[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45375-45404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17876]
[[Page 45375]]
Vol. 78
Friday,
No. 144
July 26, 2013
Part III
Department of the Interior
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Fish and Wildlife Service
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50 CFR Part 20
Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed Frameworks for Early-Season Migratory
Bird Hunting Regulations; Notice of Meetings; Proposed Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 78 , No. 144 / Friday, July 26, 2013 /
Proposed Rules
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 20
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2013-0057; FF09M21200-134-FXMB1231099BPP0]
RIN 1018-AY87
Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed Frameworks for Early-Season
Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations; Notice of Meetings
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; supplemental.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service or we)
is proposing to establish the 2013-14 early-season hunting regulations
for certain migratory game birds. We annually prescribe frameworks, or
outer limits, for dates and times when hunting may occur and the
maximum number of birds that may be taken and possessed in early
seasons. Early seasons may open as early as September 1, and include
seasons in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of specific
final seasons and limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels
compatible with population status and habitat conditions. This proposed
rule also provides the final regulatory alternatives for the 2013-14
duck hunting seasons.
DATES: Comments: You must submit comments on the proposed early-season
frameworks by August 5, 2013.
Meetings: The Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee (SRC)
will meet to consider and develop proposed regulations for late-season
migratory bird hunting and the 2013 spring/summer migratory bird
subsistence seasons in Alaska on July 31 and August 1, 2013. All
meetings will commence at approximately 8:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: Comments: You may submit comments on the proposals by one of
the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-
MB-2013-0057.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: FWS-HQ-MB-2013-0057; Division of Policy and Directives
Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS
2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. We will not accept emailed or faxed
comments. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide
us (see the Public Comments section below for more information).
Meetings: The SRC will meet in room 200 of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service's Arlington Square Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr.,
Arlington, VA 22203.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron W. Kokel, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Department of the Interior, MS MBSP-4107-ARLSQ, 1849 C Street
NW., Washington, DC 20240; (703) 358-1714.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations Schedule for 2013
On April 9, 2013, we published in the Federal Register (78 FR
21200) a proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20. The proposal provided a
background and overview of the migratory bird hunting regulations
process, and addressed the establishment of seasons, limits, and other
regulations for hunting migratory game birds under Sec. Sec. 20.101
through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. Major steps in the
2013-14 regulatory cycle relating to open public meetings and Federal
Register notifications were also identified in the April 9 proposed
rule.
Further, we explained that all sections of subsequent documents
outlining hunting frameworks and guidelines were organized under
numbered headings. Those headings are:
1. Ducks
A. General Harvest Strategy
B. Regulatory Alternatives
C. Zones and Split Seasons
D. Special Seasons/Species Management
i. September Teal Seasons
ii. September Teal/Wood Duck Seasons
iii. Black ducks
iv. Canvasbacks
v. Pintails
vi. Scaup
vii. Mottled ducks
viii. Wood ducks
ix. Youth Hunt
x. Mallard Management Units
xi. Other
2. Sea Ducks
3. Mergansers
4. Canada Geese
A. Special Seasons
B. Regular Seasons
C. Special Late Seasons
5. White-fronted Geese
6. Brant
7. Snow and Ross's (Light) Geese
8. Swans
9. Sandhill Cranes
10. Coots
11. Moorhens and Gallinules
12. Rails
13. Snipe
14. Woodcock
15. Band-tailed Pigeons
16. Doves
17. Alaska
18. Hawaii
19. Puerto Rico
20. Virgin Islands
21. Falconry
22. Other
Subsequent documents will refer only to numbered items requiring
attention. Therefore, it is important to note that we will omit those
items requiring no attention, and remaining numbered items will be
discontinuous and appear incomplete.
On June 14, 2013, we published in the Federal Register (78 FR
35844) a second document providing supplemental proposals for early-
and late-season migratory bird hunting regulations. The June 14
supplement also provided detailed information on the 2013-14 regulatory
schedule and announced the SRC and Flyway Council meetings.
This document, the third in a series of proposed, supplemental, and
final rulemaking documents for migratory bird hunting regulations,
deals specifically with proposed frameworks for early-season
regulations and the regulatory alternatives for the 2013-14 duck
hunting seasons. It will lead to final frameworks from which States may
select season dates, shooting hours, and daily bag and possession
limits for the 2013-14 season.
We have considered all pertinent comments received through June 22,
2013, on the April 9 and June 14, 2013, rulemaking documents in
developing this document. In addition, new proposals for certain early-
season regulations are provided for public comment. Comment periods are
specified above under DATES. We will publish final regulatory
frameworks for early seasons in the Federal Register on or about August
16, 2013.
Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee Meetings
Participants at the June 19-20, 2013, meetings reviewed information
on the current status of migratory shore and upland game birds and
developed 2013-14 migratory game bird regulations recommendations for
these species plus regulations for migratory game birds in Alaska,
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; special September waterfowl
seasons in designated States; special sea duck seasons in the Atlantic
Flyway; and extended falconry seasons. In addition, we reviewed and
discussed preliminary information on the status of waterfowl.
Participants at the previously announced July 31-August 1, 2013,
meetings will review information on the current status of waterfowl and
develop
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recommendations for the 2013-14 regulations pertaining to regular
waterfowl seasons and other species and seasons not previously
discussed at the early-season meetings. In accordance with Department
of the Interior policy, these meetings are open to public observation
and you may submit comments on the matters discussed.
Population Status and Harvest
The following paragraphs provide preliminary information on the
status of waterfowl and information on the status and harvest of
migratory shore and upland game birds excerpted from various reports.
For more detailed information on methodologies and results, you may
obtain complete copies of the various reports at the address indicated
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or from our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/NewsPublicationsReports.html.
Waterfowl Breeding and Habitat Survey
Federal, provincial, and State agencies conduct surveys each spring
to estimate the size of waterfowl breeding populations and to evaluate
the conditions of the habitats. These surveys are conducted using
fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and ground crews and encompass
principal breeding areas of North America, covering an area over 2.0
million square miles. The traditional survey area comprises Alaska,
Canada, and the northcentral United States, and includes approximately
1.3 million square miles. The eastern survey area includes parts of
Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward
Island, New Brunswick, New York, and Maine, an area of approximately
0.7 million square miles.
Overall, despite a delayed spring, habitat conditions during the
2013 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey were improved or
similar to last year in many areas due to abundant winter or spring
precipitation, with the exception of eastern Canada, the northeast
United States, and portions of Montana and the Dakotas. The total pond
estimate (Prairie Canada and United States combined) was 6.90.2 million. This was 24 percent higher than the 2012 estimate of
5.50.2 million ponds, and 35 percent higher than the long-
term average (1974-2012) of 5.10.03 million ponds.
Traditional Survey Area (U.S. and Canadian Prairies and Parklands)
Spring was much delayed across the traditional survey area. Extreme
southern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, and North Dakota received
abundant spring rainfall; most of this moisture came too late for the
majority of waterfowl breeding this year, but could benefit habitats
into 2014. The majority of the Canadian prairies had above-average
winter precipitation; however, a poor frost seal was produced and
little runoff was observed. The Parklands have improved from 2012, and
the boreal region has benefitted from average annual precipitation.
Most of the Canadian portion of the traditional survey area was rated
as good or excellent this year, in contrast to the dry conditions last
year across northern Saskatchewan and Alberta. The 2013 estimate of
ponds in Prairie Canada was 4.60.2 million. This was 17
percent higher than last year's estimate (3.90.1 million)
and 32 percent higher than the 1961-2012 average (3.50.03
million).
The U.S. prairies received record-breaking snowfall in April;
however, below-average early spring precipitation in parts of Montana
and the eastern Dakotas resulted in fair to poor habitat conditions.
The 2013 estimate of ponds in the north-central United States was
2.30.1 million, which was 41 percent higher than last
year's estimate (1.70.1 million) and 42 percent higher than
the 1974-2012 average (1.70.02 million).
Eastern Survey Area
Spring temperatures in the eastern survey area were closer to
normal than in the traditional survey area. Winter precipitation in
southwestern Ontario, southern Quebec, and most of the Maritimes was
below average. Eastern Canada experienced near record low winter
precipitation but improved to the north and east into the Maritimes.
Much of eastern Canada experienced excessive late-spring rains, which
may have inhibited waterfowl production. Habitat conditions ranged from
fair, in Maine and the southern Maritimes, to good in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Status of Teal
The estimate of blue-winged teal from the traditional survey area
is 7.7 million. This count represents a 16 percent decrease from 2012,
and is 60 percent above the 1955-2012 average.
Sandhill Cranes
Compared to increases recorded in the 1970s, annual indices to
abundance of the Mid-Continent Population (MCP) of sandhill cranes have
been relatively stable since the early 1980s. The preliminary spring
2013 index for sandhill cranes in the Central Platte River Valley
(CPRV), Nebraska, uncorrected for visibility bias, was 756,217 birds.
This estimate is significantly higher than the previous 5 years, which
is likely due to late winter weather in North and South Dakota delaying
any migration from the CPRV. The photo-corrected, 3-year average for
2010-12 was 504,658, which is above the established population-
objective range of 349,000-472,000 cranes. All Central Flyway States,
except Nebraska, allowed crane hunting in portions of their States
during 2012-13. An estimated 7,239 hunters participated in these
seasons, which was 7 percent lower than the number that participated in
the previous season. Hunters harvested 14,887 MCP cranes in the U.S.
portion of the Central Flyway during the 2012-13 seasons, which was 3
percent lower than the harvest for the previous year and 2 percent
higher than the long-term average. The retrieved harvest of MCP cranes
in hunt areas outside of the Central Flyway (Arizona, Pacific Flyway
portion of New Mexico, Minnesota, Alaska, Canada, and Mexico combined)
was 9,683 during 2012-13. The preliminary estimate for the North
American MCP sport harvest, including crippling losses, was 27,966
birds, which was a 16 percent decrease from the previous year's
estimate. The long-term (1982-2012) trends for the MCP indicate that
harvest has been increasing at a higher rate than population growth.
The fall 2012 pre-migration survey for the Rocky Mountain
Population (RMP) resulted in a count of 15,417 cranes. The 3-year
average was 17,992 sandhill cranes, which is within the established
population objective of 17,000-21,000 for the RMP. Hunting seasons
during 2012-13 in portions of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico,
Utah, and Wyoming resulted in a harvest of 1,080 RMP cranes, an 11
percent decrease from the previous year's harvest.
The Lower Colorado River Valley Population (LCRVP) survey results
indicate a 16 percent increase from 2,646 birds in 2012, to 3,078 birds
in 2013. The 3-year average is 2,713 LCRVP cranes, which is above the
population objective of 2,500.
The Eastern Population (EP) sandhill crane fall survey index
(87,796) increased by 21 percent in 2012, and in Kentucky's second
hunting season 92 cranes were harvested, up from 50 cranes in the
inaugural season.
Woodcock
Singing-ground and Wing-collection Surveys were conducted to assess
the population status of the American woodcock (Scolopax minor). The
Singing-ground Survey is intended to measure long-term changes in
woodcock population levels. Singing-ground Survey data for 2013
indicate that the
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number of singing male woodcock per route in the Eastern and Central
Management Regions were unchanged from 2012. There were no significant
10-year trends in woodcock heard in the Eastern or Central Management
Regions during 2003-13, which marks the tenth consecutive year that the
10-year trend estimate for the Eastern Region was stable and the third
year that the 10-year trend was stable for the Central Region. Both
management regions have a long-term (1968-2012) declining trend (-1.0
percent per year in the Eastern Management Region and -0.8 percent per
year in the Central Management Region).
The Wing-collection Survey provides an index to recruitment. Wing-
collection Survey data indicate that the 2012 recruitment index for the
U.S. portion of the Eastern Region (1.65 immatures per adult female)
was 1.9 percent less than the 2011 index, and 0.8 percent greater than
the long-term (1963-2011) average. The recruitment index for the U.S.
portion of the Central Region (1.66 immatures per adult female) was 8.0
percent greater than the 2011 index and 5.7 percent greater than the
long-term (1963-2011) average.
Band-Tailed Pigeons
Two subspecies of band-tailed pigeon occur north of Mexico, and are
managed as two separate populations: Interior and Pacific Coast.
Information on the abundance and harvest of band-tailed pigeons is
collected annually in the United States and British Columbia. Abundance
information comes from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and the Mineral
Site Survey (MSS, specific to the Pacific Coast Population). Harvest
and hunter participation are estimated from the Migratory Bird Harvest
Information Program (HIP). The BBS provided evidence that the abundance
of Pacific Coast band-tailed pigeons decreased (-2.0 percent per year)
over the long term (1968-2012). Trends in abundance during the recent
10- and 5-year periods were inconclusive. The MSS, however, provided
some evidence that abundance decreased during the recent 9-year (-4.7
percent per year) and 5-year (-4.0 percent per year) periods, but
results were inconclusive. An estimated 3,900 hunters harvested 10,900
birds in 2012.
For Interior band-tailed pigeons, the BBS provided evidence that
abundance decreased (-5.1 percent per year) over the long term (1968-
2012). Trends in abundance during the recent 10- and 5-year periods
were inconclusive. An estimated 1,400 hunters harvested 2,900 birds in
2012.
Mourning Doves
We annually summarize information collected in the United States on
survival, recruitment, abundance and harvest of mourning doves. We
report on trends in the number of doves heard per route from the
Mourning Dove Call-count Survey (CCS), doves seen per route from the
CCS, birds heard and seen per route from the all-bird BBS, and provide
absolute abundance estimates based on band recovery and harvest data.
Harvest and hunter participation are estimated from the HIP.
The CCS-heard data suggested that abundance of doves decreased in
all three dove management units (Eastern [EMU], Central [CMU], and
Western [WMU]) over the long term (1966-2013); within the EMU, however,
there is evidence that abundance decreased in hunt States but increased
in non-hunt States. In the recent 10 years, there was no evidence for a
change in mourning dove abundance in the EMU, but there was evidence of
a decline in the CMU and WMU. Over the most recent two years, there was
no evidence for a change in abundance in any of the management units.
Over the long term, trends based on CCS-heard and CCS-seen data were
consistent in the CMU and WMU, but inconsistent in the EMU; CCS-seen
data indicated that abundance increased in the EMU. BBS data suggested
that the abundance of mourning doves over the long-term increased in
the EMU and decreased in the CMU and WMU. Thus, over the long term, the
three data sets provided consistent results for the CMU and WMU but not
the EMU.
Estimates of absolute abundance are available only since 2003, and
indicate that there are about 349 million doves in the United States,
and annual abundance during the recent 5 years appears stationary in
the EMU and WMU, but may be declining in the CMU. However, abundance
appeared to increase between 2011 and 2012 in the CMU and WMU. Based on
a composite trend (weighted trend estimate using information from the
CCS, BBS, and absolute abundance), the EMU and WMU populations were
stationary over the previous 5 and 10 years, whereas the population in
the CMU declined.
Current (2012) HIP estimates for mourning dove total harvest,
active hunters, and total days afield in the U.S. were 14,490,800
birds, 828,900 hunters, and 2,538,000 days afield. Harvest and hunter
participation at the unit level were: EMU, 6,279,900 birds, 349,600
hunters, and 1,015,600 days afield; CMU, 6,361,600 birds, 338,700
hunters, and 1,108,700 days afield; and WMU, 1,849,400 birds, 140,700
hunters, and 413,700 days afield.
White-Winged Doves
Two states harbor substantial populations of white-winged dove:
Arizona and Texas. California and New Mexico also have substantial but
smaller populations. Based on the preliminary HIP report for 2012,
white-winged doves were harvested in 22 additional states. The Arizona
Game and Fish Department monitors white-winged dove populations by
means of a CCS to provide an annual index to population size. It runs
concurrently with the Service's Mourning Dove CCS. The index of mean
number of white-winged doves heard per route from this survey peaked at
52.3 in 1968, but then declined until about 2000. The index had
stabilized at around 25 doves per route in the last few years; however,
for 2013, the mean number of doves heard per route was 16.8. Harvest of
white-winged doves in Arizona peaked in the late 1960s at approximately
740,000 birds, and has since declined and stabilized at around 100,000
birds; the preliminary 2012 HIP estimate of harvest was 86,000 birds.
In Texas, white-winged doves continue to expand their breeding
range. Nesting by white-winged doves has been recorded in most
counties, with new colonies recently found in east Texas. Nesting is
essentially confined to urban areas, but appears to be expanding to
exurban areas. Concomitant with this range expansion has been a
continuing increase in white-winged dove abundance. A new distance-
based sampling protocol was implemented for Central and South Texas in
2007, and has been expanded each year. In 2010, 4,650 points were
surveyed statewide and the urban population of breeding white-winged
doves was estimated at 4.6 million. Additionally, the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department has an operational white-winged dove banding
program and has banded 52,001 white-winged doves from 2006 to 2010. The
estimated harvest of white-wings in Texas in the 2012 season was
1,414,800 birds. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department continues to
work to improve the scientific basis for management of white-winged
doves.
In California, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas BBS data
indicate an increasing trend in the population indices between 1966 and
2011. In Arizona BBS data indicate population indices were stationary
between 1966 and 2011. According to HIP surveys, the preliminary
harvest estimates for the
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2012 season were 42,200 white-winged doves in California, and 79,500 in
New Mexico. In 2012 white-winged doves were also harvested (range 100
to 8,700 per state) in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia,
Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada,
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
White-Tipped Doves
White-tipped doves occur primarily south of the United States-
Mexico border; however, the species does occur in Texas. Monitoring
information is presently limited. White-tipped doves are believed to be
maintaining a relatively stable population in the Lower Rio Grande
Valley of Texas. Distance-based sampling procedures implemented in
Texas are also providing limited information on white-tipped dove
abundance. Texas is working to improve the sampling frame to include
the rural Rio Grande corridor in order to improve the utility of
population indices. Annual estimates for white-tipped dove harvest in
Texas average between 3,000 and 4,000 birds.
Review of Public Comments
The preliminary proposed rulemaking (April 9 Federal Register)
opened the public comment period for migratory game bird hunting
regulations and announced the proposed regulatory alternatives for the
2013-14 duck hunting season. Comments concerning early-season issues
and the proposed alternatives are summarized below and numbered in the
order used in the April 9 Federal Register document. Only the numbered
items pertaining to early-seasons issues and the proposed regulatory
alternatives for which we received written comments are included.
Consequently, the issues do not follow in consecutive numerical or
alphabetical order.
We received recommendations from all four Flyway Councils. Some
recommendations supported continuation of last year's frameworks. Due
to the comprehensive nature of the annual review of the frameworks
performed by the Councils, support for continuation of last year's
frameworks is assumed for items for which no recommendations were
received. Council recommendations for changes in the frameworks are
summarized below.
We seek additional information and comments on the recommendations
in this supplemental proposed rule. New proposals and modifications to
previously described proposals are discussed below. Wherever possible,
they are discussed under headings corresponding to the numbered items
in the April 9 Federal Register document.
1. Ducks
Categories used to discuss issues related to duck harvest
management are: (A) General Harvest Strategy; (B) Regulatory
Alternatives, including specification of framework dates, season
lengths, and bag limits; (C) Zones and Split Seasons; and (D) Special
Seasons/Species Management. The categories correspond to previously
published issues/discussions, and only those containing substantial
recommendations are discussed below.
A. General Harvest Strategy
Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended
that regulations changes be restricted to one step per year, both when
restricting as well as liberalizing hunting regulations.
Service Response: As we stated in the April 9 Federal Register, we
intend to continue use of Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) to help
determine appropriate duck-hunting regulations for the 2013-14 season.
AHM is a tool that permits sound resource decisions in the face of
uncertain regulatory impacts, as well as providing a mechanism for
reducing that uncertainty over time. The current AHM protocol is used
to evaluate four alternative regulatory levels based on the population
status of mallards and their breeding habitat (i.e., abundance of
ponds) (special hunting restrictions are enacted for certain species,
such as canvasbacks, black ducks, scaup, and pintails).
