[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39460-39478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18672]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 20
RIN 1018-AF24
Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed Frameworks for Early-Season
Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations and Regulatory Alternatives for the
1999-2000 Duck Hunting Season; Notice of Meeting
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; Supplemental.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service or we)
is proposing to establish the 1999-2000 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 generally open prior to October 1, and
include seasons in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of final
seasons and limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels
compatible with population status and habitat conditions. This
supplement to the proposed rule also provides the regulatory
alternatives for the 1999-2000 duck hunting season.
DATES: To comment on the proposed early-season frameworks, you must do
so by August 2, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on these proposals to the Chief, Office
of Migratory Bird Management (MBMO), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
room 634-Arlington Square, Washington, DC 20240. All comments received,
including names and addresses, will become part of the public record.
You may inspect comments during normal business hours in room 634,
Arlington Square Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Andrew, Chief, or Ron W.
Kokel, Office of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, (703) 358-1714.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations Schedule for 1999
On May 3, 1999, we published in the Federal Register (64 FR 23742)
a proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20. The proposal dealt with the
establishment of seasons, limits, and other regulations for migratory
game birds under Sec. 20.101
[[Page 39461]]
through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. On June 17, we
published in the Federal Register (64 FR 32758) a second document
providing supplemental proposals for early-and late-season migratory
bird hunting regulations frameworks and the proposed regulatory
alternatives for the 1999-2000 duck hunting season. The June 17
supplement also provided detailed information on the 1999-2000
regulatory schedule and announced the Service Migratory Bird
Regulations Committee and Flyway Council meetings.
This document is the third in a series of proposed, supplemental,
and final rulemaking documents for migratory bird hunting regulations
and deals specifically with proposed frameworks for early-season
regulations and the final regulatory alternatives for the 1999-2000
duck hunting season. It will lead to final frameworks from which States
may select season dates, shooting hours, and daily bag and possession
limits for the 1999-2000 season. We have considered all pertinent
comments received through July 2, 1999, 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 20, 1999.
Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee Meetings
The June 22-23 meetings reviewed information on the current status
of migratory shore and upland game birds and developed 1999-2000
migratory game bird regulations recommendations for these species plus
regulations for migratory game birds in Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the
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 as it relates to the development
and selection of the regulatory packages for the 1999-2000 regular
waterfowl seasons. The previously announced August 3-4 meetings will
review information on the current status of waterfowl and develop 1999-
2000 migratory game bird regulations recommendations for regular
waterfowl seasons and other species and seasons not previously
discussed at the early season meetings. In accordance with Departmental
policy, these meetings are open to public observation and you may
submit written comments to the Director on the matters discussed.
Population Status and Harvest
May Breeding Waterfowl and Habitat Survey
In the Western or Traditional survey area, breeding habitat
conditions were generally good to excellent, and overall better than
conditions in 1998. An early warm spring and plenty of precipitation
resulted in abundant ponds and excellent nesting cover in most of the
Dakotas, northern Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and western
Ontario. The exceptions to these good conditions were southern and
central Alberta, central Saskatchewan, and western Montana, where a dry
early spring limited nesting habitat; and Alaska, where spring was as
much as 2 weeks late. The estimated number of May ponds in the
traditional survey area (6.7 0.3 million) was 46% greater
