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