Unfortunately, this year a mechanical issue with the Service
aircraft normally used in the Eastern Survey Area of the May Breeding
Population and Habitat Survey prohibited the use of those aircraft to
conduct this year's survey. Lack of reliable data from Canadian survey
strata (51-54, 56) precludes a reliable estimate of the Eastern mallard
breeding population for 2013. As a result, an observed 2013 breeding
population (BPOP) estimate will not be available for updating model
weights and deriving the 2013 harvest policy. Therefore, we propose to
predict the 2013 BPOP size based on the 2012 BPOP estimate and 2012
model weights, the 2012-13 harvest rate, and the current model set.
That predicted value will be used in place of the observed value for
this year, and that value will be compared with last year's (2012) AHM
harvest policy matrix to determine the optimal regulatory alternative
for the 2013-14 regular duck seasons in the Atlantic Flyway. Further
details on these proposed technical changes will be detailed in the
forthcoming AHM report for the 2013 season.
Regarding the Mississippi Flyway Council's recommendation for a
one-step constraint, we have repeatedly stated over the past several
years that we believe that the new Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (SEIS) for the migratory bird hunting program (see National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) section) is the appropriate venue for
considering such changes in a more comprehensive manner that involves
input from all Flyways. With the May 24, 2013, release of the new SEIS
and the associated Record of Decision (RoD) contained in this rule, we
believe that any recommendations for changes such as the inclusion of a
one-step constraint should be considered within the context of the
process that is being used to revise current AHM protocols. As AHM
decision-making frameworks are modified, regulatory alternatives should
be crafted by the Flyways in the context of those changes, including
revised harvest management objectives and the demographic models that
predict changes in waterfowl status due to those regulations.
We will propose a specific regulatory alternative for each of the
Flyways during the 2013-14 season after survey information becomes
available later this summer. More information on AHM is located at
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/CurrentBirdIssues/Management/AHM/AHM-intro.htm.
B. Regulatory Alternatives
Council Recommendations: The Mississippi and Central Flyway
Councils recommended that regulatory alternatives for duck hunting
seasons remain the same as those used in 2012-13.
Service Response: The regulatory alternatives proposed in the April
9 Federal Register will be used for the 2013-14 hunting season (see
accompanying table at the end of this proposed rule for specifics). In
2005, the AHM regulatory alternatives were modified to consist only of
the maximum season lengths, framework dates, and bag limits for total
ducks and mallards. Restrictions for certain species within these
frameworks that are not covered by existing harvest strategies will be
addressed during the late-season regulations process. For those species
with specific harvest strategies (canvasbacks, pintails, black ducks,
and scaup), those strategies will again be used for the 2013-14 hunting
season.
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D. Special Seasons/Species Management
i. Special Teal Seasons
Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central
Flyway Councils recommended that the daily bag limit be increased from
4 to 6 teal in the aggregate during the Special September teal season.
The Atlantic Flyway Council also recommended that we allow Maryland to
adjust existing shooting hours during the Special September teal season
from sunrise to one-half hour before sunrise on an experimental basis
during 2013-15 seasons.
Service Response: We appreciate the long-standing interest by the
Flyway Councils to pursue additional teal harvest opportunity. With
this interest in mind, in 2009, the Flyways and Service began to assess
the collective results of all teal harvest, including harvest during
special September seasons. The Teal Harvest Potential Working Group
conducted this assessment work, which included a thorough assessment of
the harvest potential for both blue-winged and green-winged teal, as
well as an assessment of the impacts of current special September
seasons on these two species. Cinnamon teal were subsequently included
in this assessment.
In the April 9, 2013, Federal Register, we stated that the final
report of the Teal Harvest Potential Working Group indicated that
additional opportunity could be provided for blue-winged teal and
green-winged teal. Therefore, we support recommendations from the
Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyway Councils that the daily bag
limit be increased from 4 to 6 teal in the aggregate during the Special
September teal season in 2013-14. However, we will not support
additional changes to the structure of the September teal season until
specific management objectives for teal have been articulated and a
comprehensive, cross-flyway approach to developing and evaluating other
potential avenues by which additional teal harvest opportunity can be
provided has been completed. We recognize this comprehensive approach
may include addition of new hunting seasons (e.g., September teal
seasons in northern States) as well as expanded hunting opportunities
(e.g., season lengths, bag limits) in States with existing teal
seasons. In order to assess the overall effects of these changes, an
evaluation plan must be developed that includes specific objectives and
is tailored to appropriately address concerns about potential impacts
resulting from the type of opportunity offered. We outlined guidance
for conducting special season evaluations in SEIS 88 (Controlled Use of
Special Regulations, pp 82-83) which should be used when developing the
plan. We recognize that additional technical and coordination work will
need to be accomplished to complete this task, thus, a small technical
group comprised of members from the Flyway Councils and Service should
be convened. We look forward to working with the Flyway Councils in
undertaking the technical work needed to develop regulatory proposals,
and would expect a progress report on such work at the February 2014
Service Regulations Committee meeting.
In the interest of guiding State and Federal workloads and
facilitating a timely process for providing additional teal harvest
opportunity, we provide the following initial considerations. First, we
have stated that the primary focus of special season regulations is
underutilized species and/or stocks whose migration and distribution
provide opportunities outside the time period in which regular seasons
are held, and where such harvest can occur without appreciable impacts
to non-target species (SEIS 2013). Although the Teal Harvest Potential
Working Group's report documented the existence of additional blue-
winged and green-winged teal harvest opportunity, we believe the unique
migration behavior of blue-winged teal presents the opportunity to
isolate only that species both temporally and geographically,
consistent with the intent of special regulations. Consequently,
regulatory proposals to increase teal harvest should direct harvest
primarily at blue-winged teal.
Second, previous alternatives to provide additional teal harvest
opportunities have included bonus teal, Special September duck seasons
in Iowa, and Special September teal/wood duck seasons. Following
implementation of the SEIS 88 regarding the sport hunting of migratory
birds, all of these efforts were reviewed. Assessments of special
hunting opportunities, including September teal seasons and bonus teal
bags, were conducted. The results of these reviews indicated that the
September teal seasons could adequately be assessed regarding their
effects on migratory birds, but that bonus teal regulations could not.
Thus, in the early 1990s, bonus teal bags were no longer offered in the
annual duck regulations frameworks. With regard to Special September
duck seasons, we have previously stated that mixed-species special
seasons (as defined in the context of SEIS 88) are not a preferred
management approach, and that we do not wish to entertain refinements
to this season or foster expansions of this type of season into other
States (August 29, 1996, 61 FR 45838). Special September teal/wood duck
seasons in Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky have been provided in lieu
of Special September teal seasons and our preference at this time is to
maintain that policy. If Flyway Councils wish to pursue these
regulatory approaches to providing additional teal harvest opportunity,
we request that they provide compelling information as to why such
policies and approaches should be reinstated (i.e., bonus teal) or
expanded/modified (i.e., September duck seasons or September teal/wood
duck seasons).
A copy of the teal working group's final report is available on our
Web site at either http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds, or at http://www.regulations.gov.
Regarding the regulations for this year, utilizing the criteria
developed for the teal season harvest strategy, this year's estimate of
7.7 million blue-winged teal from the traditional survey area indicates
that a 16-day September teal season in the Atlantic, Central, and
Mississippi Flyways is appropriate for 2013.
Regarding the Atlantic Flyway Council's request to allow Maryland
to adjust existing shooting hours during the Special September teal
season from sunrise to sunset to one-half hour before sunrise to sunset
on an experimental basis, we agree. Since the inception of Maryland's
September teal season in 1998, Maryland has utilized shooting hours of
sunrise to sunset. Maryland has agreed to conduct hunter performance
surveys to assess the impacts of the expanded shooting hours on non-
target waterfowl species. The hunter performance survey and assessment
criteria will be specified in an agreement between Maryland and the
Service.
2. Sea Ducks
Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended
that the Service amend the annual waterfowl hunting regulations at 50
CFR 20.105 to allow the shooting of crippled waterfowl from a motorboat
under power in New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
in those areas described, delineated, and designated in their
respective hunting regulations as special sea duck hunting areas.
Service Response: We concur with the Atlantic Flyway's
recommendation and
[[Page 45381]]
note that this provision is already allowed in all other Atlantic
Flyway States with special sea duck hunting areas. Sea duck hunting
areas are typically large, open water areas (i.e., Atlantic Ocean) at
least 800 yards from shore where it is not reasonable to use retrieving
dogs. Further, all States with sea duck seasons have defined special
sea duck hunting areas described, delineated, and designated in their
respective hunting regulations as special sea duck hunting areas.
4. Canada Geese
A. Special Seasons
Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended
increasing the daily bag limit in Minnesota from 5 geese to 10 geese
during the special September season in certain areas of the State. The
Council further recommended that there be no possession limits for
Canada geese in either special seasons or regular seasons (see 22.
Other for further discussion on possession limits).
Service Response: We agree with the Mississippi Flyway Council's
request to increase the Canada goose daily bag limit within certain
areas that have experienced higher levels of agricultural depredations
in Minnesota. The Special Early Canada Goose hunting season is
generally designed to reduce or control overabundant resident Canada
geese populations. Increasing the daily bag limit from 5 to 10 geese in
certain areas may help reduce or control existing high populations of
resident Canada geese and associated agricultural depredation problems.
Nest and egg permits, airport removal, trap and euthanize, and
agricultural shooting permits have all been used in efforts to address
damage caused by overabundant Canada geese. In 2012, a record number of
shooting permits (234) were issued to landowners dealing with excessive
numbers of Canada geese causing agricultural damage.
The breeding population of resident Canada geese in Minnesota has
averaged 332,000 Canada geese, since 2001, which is 33 percent higher
than the goal of 250,000 Canada geese. In 2012, the breeding population
estimate was 434,000 Canada geese, which was the highest estimate on
record and 74 percent above the population goal. Annual harvest of
Canada geese in Minnesota has averaged 220,000 since 2001, with harvest
during the September season averaging 98,000 Canada geese. Further,
Minnesota has used a variety of methods to increase the harvest of
resident Canada geese, including an expanded September season (Sept. 1
through 22) and expanded opportunity during the regular season.
Bag limits for Canada geese above 5 per day during the September
season have not yet been used in the Mississippi Flyway during
September seasons. Based on bag frequency data from Atlantic Flyway
States that have utilized Canada goose daily bag limits of 15 during
September seasons, increasing the daily bag limit from 5 to 10 is
expected to increase Canada goose harvest approximately 16 percent
during the September season. Thus, a daily bag limit of 10 geese
implemented Statewide in Minnesota during the September season would be
expected to increase the annual harvest from 98,000 to 114,000 during
the September season.
B. Regular Seasons
Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended
that the framework opening date for all species of geese for the
regular goose seasons in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and Wisconsin
be September 16, 2013, and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan be
September 11, 2013. The Council further recommended that there be no
possession limits for Canada geese throughout the Flyway (see 22. Other
for further discussion on possession limits).
Service Response: We concur with recommended framework opening
dates. Michigan, beginning in 1998, and Wisconsin, beginning in 1989,
have opened their regular Canada goose seasons prior to the Flyway-wide
framework opening date to address resident goose management concerns in
these States. As we have previously stated (73 FR 50678, August 27,
2008), we agree with the objective to increase harvest pressure on
resident Canada geese in the Mississippi Flyway and will continue to
consider the opening dates in both States as exceptions to the general
Flyway opening date, to be reconsidered annually. The framework closing
date for the early goose season in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is
September 10. By changing the framework opening date for the regular
season to September 11 in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan there will be
no need to close goose hunting in that area for 5 days and thus lose
the ability to maintain harvest pressure on resident Canada geese. We
note that the most recent resident Canada goose estimate for the
Mississippi Flyway was a record high 1,767,900 geese during the spring
of 2012, 8 percent higher than the 2011 estimate of 1,629,800 geese,
and well above the Flyway's population goal of 1.18 to 1.40 million
birds. See 23. Other for further discussion on possession limits.
9. Sandhill Cranes
Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended
implementation of a 3-year, experimental 60-day sandhill crane season
in Tennessee beginning in the 2013-14 season.
The Central Flyway Council recommended increasing the season length
in North Dakota's eastern sandhill crane hunting zone (Area 2) from 37
to 58 days in length.
The Central and Pacific Flyway Councils recommend using the 2013
Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) sandhill crane harvest allocation of
771 birds as proposed in the allocation formula using the 3-year
running average of fall population estimates for 2010-12.
Service Response: We concur with the Mississippi Flyway Council's
recommendation concerning an experimental season in Tennessee. We note
that a management plan for the Eastern Population of sandhill cranes
was approved by the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway Councils in 2010.
The plan contained provisions and guidelines for establishing hunting
seasons in the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyway States if the fall
population was above a minimum threshold of 30,000 cranes. The
management plan also sets an overall harvest objective for an
individual State to be no more than 10 percent of the 5-year average
peak population estimate in that State. Since Tennessee's 5-year
average peak population count is 23,334 cranes, the State's maximum
allowable harvest would be 2,333 cranes. Tennessee's proposed
experimental season would limit the number of crane hunters to 775 with
each hunter receiving 3 tags for a maximum allowed harvest of 2,325
cranes. Given Tennessee's proposed harvest monitoring system, the
maximum allowed harvest of 2,333 cranes cannot be exceeded.
Additionally, we prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) on
the hunting of EP sandhill cranes in Tennessee as allowed under the
management plan. A copy of the draft EA and specifics of the two
alternatives we analyzed can be found on our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds, or at http://www.regulations.gov. Our EA
outlines two different approaches for assessing the ability of the EP
crane population to withstand the level of harvest contained in EP
management plan: (1) The potential biological removal allowance method;
and (2) a simple population
[[Page 45382]]
model using fall survey data and annual survival rates. The EA
concluded that the anticipated combined level of harvest and crippling
loss in Tennessee could be sustained by the proposed hunt. Furthermore,
population modeling indicated that any harvest below 2,000 birds would
still result in a growing population of EP cranes. We anticipate that
the proposed action to allow a new experimental EP crane hunt in
Tennessee, combined with the existing experimental EP crane season in
Kentucky, would result in a potential take of 1,875 cranes, or only 2.7
percent of the EP population being harvested, which is lower than the
percentage currently experienced in either the RMP or Mid-continent
Population. Thus, we believe the proposed action would still allow
positive growth of the EP sandhill crane population. We further believe
that we have fulfilled our NEPA obligation with the preparation of an
EA, and therefore an EIS is not required.
The proposed crane hunt in Tennessee would begin in early December
and continue until late January. These proposed season dates would
begin approximately 2 to 3 weeks after whooping cranes are normally
migrating through Tennessee and would reduce the likelihood that
sandhill crane hunters would encounter whooping cranes. We further note
that whooping cranes that migrate through Tennessee are part of the
experimental nonessential population of whooping cranes (NEP). In 2001,
the Service announced its intent to reintroduce whooping cranes (Grus
americana) into historic habitat in the eastern United States with the
intent to establish a migratory flock that would summer and breed in
Wisconsin, and winter in west-central Florida (66 FR 14107, March 9,
2001). We designated this reintroduced population as an NEP according
to section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (Act), as
amended (66 FR 33903, June 26, 2001). Mississippi and Atlantic Flyway
States within the NEP area maintain their management prerogatives
regarding the whooping crane. They are not directed by the
reintroduction program to take any specific actions to provide any
special protective measures, nor are they prevented from imposing
restrictions under State law, such as protective designations, and area
closures.
We also support the Central Flyway Council's recommendation to
increase the season length for midcontinent sandhill cranes in the
eastern zone of North Dakota (Area 2). However, we believe additional
information recently published on the demographics of this population
should be incorporated into a revised management plan, and that the
revised plan should include more specificity regarding how harvest
opportunities should be expanded and restricted based on population
status and harvest. Such a process is essential to successful,
collaborative management of shared populations by the Service and the
Flyways. We do not want to address regulatory changes in an incremental
manner and believe codifying specifically in a management plan how such
changes in harvest opportunities will occur would achieve that end.
We also agree with the Central and Pacific Flyway Councils'
recommendations on the RMP sandhill crane harvest allocation of 771
birds for the 2013-14 season, as outlined in the RMP sandhill crane
management plan's harvest allocation formula. The objective for RMP
sandhill cranes is to manage for a stable population index of 17,000-
21,000 cranes determined by an average of the three most recent,
reliable September (fall pre-migration) surveys. Additionally, the RMP
management plan allows for the regulated harvest of cranes when the 3-
year average of the population indices exceeds 15,000 cranes. In 2012,
15,417 cranes were counted in the September survey, a decrease from the
previous year's count of 17,494 birds. The most recent 3-year average
for the RMP sandhill crane fall index is 17,992, a decrease from the
previous 3-year average of 19,626.
14. Woodcock
In 2011, we implemented an interim harvest strategy for woodcock
for a period of 5 years (2011-15) (76 FR 19876, April 8, 2011). The
interim harvest strategy provides a transparent framework for making
regulatory decisions for woodcock season length and bag limit while we
work to improve monitoring and assessment protocols for this species.
Utilizing the criteria developed for the interim strategy, the 3-year
average for the Singing Ground Survey indices and associated confidence
intervals fall within the ``moderate package'' for both the Eastern and
Central Management Regions. As such, a ``moderate season'' for both
management regions for the 2013-14 woodcock hunting season is
appropriate for 2013. Specifics of the interim harvest strategy can be
found at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/NewsPublicationsReports.html.
15. Band-Tailed Pigeons
Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommended
reducing the daily bag limit from 5 to 2 pigeons for the Interior
Population.
Service Response: We have a long-standing practice of giving
considerable deference to harvest strategies developed in cooperative
Flyway management plans. However, a harvest strategy does not exist for
the Interior Population of band-tailed pigeons even though the
development of one was identified as a high priority when the
management plan was adopted in 2001. Because the Pacific Flyway
Council's recommendation is not supported by the Central Flyway at this
time, we recommend that the two Flyway Councils discuss this issue and
advise us of the results of these deliberations in their respective
recommendation packages from their meetings next March. It is our
desire to see adoption of a mutually acceptable harvest strategy for
this population as soon as possible.
16. Doves
Council Recommendations: The Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway
Councils recommended use of the ``moderate'' season framework for
States within the Eastern Management Unit population of mourning doves
resulting in a 70-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit. The daily bag
limit could be composed of mourning doves and white-winged doves,
singly or in combination.
The Mississippi and Central Flyway Councils recommend the use of
the standard (or ``moderate'') season package of a 15-bird daily bag
limit and a 70-day season for the 2013-14 mourning dove season in the
States within the Central Management Unit. The Central Flyway Council
previously recommended that the Special White-winged Dove Area be
expanded to Interstate Highway 37 in the 2013-14 season.
The Pacific Flyway Council recommended use of the ``moderate''
season framework for States in the Western Management Unit (WMU)
population of doves, which represents no change from last year's
frameworks.
The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific Flyway Councils
also recommended that the present interim mourning dove harvest
strategy be replaced by a new national mourning dove harvest strategy
for implementation beginning with the 2014-15 season. The new strategy
uses a discrete logistic growth model based on information derived from
the banding program, the Harvest Information Program, and the mourning
dove parts collection survey to predict mourning dove population size
in a Bayesian statistical framework. The method is similar to other
migratory bird strategies already in place and
[[Page 45383]]
performs better than several other modeling strategies that were
evaluated by the National Mourning Dove Task Force. The strategy uses
mourning dove population thresholds to determine a regulation package
for mourning doves for each year. The Central and Mississippi Flyway
Councils did, however, recommend several changes to the strategy,
including a reduced closure threshold, using a running 3-year average
of abundance in assessing regulatory change, and holding regulations
constant for 3 years.