(P<0.01) than="" that="" of="" 1998,="" and="" 37%="" greater="" than="" the="" 1974-98="" average=""><0.01). overall,="" the="" traditional="" survey="" area="" was="" in="" good="" to="" excellent="" condition="" this="" spring="" and="" good="" to="" excellent="" waterfowl="" production="" is="" expected="" this="" year.="" an="" expanded="" area="" of="" eastern="" habitat="" conditions="" was="" included="" this="" year="" in="" the="" east.="" although="" these="" additional="" areas="" have="" been="" surveyed="" since="" 1996,="" information="" from="" them="" is="" included="" this="" year="" for="" the="" first="" time.="" unlike="" the="" western="" survey="" area,="" habitat="" conditions="" in="" the="" east="" were="" generally="" poorer="" this="" year="" than="" last="" year.="" much="" of="" the="" eastern="" survey="" area="" was="" relatively="" dry,="" especially="" maine,="" the="" maritimes,="" southern="" quebec,="" and="" southern="" ontario.="" conditions="" resulted="" in="" few="" temporary="" ponds="" and="" low="" water="" levels="" in="" permanent="" water="" bodies.="" the="" northern="" portions="" of="" the="" east="" were="" in="" good="" to="" excellent="" condition,="" but="" lack="" of="" brood="" rearing="" habitat="" is="" expected="" to="" also="" limit="" production="" from="" this="" area.="" overall,="" the="" eastern="" survey="" area="" was="" in="" fair="" to="" good="" condition,="" with="" fair="" to="" good="" production="" expected="" this="" year.="" the="" 1999="" total="" duck="" population="" estimate="" for="" the="" traditional="" survey="" area="" was="" 44.4=""> 0.8 million birds, an increase (P<0.01) of="" 14%="" over="" that="" of="" 1998,="" and="" 35%="" higher=""><0.01) than="" the="" 1955-98="" average.="" mallard="" abundance="" was="" 11.3=""> 0.4) million, an increase of 17% (P<0.01) over="" last="" year="" and="" 53%=""><0.01) greater="" than="" the="" long="" term="" average.="" blue-winged="" teal="" abundance="" was="" 7.2=""> 0.4) million, similar (P=0.10) to 1998,
but 66% greater than the long term average (P<0.01). northern="" pintail="" (3.1=""> 0.2 million, +21%), scaup (4.4 0.2
million, +27%), green-winged teal (2.8 0.2 million, +36%),
and northern shoveler (3.9 0.2 million, +22%) increased
from 1998 estimates (P<0.04). gadwall="" (3.2=""> 0.2 million,
+110%), green-winged teal (+61%), northern shoveler (+95%), redheads
(1.0 0.1 million, +60%), and canvasbacks (0.7
0.1 million, +34%) were above their respective long term
averages (P<0.03), while="" pintails="" (-30%)="" and="" scaup="" (-18%)="" were="" below="" their="" long="" term="" averages=""><0.01). in="" the="" eastern="" areas="" of="" canada="" and="" the="" u.s.,="" the="" total="" number="" of="" ducks="" (1.3=""> 0.1 million)
remained unchanged from last year and the 1995-98 average. Abundances
of individual species in the east were similar (P0.11) to
those of last year, except for increased estimates of goldeneye (+197%)
(P<0.09). goldeneye="" was="" above="" it's="" long="" term="" average="" (+288%),="" while="" blue-winged="" teal="" (-95%)="" and="" scaup="" (-90%)="" were="" below="" theirs=""><0.03). sandhill="" cranes="" the="" mid-continent="" population="" of="" sandhill="" cranes="" appears="" to="" have="" stabilized="" following="" dramatic="" increases="" in="" the="" early="" 1980's.="" the="" central="" platte="" river="" valley="" 1999="" preliminary="" spring="" index,="" uncorrected="" for="" visibility,="" was="" 222,500.="" the="" photo-corrected="" 3-year="" average="" for="" the="" 1996-98="" period="" was="" 477,911,="" which="" was="" 3%="" above="" the="" established="" population-objective="" range="" of="" 343,000-465,000="" cranes.="" all="" central="" flyway="" states,="" except="" nebraska,="" elected="" to="" allow="" crane="" hunting="" in="" portions="" of="" their="" respective="" states="" in="" 1998-99.="" about="" 8,700="" hunters="" participated="" in="" these="" seasons,="" which="" was="" 8%="" higher="" than="" the="" previous="" year's="" seasons.="" about="" 21,849="" cranes="" were="" harvested="" in="" 1998-99="" in="" the="" central="" flyway,="" a="" 5%="" increase="" from="" the="" previous="" year's="" high="" estimate.="" harvests="" from="" pacific="" flyway,="" canada="" and="" mexico="" are="" estimated="" to="" be="" about="" 13,700="" for="" 1998-99="" sport-hunting="" seasons.="" the="" total="" north="" american="" sport="" harvest,="" including="" crippling="" losses,="" was="" estimated="" to="" be="" about="" 41,414="" for="" the="" mid-continent="" population.="" the="" fall="" 1998="" pre-migration="" survey="" estimate="" for="" the="" rocky="" mountain="" population="" was="" 18,202,="" which="" is="" similar="" to="" the="" 1997="" estimate.