Service Response: In 2008, we accepted and endorsed the interim
harvest strategies for the Central, Eastern, and Western Management
Units (73 FR 50678, August 27, 2008). As we stated then, the interim
mourning dove harvest strategies are a step towards implementing the
Mourning Dove National Strategic Harvest Plan (Plan) that was approved
by all four Flyway Councils in 2003. The Plan represents a new, more
informed means of decision-making for dove harvest management besides
relying solely on traditional roadside counts of mourning doves as
indicators of population trend. However, recognizing that a more
comprehensive, national approach would take time to develop, we
requested the development of interim harvest strategies, by management
unit, until the elements of the Plan can be fully implemented. In 2009,
the interim harvest strategies were successfully employed and
implemented in all three Management Units (74 FR 36870, July 24, 2009).
We concur with the Atlantic and Pacific Flyway Councils'
recommendations that the National mourning dove harvest strategy, as
developed by the Mourning Dove Task Force, be adopted this year for
implementation in 2014-15 hunting season. This strategy would replace
the Interim Harvest Strategies that have been in place since 2009.
While we appreciate the Central and Mississippi Flyway Councils'
recommendations supporting implementation of the National mourning dove
harvest, we do not support the changes proposed by the Central and
Mississippi Flyway Councils specific to the Central Management Unit.
More specifically, we do not support the reduced closure threshold,
using a running 3-year average of abundance in assessing regulatory
change, and holding regulations constant for at least 3 years. We
support continued development and further evaluation of the
modifications proposed by the Mississippi and Central Flyways,
including appropriate closure levels for each management unit based on
objective biological criteria. The Mourning Dove Task Force is a useful
venue for developing these issues for future consideration and
potential modification to the National Strategy.
This year, based on the interim harvest strategies and current
population status, we agree with the recommended selection of the
``moderate'' season frameworks for doves in the Eastern, Central, and
Western Management Units.
Regarding the Central Flyway Council's recommendation to expand the
Special White-winged Dove Area in Texas, we expressed our support for
this recommendation last year and addressed it in the August 30, 2012,
Federal Register (77 FR 53118). The then-approved changes take effect
this season.
22. Other
Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended
increasing the possession limits for sora and Virginia rails from 1 to
3 times the aggregate daily bag limit, consistent with the Council's
proposed bag limits for all other migratory game birds during normal
established hunting seasons.
The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific Flyway Councils
recommended increasing the possession limit from 2 to 3 times the daily
bag limit for doves.
The Pacific Flyway Council recommended increasing the possession
limit from 2 to 3 times the daily bag limit for band-tailed pigeons;
special September Canada goose seasons; snipe; falconry; and Alaska
seasons for brant, sandhill cranes, and geese (except dusky Canada
geese).
The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that the Service
increase the possession limit from 2 times to 3 times the daily bag
limit for all migratory game bird species and seasons except for Canada
geese, where they recommended that there be no possession limit, or
other overabundant species for which no current possession limits are
currently assigned (e.g., light geese), where there would continue to
be no possession limits. The Council also recommended increasing the
possession limits for sora and Virginia rails from 1 to 3 times the
aggregate daily bag limit, consistent with other possession limit
recommendations, and no change for those species that currently have
permit hunts (e.g., cranes and swans). The Council recommends these
changes be implemented beginning in the 2013-14 season. New and/or
experimental seasons could have different possession limits if
justified. The Council further recommended that possession limits not
apply at one's personal permanent residence and specifically
recommended language to modify 50 CFR 20.39 to do so.
Lastly, the Central Flyway Council recommended that the Service
develop a mechanism that allows not for profit community food
distribution centers to exceed possession limits for Canada geese
during the regular hunting season.
Service Response: The issue of possession limits was first raised
by the Flyway Councils in the summer of 2010. At that time, we stated
that we were generally supportive of the Flyways' interest in
increasing the possession limits for migratory game birds and
appreciated the discussions to frame this important issue (75 FR 58250,
September 23, 2010). We also stated that we believed there were many
unanswered questions regarding how this interest could be fully
articulated in a proposal that satisfies the harvest management
community, while fostering the support of the law enforcement community
and informing the general hunting public. Thus, we proposed the
creation of a cross-agency Working Group, chaired by the Service, and
comprised of staff from the Service's Migratory Bird Program, State
Wildlife Agency representatives, and Federal and State law enforcement
staff, to develop a recommendation that fully articulates a potential
change in possession limits. This effort would include a discussion of
the current status and use of possession limits, which populations and/
or species/species groups should not be included in any proposed
modification of possession limits, potential law enforcement issues,
and a reasonable timeline for the implementation of any such proposed
changes.
After discussions last year at the January SRC meeting, and March
and July Flyway Council meetings, the Atlantic, Central, and Pacific
Flyway Councils recommended that the Service increase the possession
limit from 2 times to 3 times the daily bag limit for all migratory
game bird species and seasons except for those species that currently
have possession limits of less than 2 times the daily bag limit (e.g.,
some rail species), for permit hunts (e.g., cranes and swans), and for
overabundant species for which no current possession limits are
assigned (e.g., light geese), beginning in the 2013-14 season (77 FR
58444; September 20, 2012). These recommendations from the Councils
were one such outgrowth of the efforts started in 2010. With the
Mississippi Flyway Council's recommendation and
[[Page 45384]]
the additional input and recommendations from all four Flyway Councils
from their March 2013 Council meetings, we believe the Flyway Councils'
consensus approach of moving from 2 times to 3 times the daily bag
limit is appropriate for implementation beginning with the 2013-14
season. Thus, we propose to increase the possession limit for all
species for which we currently have possession limits of twice the
daily bag limit to three times the daily bag limit. We also propose to
include sora and Virginia rails in this possession limit increase.
Possession limits for other species and hunts for which the possession
limit is equal to the daily bag limit would remain unchanged, as would
permit hunts for species such as swans and some crane populations.
Additionally, as we discussed in the April 9 and June 14 proposed
rules, when our initial review of possession limits was instituted in
2010, we also realized that a review of possession limits could not be
adequately conducted without expanding the initial review to include
other possession-related regulations. In particular, it was our belief
that any potential increase in the possession limits should be done in
concert with a review and update of the wanton waste regulations in 50
CFR 20.25. We believed it prudent to review some of the long-standing
sources of confusion (for both hunters and law enforcement) regarding
wanton waste. A review of the current Federal wanton waste regulations,
along with various State wanton waste regulations, has been recently
completed, and we anticipate publishing a proposed rule this summer to
revise 50 CFR 20.25.
Lastly, we recognize that there are other important issues
surrounding possession that need to be reviewed, such as termination of
possession (as recommended by the Mississippi Flyway Council). However,
that issue is a much larger and more complex review than the wanton
waste regulations and the possession limit regulations. We anticipate
starting a review of termination of possession regulations upon
completion of changes to the wanton waste regulations.
Regarding the Central Flyway Council's recommendation to allow food
banks to exceed possession limits for Canada geese, we note that this
issue is outside the scope of this proposed rule. Such a proposal would
require a change to 50 CFR 20.33 and would require a separate
rulemaking process.
Public Comments
The Department of the Interior's policy is, whenever possible, to
afford the public an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking
process. Accordingly, we invite interested persons to submit written
comments, suggestions, or recommendations regarding the proposed
regulations. Before promulgating final migratory game bird hunting
regulations, we will consider all comments we receive. These comments,
and any additional information we receive, may lead to final
regulations that differ from these proposals.
You may submit your comments and materials concerning this proposed
rule by one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section. We will not
accept comments sent by email or fax. We will not consider hand-
delivered comments that we do not receive, or mailed comments that are
not postmarked, by the date specified in the DATES section.
We will post all comments in their entirety--including your
personal identifying information--on http://www.regulations.gov. Before
including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting
documentation we used in preparing this proposed rule, will be
available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by
appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, Room 4107,
4501 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203.
For each series of proposed rulemakings, we will establish specific
comment periods. We will consider, but possibly may not respond in
detail to, each comment. As in the past, we will summarize all comments
we receive during the comment period and respond to them after the
closing date in the preambles of any final rules.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
The programmatic document, ``Final Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement: Issuance of Annual Regulations Permitting the Sport
Hunting of Migratory Birds (FSES 88-14),'' filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) on June 9, 1988, addresses NEPA compliance by
the Service for issuance of the annual framework regulations for
hunting of migratory game bird species. We published a notice of
availability in the Federal Register on June 16, 1988 (53 FR 22582),
and our Record of Decision on August 18, 1988 (53 FR 31341). We also
address NEPA compliance for waterfowl hunting frameworks through the
annual preparation of separate environmental assessments, the most
recent being ``Duck Hunting Regulations for 2012-13,'' with its
corresponding August 23, 2012, finding of no significant impact. We
will prepare another separate EA for 2013-14 waterfowl hunting
frameworks this summer. In addition, an August 1985 environmental
assessment entitled ``Guidelines for Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations
on Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands'' is available from the
address indicated under the caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
In a notice published in the September 8, 2005, Federal Register
(70 FR 53376), the Service announced its intent to develop a new
supplemental environmental impact statement for the migratory bird
hunting program. We held public scoping meetings in the spring of 2006,
as announced in a March 9, 2006, Federal Register notice (71 FR 12216).
We published the 2010 draft supplemental environmental impact statement
in the Federal Register on July 9, 2010 (73 FR 39577). The public
comment period closed on March 26, 2011. On May 31, 2013, we published
a notice of availability in the Federal Register (78 FR 32686)
announcing a Second Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
for the Issuance of Annual Regulations Permitting the Hunting of
Migratory Birds. The programmatic document was filed with the EPA on
May 24, 2013, pursuant to the NEPA. The public review period ended July
1, 2013.
Below is the Service's Record of Decision (RoD) for the migratory
bird hunting program, prepared pursuant to National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) regulations at 40 CFR 1505.2. We have provided it
here in its entirety. This RoD was developed by the Service in
compliance with the agency decision-making requirements of NEPA. The
purpose of this RoD is to document the Service's decision for the
selection of an alternative for the issuance of annual regulations
permitting the hunting of migratory birds. Alternatives have been fully
described and evaluated in the May 2013 Second Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement for the Issuance of Annual Regulations
Permitting the Hunting of Migratory Birds.
[[Page 45385]]
This RoD is intended to: (a) State the Service's decision, present
the rationale for its selection, and describe its implementation; (b)
identify the alternatives considered in reaching the decision; and (c)
state whether all means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from
implementation of the selected alternative have been adopted (40 CFR
1505.2).
Record of Decision--Second Final Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Issuance of Annual Regulations Permitting the Hunting
of Migratory Birds
Through this Record of Decision (RoD), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (Service) selects alternatives for the seven regulatory
components considered for establishing annual regulations for the
hunting of migratory birds in the United States. This RoD includes
brief summaries of the alternatives considered, the public involvement
process, and the rationale for selecting an alternative for each of the
seven regulatory components considered, as described in the Final
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS), for issuance of
annual migratory bird hunting regulations. In all cases, the
``preferred'' alternative is also the environmentally preferred one.
Description of the Seven Regulatory Components and Alternatives
Considered Under Each
1. Schedule and Timing of the General Regulatory Process
Promulgation of annual hunting regulations relies on a well-defined
process of monitoring, data collection, and scientific assessment. At
key points during that process, Flyway Technical Committees, Flyway
Councils, and the public review and provide valuable input on technical
assessments or other documents related to proposed regulatory
frameworks. The Service then finalizes the frameworks and forwards them
to the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and
Parks for final approval. After approval, each State selects its
seasons, usually following its own schedule of public hearings and
other deliberations. After State selections are completed, the Service
adopts them as Federal regulations by publication in the Federal
Register.
Alternative 1: (no change alternative). Promulgate annual
regulations using separate early and late season processes based on
previous or current year biological information and established harvest
strategies.
Alternative 2: (preferred alternative). Promulgate annual
regulations using a single process for early and late seasons based on
predictions derived from long-term biological information and
established harvest strategies.
Alternative 3: Promulgate biennial (or longer) regulations using
separate early and late season processes.
Alternative 4: Promulgate biennial (or longer) regulations using a
single process for early and late seasons.
Decision: The Service has selected Alternative 2 as described in
the FSEIS for implementation. Alternative 2 is the most effective
alternative for addressing key issues identified during the planning
process and will best achieve the purposes and goals of the Service and
States. Implementation of the preferred alternative is targeted for the
2015-16 regulations cycle.
Factors Considered in Making the Decision: In reaching this
decision, the Service reviewed and considered the following: Impacts
identified in Chapter 6 of the draft and FSEIS; relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities presented by agencies, organizations, and
individuals throughout the planning process, including comments on the
draft and FSEIS; and other relevant factors, including statutory and
regulatory guidance.
The Service concludes that the impact of Alternative 2 on hunted
populations of migratory birds compared to the no change alternative is
likely to be minimal. Alternative 2 combines the current early and late
season regulatory actions into a single process. Regulatory proposals
will be developed using biological data from the preceding year(s),
model predictions, or most recently accumulated data that are available
at the time the proposals are being formulated. Individual harvest
strategies will be modified using either data from the previous year(s)
or model predictions because the current year's data would not be
available for many of the strategies. Considerable technical work will
be necessary over a period of years to adjust the underlying biological
models to the new regulatory time scale. During this transition period,
harvest strategies and prescriptions will be modified to fit into the
new regulatory schedule. These adjustments could be accomplished
immediately upon adoption of the new process. Many existing regulatory
prescriptions used for Canada geese and sandhill cranes currently work
on this basis. The process will be somewhat less precise in some
instances because population projections would be used instead of
current-year status information. The use of population projections
rather than current-year population estimates would add variability to
the population estimate from which the regulations are based. However,
the uncertainty associated with these status predictions will be
accounted for and incorporated into the process. This uncertainty will
not result in a disproportionately higher harvest rate for any stock,
either annually or on a cumulative basis, because these regulations
likely would become slightly more conservative due to the increased
uncertainty of the population status. Additionally, under this
alternative, the SRC will meet in March or April (exact dates would be
determined in consultation with the four Flyway Councils). Proposed
frameworks will be available for public review by early June. Final
frameworks will be published by mid-August. The schedule proposed under
Alternative 2 will allow 30-60 days for public input and comments
(currently the comment period is as short as 10 days). The four Flyway
Councils could meet only once instead of twice, and the SRC will meet
twice a year, once in January and once in March-April, instead of the
three times they currently convene. The reduced number of meetings
could lower administrative costs by 40 percent per year and
substantially lower the Service's carbon footprint due to a decrease in
travel and a reduction in the costs associated with the additional
meetings.
2. Frequency of Review and Adoption of Duck Regulatory Packages
Duck regulatory packages are the set of framework regulations that
apply to the general duck hunting seasons. Packages include opening and
closing dates, season lengths, daily bag limits, and shooting hours.
Current regulatory packages contain a set of frameworks for each of the
four flyways and a set of four regulatory alternatives: restrictive
(relatively short seasons and low daily bag limits), moderate
(intermediate season lengths and daily bag limits), liberal (longer
seasons and higher daily bag limits), and closed. The differences in
season lengths and daily bag limits among flyways reflect the historic
differences in waterfowl abundance and hunter numbers in these regions.
Each regulatory package has an associated target harvest rate, which is
based on mallards since mallards are the most well-studied and most
heavily harvested (nationally) of all duck species. Each year the
adaptive harvest management (AHM) models are run, with the most up-to-
date harvest survey data included, and one of the regulatory
alternatives
[[Page 45386]]
(i.e., closed, restrictive, moderate, or liberal) is selected based on
the AHM process. These regulatory packages apply to all duck species
except those for which specific individual harvest strategies exist or,
in some cases, for species in which separate daily bag limits have been
established. Daily bag limit restrictions within the general duck
seasons are used to limit the harvest of certain less abundant species
(e.g., American black duck, wood duck, mottled duck).
Importantly, when employing the AHM approach, the regulatory
packages should remain relatively constant over time, because the
optimization process assumes that the expected harvest rates resulting
from the various packages remains constant. However, the uncertainty in
harvest rates from what is projected and what is realized in any given
year is a component that is accounted for in the process; thus, there
is room for modification. Recognizing the desire of many constituents
to make adjustments to the basic packages, a regular process to review
and incorporate possible modifications is necessary and appropriate.
The intent, regardless of the alternative selected below, is to have
the first open review and possible modification of these packages begin
in the year following the finalization of the FSEIS.
Alternative 1: (no change alternative). Regulatory packages adopted
annually.
Duck regulatory packages are currently reviewed and adopted on an
annual basis (see above). This would continue under this alternative.
Alternative 2: (preferred alternative). Establish regulatory
packages for 5-year periods.
A description of duck regulatory packages is provided above. Under
this alternative, the set of regulatory packages would be adopted for a
5-year period instead of annually, and changes would be considered at
the time of renewal. The first review period would coincide with the
initial implementation of the proposed action.
Decision: The Service has selected Alternative 2 as described in
the FSEIS for implementation. Alternative 2 is the most effective
alternative for addressing key issues identified during the planning
process and will best achieve the purposes and goals of the Service and
States. Implementation of the preferred alternative is targeted for the
2015-16 regulations cycle or as soon as is technically feasible.
Factors Considered in Making the Decision: In reaching this
decision, the Service reviewed and considered the following: Impacts
identified in Chapter 6 of the draft and FSEIS; relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities presented by agencies, organizations, and
individuals throughout the planning process, including comments on the
draft and FSEIS; and other relevant factors, including statutory and
regulatory guidance.
The Service concludes that Alternative 2 allowing review and
adoption of regulatory packages every 5 years instead of annually is
the best course of action balancing the need for consistent regulatory
actions with the need for occasional adjustments. Adopting such a
process will result in limited impacts on population status. Limiting
changes to a 5-year interval is expected to result in an improvement
over the current situation. The improvement should result because of
the reduced variability in harvest rates that are expected when
compared to allowing annual changes in the basic duck regulatory
packages. Adopting packages annually as is presently done could
increase variability, if the packages are actually changed annually. In
fact, and in recognition of this problem, the Service has kept packages
stable, although it reviews and adopts them each year. Alternative 2
will minimize the frequency of changes, thereby improving the learning
potential under the AHM process, while still affording the option to
adjust packages at regular intervals in recognition of changing bird
status, environmental conditions, and socioeconomic changes.
3. Stock-Specific Harvest Strategies
Harvest strategies have been developed for stocks deemed not
biologically capable of sustaining the same harvest levels that jointly
managed stocks are capable of sustaining, or whose migration and
distribution do not conform to patterns followed by the most commonly
harvested species. There also is a desire to have a known set of
conditions under which regulations would be changed for species covered
by these strategies. The formal strategies provide this information by
describing abundance levels and other demographic factors that would
result in changes in harvest opportunity. Stock-specific harvest
strategies formally adopted by the Service include those for American
black ducks, canvasbacks, northern pintails, and scaup. In addition, an
interim harvest strategy was recently developed and proposed for
approval for mourning doves starting with the 2014-15 hunting season. A
draft harvest strategy for wood ducks may be developed and considered
for adoption in the future. The Service has adopted stock-specific
strategies for ducks and mourning doves through the Federal Register
process. Harvest guidelines for goose, swan and crane populations are
addressed in flyway-specific management plans. Although these harvest
guidelines are not formally adopted by the Service, the Service gives
strong consideration to these plans when formulating annual regulatory
proposals.
Alternative 1: (no change, preferred alternative). Continue use of
currently employed stock-specific harvest strategies and develop new
strategies when necessary.
Alternative 2: Significantly reduce the use of stock-specific
harvest strategies.
This action would be accomplished by reducing general seasons to a
structure that can be sustained by more stocks than the existing
aggregate structures are able to sustain. For example, a simplified set
of regulations for general duck seasons would result in a reduction in
the number of separate harvest strategies that would be needed for
ducks (e.g., duck limits overall would be reduced to those appropriate
for scaup or northern pintails, whichever of these required the most
conservative regulations).
Alternative 3: Expand the use of stock-specific harvest strategies
to include most individual stocks.
This alternative would lead to additional stock-specific
regulations that would eventually result in separate hunting seasons
for most, if not all, recognized stocks for which harvest is allowed.
Decision: The Service has selected Alternative 1 as described in
the FSEIS for implementation. Alternative 1 is the most effective
alternative for addressing key issues identified during the planning
process and will best achieve the purposes and goals of the Service and
States. Implementation of the preferred alternative is targeted for the
2015-16 regulations cycle or as soon as is technically feasible.
Factors Considered in Making the Decision: In reaching this
decision, the Service reviewed and considered the following: Impacts
identified in Chapter 6 of the draft and FSEIS; relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities presented by agencies, organizations, and
individuals throughout the planning process, including comments on the
draft and FSEIS; and other relevant factors, including statutory and
regulatory guidance.
The Service concludes that the use of stock-specific harvest
strategies protects individual species deemed biologically incapable of
sustaining the harvest levels imposed by the current AHM process based
on mallard status.
[[Page 45387]]
Alternative 1 reduces the risk of overharvesting specific stocks
without unnecessarily reducing harvest opportunities on more abundant
species. Alternative 1 allows hunters, businesses, and governments to
plan for hunting expenses and regulations in advance, since it provides
a set of conditions under which regulations would be changed, and the
extent of change in those regulations. However, adding additional
strategies could increase regulatory complexity because there could be
new strategies and associated regulations developed, as needed, to
address additional stocks of migratory birds. Any new strategies will
also increase the cost of the annual regulatory process. Thus, new
strategies will only be added when there is a clear need and after
consultation with State partners. New strategies will be proposed, and
the public will be provided opportunities for comment. The Service will
continue the current policy of reviewing, revising and/or eliminating
strategies to reflect changes in the status and technical understanding
of the strategies that are in use.
4. Special Regulations
Special regulations differ from stock-specific harvest strategies
because they entail additional days of harvest opportunity outside the
established frameworks for general seasons, but within the 107-day
limit mandated by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-712).
Special regulations are employed to provide additional harvest
opportunity on overabundant stocks, stocks that are lightly harvested
and can sustain greater harvest pressure when harvest can be achieved
without appreciable impacts to nontarget species, and/or stocks whose
migration and distribution provide opportunities outside the time
period in which regular seasons are held. An important tenet of special
regulations is that harvest pressure can be effectively directed
primarily at target stocks that can be temporally and geographically
isolated so as to avoid nontarget take. Currently, special regulations
include: (1) September teal seasons in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and
Central Flyways; (2) September teal and wood duck seasons in Florida,
Kentucky, and Tennessee; (3) the special sea duck season along the
Atlantic Coast; and (4) special regulations on overabundant resident
Canada geese. The Service has required that States implementing special
regulations conduct experiments that assess the biological impacts of
those seasons on both target and non-target stocks.
Alternative 1: (no change alternative). No change to currently
allowed special regulations.
Maintain requirement for experimental evaluation of any proposed
new special regulations and periodic assessments of the effects of
special regulations to determine whether they are still justified.
Alternative 2: (preferred alternative). Eliminate experimental
evaluation requirements for special regulations on overabundant
resident Canada geese, except for areas where previous evaluations
indicate an unacceptable level of take of migrant Canada geese, and in
areas which have not conducted evaluations where one could reasonably
expect an unacceptable level of take of migrant Canada geese (e.g.,
areas in northern States). All special Canada goose seasons require
Flyway Council endorsement, and Flyway Councils may request evaluations
as part of the approval process if they believe such evaluations to be
warranted. Additionally, if conditions are believed to have changed,
new evaluations can be conducted for areas in which prior evaluations
failed with respect to the take of migrant Canada geese. The Service
may periodically re-evaluate existing special regulations for other
species/stocks on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they are
still justified, and will continue to require experiments for any other
types of new special regulations. The Service will undertake a review
of the Special harvest regulations in place for sea ducks.
Decision: The Service has selected Alternative 2 as described in
the FSEIS for implementation. Alternative 2 is the most effective
alternative for addressing key issues identified during the planning
process and will best achieve the purposes and goals of the Service and
States. Implementation of the preferred alternative is targeted for the
2015-16 regulations cycle or as soon following as is technically
feasible.
Factors Considered in Making the Decision: In reaching this
decision, the Service reviewed and considered the following: Impacts
identified in Chapter 6 of the draft and FSEIS; relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities presented by agencies, organizations, and
individuals throughout the planning process, including comments on the
draft and FSEIS; and other relevant factors, including statutory and
regulatory guidance.
The Service concludes that several target populations will benefit
from the biological review that would determine if special harvest
opportunities were still warranted. In particular, special seasons for
sea ducks and teal will be considered. Elimination of experimental
season evaluations for overabundant resident Canada geese is not
expected to alter their population status, but is expected to expedite
actions designed to increase harvest of these birds. Sufficient
experimentation already has been conducted, and the results indicate
that these seasons will not endanger the resident geese. There are some
risks to non-target migrant Canada goose populations; however, recent
studies provide sufficient data regarding select areas where such
seasons could pose a problem for non-target goose populations and those
areas will be addressed on a case-by-case basis to ensure non-resident
stocks are not negatively impacted.
Alternative 2 could lead to increased administrative costs
associated with the re-evaluation of the existing special regulations.
The Service has historically reviewed special regulations when changes
in status or environmental conditions suggest there is a reason to do
so. This alternative continues that practice. Although there could be
an initial increase in cost associated with such re-evaluations, there
could also be financial savings associated with elimination of the
experimental evaluation requirement for most resident Canada goose
special regulations. Depending on findings, the results of those
evaluations could lead to expansion of one or more of the current
special duck seasons or establishment of additional special seasons,
either of which would result in more hunting opportunity and the
associated economic benefits. On the other hand, evaluations could lead
to reduction or elimination of one or more current special seasons,
resulting in reduced hunting opportunity and some negative impacts on
local economies. Expediting the approval of additional special
regulations for resident Canada geese would increase harvest and result
in fewer of those birds, which in turn would reduce crop depredation
and other conflicts caused by their overabundance.
5. Management Scale for the Harvest of Migratory Birds
Management scale is defined as the geographic area in which stocks
are monitored and harvest is managed. Determining the appropriate scale
of harvest management is important for two primary reasons: (1) Scale
determines the degree to which harvest regulations can differ
geographically, and (2) management at smaller geographic scales commits
management agencies to increased monitoring efforts
[[Page 45388]]
on greater numbers of stocks of migratory birds. The finer the scale of
management employed in harvest management, the higher the cost of
monitoring to management agencies. The desire for smaller management
scales is driven by the potential for increased harvest opportunity
associated with more refined geographic management.
Alternative 1: (no change, preferred alternative). Maintain the
current scale of management for all migratory bird species.
Under this alternative, ducks would be managed by flyway on the
basis of three mallard stocks: Eastern, western, and mid-continent. For
duck species that are covered by harvest strategies (e.g., pintails,
scaup, and canvasbacks), the management scale would continue to be
continental. New strategies would include geographic definitions of the
applicable scale as part of their descriptions. American woodcock would
continue to be managed as two units and mourning doves as three.
Sandhill cranes, geese, tundra swans, and band-tailed pigeons would be
managed as the currently defined individual populations. American black
duck and wood duck seasons would remain as currently implemented. All
geographic scales would be subject to periodic review and revision when
new information becomes available, or if population distributions shift
markedly in the future. This approach provides considerable allowances
for differences in hunting opportunity based on geographic differences
in population status and distribution, yet limits the number of
different stocks that require individual monitoring to a manageable
level.
Alternative 2: Expand the existing management scale by reverting to
a single continental management scale for population monitoring of
ducks, mourning doves, and American woodcock. The existing harvest-
management units (e.g., flyways, management units) would be maintained
to account for regional differences in hunter numbers and harvest
pressure.
This alternative would establish a continental scale for the
monitoring of migratory game birds and harvest management decisions.
Regional differences in population status and trends would not be taken
into account when making regulatory decisions. The only geographic
differences in harvest opportunity would be based on the traditional
differences that have been established among flyways and among/between
ducks, mourning dove, tundra swan, and American woodcock management
units.
Alternative 3: Work to further geographically refine the scale of
duck harvest management, and maintain existing management scales for
other stocks.
Monitoring programs would be established wherever sufficient
biological evidence suggests further geographic refinement is possible
for any stocks. The monitoring programs would allow for differential
harvest regulations within the defined range of each stock.
Conceptually, this would greatly increase the number of stocks for
which separate regulations would be established independently. This
could include subdividing the traditional management units of flyways
(in the case of ducks), or the management units, in the case of
mourning doves or American woodcock.
Decision: The Service has selected Alternative 1 as described in
the FSEIS for implementation. Alternative 1 is the most effective
alternative for addressing key issues identified during the planning
process and will best achieve the purposes and goals of the Service and
States. Implementation of the preferred alternative is targeted for the
2015-16 regulations cycle or as soon following as is technically
feasible.
Factors Considered in Making the Decision: In reaching this
decision, the Service reviewed and considered the following: Impacts
identified in Chapter 6 of the draft and FSEIS; relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities presented by agencies, organizations, and
individuals throughout the planning process, including comments on the
draft and FSEIS; and other relevant factors, including statutory and
regulatory guidance.
The Service concludes that Alternative 1 ensures sustainable
continental populations of mallards and other duck species that are the
subjects of species-specific harvest strategies, because those harvest
strategies are supported by adequate population size, harvest
monitoring programs, and other relevant population statistics.
Likewise, geese, mourning doves, woodcock, sandhill cranes, tundra
swans, and band-tailed pigeons are monitored at their current
management scales to ensure sustainability. However, if distinct
subpopulations exist within any of the currently defined populations/
species, and have demographics that differ greatly from the management-
scale-wide average, those subpopulations could undergo undetected
growth or decline under Alternative 1. Coots, gallinules, moorhens,
snipe, and rails will be managed at the continental scale under this
alternative. Alternative 1 maintains the traditional approach of
allowing for recognition of geographic variation in harvest opportunity
while maintaining a relatively limited number of geographic units that
must be monitored and managed separately. Costs of monitoring and
managing at the current scale have been considered acceptable to the
public and the cooperating management agencies. To date, the level of
hunting opportunity that this alternative affords has been adequate to
satisfy migratory bird hunters in most years. This approach represents
a compromise between recognition of existing natural variation in
abundance and distribution with the costs associated with managing at
more refined geographic scales, such as is considered in Alternative 3
for this component.
6. Zones and Split Seasons
A zone is a geographic area or portion of a State, with a
contiguous boundary, for which an independent season may be selected. A
split is a situation where a season is broken into two or more segments
with a closed period between segments. The combination of zones and
split seasons allows a State to maximize harvest opportunity within the
Federal frameworks without exceeding the number of days allowed for a
given season. Guidelines for the use of zones and splits have been
formalized for ducks and doves. For these species, States select zone/
split configurations for 5-year periods. After each 5 year period,
States have the opportunity to change their configurations within the
provisions of the guidelines. The use of zones and split seasons for
other migratory game birds is handled on a case-by-case basis. Refer to
Chapter 2 of the FSEIS for a more in-depth description of zones and
splits.
Alternative 1: (no change, preferred alternative). Continue the
current use of zones and split seasons and the 5-year schedule for
consideration of changes for ducks and doves within established zones/
splits guidelines. Goose and crane zones may be adjusted annually.
Alternative 2: Allow annual adjustments to zone/split-season
configurations for all migratory game birds.
Decision: The Service has selected Alternative 1 as described in
the FSEIS for implementation. Alternative 1 is the most effective
alternative for addressing key issues identified during the planning
process and will best achieve the purposes and goals of the Service and
States. Implementation of the preferred alternative is targeted for the
[[Page 45389]]
2015-16 regulations cycle or as soon following as is technically
feasible.
Factors Considered in Making the Decision: In reaching this
decision, the Service reviewed and considered the following: Impacts
identified in Chapter 6 of the draft and FSEIS; relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities presented by agencies, organizations, and
individuals throughout the planning process, including comments on the
draft and FSEIS; and other relevant factors, including statutory and
regulatory guidance.
The Service recognizes that the use of zones and split seasons
results in some additional harvest, but the incremental impacts of each
State's existing zone and split season configuration on the overall
harvest of ducks and doves are not anticipated to be significant at the
population level. However, most duck and dove populations are stable or
increasing, indicating that within the context of other framework
regulations, current zone and split season configurations are not
adversely impacting those populations. When reductions in harvest are
necessary, they are accomplished through framework regulations, taking
into account the effects of existing zone and split season
configurations. Thus, Alternative 1 is not expected to have any
measurable impacts on target duck and dove populations compared to
current practice. The use of zones and split seasons enables States to
better maximize hunting opportunity, thereby encouraging participation
in migratory bird hunting and resulting in increased benefits to local
economies. Alternative 1 would maintain those benefits at current
levels. Limiting the frequency of potential changes to the proposed 5-
year interval for zone/split-season configurations continues to be
somewhat less responsive to public desires for adjustments, but there
is no evidence that this has impacted hunter participation negatively.
States incur some costs associated with contacting their hunting
publics to assess their desires with regard to zone locations and dates
for split seasons, primarily through public meetings and surveys.
7. Subsistence-Harvest Regulatory Process
Regulations governing the subsistence harvest of migratory birds
provide a framework that enables the continuation of customary and
traditional subsistence uses of migratory birds in Alaska. These
regulations are subject to annual review and are developed under a co-
management process involving the Service, the Alaska Department of Fish
and Game, and Alaska Native representatives. This annual review process
establishes regulations that prescribe frameworks for dates when
harvesting of birds may occur, species that can be taken, and methods
and means that are excluded from use.
Alternative 1: (no change, preferred alternative). Allow a spring-
summer subsistence hunting season with regulations necessary to ensure
the long-term conservation of the migratory bird resource.
Under this alternative, the Service would allow a spring-summer
harvest of migratory birds. The harvest would, to the extent possible,
be consistent with the customary and traditional subsistence harvest of
migratory birds by Alaskan indigenous inhabitants, while providing for
the long-term sustained use of the migratory bird resource. Egg
gathering would be consistent with the customary and traditional
subsistence harvest of eggs by Alaskan indigenous inhabitants. Only
bird populations that are determined to be capable of supporting this
sustained use would be open to harvest.
In general, the Service will consider the following actions when
establishing subsistence hunting regulations consistent with the long-
term conservation of species open to subsistence harvest. The species
open to harvest will be determined annually based on conservation
status and a determination that harvest is consistent with long-term
conservation. The secondary consideration of the Service in
establishing subsistence harvest regulations will be to preserve the
customary and traditional practices of the rural residents of Alaska to
the maximum extent possible after ensuring the long-term conservation
of species harvested. The third consideration of the Service in
establishing subsistence harvest regulations will be to determine that
the proposed harvest is consistent with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
(MBTA), as modified by amendments to the Protocols of Migratory Bird
Treaties with Canada and Mexico. A summary of the potential management
tools that could be employed to regulate subsistence harvest under
these actions is as follows:
(A) Closures to protect nesting birds. For all species, the Service
will require at least a 30 day closure to protect nesting birds. In-
season closures of a minimum of 30 days will be set for each region to
protect nesting birds. The closed period will apply every year;
however, the dates of the closures may be altered to adapt to changes
in the nesting cycle of birds. Regions may have different closures for
different taxonomic groups. Closures may be set in advance in
regulation or may be set in-season, based upon data collected by field
biologists and subsistence users. In the case of closures set in-
season, the dates will be announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service Regional Director (or designee) and then broadcast widely.
(B) Species closures to all harvest. Seasons for certain species
may be closed when there is a conservation concern. Harvest will be
resumed when the species recovers to a status sufficient to ensure
sustainability.
(C) Species closures to egg-gathering. Species may be closed to
egg-gathering when there is a conservation concern. Egg harvest may be
resumed when the species recovers to a status sufficient to ensure
sustainability.
(D) Special area closure. A defined area may be closed to all
harvest of a species when there is a conservation concern. The closure
may be lifted when the species has recovered. A defined area also may
be closed to all harvest of a particular species when the species in
question has not been traditionally harvested or when the Regional
Council, which represents the land in question, recommends the closure.
(E) Early season closure. A season may be closed early for a
defined area to protect birds staging during migration when there is a
conservation concern or the birds are vulnerable to excessive harvest.
(F) Establishment of a community bag limit. A community or regional
bag limit may be implemented only in the case in which the affected
species would otherwise be closed to all harvest.
(G) Special opening for a specified area. Special openings (i.e.,
egg gathering) may be created to allow for the customary and
traditional use of a migratory bird species in areas that are not
otherwise eligible to participate in subsistence harvest seasons. Such
areas will be recommended by Regional Councils, and such
recommendations will be based on evidence of customary and traditional
subsistence harvest practices.
(H) Individual bag limits. Personal harvester bag limits may be
imposed in the case of a declining population of a species that would
otherwise be closed, or an increasing population that is closed to
harvest and would not otherwise be open. Personal bag limits will be
employed only after consultation with respective regional management
bodies affected through the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council
(AMBCC) process described in Appendix 6 of the FEIS.
[[Page 45390]]
Alternative 2: Open a spring-summer subsistence hunting season that
incorporates fall-winter hunting season regulations (e.g., bag limits,
shooting hours).
Under this alternative, the Service would replace the current
spring-summer subsistence hunting season regulations with regulations
consistent with the fall harvest. Methods and means required for fall-
winter hunting would be adopted, daily bag limits for individual
hunters would be imposed, and fall regulations concerning exchange and
transport of birds and bird parts would apply. Egg gathering would, to
the extent possible, be consistent with the customary and traditional
subsistence harvest of eggs by Alaskan indigenous inhabitants.
The regulations at title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), part 20, subpart C (Taking), apply in this alternative with the
exception of closed seasons (Sec. 20.22). 50 CFR 20, subpart D
(Possession), also applies with the exception of Sec. 20.32. The final
frameworks approved by the Secretary of the Interior for the Pacific
Flyway season would apply with the following exceptions: (1) Shooting
hours would not be specified; (2) the season would be from April 2
through August 31; and (3) the closed periods to protect nesting birds
described in Alternative 1 would apply.
Decision: The Service has selected Alternative 1 as described in
the FSEIS for implementation. Alternative 1 is the most effective
alternative for addressing key issues identified during the planning
process and will best achieve the purposes and goals of the Service and
States. Implementation of the preferred alternative is targeted for the
2015-16 regulations cycle or as soon following as is technically
feasible.
Factors Considered in Making the Decision: In reaching this
decision, the Service reviewed and considered the following: Impacts
identified in Chapter 6 of the draft and FSEIS; relevant issues,
concerns, and opportunities presented by agencies, organizations, and
individuals throughout the planning process, including comments on the
draft and FSEIS; and other relevant factors, including statutory and
regulatory guidance.
The preamble of the 1995 Protocol to the Migratory Bird Treaty
Amendment states, ``. . . it is not the intent of this Protocol to
cause significant increases in the take of species of migratory birds
relative to their continental population sizes.'' The use of household
surveys of subsistence harvest areas will enable tracking of
participation in subsistence harvest activities and the extent of the
take. Should the harvest significantly increase relative to continental
populations, then regulatory actions would be taken to keep harvest in
compliance with the 1995 Protocol.
Under Alternative 1, law enforcement efforts will be carried out
commensurate with threats to migratory bird populations to ensure that
compliance is achieved to maintain harvest at prescribed levels. The
subsistence economies of rural areas will continue to benefit from an
important food resource which is traditionally shared among members of
a community. In addition, this alternative promotes the establishment
of regulations recommended by the AMBCC which, along with the regional
management bodies, is the embodiment of the co-management process.
Greater compliance with regulations developed through the co-management
process is more likely than with Alternative 2. By being part of the
regulatory process, subsistence hunters, and those who share in the
harvest, will have a sense of ownership, leading to greater compliance.