="" limited="" special="" seasons="" were="" held="" during="" 1998="" in="" portions="" of="" arizona,="" idaho,="" montana,="" new="" mexico,="" utah,="" and="" wyoming,="" resulting="" in="" an="" estimated="" harvest="" of="" 538="" cranes.="" woodcock="" wing-collection="" and="" singing-ground="" surveys="" were="" conducted="" to="" assess="" the="" population="" status="" of="" the="" american="" woodcock="" (scolopax="" minor).="" the="" 1998="" recruitment="" index="" for="" the="" eastern="" region="" (1.7="" immatures="" per="" adult="" female)="" [[page="" 39462]]="" equaled="" the="" long-term="" regional="" average;="" the="" recruitment="" index="" for="" the="" central="" region="" (1.6="" immatures="" per="" adult="" female)="" was="" 6%="" below="" the="" long-="" term="" regional="" average.="" the="" index="" of="" daily="" hunting="" success="" in="" the="" eastern="" region="" increased="" from="" 1.8="" woodcock="" per="" successful="" hunt="" in="" 1997="" to="" 1.9="" woodcock="" per="" successful="" hunt="" in="" 1998,="" but="" seasonal="" hunting="" success="" declined="" 4%,="" from="" 6.9="" to="" 6.6="" woodcock="" per="" successful="" hunter="" in="" 1997="" and="" 1998,="" respectively.="" in="" the="" central="" region,="" the="" daily="" success="" index="" in="" 1998="" was="" unchanged="" from="" the="" 1997="" index="" (2.1="" woodcock="" per="" successful="" hunt)="" but="" the="" seasonal="" success="" index="" increased="" from="" 10.0="" to="" 11.0="" (10%)="" woodcock="" per="" successful="" hunter.="" singing-ground="" survey="" data="" indicated="" that="" the="" number="" of="" displaying="" woodcock="" in="" the="" eastern="" region="" was="" unchanged="" (p="">0.1) from 1998 levels. In the Central Region, there
was a 13.4% decrease in the number of woodcock heard displaying
(P<0.01) compared="" to="" 1998="" levels.="" trends="" from="" the="" singing-ground="" survey="" during="" 1989-99="" were="" negative="" (-3.3="" and="" -3.7%="" per="" year="" for="" the="" eastern="" and="" central="" regions,="" respectively;=""><0.01). there="" were="" long-term="" (1968-="" 99)="" declines=""><0.01) of="" 2.4%="" per="" year="" in="" the="" eastern="" region="" and="" 1.6%="" per="" year="" in="" the="" central="" region.="" doves="" and="" band-tailed="" pigeons="" analyses="" of="" mourning="" dove="" call-count="" survey="" data="" indicated="" significant="" declines="" in="" doves="" heard="" over="" the="" most="" recent="" 10="" years="" and="" the="" entire="" 34="" years="" of="" the="" survey="" in="" all="" 3="" management="" units.="" white-="" winged="" doves="" in="" arizona="" are="" maintaining="" a="" fairly="" stable="" population="" since="" the="" late="" 1970's.="" a="" low="" harvest="" is="" being="" maintained="" compared="" with="" birds="" taken="" several="" decades="" ago.="" in="" texas,="" the="" phenomenon="" of="" the="" white-="" winged="" dove="" range="" expansion="" continues.="" birds="" are="" now="" seen="" in="" most="" large="" cities="" in="" north="" and="" central="" texas.="" white-tipped="" doves="" in="" texas="" are="" maintaining="" their="" population="" with="" a="" relatively="" low="" harvest="" level.="" for="" band-tailed="" pigeons,="" the="" coastal="" population="" continues="" to="" show="" a="" significant="" decline="" as="" indicated="" by="" the="" breeding="" bird="" survey="" (bbs)="" for="" the="" 10="" and="" 32-year="" periods.="" in="" contrast,="" mineral="" spring="" counts="" at="" 10="" selected="" sites="" in="" oregon="" indicate="" an="" overall="" stable="" population="" in="" the="" state="" with="" an="" increasing="" trend="" since="" 1986.="" call-count="" survey="" results="" in="" washington="" show="" no="" significant="" trends="" in="" the="" bandtail="" population="" between="" 1975-98.="" washington="" has="" not="" opted="" to="" select="" a="" hunting="" season="" for="" band-tail="" pigeons="" since="" 1991.="" the="" harvest="" of="" coastal="" pigeons="" is="" estimated="" to="" be="" less="" than="" 20,000="" birds="" out="" of="" a="" population="" of="" about="" 3="" million.="" the="" interior="" band-tailed="" pigeon="" population="" is="" stable="" with="" no="" trend="" indicated="" by="" the="" bbs="" over="" the="" short="" or="" long-term="" time="" periods.="" harvest="" is="" less="" than="" 1,000="" birds.="" review="" of="" public="" comments="" the="" preliminary="" proposed="" rulemaking,="" which="" appeared="" in="" the="" may="" 3="" federal="" register,="" opened="" the="" public="" comment="" period="" for="" migratory="" game="" bird="" hunting="" regulations.="" the="" supplemental="" proposed="" rule,="" which="" appeared="" in="" the="" june="" 17="" federal="" register,="" defined="" the="" public="" comment="" period="" for="" the="" proposed="" regulatory="" alternatives="" for="" the="" 1999-2000="" duck="" hunting="" season.