An example of how this has worked in the past is the population
recovery of cackling Canada geese that nest on the Yukon-Kuskokwim
Delta, in Alaska. The institution of the Hooper Bay agreement in
advance of the Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment led to reduced
subsistence and reduced fall-winter harvests of cackling Canada geese
and helped the population recover from a low of about 25,000 birds to
the current population size of approximately 200,000. Participation in
the regulatory process also is anticipated to result in greater
participation in the harvest survey. Broader coverage of the survey
would lead to more accurate harvest data because it would include the
harvest of more of the subsistence hunter population.
Avoiding and Minimizing Environmental Harm
The above seven components of the annual regulatory process are
designed to continue and improve the long-standing Federal process for
establishing regulations for hunting migratory birds. These components
continue the process that has maintained this harvest consistent with
the long-term conservation of the species and populations that are
harvested. The preferred alternatives selected for these components
will reduce the administrative burden and thus reduce the carbon
footprint by both Federal and State government agencies by reducing the
number of meetings conducted annually to establish these regulations.
In addition, changing the timing of the meetings will now allow for a
greater opportunity for public input and consideration of the proposed
annual regulations. The changed process will also allow for periodic
modifications of the underlying regulatory packages at 5-year intervals
to better address potential changes in environmental conditions caused
by factors other than hunting (i.e., climate change). These changes are
possible due to improved technical understanding gained through decades
of monitoring and assessment of these biological systems. This process
will not alter the continued development and improvement of such
understanding of the biological systems, as monitoring and assessment
will continue on an annual basis.
Public Involvement
Scoping is the initial stage of the EIS process used to design the
extent and influence of an action. On September 8, 2005, the Service
published a notice of intent to prepare a SEIS on the hunting of
migratory birds under the authority of the MBTA (70 FR 53376). On March
9, 2006, the Service subsequently announced a total of 12 public
meetings to be held across the United States to accept public and
agency comment on the scope and relevant issues that should be
addressed in the SEIS (71 FR 12216). In addition to these public
meetings, the Service established a Web site to receive electronic
comments and solicited written comments. The Service also announced
that all comments received from the initiation of this process on
September 8, 2005 until May 30, 2006 would be considered in the
development of the SEIS. Subsequent to the conclusion of the scoping
process a draft FSEIS was developed based on the input received. The
draft FSEIS was released for public comment on June 7, 2010 and
comments were accepted until March 31, 2011. All comments on the draft
FSEIS were carefully considered in the preparation of the FSEIS and the
selection of the preferred alternatives for the seven regulatory
components considered.
Findings Required by Other Laws and Executive Orders
Please see the Other Required Determinations section of this
document.
For Further Information
Questions about the FSEIS may be directed to Robert Trost, Pacific
Flyway Representative, Division of Migratory Bird Management, Portland,
OR 97232; phone number (503) 231-6162, fax
[[Page 45391]]
number (503) 231-6228, and email: robert_trost@fws.gov.
Supporting References
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2010. Issuance of Annual Regulations
Permitting the hunting of Migratory Birds: Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Washington, DC. 296 pages.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2013. Issuance of Annual Regulations
Permitting the hunting of Migratory Birds: Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Washington, DC. 418 pages.
Note: This RoD and supporting references are available for
public review from the Pacific Flyway Representative, Division of
Migratory Bird Management at (503) 231-6162, or the Chief, Division
of Migratory Bird Management, at (703) 358-1714. Alternately, you
may write to: Pacific Flyway Representative, Division of Migratory
Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th Avenue,
Portland, OR 97232.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This proposed rule does not contain any new information collection
requirement that require approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). We may not conduct or sponsor and you
are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has reviewed and
approved the information collection requirements associated with
migratory bird surveys and assigned the following OMB control numbers:
1018-0010--Mourning Dove Call Count Survey (expires 4/30/
2015).
1018-001--North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey
(expires 4/30/2015).
1018-0023--Migratory Bird Surveys (expires 4/30/2015).
Includes Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program, Migratory Bird
Hunter Surveys, Sandhill Crane Survey, and Parts Collection Survey.
Other Required Determinations
Based on our most current data, we are affirming our required
determinations made in earlier proposed rules; for descriptions of our
actions to ensure compliance with the following statutes and Executive
Orders, see our April 9, and June 14, 2013, proposed rules (78 FR 21200
and 78 FR 35844):
Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Orders 12866 and
13563);
Endangered Species Act;
Regulatory Flexibility Act;
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act;
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act;
Executive Orders 12630, 12988, 13175, 13132, and 13211.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20
Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.
The rules that eventually will be promulgated for the 2013-14
hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-712 and 16 U.S.C. 742
a-j.
Dated: July 18, 2013.
Rachel Jacobson,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
Proposed Regulations Frameworks for 2013-14 Early Hunting Seasons on
Certain Migratory Game Birds
Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and delegated
authorities, the Department of the Interior approved the following
proposed frameworks, which prescribe season lengths, bag limits,
shooting hours, and outside dates within which States may select
hunting seasons for certain migratory game birds between September 1,
2013, and March 10, 2014. These frameworks are summarized below.
General
Dates: All outside dates noted below are inclusive.
Shooting and Hawking (taking by falconry) Hours: Unless otherwise
specified, from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily.
Possession Limits: Unless otherwise specified, possession limits
are three times the daily bag limit.
Permits: For some species of migratory birds, the Service
authorizes the use of permits to regulate harvest or monitor their take
by sport hunters, or both. In many cases (e.g., tundra swans, some
sandhill crane populations), the Service determines the amount of
harvest that may be taken during hunting seasons during its formal
regulations-setting process, and the States then issue permits to
hunters at levels predicted to result in the amount of take authorized
by the Service. Thus, although issued by States, the permits would not
be valid unless the Service approved such take in its regulations.
These Federally authorized, State-issued permits are issued to
individuals, and only the individual whose name and address appears on
the permit at the time of issuance is authorized to take migratory
birds at levels specified in the permit, in accordance with provisions
of both Federal and State regulations governing the hunting season. The
permit must be carried by the permittee when exercising its provisions
and must be presented to any law enforcement officer upon request. The
permit is not transferrable or assignable to another individual, and
may not be sold, bartered, traded, or otherwise provided to another
person. If the permit is altered or defaced in any way, the permit
becomes invalid.
Flyways and Management Units
Waterfowl Flyways
Atlantic Flyway--includes 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.
Mississippi Flyway--includes Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Central Flyway--includes Colorado (east of the Continental Divide),
Kansas, Montana (Counties of Blaine, Carbon, Fergus, Judith Basin,
Stillwater, Sweetgrass, Wheatland, and all counties east thereof),
Nebraska, New Mexico (east of the Continental Divide except the
Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South
Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming (east of the Continental Divide).
Pacific Flyway--includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho,
Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and those portions of Colorado,
Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming not included in the Central Flyway.
Management Units
Mourning Dove Management Units
Eastern Management Unit--All States east of the Mississippi River,
and Louisiana.
Central Management Unit--Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
Western Management Unit--Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada,
Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
Woodcock Management Regions
Eastern Management Region--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.
Central Management Region--Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
[[Page 45392]]
Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Other geographic descriptions are contained in a later portion of
this document.
Definitions
Dark geese: Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant (except in
Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, and the Atlantic Flyway), and
all other goose species, except light geese.
Light geese: Snow (including blue) geese and Ross's geese.
Waterfowl Seasons in the Atlantic Flyway
In the Atlantic Flyway States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and
Virginia, where Sunday hunting is prohibited Statewide by State law,
all Sundays are closed to all take of migratory waterfowl (including
mergansers and coots).
Special September Teal Season
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and September 30, an open season
on all species of teal may be selected by the following States in areas
delineated by State regulations:
Atlantic Flyway--Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Mississippi Flyway--Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Central Flyway--Colorado (part), Kansas, Nebraska (part), New
Mexico (part), Oklahoma, and Texas.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 16 consecutive
hunting days in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways. The
daily bag limit is 6 teal.
Shooting Hours:
Atlantic Flyway--One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Mississippi and Central Flyways--One-half hour before sunrise to
sunset, except in the States of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri,
and Ohio, where the hours are from sunrise to sunset.
Special September Duck Seasons
Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee: In lieu of a special September
teal season, a 5-consecutive-day season may be selected in September.
The daily bag limit may not exceed 4 teal and wood ducks in the
aggregate, of which no more than 2 may be wood ducks.
Iowa: Iowa may hold up to 5 days of its regular duck hunting season
in September. All ducks that are legal during the regular duck season
may be taken during the September segment of the season. The September
season segment may commence no earlier than the Saturday nearest
September 20 (September 21). The daily bag and possession limits will
be the same as those in effect last year but are subject to change
during the late-season regulations process. The remainder of the
regular duck season may not begin before October 10.
Special Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
Outside Dates: States may select 2 days per duck-hunting zone,
designated as ``Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days,'' in addition to their
regular duck seasons. The days must be held outside any regular duck
season on a weekend, holidays, or other non-school days when youth
hunters would have the maximum opportunity to participate. The days may
be held up to 14 days before or after any regular duck-season
frameworks or within any split of a regular duck season, or within any
other open season on migratory birds.
Daily Bag Limits: The daily bag limits may include ducks, geese,
mergansers, coots, and gallinules and will be the same as those allowed
in the regular season. Flyway species and area restrictions will remain
in effect.
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Participation Restrictions: Youth hunters must be 15 years of age
or younger. In addition, an adult at least 18 years of age must
accompany the youth hunter into the field. This adult may not duck hunt
but may participate in other seasons that are open on the special youth
day.
Scoters, Eiders, and Long-Tailed Ducks (Atlantic Flyway)
Outside Dates: Between September 15 and January 31.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 107 days, with
a daily bag limit of 7, singly or in the aggregate, of the listed sea
duck species, of which no more than 4 may be scoters.
Daily Bag Limits During the Regular Duck Season: Within the special
sea duck areas, during the regular duck season in the Atlantic Flyway,
States may choose to allow the above sea duck limits in addition to the
limits applying to other ducks during the regular duck season. In all
other areas, sea ducks may be taken only during the regular open season
for ducks and are part of the regular duck season daily bag (not to
exceed 4 scoters) and possession limits.
Areas: In all coastal waters and all waters of rivers and streams
seaward from the first upstream bridge in Maine, New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York; in any waters
of the Atlantic Ocean and in any tidal waters of any bay which are
separated by at least 1 mile of open water from any shore, island, and
emergent vegetation in New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia; and in
any waters of the Atlantic Ocean and in any tidal waters of any bay
which are separated by at least 800 yards of open water from any shore,
island, and emergent vegetation in Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina,
and Virginia; and provided that any such areas have been described,
delineated, and designated as special sea duck hunting areas under the
hunting regulations adopted by the respective States.
Special Early Canada Goose Seasons
Atlantic Flyway
General Seasons
A Canada goose season of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be
selected for the Eastern Unit of Maryland. Seasons not to exceed 30
days during September 1-30 may be selected for Connecticut, Florida,
Georgia, New Jersey, New York (Long Island Zone only), North Carolina,
Rhode Island, and South Carolina. Seasons may not exceed 25 days during
September 1-25 in the remainder of the Flyway. Areas open to the
hunting of Canada geese must be described, delineated, and designated
as such in each State's hunting regulations.
Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 15 Canada geese.
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except that
during any general season, shooting hours may extend to one-half hour
after sunset if all other waterfowl seasons are closed in the specific
applicable area.
Mississippi Flyway
General Seasons
Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be
selected, except in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, where the season
may not extend beyond September 10, and in Minnesota, where a season of
up to 22 days during September 1-22 may be selected. The daily bag
limit may not exceed 5 Canada geese, except in designated areas of
Minnesota where the daily bag limit may not exceed 10 Canada geese.
Areas open to the hunting of Canada geese must be described,
delineated, and designated as such in each State's hunting regulations.
A Canada goose season of up to 10 consecutive days during September
1-
[[Page 45393]]
10 may be selected by Michigan for Huron, Saginaw, and Tuscola
Counties, except that the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge,
Shiawassee River State Game Area Refuge, and the Fish Point Wildlife
Area Refuge will remain closed. The daily bag limit may not exceed 5
Canada geese.
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except that
during September 1-15 shooting hours may extend to one-half hour after
sunset if all other waterfowl seasons are closed in the specific
applicable area.
Central Flyway
General Seasons
In Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas, Canada
goose seasons of up to 30 days during September 1-30 may be selected.
In Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming, Canada
goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be selected.
The daily bag limit may not exceed 5 Canada geese, except in Kansas,
Nebraska, and Oklahoma, where the daily bag limit may not exceed 8
Canada geese and in North Dakota and South Dakota, where the daily bag
limit may not exceed 15 Canada geese. Areas open to the hunting of
Canada geese must be described, delineated, and designated as such in
each State's hunting regulations.
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except that
during September 1-15 shooting hours may extend to one-half hour after
sunset if all other waterfowl seasons are closed in the specific
applicable area.
Pacific Flyway
General Seasons
California may select a 9-day season in Humboldt County during the
period September 1-15. The daily bag limit is 2.
Colorado may select a 9-day season during the period of September
1-15. The daily bag limit is 4.
Oregon may select a special Canada goose season of up to 15 days
during the period September 1-15. In addition, in the NW Goose
Management Zone in Oregon, a 15-day season may be selected during the
period September 1-20. Daily bag limits may not exceed 5 Canada geese.
Idaho may select a 7-day season during the period September 1-15.
The daily bag limit is 2.
Washington may select a special Canada goose season of up to 15
days during the period September 1-15. Daily bag limits may not exceed
5 Canada geese.
Wyoming may select an 8-day season on Canada geese during the
period September 1-15. This season is subject to the following
conditions:
A. Where applicable, the season must be concurrent with the
September portion of the sandhill crane season.
B. A daily bag limit of 3, with season and possession limits of 9,
will apply to the special season.
Areas open to hunting of Canada geese in each State must be
described, delineated, and designated as such in each State's hunting
regulations.
Regular Goose Seasons
Regular goose seasons may open as early as September 11 in the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan and September 16 in Wisconsin and the Lower
Peninsula of Michigan. Season lengths, bag and possession limits, and
other provisions will be established during the late-season regulations
process.
Sandhill Cranes
Regular Seasons in the Mississippi Flyway
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28.
Hunting Seasons: A season not to exceed 37 consecutive days may be
selected in the designated portion of northwestern Minnesota (Northwest
Goose Zone).
Daily Bag Limit: 2 sandhill cranes.
Permits: Each person participating in the regular sandhill crane
season must have a valid Federal or State sandhill crane hunting
permit.
Experimental Seasons in the Mississippi Flyway
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 31.
Hunting Seasons: A season not to exceed 30 consecutive days may be
selected in Kentucky and a season not to exceed 60 consecutive days may
be selected in Tennessee.
Daily Bag Limit: Not to exceed 2 daily and 2 per season in
Kentucky. Not to exceed 3 daily and 3 per season in Tennessee.
Permits: Each person participating in the regular sandhill crane
season must have a valid Federal or State sandhill crane hunting
permit.
Other Provisions: Numbers of permits, open areas, season dates,
protection plans for other species, and other provisions of seasons
must be consistent with the management plan and approved by the
Mississippi Flyway Council.
Regular Seasons in the Central Flyway
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28.
Hunting Seasons: Seasons not to exceed 37 consecutive days may be
selected in designated portions of Texas (Area 2). Seasons not to
exceed 58 consecutive days may be selected in designated portions of
the following States: Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, South
Dakota, and Wyoming. Seasons not to exceed 93 consecutive days may be
selected in designated portions of the following States: New Mexico,
Oklahoma, and Texas.
Daily Bag Limits: 3 sandhill cranes, except 2 sandhill cranes in
designated portions of North Dakota (Area 2) and Texas (Area 2).
Permits: Each person participating in the regular sandhill crane
season must have a valid Federal or State sandhill crane hunting
permit.
Special Seasons in the Central and Pacific Flyways
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming
may select seasons for hunting sandhill cranes within the range of the
Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) subject to the following conditions:
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 31.
Hunting Seasons: The season in any State or zone may not exceed 30
consecutive days.
Bag limits: Not to exceed 3 daily and 9 per season.
Permits: Participants must have a valid permit, issued by the
appropriate State, in their possession while hunting.
Other Provisions: Numbers of permits, open areas, season dates,
protection plans for other species, and other provisions of seasons
must be consistent with the management plan and approved by the Central
and Pacific Flyway Councils, with the following exceptions:
A. In Utah, 100 percent of the harvest will be assigned to the RMP
quota;
B. In Arizona, monitoring the racial composition of the harvest
must be conducted at 3-year intervals;
C. In Idaho, 100 percent of the harvest will be assigned to the RMP
quota; and
D. In New Mexico, the season in the Estancia Valley is
experimental, with a requirement to monitor the level and racial
composition of the harvest; greater sandhill cranes in the harvest will
be assigned to the RMP quota.
Special Seasons in the Pacific Flyway
Arizona may select a season for hunting sandhill cranes within the
range of the Lower Colorado River Population (LCR) of sandhill cranes,
subject to the following conditions:
Outside Dates: Between January 1 and January 31.
[[Page 45394]]
Hunting Seasons: The season may not exceed 3 days.
Bag limits: Not to exceed 1 daily and 1 per season.
Permits: Participants must have a valid permit, issued by the
appropriate State, in their possession while hunting.
Other provisions: The season is experimental. Numbers of permits,
open areas, season dates, protection plans for other species, and other
provisions of seasons must be consistent with the management plan and
approved by the Pacific Flyway Council.
Common Moorhens and Purple Gallinules
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and the last Sunday in January
(January 26) in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways. States
in the Pacific Flyway have been allowed to select their hunting seasons
between the outside dates for the season on ducks; therefore, they are
late-season frameworks, and no frameworks are provided in this
document.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 70
days in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways. Seasons may be
split into 2 segments. The daily bag limit is 15 common moorhens and
purple gallinules, singly or in the aggregate of the two species.
Zoning: Seasons may be selected by zones established for duck
hunting.
Rails
Outside Dates: States included herein may select seasons between
September 1 and the last Sunday in January (January 26) on clapper,
king, sora, and Virginia rails.
Hunting Seasons: Seasons may not exceed 70 days, and may be split
into 2 segments.
Daily Bag Limits:
Clapper and King Rails--In Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey,
Delaware, and Maryland, 10, singly or in the aggregate of the two
species. In Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida,
South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, 15, singly or in the
aggregate of the two species.
Sora and Virginia Rails--In the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central
Flyways and the Pacific Flyway portions of Colorado, Montana, New
Mexico, and Wyoming, 25 rails, singly or in the aggregate of the two
species. The season is closed in the remainder of the Pacific Flyway.
Common Snipe
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28, except in
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia,
where the season must end no later than January 31.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 107
days and may be split into two segments. The daily bag limit is 8
snipe.
Zoning: Seasons may be selected by zones established for duck
hunting.
American Woodcock
Outside Dates: States in the Eastern Management Region may select
hunting seasons between October 1 and January 31. States in the Central
Management Region may select hunting seasons between the Saturday
nearest September 22 (September 21) and January 31.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 45
days in the Eastern Region and 45 days in the Central Region. The daily
bag limit is 3. Seasons may be split into two segments.
Zoning: New Jersey may select seasons in each of two zones. The
season in each zone may not exceed 36 days.
Band-Tailed Pigeons
Pacific Coast States (California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada)
Outside Dates: Between September 15 and January 1.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 9 consecutive
days, with a daily bag limit of 2 band-tailed pigeons.
Zoning: California may select hunting seasons not to exceed 9
consecutive days in each of two zones. The season in the North Zone
must close by October 3.
Four-Corners States (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah)
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and November 30.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 30 consecutive
days, with a daily bag limit of 5 band-tailed pigeons.
Zoning: New Mexico may select hunting seasons not to exceed 20
consecutive days in each of two zones. The season in the South Zone may
not open until October 1.