="" the="" public="" comment="" period="" for="" the="" proposed="" regulatory="" alternatives="" ended="" july="" 2,="" 1999.="" early-season="" comments="" and="" comments="" pertaining="" to="" the="" proposed="" alternatives="" are="" summarized="" below="" and="" numbered="" in="" the="" order="" used="" in="" the="" may="" 3="" federal="" register.="" only="" the="" numbered="" items="" pertaining="" to="" early="" seasons="" issues="" and="" the="" proposed="" regulatory="" alternatives="" for="" which="" written="" comments="" were="" received="" are="" included.="" 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="" may="" 3,="" 1999,="" federal="" register.="" 1.="" ducks="" categories="" used="" to="" discuss="" issues="" related="" to="" duck="" harvest="" management="" are:="" (a)="" harvest="" strategy="" considerations,="" (b)="" framework="" dates,="" (c)="" season="" length,="" (d)="" closed="" seasons,="" (e)="" bag="" limits,="" (f)="" zones="" and="" split="" seasons,="" and="" (g)="" special="" seasons/species="" management.="" the="" categories="" correspond="" to="" previous="" published="" issues/discussion="" and="" only="" those="" containing="" substantial="" recommendations="" are="" discussed="" below.="" a.="" harvest="" strategy="" considerations="" council="" recommendations:="" the="" atlantic="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" continued="" use="" of="" the="" 1998-99="" duck="" hunting="" packages="" for="" the="" 1999-2000="" season.="" they="" further="" recommended="" the="" service="" not="" allow="" framework="" date="" extensions="" in="" any="" states="" during="" the="" 1999-2000="" season.="" the="" upper-regulations="" committee="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" the="" service="" use="" the="" 1997-98="" regulations="" packages="" for="" the="" 1999-2000="" duck="" season,="" including="" frameworks="" dates="" from="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" october="" 1="" to="" the="" sunday="" nearest="" january="" 20.="" the="" lower-region="" regulations="" committee="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" the="" service="" continue="" use="" of="" the="" 1998-99="" regulatory="" packages="" for="" the="" 1999-="" 2000="" season="" and="" further="" recommended="" deletion="" of="" the="" ``very="" restrictive''="" alternative="" and="" modification="" of="" the="" framework="" opening="" and="" closing="" dates="" to="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" to="" september="" 23="" to="" january="" 31="" for="" all="" alternatives="" with="" no="" offsets.="" the="" central="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" the="" service="" continue="" use="" of="" the="" 1998-99="" regulatory="" packages="" for="" the="" 1999-2000="" season="" with="" several="" modifications.="" the="" council="" recommended="" framework="" opening="" dates="" of="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" to="" september="" 24="" in="" the="" ``liberal''="" and="" ``moderate''="" regulatory="" alternatives="" with="" no="" offsets.="" the="" framework="" closing="" date="" would="" remain="" the="" sunday="" nearest="" to="" january="" 20.="" additionally,="" the="" council="" recommended="" that="" no="" additional="" changes="" be="" allowed="" to="" the="" packages="" for="" a="" five-year="" period.="" the="" pacific="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" framework="" dates="" of="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" to="" september="" 23="" to="" january="" 31="" without="" offsets="" in="" the="" ``liberal''="" alternative="" and="" with="" offsets="" in="" the="" ``moderate''="" alternative="" (as="" long="" as="" the="" offset="" does="" not="" exceed="" 7="" days="" with="" a="" season="" of="" not="" less="" than="" 79="" days="" in="" the="" pacific="" flyway).="" for="" the="" ``restrictive''="" and="" ``very="" restrictive''="" alternatives,="" the="" council="" recommended="" maintaining="" current="" framework="" dates.="" the="" council="" also="" recommended="" maintaining="" the="" current="" mallard="" bag="" limits="" and="" preserving="" the="" traditional="" differences="" in="" harvest="" opportunity="" both="" within="" and="" between="" flyways.="" written="" comments:="" the="" alabama="" division="" of="" game="" and="" fish="" believed="" the="" ``very="" restrictive''="" alternative="" should="" be="" deleted.="" service="" response:="" for="" the="" 1999-2000="" regular="" duck="" hunting="" season,="" we="" will="" use="" the="" four="" regulatory="" alternatives="" detailed="" in="" the="" accompanying="" table="" (see="" further="" discussion="" in="" b.="" framework="" dates).