Doves
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 15, except as
otherwise provided, States may select hunting seasons and daily bag
limits as follows:
Eastern Management Unit
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 70 days, with a
daily bag limit of 15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate.
Zoning and Split Seasons: States may select hunting seasons in each
of two zones. The season within each zone may be split into not more
than three periods. Regulations for bag and possession limits, season
length, and shooting hours must be uniform within specific hunting
zones.
Central Management Unit
For all States except Texas:
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 70 days, with a
daily bag limit of 15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate.
Zoning and Split Seasons: States may select hunting seasons in each
of two zones. The season within each zone may be split into not more
than three periods.
Texas:
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 70 days, with a
daily bag limit of 15 mourning, white-winged, and white-tipped doves in
the aggregate, of which no more than 2 may be white-tipped doves.
Zoning and Split Seasons: Texas may select hunting seasons for each
of three zones subject to the following conditions:
A. The hunting season may be split into not more than two periods,
except in that portion of Texas in which the special white-winged dove
season is allowed, where a limited take of mourning and white-tipped
doves may also occur during that special season (see Special White-
winged Dove Area).
B. A season may be selected for the North and Central Zones between
September 1 and January 25; and for the South Zone between the Friday
nearest September 20 (September 20), but not earlier than September 17,
and January 25.
C. Except as noted above, regulations for bag and possession
limits, season length, and shooting hours must be uniform within each
hunting zone.
Special White-winged Dove Area in Texas:
In addition, Texas may select a hunting season of not more than 4
days for the Special White-winged Dove Area of the South Zone between
September 1 and September 19. The daily bag limit may not exceed 15
white-winged, mourning, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, of
which no more than 2 may be mourning doves and no more than 2 may be
white-tipped doves.
Western Management Unit
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits:
Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington--Not more than 30
[[Page 45395]]
consecutive days, with a daily bag limit of 10 mourning and white-
winged doves in the aggregate.
Arizona and California--Not more than 60 days, which may be split
between two periods, September 1-15 and November 1-January 15. In
Arizona, during the first segment of the season, the daily bag limit is
10 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate. During the
remainder of the season, the daily bag limit is 10 mourning doves. In
California, the daily bag limit is 10 mourning and white-winged doves
in the aggregate.
Alaska
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 26.
Hunting Seasons: Alaska may select 107 consecutive days for
waterfowl, sandhill cranes, and common snipe in each of 5 zones. The
season may be split without penalty in the Kodiak Zone. The seasons in
each zone must be concurrent.
Closures: The hunting season is closed on emperor geese, spectacled
eiders, and Steller's eiders.
Daily Bag and Possession Limits:
Ducks--Except as noted, a basic daily bag limit of 7 ducks. Daily
bag limits in the North Zone are 10, and in the Gulf Coast Zone, they
are 8. The basic limits may include no more than 1 canvasback daily and
may not include sea ducks.
In addition to the basic duck limits, Alaska may select sea duck
limits of 10 daily, singly or in the aggregate, including no more than
6 each of either harlequin or long-tailed ducks. Sea ducks include
scoters, common and king eiders, harlequin ducks, long-tailed ducks,
and common and red-breasted mergansers.
Light Geese--A basic daily bag limit of 4.
Dark Geese--A basic daily bag limit of 4.
Dark-goose seasons are subject to the following exceptions:
A. In Units 5 and 6, the taking of Canada geese is permitted from
September 28 through December 16.
B. On Middleton Island in Unit 6, a special, permit-only Canada
goose season may be offered. A mandatory goose identification class is
required. Hunters must check in and check out. The bag limit is 1 daily
and 1 in possession. The season will close if incidental harvest
includes 5 dusky Canada geese. A dusky Canada goose is any dark-
breasted Canada goose (Munsell 10 YR color value five or less) with a
bill length between 40 and 50 millimeters.
C. In Units 6-B, 6-C, and on Hinchinbrook and Hawkins Islands in
Unit 6-D, a special, permit-only Canada goose season may be offered.
Hunters must have all harvested geese checked and classified to
subspecies. The daily bag limit is 4 daily. The Canada goose season
will close in all of the permit areas if the total dusky goose (as
defined above) harvest reaches 40.
D. In Units 9, 10, 17, and 18, dark goose limits are 6 per day.
Brant--A daily bag limit of 2.
Common snipe--A daily bag limit of 8.
Sandhill cranes--Bag limit of 2 in the Southeast, Gulf Coast,
Kodiak, and Aleutian Zones, and Unit 17 in the Northern Zone. In the
remainder of the Northern Zone (outside Unit 17), bag limit of 3.
Tundra Swans--Open seasons for tundra swans may be selected subject
to the following conditions:
A. All seasons are by registration permit only.
B. All season framework dates are September 1-October 31.
C. In Game Management Unit (GMU) 17, no more than 200 permits may
be issued during this operational season. No more than 3 tundra swans
may be authorized per permit, with no more than 1 permit issued per
hunter per season.
D. In Game Management Unit (GMU) 18, no more than 500 permits may
be issued during the operational season. Up to 3 tundra swans may be
authorized per permit. No more than 1 permit may be issued per hunter
per season.
E. In GMU 22, no more than 300 permits may be issued during the
operational season. Each permittee may be authorized to take up to 3
tundra swans per permit. No more than 1 permit may be issued per hunter
per season.
F. In GMU 23, no more than 300 permits may be issued during the
operational season. No more than 3 tundra swans may be authorized per
permit, with no more than 1 permit issued per hunter per season.
Hawaii
Outside Dates: Between October 1 and January 31.
Hunting Seasons: Not more than 65 days (75 under the alternative)
for mourning doves.
Bag Limits: Not to exceed 15 (12 under the alternative) mourning
doves.
Note: Mourning doves may be taken in Hawaii in accordance with
shooting hours and other regulations set by the State of Hawaii, and
subject to the applicable provisions of 50 CFR part 20.
Puerto Rico
Doves and Pigeons
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 15.
Hunting Seasons: Not more than 60 days.
Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Not to exceed 20 Zenaida,
mourning, and white-winged doves in the aggregate, of which not more
than 10 may be Zenaida doves and 3 may be mourning doves. Not to exceed
5 scaly-naped pigeons.
Closed Seasons: The season is closed on the white-crowned pigeon
and the plain pigeon, which are protected by the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico.
Closed Areas: There is no open season on doves or pigeons in the
following areas: Municipality of Culebra, Desecheo Island, Mona Island,
El Verde Closure Area, and Cidra Municipality and adjacent areas.
Ducks, Coots, Moorhens, Gallinules, and Snipe
Outside Dates: Between October 1 and January 31.
Hunting Seasons: Not more than 55 days may be selected for hunting
ducks, common moorhens, and common snipe. The season may be split into
two segments.
Daily Bag Limits:
Ducks--Not to exceed 6.
Common moorhens--Not to exceed 6.
Common snipe--Not to exceed 8.
Closed Seasons: The season is closed on the ruddy duck, white-
cheeked pintail, West Indian whistling duck, fulvous whistling duck,
and masked duck, which are protected by the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico. The season also is closed on the purple gallinule, American coot,
and Caribbean coot.
Closed Areas: There is no open season on ducks, common moorhens,
and common snipe in the Municipality of Culebra and on Desecheo Island.
Virgin Islands
Doves and Pigeons
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 15.
Hunting Seasons: Not more than 60 days for Zenaida doves.
Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Not to exceed 10 Zenaida doves.
Closed Seasons: No open season is prescribed for ground or quail
doves or pigeons.
Closed Areas: There is no open season for migratory game birds on
Ruth Cay (just south of St. Croix).
Local Names for Certain Birds: Zenaida dove, also known as mountain
dove; bridled quail-dove, also known as
[[Page 45396]]
Barbary dove or partridge; common ground-dove, also known as stone
dove, tobacco dove, rola, or tortolita; scaly-naped pigeon, also known
as red-necked or scaled pigeon.
Ducks
Outside Dates: Between December 1 and January 31.
Hunting Seasons: Not more than 55 consecutive days.
Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 6.
Closed Seasons: The season is closed on the ruddy duck, white-
cheeked pintail, West Indian whistling duck, fulvous whistling duck,
and masked duck.
Special Falconry Regulations
Falconry is a permitted means of taking migratory game birds in any
State meeting Federal falconry standards in 50 CFR 21.29. These States
may select an extended season for taking migratory game birds in
accordance with the following:
Extended Seasons: For all hunting methods combined, the combined
length of the extended season, regular season, and any special or
experimental seasons must not exceed 107 days for any species or group
of species in a geographical area. Each extended season may be divided
into a maximum of 3 segments.
Framework Dates: Seasons must fall between September 1 and March
10.
Daily Bag Limits: Falconry daily bag limits for all permitted
migratory game birds must not exceed 3 birds, singly or in the
aggregate, during extended falconry seasons, any special or
experimental seasons, and regular hunting seasons in all States,
including those that do not select an extended falconry season.
Regular Seasons: General hunting regulations, including seasons and
hunting hours, apply to falconry in each State listed in 50 CFR 21.29.
Regular season bag limits do not apply to falconry. The falconry bag
limit is not in addition to gun limits.
Area, Unit, and Zone Descriptions
Doves
Alabama
South Zone--Baldwin, Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia,
Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Mobile Counties.
North Zone--Remainder of the State.
California
White-winged Dove Open Areas--Imperial, Riverside, and San
Bernardino Counties.
Florida
Northwest Zone--The Counties of Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin,
Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton,
Washington, Leon (except that portion north of U.S. 27 and east of
State Road 155), Jefferson (south of U.S. 27, west of State Road 59 and
north of U.S. 98), and Wakulla (except that portion south of U.S. 98
and east of the St. Marks River).
South Zone--Remainder of State.
Louisiana
North Zone--That portion of the State north of a line extending
east from the Texas border along State Highway 12 to U.S. Highway 190,
east along U.S. 190 to Interstate Highway 12, east along Interstate 12
to Interstate Highway 10, then east along Interstate Highway 10 to the
Mississippi border.
South Zone--The remainder of the State.
Mississippi
North Zone--That portion of the State north and west of a line
extending west from the Alabama State line along U.S. Highway 84 to its
junction with State Highway 35, then south along State Highway 35 to
the Louisiana State line.
South Zone--The remainder of Mississippi.
Texas
North Zone--That portion of the State north of a line beginning at
the International Bridge south of Fort Hancock; north along FM 1088 to
TX 20; west along TX 20 to TX 148; north along TX 148 to I-10 at Fort
Hancock; east along I-10 to I-20; northeast along I-20 to I-30 at Fort
Worth; northeast along I-30 to the Texas-Arkansas State line.
South Zone--That portion of the State south and west of a line
beginning at the International Bridge south of Del Rio, proceeding east
on U.S. 90 to State Loop 1604 west of San Antonio; then south, east,
and north along Loop 1604 to Interstate Highway 10 east of San Antonio;
then east on I-10 to Orange, Texas.
Special White-winged Dove Area in the South Zone--That portion of
the state south and west of a line beginning at the International Toll
Bridge in Del Rio; then northeast along U.S. Highway 277 Spur to
Highway 90 in Del Rio; thence east along U.S. Highway 90 to State Loop
1604; thence along Loop 1604 south and east to Interstate Highway 37;
thence south along Interstate Highway 37 to U.S. Highway 181 in Corpus
Christi; thence north and east along U.S. 181 to the Corpus Christi
Ship Channel, thence eastwards along the south shore of the Corpus
Christi Ship Channel to the Gulf of Mexico.
Central Zone--That portion of the State lying between the North and
South Zones.
Band-Tailed Pigeons
California
North Zone--Alpine, Butte, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen,
Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity
Counties.
South Zone--The remainder of the State.
New Mexico
North Zone--North of a line following U.S. 60 from the Arizona
State line east to I-25 at Socorro and then south along I-25 from
Socorro to the Texas State line.
South Zone--The remainder of the State.
Washington
Western Washington--The State of Washington excluding those
portions lying east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of the Big
White Salmon River in Klickitat County.
Woodcock
New Jersey
North Zone--That portion of the State north of NJ 70.
South Zone--The remainder of the State.
Special September Canada Goose Seasons
Atlantic Flyway
Connecticut
North Zone--That portion of the State north of I-95.
South Zone--The remainder of the State.
Maryland
Eastern Unit--Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent,
Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester
Counties; and that part of Anne Arundel County east of Interstate 895,
Interstate 97 and Route 3; that part of Prince George's County east of
Route 3 and Route 301; and that part of Charles County east of Route
301 to the Virginia State line.
Western Unit--Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett,
Howard, Montgomery, and Washington Counties and that part of Anne
Arundel County west of Interstate 895, Interstate 97 and Route 3; that
part of Prince George's County west of Route 3 and Route 301; and that
part of Charles County west of Route 301 to the Virginia State line.
[[Page 45397]]
Massachusetts
Western Zone--That portion of the State west of a line extending
south from the Vermont border on I-91 to MA 9, west on MA 9 to MA 10,
south on MA 10 to U.S. 202, south on U.S. 202 to the Connecticut
border.
Central Zone--That portion of the State east of the Berkshire Zone
and west of a line extending south from the New Hampshire border on I-
95 to U.S. 1, south on U.S. 1 to I-93, south on I-93 to MA 3, south on
MA 3 to U.S. 6, west on U.S. 6 to MA 28, west on MA 28 to I-195, west
to the Rhode Island border; except the waters, and the lands 150 yards
inland from the high-water mark, of the Assonet River upstream to the
MA 24 bridge, and the Taunton River upstream to the Center St.-Elm St.
bridge will be in the Coastal Zone.
Coastal Zone--That portion of Massachusetts east and south of the
Central Zone.
New York
Lake Champlain Zone--The U.S. portion of Lake Champlain and that
area east and north of a line extending along NY 9B from the Canadian
border to U.S. 9, south along U.S. 9 to NY 22 south of Keesville; south
along NY 22 to the west shore of South Bay, along and around the
shoreline of South Bay to NY 22 on the east shore of South Bay;
southeast along NY 22 to U.S. 4, northeast along U.S. 4 to the Vermont
border.
Eastern Long Island Goose Area (North Atlantic Population (NAP)
High Harvest Area)--That area of Suffolk County lying east of a
continuous line extending due south from the New York-Connecticut
boundary to the northernmost end of Roanoke Avenue in the Town of
Riverhead; then south on Roanoke Avenue (which becomes County Route 73)
to State Route 25; then west on Route 25 to Peconic Avenue; then south
on Peconic Avenue to County Route (CR) 104 (Riverleigh Avenue); then
south on CR 104 to CR 31 (Old Riverhead Road); then south on CR 31 to
Oak Street; then south on Oak Street to Potunk Lane; then west on
Stevens Lane; then south on Jessup Avenue (in Westhampton Beach) to
Dune Road (CR 89); then due south to international waters.
Western Long Island Goose Area (Resident Population (RP) Area)--
That area of Westchester County and its tidal waters southeast of
Interstate Route 95 and that area of Nassau and Suffolk Counties lying
west of a continuous line extending due south from the New York-
Connecticut boundary to the northernmost end of the Sunken Meadow State
Parkway; then south on the Sunken Meadow Parkway to the Sagtikos State
Parkway; then south on the Sagtikos Parkway to the Robert Moses State
Parkway; then south on the Robert Moses Parkway to its southernmost
end; then due south to international waters.
Central Long Island Goose Area (NAP Low Harvest Area)--That area of
Suffolk County lying between the Western and Eastern Long Island Goose
Areas, as defined above.
Western Zone--That area west of a line extending from Lake Ontario
east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-81, and south along
I-81 to the Pennsylvania border.
Northeastern Zone--That area north of a line extending from Lake
Ontario east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-81, south
along I-81 to NY 49, east along NY 49 to NY 365, east along NY 365 to
NY 28, east along NY 28 to NY 29, east along NY 29 to I-87, north along
I-87 to U.S. 9 (at Exit 20), north along U.S. 9 to NY 149, east along
NY 149 to U.S. 4, north along U.S. 4 to the Vermont border, exclusive
of the Lake Champlain Zone.
Southeastern Zone--The remaining portion of New York.
Pennsylvania
Southern James Bay Population (SJBP) Zone--The area north of I-80
and west of I-79, including in the city of Erie west of Bay Front
Parkway to and including the Lake Erie Duck Zone (Lake Erie, Presque
Isle, and the area within 150 yards of the Lake Erie Shoreline).
Vermont
Lake Champlain Zone--The U.S. portion of Lake Champlain and that
area north and west of the line extending from the New York border
along U.S. 4 to VT 22A at Fair Haven; VT 22A to U.S. 7 at Vergennes;
U.S. 7 to VT 78 at Swanton; VT 78 to VT 36; VT 36 to Maquam Bay on Lake
Champlain; along and around the shoreline of Maquam Bay and Hog Island
to VT 78 at the West Swanton Bridge; VT 78 to VT 2 in Alburg; VT 2 to
the Richelieu River in Alburg; along the east shore of the Richelieu
River to the Canadian border.
Interior Zone--That portion of Vermont east of the Lake Champlain
Zone and west of a line extending from the Massachusetts border at
Interstate 91; north along Interstate 91 to US 2; east along US 2 to VT
102; north along VT 102 to VT 253; north along VT 253 to the Canadian
border.
Connecticut River Zone--The remaining portion of Vermont east of
the Interior Zone.
Mississippi Flyway
Arkansas
Early Canada Goose Area--Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clark,
Conway, Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Springs,
Howard, Johnson, Lafayette, Little River, Logan, Madison, Marion,
Miller, Montgomery, Newton, Perry, Pike, Polk, Pope, Pulaski, Saline,
Searcy, Sebastian, Sevier, Scott, Van Buren, Washington, and Yell
Counties.
Illinois
North September Canada Goose Zone--That portion of the State north
of a line extending west from the Indiana border along Interstate 80 to
I-39, south along I-39 to Illinois Route 18, west along Illinois Route
18 to Illinois Route 29, south along Illinois Route 29 to Illinois
Route 17, west along Illinois Route 17 to the Mississippi River, and
due south across the Mississippi River to the Iowa border.
Central September Canada Goose Zone--That portion of the State
south of the North September Canada Goose Zone line to a line extending
west from the Indiana border along I-70 to Illinois Route 4, south
along Illinois Route 4 to Illinois Route 161, west along Illinois Route
161 to Illinois Route 158, south and west along Illinois Route 158 to
Illinois Route 159, south along Illinois Route 159 to Illinois Route 3,
south along Illinois Route 3 to St. Leo's Road, south along St. Leo's
road to Modoc Road, west along Modoc Road to Modoc Ferry Road,
southwest along Modoc Ferry Road to Levee Road, southeast along Levee
Road to County Route 12 (Modoc Ferry entrance Road), south along County
Route 12 to the Modoc Ferry route and southwest on the Modoc Ferry
route across the Mississippi River to the Missouri border.
South September Canada Goose Zone--That portion of the State south
and east of a line extending west from the Indiana border along
Interstate 70, south along U.S. Highway 45, to Illinois Route 13, west
along Illinois Route 13 to Greenbriar Road, north on Greenbriar Road to
Sycamore Road, west on Sycamore Road to N. Reed Station Road, south on
N. Reed Station Road to Illinois Route 13, west along Illinois Route 13
to Illinois Route 127, south along Illinois Route 127 to State Forest
Road (1025 N), west along State Forest Road to Illinois Route 3, north
along Illinois Route 3 to the south bank of the Big Muddy River, west
along the south bank of the Big Muddy River to the Mississippi River,
west across the Mississippi River to the Missouri border.
[[Page 45398]]
South Central September Canada Goose Zone--The remainder of the
State between the south border of the Central Zone and the North border
of the South Zone
Iowa
North Zone--That portion of the State north of U.S. Highway 20.
South Zone--The remainder of Iowa.
Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Goose Zone--Includes portions of Linn and
Johnson Counties bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of
the west border of Linn County and Linn County Road E2W; then south and
east along County Road E2W to Highway 920; then north along Highway 920
to County Road E16; then east along County Road E16 to County Road W58;
then south along County Road W58 to County Road E34; then east along
County Road E34 to Highway 13; then south along Highway 13 to Highway
30; then east along Highway 30 to Highway 1; then south along Highway 1
to Morse Road in Johnson County; then east along Morse Road to Wapsi
Avenue; then south along Wapsi Avenue to Lower West Branch Road; then
west along Lower West Branch Road to Taft Avenue; then south along Taft
Avenue to County Road F62; then west along County Road F62 to Kansas
Avenue; then north along Kansas Avenue to Black Diamond Road; then west
on Black Diamond Road to Jasper Avenue; then north along Jasper Avenue
to Rohert Road; then west along Rohert Road to Ivy Avenue; then north
along Ivy Avenue to 340th Street; then west along 340th Street to Half
Moon Avenue; then north along Half Moon Avenue to Highway 6; then west
along Highway 6 to Echo Avenue; then north along Echo Avenue to 250th
Street; then east on 250th Street to Green Castle Avenue; then north
along Green Castle Avenue to County Road F12; then west along County
Road F12 to County Road W30; then north along County Road W30 to
Highway 151; then north along the Linn-Benton County line to the point
of beginning.
Des Moines Goose Zone--Includes those portions of Polk, Warren,
Madison and Dallas Counties bounded as follows: Beginning at the
intersection of Northwest 158th Avenue and County Road R38 in Polk
County; then south along R38 to Northwest 142nd Avenue; then east along
Northwest 142nd Avenue to Northeast 126th Avenue; then east along
Northeast 126th Avenue to Northeast 46th Street; then south along
Northeast 46th Street to Highway 931; then east along Highway 931 to
Northeast 80th Street; then south along Northeast 80th Street to
Southeast 6th Avenue; then west along Southeast 6th Avenue to Highway
65; then south and west along Highway 65 to Highway 69 in Warren
County; then south along Highway 69 to County Road G24; then west along
County Road G24 to Highway 28; then southwest along Highway 28 to 43rd
Avenue; then north along 43rd Avenue to Ford Street; then west along
Ford Street to Filmore Street; then west along Filmore Street to 10th
Avenue; then south along 10th Avenue to 155th Street in Madison County;
then west along 155th Street to Cumming Road; then north along Cumming
Road to Badger Creek Avenue; then north along Badger Creek Avenue to
County Road F90 in Dallas County; then east along County Road F90 to
County Road R22; then north along County Road R22 to Highway 44; then
east along Highway 44 to County Road R30; then north along County Road
R30 to County Road F31; then east along County Road F31 to Highway 17;
then north along Highway 17 to Highway 415 in Polk County; then east
along Highway 415 to Northwest 158th Avenue; then east along Northwest
158th Avenue to the point of beginning.
Cedar Falls/Waterloo Goose Zone--Includes those portions of Black
Hawk County bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of County
Roads C66 and V49 in Black Hawk County, then south along County Road
V49 to County Road D38, then west along County Road D38 to State
Highway 21, then south along State Highway 21 to County Road D35, then
west along County Road D35 to Grundy Road, then north along Grundy Road
to County Road D19, then west along County Road D19 to Butler Road,
then north along Butler Road to County Road C57, then north and east
along County Road C57 to U.S. Highway 63, then south along U.S. Highway
63 to County Road C66, then east along County Road C66 to the point of
beginning.
Michigan
North Zone--Same as North duck zone.
Middle Zone--Same as Middle duck zone.
South Zone--Same as South duck zone.
Minnesota
Northwest Goose Zone--That portion of the State encompassed by a
line extending east from the North Dakota border along U.S. Highway 2
to State Trunk Highway (STH) 32, north along STH 32 to STH 92, east
along STH 92 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 in Polk County, north
along CSAH 2 to CSAH 27 in Pennington County, north along CSAH 27 to
STH 1, east along STH 1 to CSAH 28 in Pennington County, north along
CSAH 28 to CSAH 54 in Marshall County, north along CSAH 54 to CSAH 9 in
Roseau County, north along CSAH 9 to STH 11, west along STH 11 to STH
310, and north along STH 310 to the Manitoba border.
Intensive Harvest Zone--That portion of the State encompassed by a
line extending east from the junction of US 2 and the North Dakota
border, US 2 east to MN 32 N, MN 32 N to MN 92 S, MN 92 S to MN 200 E,
MN 200 E to US 71 S, US 71 S to US 10 E, US 10 E to MN 101 S, MN 101 S
to Interstate 94 E, Interstate 94 East to US 494 S, US 494 S to US 212
W, US 212 W to MN 23 S, MN 23 S to US 14 W, US 14 W to the South Dakota
border, South Dakota Border north to the North Dakota border, North
Dakota border north to US 2 E.
Rest of State: Remainder of Minnesota.
Wisconsin
Early-Season Subzone A--That portion of the State encompassed by a
line beginning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 141 and the Michigan
border near Niagara, then south along U.S. 141 to State Highway 22,
west and southwest along State 22 to U.S. 45, south along U.S. 45 to
State 22, west and south along State 22 to State 110, south along State
110 to U.S. 10, south along U.S. 10 to State 49, south along State 49
to State 23, west along State 23 to State 73, south along State 73 to
State 60, west along State 60 to State 23, south along State 23 to
State 11, east along State 11 to State 78, then south along State 78 to
the Illinois border.
Early-Season Subzone B--The remainder of the State.
Central Flyway
North Dakota
Missouri River Canada Goose Zone--The area within and bounded by a
line starting where ND Hwy 6 crosses the South Dakota border; then
north on ND Hwy 6 to I-94; then west on I-94 to ND Hwy 49; then north
on ND Hwy 49 to ND Hwy 200; then north on Mercer County Rd. 21 to the
section line between sections 8 and 9 (T146N-R87W); then north on that
section line to the southern shoreline to Lake Sakakawea; then east
along the southern shoreline (including Mallard Island) of Lake
Sakakawea to US Hwy 83; then south on US Hwy 83 to ND Hwy 200; then
east on ND Hwy 200 to ND Hwy 41; then south on ND Hwy 41 to US Hwy 83;
then south on US Hwy 83 to I-94; then east on I-94 to US Hwy 83; then
south on US Hwy 83 to the South
[[Page 45399]]
Dakota border; then west along the South Dakota border to ND Hwy 6.
Rest of State--Remainder of North Dakota.
South Dakota
Special Early Canada Goose Unit--The Counties of Campbell,
Marshall, Roberts, Day, Clark, Codington, Grant, Hamlin, Deuel,
Walworth; that portion of Dewey County north of Bureau of Indian
Affairs Road 8, Bureau of Indian Affairs Road 9, and the section of
U.S. Highway 212 east of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Road 8 junction;
that portion of Potter County east of U.S. Highway 83; that portion of
Sully County east of U.S. Highway 83; portions of Hyde, Buffalo, Brule,
and Charles Mix counties north and east of a line beginning at the
Hughes-Hyde County line on State Highway 34, east to Lees Boulevard,
southeast to the State Highway 34, east 7 miles to 350th Avenue, south
to Interstate 90 on 350th Avenue, south and east on State Highway 50 to
Geddes, east on 285th Street to U.S. Highway 281, and north on U.S.
Highway 281 to the Charles Mix-Douglas County boundary; that portion of
Bon Homme County north of State Highway 50; that portion of Fall River
County west of State Highway 71 and U.S. Highway 385; that portion of
Custer County west of State Highway 79 and north of French Creek;
McPherson, Edmunds, Kingsbury, Brookings, Lake, Moody, Miner, Faulk,
Hand, Jerauld, Douglas, Hutchinson, Turner, Lincoln, Union, Clay,
Yankton, Aurora, Beadle, Davison, Hanson, Sanborn, Spink, Brown,
Harding, Butte, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington, Shannon, Jackson,
Mellette, Todd, Jones, Haakon, Corson, Ziebach, McCook, and Minnehaha
Counties.
Texas
Eastern Goose Zone--East of a line from the International Toll
Bridge at Laredo, north following IH-35 and 35W to Fort Worth,
northwest along U.S. Hwy. 81 and 287 to Bowie, north along U.S. Hwy. 81
to the Texas-Oklahoma State line.
Pacific Flyway
Idaho
East Zone--Bonneville, Caribou, Fremont, and Teton Counties.
Oregon
Northwest Zone--Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane,
Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, Multnomah, Tillamook, Washington, and
Yamhill Counties.
Southwest Zone--Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, and
Klamath Counties.
East Zone--Baker, Gilliam, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla,
Union, and Wasco Counties.
Washington
Area 1--Skagit, Island, and Snohomish Counties.
Area 2A (SW Quota Zone)--Clark County, except portions south of the
Washougal River; Cowlitz County; and Wahkiakum County.
Area 2B (SW Quota Zone)--Pacific County.
Area 3--All areas west of the Pacific Crest Trail and west of the
Big White Salmon River that are not included in Areas 1, 2A, and 2B.
Area 4--Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas,
Lincoln, Okanogan, Spokane, and Walla Walla Counties.
Area 5--All areas east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of the
Big White Salmon River that are not included in Area 4.
Ducks
Atlantic Flyway
New York
Lake Champlain Zone--The U.S. portion of Lake Champlain and that
area east and north of a line extending along NY 9B from the Canadian
border to U.S. 9, south along U.S. 9 to NY 22 south of Keesville; south
along NY 22 to the west shore of South Bay, along and around the
shoreline of South Bay to NY 22 on the east shore of South Bay;
southeast along NY 22 to U.S. 4, northeast along U.S. 4 to the Vermont
border.
Long Island Zone--That area consisting of Nassau County, Suffolk
County, that area of Westchester County southeast of I-95, and their
tidal waters.
Western Zone--That area west of a line extending from Lake Ontario
east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-81, and south along
I-81 to the Pennsylvania border.
Northeastern Zone--That area north of a line extending from Lake
Ontario east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-81, south
along I-81 to NY 49, east along NY 49 to NY 365, east along NY 365 to
NY 28, east along NY 28 to NY 29, east along NY 29 to I-87, north along
I-87 to U.S. 9 (at Exit 20), north along U.S. 9 to NY 149, east along
NY 149 to U.S. 4, north along U.S. 4 to the Vermont border, exclusive
of the Lake Champlain Zone.
Southeastern Zone--The remaining portion of New York.
Maryland
Special Teal Season Area-- Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester,
Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico,
and Worcester Counties; that part of Anne Arundel County east of
Interstate 895, Interstate 97, and Route 3; that part of Prince Georges
County east of Route 3 and Route 301; and that part of Charles County
east of Route 301 to the Virginia State Line.
Mississippi Flyway
Indiana
North Zone--That part of Indiana north of a line extending east
from the Illinois border along State Road 18 to U.S. 31; north along
U.S. 31 to U.S. 24; east along U.S. 24 to Huntington; southeast along
U.S. 224; south along State Road 5; and east along State Road 124 to
the Ohio border.
Central Zone--That part of Indiana south of the North Zone boundary
and north of the South Zone boundary.
South Zone--That part of Indiana south of a line extending east
from the Illinois border along U.S. 40; south along U.S. 41; east along
State Road 58; south along State Road 37 to Bedford; and east along
U.S. 50 to the Ohio border.
Iowa
North Zone--That portion of Iowa north of a line beginning on the
South Dakota-Iowa border at Interstate 29, southeast along Interstate
29 to State Highway 175, east along State Highway 175 to State Highway
37, southeast along State Highway 37 to State Highway 183, northeast
along State Highway 183 to State Highway 141, east along State Highway
141 to U.S. Highway 30, and along U.S. Highway 30 to the Illinois
border.
Missouri River Zone--That portion of Iowa west of a line beginning
on the South Dakota-Iowa border at Interstate 29, southeast along
Interstate 29 to State Highway 175, and west along State Highway 175 to
the Iowa-Nebraska border.
South Zone--The remainder of Iowa.
Michigan
North Zone: The Upper Peninsula.
Middle Zone: That portion of the Lower Peninsula north of a line
beginning at the Wisconsin State line in Lake Michigan due west of the
mouth of Stony Creek in Oceana County; then due east to, and easterly
and southerly along the south shore of Stony Creek to Scenic Drive,
easterly and southerly along Scenic Drive to Stony Lake Road, easterly
along Stony Lake and Garfield Roads to Michigan Highway 20, east along
Michigan 20 to U.S. Highway 10 Business Route (BR) in the city of
Midland, easterly along U.S. 10 BR to
[[Page 45400]]
U.S. 10, easterly along U.S. 10 to Interstate Highway 75/U.S. Highway
23, northerly along I-75/U.S. 23 to the U.S. 23 exit at Standish,
easterly along U.S. 23 to the centerline of the Au Gres River, then
southerly along the centerline of the Au Gres River to Saginaw Bay,
then on a line directly east 10 miles into Saginaw Bay, and from that
point on a line directly northeast to the Canadian border.
South Zone: The remainder of Michigan.
Wisconsin
North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending
east from the Minnesota State line along U.S. Highway 10 into Portage
County to County Highway HH, east on County Highway HH to State Highway
66 and then east on State Highway 66 to U.S. Highway 10, continuing
east on U.S. Highway 10 to U.S. Highway 41, then north on U.S. Highway
41 to the Michigan State line.
Mississippi River Zone: That area encompassed by a line beginning
at the intersection of the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway and
the Illinois State line in Grant County and extending northerly along
the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway to the city limit of
Prescott in Pierce County, then west along the Prescott city limit to
the Minnesota State line.
South Zone: The remainder of Wisconsin.
Central Flyway
Colorado
Special Teal Season Area--Lake and Chaffee Counties and that
portion of the State east of Interstate Highway 25.
Kansas
High Plains Zone--That portion of the State west of U.S. 283.
Early Zone--That part of Kansas bounded by a line from the
Nebraska-Kansas State line south on K-128 to its junction with U.S.-36,
then east on U.S.-36 to its junction with K-199, then south on K-199 to
its junction with Republic County 30 Rd, then south on Republic County
30 Rd to its junction with K-148, then east on K-148 to its junction
with Republic County 50 Rd, then south on Republic County 50 Rd to its
junction with Cloud County 40th Rd, then south on Cloud County 40th Rd
to its junction with K-9, then west on K-9 to its junction with U.S.-
24, then west on U.S.-24 to its junction with U.S.-281, then north on
U.S.-281 to its junction with U.S.-36, then west on U.S.-36 to its
junction with U.S.-183, then south on U.S.-183 to its junction with
U.S.-24, then west on U.S.-24 to its junction with K-18, then southeast
on K-18 to its junction with U.S.-183, then south on U.S.-183 to its
junction with K-4, then east on K-4 to its junction with I-135, then
south on I-135 to its junction with K-61, then southwest on K-61 to
McPherson County.
14th Avenue, then south on McPherson County 14th Avenue to its
junction with Arapaho Rd, then west on Arapaho Rd to its junction with
K-61, then southwest on K-61 to its junction with K-96, then northwest
on K-96 to its junction with U.S.-56, then southwest on U.S.-56 to its
junction with K-19, then east on K-19 to its junction with U.S.-281,
then south on U.S.-281 to its junction with U.S.-54, then west on U.S.-
54 to its junction with U.S.-183, then north on U.S.-183 to its
junction with U.S.-56, then southwest on U.S.-56 to its junction with
Ford County Rd 126, then south on Ford County Rd 126 to its junction
with U.S.-400, then northwest on U.S.-400 to its junction with U.S.-
283, then north on U.S.-283 to its junction with the Nebraska-Kansas
State line, then east along the Nebraska-Kansas State line to its
junction with K-128.
Late Zone--That part of Kansas bounded by a line from the Nebraska-
Kansas State line south on K-128 to its junction with U.S.-36, then
east on U.S.-36 to its junction with K-199, then south on K-199 to its
junction with Republic County 30 Rd, then south on Republic County 30
Rd to its junction with K-148, then east on K-148 to its junction with
Republic County 50 Rd, then south on Republic County 50 Rd to its
junction with Cloud County 40th Rd, then south on Cloud County 40th Rd
to its junction with K-9, then west on K-9 to its junction with U.S.-
24, then west on U.S.-24 to its junction with U.S.-281, then north on
U.S.-281 to its junction with U.S.-36, then west on U.S.-36 to its
junction with U.S.-183, then south on U.S.-183 to its junction with
U.S.-24, then west on U.S.-24 to its junction with K-18, then southeast
on K-18 to its junction with U.S.-183, then south on U.S.-183 to its
junction with K-4, then east on K-4 to its junction with I-135, then
south on I-135 to its junction with K-61, then southwest on K-61 to
14th Avenue, then south on 14th Avenue to its junction with Arapaho Rd,
then west on Arapaho Rd to its junction with K-61, then southwest on K-
61 to its junction with K-96, then northwest on K-96 to its junction
with U.S.-56, then southwest on U.S.-56 to its junction with K-19, then
east on K-19 to its junction with U.S.-281, then south on U.S.-281 to
its junction with U.S.-54, then west on U.S.-54 to its junction with
U.S.-183, then north on U.S.-183 to its junction with U.S.-56, then
southwest on U.S.-56 to its junction with Ford County Rd 126, then
south on Ford County Rd 126 to its junction with U.S.-400, then
northwest on U.S.-400 to its junction with U.S.-283, then south on
U.S.-283 to its junction with the Oklahoma-Kansas State line, then east
along the Oklahoma-Kansas State line to its junction with U.S.-77, then
north on U.S.-77 to its junction with Butler County, NE 150th Street,
then east on Butler County, NE 150th Street to its junction with U.S.-
35, then northeast on U.S.-35 to its junction with K-68, then east on
K-68 to the Kansas-Missouri State line, then north along the Kansas-
Missouri State line to its junction with the Nebraska State line, then
west along the Kansas-Nebraska State line to its junction with K-128.
Southeast Zone--That part of Kansas bounded by a line from the
Missouri-Kansas State line west on K-68 to its junction with U.S.-35,
then southwest on U.S.-35 to its junction with Butler County, NE 150th
Street, then west on NE 150th Street until its junction with K-77, then
south on K-77 to the Oklahoma-Kansas State line, then east along the
Kansas-Oklahoma State line to its junction with the Missouri State
line, then north along the Kansas-Missouri State line to its junction
with K-68.
Nebraska
Special Teal Season Area--That portion of the State south of a line
beginning at the Wyoming State line; east along U.S. 26 to Nebraska
Highway L62A east to U.S. 385; south to U.S. 26; east to NE 92; east
along NE 92 to NE 61; south along NE 61 to U.S. 30; east along U.S. 30
to the Iowa border.
High Plains--That portion of Nebraska lying west of a line
beginning at the South Dakota-Nebraska border on U.S. Hwy. 183; south
on U.S. Hwy. 183 to U.S. Hwy. 20; west on U.S. Hwy. 20 to NE Hwy. 7;
south on NE Hwy. 7 to NE Hwy. 91; southwest on NE Hwy. 91 to NE Hwy. 2;
southeast on NE Hwy. 2 to NE Hwy. 92; west on NE Hwy. 92 to NE Hwy. 40;
south on NE Hwy. 40 to NE Hwy. 47; south on NE Hwy. 47 to NE Hwy. 23;
east on NE Hwy. 23 to U.S. Hwy. 283; and south on U.S. Hwy. 283 to the
Kansas-Nebraska border.
Zone 1--Area bounded by designated Federal and State highways and
political boundaries beginning at the South Dakota-Nebraska border west
of NE Hwy. 26E Spur and north of NE Hwy. 12; those portions of Dixon,
Cedar and Knox Counties north of NE Hwy. 12; that portion of Keya Paha
County
[[Page 45401]]
east of U.S. Hwy. 183; and all of Boyd County. Both banks of the
Niobrara River in Keya Paha and Boyd counties east of U.S. Hwy. 183
shall be included in Zone 1.
Zone 2--The area south of Zone 1 and north of Zone 3.
Zone 3--Area bounded by designated Federal and State highways,
County Roads, and political boundaries beginning at the Wyoming-
Nebraska border at the intersection of the Interstate Canal; east along
northern borders of Scotts Bluff and Morrill Counties to Broadwater
Road; south to Morrill County Rd 94; east to County Rd 135; south to
County Rd 88; southeast to County Rd 151; south to County Rd 80; east
to County Rd 161; south to County Rd 76; east to County Rd 165; south
to Country Rd 167; south to U.S. Hwy. 26; east to County Rd 171; north
to County Rd 68; east to County Rd 183; south to County Rd 64; east to
County Rd 189; north to County Rd 70; east to County Rd 201; south to
County Rd 60A; east to County Rd 203; south to County Rd 52; east to
Keith County Line; east along the northern boundaries of Keith and
Lincoln Counties to NE Hwy. 97; south to U.S. Hwy 83; south to E Hall
School Rd; east to N Airport Road; south to U.S. Hwy. 30; east to
Merrick County Rd 13; north to County Rd O; east to NE Hwy. 14; north
to NE Hwy. 52; west and north to NE Hwy. 91; west to U.S. Hwy. 281;
south to NE Hwy. 22; west to NE Hwy. 11; northwest to NE Hwy. 91; west
to U.S. Hwy. 183; south to Round Valley Rd; west to Sargent River Rd;
west to Sargent Rd; west to Milburn Rd; north to Blaine County Line;
east to Loup County Line; north to NE Hwy. 91; west to North Loup Spur
Rd; north to North Loup River Rd; east to Pleasant Valley/Worth Rd;
east to Loup County Line; north to Loup-Brown county line; east along
northern boundaries of Loup and Garfield Counties to Cedar River Rd;
south to NE Hwy. 70; east to U.S. Hwy. 281; north to NE Hwy. 70; east
to NE Hwy. 14; south to NE Hwy. 39; southeast to NE Hwy. 22; east to
U.S. Hwy. 81; southeast to U.S. Hwy. 30; east to U.S. Hwy. 75; north to
the Washington County line; east to the Iowa-Nebraska border; south to
the Missouri-Nebraska border; south to Kansas-Nebraska border; west
along Kansas-Nebraska border to Colorado-Nebraska border; north and
west to Wyoming-Nebraska border; north to intersection of Interstate
Canal; and excluding that area in Zone 4.
Zone 4--Area encompassed by designated Federal and State highways
and County Roads beginning at the intersection of NE Hwy. 8 and U.S.
Hwy. 75; north to U.S. Hwy. 136; east to the intersection of U.S. Hwy.
136 and the Steamboat Trace (Trace); north along the Trace to the
intersection with Federal Levee R-562; north along Federal Levee R-562
to the intersection with the Trace; north along the Trace/Burlington
Northern Railroad right-of-way to NE Hwy. 2; west to U.S. Hwy. 75;
north to NE Hwy. 2; west to NE Hwy. 43; north to U.S. Hwy. 34; east to
NE Hwy. 63; north to NE Hwy. 66; north and west to U.S. Hwy. 77; north
to NE Hwy. 92; west to NE Hwy. Spur 12F; south to Butler County Rd 30;
east to County Rd X; south to County Rd 27; west to County Rd W; south
to County Rd 26; east to County Rd X; south to County Rd 21 (Seward
County Line); west to NE Hwy. 15; north to County Rd 34; west to County
Rd J; south to NE Hwy. 92; west to U.S. Hwy. 81; south to NE Hwy. 66;
west to Polk County Rd C; north to NE Hwy. 92; west to U.S. Hwy. 30;
west to Merrick County Rd 17; south to Hordlake Road; southeast to
Prairie Island Road; southeast to Hamilton County Rd T; south to NE
Hwy. 66; west to NE Hwy. 14; south to County Rd 22; west to County Rd
M; south to County Rd 21; west to County Rd K; south to U.S. Hwy. 34;
west to NE Hwy. 2; south to U.S. Hwy. I-80; west to Gunbarrel Rd (Hall/
Hamilton county line); south to Giltner Rd; west to U.S. Hwy. 281;
south to U.S. Hwy. 34; west to NE Hwy. 10; north to Kearney County Rd R
and Phelps County Rd 742; west to U.S. Hwy. 283; south to U.S. Hwy 34;
east to U.S. Hwy. 136; east to U.S. Hwy. 183; north to NE Hwy. 4; east
to NE Hwy. 10; south to U.S. Hwy. 136; east to NE Hwy. 14; south to NE
Hwy. 8; east to U.S. Hwy. 81; north to NE Hwy. 4; east to NE Hwy. 15;
south to U.S. Hwy. 136; east to NE Hwy. 103; south to NE Hwy. 8; east
to U.S. Hwy. 75.
New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion)
North Zone--That portion of the State north of I-40 and U.S. 54.
South Zone--The remainder of New Mexico.
Pacific Flyway
California
Northeastern Zone--In that portion of California lying east and
north of a line beginning at the intersection of Interstate 5 with the
California-Oregon line; south along Interstate 5 to its junction with
Walters Lane south of the town of Yreka; west along Walters Lane to its
junction with Easy Street; south along Easy Street to the junction with
Old Highway 99; south along Old Highway 99 to the point of intersection
with Interstate 5 north of the town of Weed; south along Interstate 5
to its junction with Highway 89; east and south along Highway 89 to
Main Street Greenville; north and east to its junction with North
Valley Road; south to its junction of Diamond Mountain Road; north and
east to its junction with North Arm Road; south and west to the
junction of North Valley Road; south to the junction with Arlington
Road (A22); west to the junction of Highway 89; south and west to the
junction of Highway 70; east on Highway 70 to Highway 395; south and
east on Highway 395 to the point of intersection with the California-
Nevada State line; north along the California-Nevada State line to the
junction of the California-Nevada-Oregon State lines west along the
California-Oregon State line to the point of origin.
Colorado River Zone--Those portions of San Bernardino, Riverside,
and Imperial Counties east of a line extending from the Nevada border
south along U.S. 95 to Vidal Junction; south on a road known as
``Aqueduct Road'' in San Bernardino County through the town of Rice to
the San Bernardino-Riverside County line; south on a road known in
Riverside County as the ``Desert Center to Rice Road'' to the town of
Desert Center; east 31 miles on I-10 to the Wiley Well Road; south on
this road to Wiley Well; southeast along the Army-Milpitas Road to the
Blythe, Brawley, Davis Lake intersections; south on the Blythe-Brawley
paved road to the Ogilby and Tumco Mine Road; south on this road to
U.S. 80; east 7 miles on U.S. 80 to the Andrade-Algodones Road; south
on this paved road to the Mexican border at Algodones, Mexico.
Southern Zone--That portion of southern California (but excluding
the Colorado River Zone) south and east of a line extending from the
Pacific Ocean east along the Santa Maria River to CA 166 near the City
of Santa Maria; east on CA 166 to CA 99; south on CA 99 to the crest of
the Tehachapi Mountains at Tejon Pass; east and north along the crest
of the Tehachapi Mountains to CA 178 at Walker Pass; east on CA 178 to
U.S. 395 at the town of Inyokern; south on U.S. 395 to CA 58; east on
CA 58 to I-15; east on I-15 to CA 127; north on CA 127 to the Nevada
border.
Southern San Joaquin Valley Temporary Zone--All of Kings and Tulare
Counties and that portion of Kern County north of the Southern Zone.
Balance-of-the-State Zone--The remainder of California not included
in the Northeastern, Southern, and Colorado River Zones, and the
Southern San Joaquin Valley Temporary Zone.
[[Page 45402]]
Canada Geese
Michigan
North Zone--Same as North duck zone.
Middle Zone--Same as Middle duck zone.
South Zone--Same as South duck zone.
Tuscola/Huron Goose Management Unit (GMU): Those portions of
Tuscola and Huron Counties bounded on the south by Michigan Highway 138
and Bay City Road, on the east by Colwood and Bay Port Roads, on the
north by Kilmanagh Road and a line extending directly west off the end
of Kilmanagh Road into Saginaw Bay to the west boundary, and on the
west by the Tuscola-Bay County line and a line extending directly north
off the end of the Tuscola-Bay County line into Saginaw Bay to the
north boundary.
Allegan County GMU: That area encompassed by a line beginning at
the junction of 136th Avenue and Interstate Highway 196 in Lake Town
Township and extending easterly along 136th Avenue to Michigan Highway
40, southerly along Michigan 40 through the city of Allegan to 108th
Avenue in Trowbridge Township, westerly along 108th Avenue to 46th
Street, northerly along 46th Street to 109th Avenue, westerly along
109th Avenue to I-196 in Casco Township, then northerly along I-196 to
the point of beginning.
Saginaw County GMU: That portion of Saginaw County bounded by
Michigan Highway 46 on the north; Michigan 52 on the west; Michigan 57
on the south; and Michigan 13 on the east.
Muskegon Wastewater GMU: That portion of Muskegon County within the
boundaries of the Muskegon County wastewater system, east of the
Muskegon State Game Area, in sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29,
30, and 32, T10N R14W, and sections 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24, and
25, T10N R15W, as posted.
Wisconsin
Same zones as for ducks but in addition:
Horicon Zone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at the
intersection of State Highway 21 and the Fox River in Winnebago County
and extending westerly along State 21 to the west boundary of Winnebago
County, southerly along the west boundary of Winnebago County to the
north boundary of Green Lake County, westerly along the north
boundaries of Green Lake and Marquette Counties to State 22, southerly
along State 22 to State 33, westerly along State 33 to Interstate
Highway 39, southerly along Interstate Highway 39 to Interstate Highway
90/94, southerly along I-90/94 to State 60, easterly along State 60 to
State 83, northerly along State 83 to State 175, northerly along State
175 to State 33, easterly along State 33 to U.S. Highway 45, northerly
along U.S. 45 to the east shore of the Fond Du Lac River, northerly
along the east shore of the Fond Du Lac River to Lake Winnebago,
northerly along the western shoreline of Lake Winnebago to the Fox
River, then westerly along the Fox River to State 21.
Exterior Zone: That portion of the State not included in the
Horicon Zone.
Mississippi River Subzone: That area encompassed by a line
beginning at the intersection of the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe
Railway and the Illinois State line in Grant County and extending
northerly along the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway to the city
limit of Prescott in Pierce County, then west along the Prescott city
limit to the Minnesota State line.
Brown County Subzone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at
the intersection of the Fox River with Green Bay in Brown County and
extending southerly along the Fox River to State Highway 29,
northwesterly along State 29 to the Brown County line, south, east, and
north along the Brown County line to Green Bay, due west to the
midpoint of the Green Bay Ship Channel, then southwesterly along the
Green Bay Ship Channel to the Fox River.
Sandhill Cranes
Mississippi Flyway
Minnesota
Northwest Goose Zone--That portion of the State encompassed by a
line extending east from the North Dakota border along U.S. Highway 2
to State Trunk Highway (STH) 32, north along STH 32 to STH 92, east
along STH 92 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 in Polk County, north
along CSAH 2 to CSAH 27 in Pennington County, north along CSAH 27 to
STH 1, east along STH 1 to CSAH 28 in Pennington County, north along
CSAH 28 to CSAH 54 in Marshall County, north along CSAH 54 to CSAH 9 in
Roseau County, north along CSAH 9 to STH 11, west along STH 11 to STH
310, and north along STH 310 to the Manitoba border.
Tennessee
Hunt Zone--That portion of the State south of Interstate 40 and
east of State Highway 56.
Closed Zone--Remainder of the State.
Central Flyway
Colorado--The Central Flyway portion of the State except the San
Luis Valley (Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande,
and Saguache Counties east of the Continental Divide) and North Park
(Jackson County).
Kansas--That portion of the State west of a line beginning at the
Oklahoma border, north on I-35 to Wichita, north on I-135 to Salina,
and north on U.S. 81 to the Nebraska border.
Montana--The Central Flyway portion of the State except for that
area south and west of Interstate 90, which is closed to sandhill crane
hunting.
New Mexico
Regular-Season Open Area--Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Quay,
and Roosevelt Counties.
Middle Rio Grande Valley Area--The Central Flyway portion of New
Mexico in Socorro and Valencia Counties.
Estancia Valley Area--Those portions of Santa Fe, Torrance and
Bernallilo Counties within an area bounded on the west by New Mexico
Highway 55 beginning at Mountainair north to NM 337, north to NM 14,
north to I-25; on the north by I-25 east to U.S. 285; on the east by
U.S. 285 south to U.S. 60; and on the south by U.S. 60 from U.S. 285
west to NM 55 in Mountainair.
Southwest Zone--Area bounded on the south by the New Mexico/Mexico
border; on the west by the New Mexico/Arizona border north to
Interstate 10; on the north by Interstate 10 east to U.S. 180, north to
N.M. 26, east to N.M. 27, north to N.M. 152, and east to Interstate 25;
on the east by Interstate 25 south to Interstate 10, west to the Luna
county line, and south to the New Mexico/Mexico border.
North Dakota
Area 1--That portion of the State west of U.S. 281.
Area 2--That portion of the State east of U.S. 281.
Oklahoma--That portion of the State west of I-35.
South Dakota--That portion of the State west of U.S. 281.
Texas
Zone A--That portion of Texas lying west of a line beginning at the
international toll bridge at Laredo, then northeast along U.S. Highway
81 to its junction with Interstate Highway 35 in Laredo, then north
along Interstate Highway 35 to its junction with Interstate Highway 10
in San Antonio, then northwest along Interstate Highway 10 to its
junction with U.S. Highway 83 at Junction, then north along U.S.
[[Page 45403]]
Highway 83 to its junction with U.S. Highway 62, 16 miles north of
Childress, then east along U.S. Highway 62 to the Texas-Oklahoma State
line.
Zone B--That portion of Texas lying within boundaries beginning at
the junction of U.S. Highway 81 and the Texas-Oklahoma State line, then
southeast along U.S. Highway 81 to its junction with U.S. Highway 287
in Montague County, then southeast along U.S. Highway 287 to its
junction with Interstate Highway 35W in Fort Worth, then southwest
along Interstate Highway 35 to its junction with Interstate Highway 10
in San Antonio, then northwest along Interstate Highway 10 to its
junction with U.S. Highway 83 in the town of Junction, then north along
U.S. Highway 83 to its junction with U.S. Highway 62, 16 miles north of
Childress, then east along U.S. Highway 62 to the Texas-Oklahoma State
line, then south along the Texas-Oklahoma State line to the south bank
of the Red River, then eastward along the vegetation line on the south
bank of the Red River to U.S. Highway 81.
Zone C--The remainder of the State, except for the closed areas.
Closed areas--(A) That portion of the State lying east and north of
a line beginning at the junction of U.S. Highway 81 and the Texas-
Oklahoma State line, then southeast along U.S. Highway 81 to its
junction with U.S. Highway 287 in Montague County, then southeast along
U.S. Highway 287 to its junction with Interstate Highway 35W in Fort
Worth, then southwest along Interstate Highway 35 to its junction with
U.S. Highway 290 East in Austin, then east along U.S. Highway 290 to
its junction with Interstate Loop 610 in Harris County, then south and
east along Interstate Loop 610 to its junction with Interstate Highway
45 in Houston, then south on Interstate Highway 45 to State Highway
342, then to the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, and then north and east
along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico to the Texas-Louisiana State
line.
(B) That portion of the State lying within the boundaries of a line
beginning at the Kleberg-Nueces County line and the shore of the Gulf
of Mexico, then west along the County line to Park Road 22 in Nueces
County, then north and west along Park Road 22 to its junction with
State Highway 358 in Corpus Christi, then west and north along State
Highway 358 to its junction with State Highway 286, then north along
State Highway 286 to its junction with Interstate Highway 37, then east
along Interstate Highway 37 to its junction with U.S. Highway 181, then
north and west along U.S. Highway 181 to its junction with U.S. Highway
77 in Sinton, then north and east along U.S. Highway 77 to its junction
with U.S. Highway 87 in Victoria, then south and east along U.S.
Highway 87 to its junction with State Highway 35 at Port Lavaca, then
north and east along State Highway 35 to the south end of the Lavaca
Bay Causeway, then south and east along the shore of Lavaca Bay to its
junction with the Port Lavaca Ship Channel, then south and east along
the Lavaca Bay Ship Channel to the Gulf of Mexico, and then south and
west along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico to the Kleberg-Nueces County
line.
Wyoming
Regular Season Open Area--Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen,
Laramie, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston Counties, and portions of Johnson
and Sheridan Counties.
Riverton-Boysen Unit--Portions of Fremont County.
Park and Big Horn County Unit--All of Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park
and Washakie Counties.
Pacific Flyway
Arizona
Special Season Area--Game Management Units 28, 30A, 30B, 31, and
32.
Idaho
Special Season Area--See State regulations.
Montana
Special Season Area--See State regulations.
Utah
Special Season Area--Rich, Cache, and Unitah Counties and that
portion of Box Elder County beginning on the Utah-Idaho State line at
the Box Elder-Cache County line; west on the State line to the
Pocatello Valley County Road; south on the Pocatello Valley County Road
to I-15; southeast on I-15 to SR-83; south on SR-83 to Lamp Junction;
west and south on the Promontory Point County Road to the tip of
Promontory Point; south from Promontory Point to the Box Elder-Weber
County line; east on the Box Elder-Weber County line to the Box Elder-
Cache County line; north on the Box Elder-Cache County line to the
Utah-Idaho State line.
Wyoming
Bear River Area--That portion of Lincoln County described in State
regulations.
Salt River Area--That portion of Lincoln County described in State
regulations.
Farson-Eden Area--Those portions of Sweetwater and Sublette
Counties described in State regulations.
Uinta County Area--That portion of Uinta County described in State
regulations.
All Migratory Game Birds in Alaska
North Zone--State Game Management Units 11-13 and 17-26.
Gulf Coast Zone--State Game Management Units 5-7, 9, 14-16, and 10
(Unimak Island only).
Southeast Zone--State Game Management Units 1-4.
Pribilof and Aleutian Islands Zone--State Game Management Unit 10
(except Unimak Island).
Kodiak Zone--State Game Management Unit 8.
All Migratory Game Birds in the Virgin Islands
Ruth Cay Closure Area--The island of Ruth Cay, just south of St.
Croix.
All Migratory Game Birds in Puerto Rico
Municipality of Culebra Closure Area--All of the municipality of
Culebra.
Desecheo Island Closure Area--All of Desecheo Island.
Mona Island Closure Area--All of Mona Island.
Verde Closure Area--Those areas of the municipalities of Rio Grande
and Loiza delineated as follows: (1) All lands between Routes 956 on
the west and 186 on the east, from Route 3 on the north to the juncture
of Routes 956 and 186 (Km 13.2) in the south; (2) all lands between
Routes 186 and 966 from the juncture of 186 and 966 on the north, to
the Caribbean National Forest Boundary on the south; (3) all lands
lying west of Route 186 for 1 kilometer from the juncture of Routes 186
and 956 south to Km 6 on Route 186; (4) all lands within Km 14 and Km 6
on the west and the Caribbean National Forest Boundary on the east; and
(5) all lands within the Caribbean National Forest Boundary whether
private or public.
Cidra Municipality and adjacent areas--All of Cidra Municipality
and portions of Aguas Buenas, Caguas, Cayey, and Comerio Municipalities
as encompassed within the following boundary: Beginning on Highway 172
as it leaves the municipality of Cidra on the west edge, north to
Highway 156, east on Highway 156 to Highway 1, south on Highway 1 to
Highway 765, south on Highway 765 to Highway 763, south on Highway 763
to the Rio
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Guavate, west along Rio Guavate to Highway 1, southwest on Highway 1 to
Highway 14, west on Highway 14 to Highway 729, north on Highway 729 to
Cidra Municipality boundary to the point of the beginning.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP26JY13.014
[FR Doc. 2013-17876 Filed 7-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P