="" alternatives="" are="" specified="" for="" each="" flyway="" and="" are="" designated="" as="" ``very="" res''="" for="" the="" very="" restrictive,="" ``res''="" for="" the="" restrictive,="" ``mod''="" for="" the="" moderate,="" and="" ``lib''="" for="" the="" liberal="" alternative.="" we="" will="" propose="" a="" specific="" [[page="" 39463]]="" regulatory="" alternative="" in="" early="" august="" when="" survey="" data="" on="" waterfowl="" population="" and="" habitat="" status="" are="" available="" in="" late="" july.="" b.="" framework="" dates="" council="" recommendations:="" the="" atlantic="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" that="" the="" service="" not="" allow="" framework="" date="" extensions="" in="" any="" states="" during="" the="" 1999-2000="" season.="" the="" upper-region="" regulations="" committee="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" no="" change="" in="" the="" framework="" dates="" from="" the="" 1997-98="" regulatory="" alternatives.="" the="" lower-region="" regulations="" committee="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" modification="" of="" the="" framework="" opening="" and="" closing="" dates="" to="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" to="" september="" 23="" to="" january="" 31="" for="" all="" regulatory="" alternatives="" with="" no="" offsets.="" the="" central="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" a="" framework="" opening="" date="" of="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" to="" september="" 24="" in="" the="" ``liberal''="" and="" ``moderate''="" regulatory="" alternatives="" with="" no="" offsets.="" the="" framework="" closing="" date="" would="" remain="" the="" sunday="" nearest="" to="" january="" 20.="" the="" pacific="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" framework="" dates="" of="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" to="" september="" 23="" to="" january="" 31="" with="" no="" offsets="" in="" the="" ``liberal''="" alternative="" and="" with="" offsets="" in="" the="" ``moderate''="" alternative="" (as="" long="" as="" the="" offset="" does="" not="" exceed="" 7="" days="" with="" a="" season="" of="" not="" less="" than="" 79="" days="" in="" the="" pacific="" flyway).="" for="" the="" ``restrictive''="" and="" ``very="" restrictive''="" alternatives,="" the="" council="" recommended="" maintaining="" current="" framework="" dates.="" written="" comments:="" the="" alabama="" division="" of="" game="" and="" fish="" believe="" that="" the="" january="" 31="" framework="" extension="" should="" occur="" in="" all="" alternatives="" with="" no="" associated="" offset="" in="" season="" length.="" the="" minnesota="" department="" of="" natural="" resources="" continues="" to="" support="" the="" 1998-99="" regulatory="" alternatives,="" as="" published="" in="" the="" august="" 5="" federal="" register.="" however,="" given="" the="" current="" situation="" facing="" the="" service,="" they="" believe="" this="" year's="" proposal="" minimizes="" the="" damage="" caused="" by="" the="" frameworks="" issue="" and="" allows="" movement="" forward="" to="" more="" important="" waterfowl="" management="" issues.="" furthermore,="" they="" are="" concerned="" about="" the="" changing="" distribution="" and="" continued="" shift="" in="" flyway="" harvest="" over="" the="" past="" few="" years="" to="" the="" southern="" states="" and="" requested="" us="" to="" examine="" the="" contribution="" of="" the="" current="" ``liberal''="" alternative="" to="" this="" harvest="" shift.="" the="" mississippi="" department="" of="" wildlife,="" fisheries="" and="" parks="" (mississippi)="" supported="" frameworks="" dates="" of="" the="" saturday="" closest="" to="" september="" 23="" to="" january="" 31="" in="" the="" ``liberal'',="" ``moderate'',="" and="" ``restrictive''="" alternatives.="" they="" further="" requested="" that="" all="" states="" taking="" the="" framework="" extension="" be="" allowed="" to="" offset="" potential="" harvest="" increases="" with="" appropriate="" season="" length="" reductions="" and="" believed="" that="" framework="" dates="" should="" not="" be="" used="" as="" a="" regulatory="" tool.="" in="" a="" separate="" letter,="" mississippi="" questioned="" the="" proposed="" 9-day="" offset.="" more="" specifically,="" they="" believe="" that="" the="" offset="" should="" be="" proportional="" to="" the="" extension.="" last="" season,="" the="" normal="" framework="" closing="" date="" for="" the="" rest="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" was="" january="" 17="" (the="" sunday="" closest="" to="" january="" 20),="" resulting="" in="" a="" realized="" 14-day="" extension="" to="" january="" 31="" for="" alabama,="" mississippi,="" and="" tennessee.="" this="" season,="" the="" framework="" closing="" date="" for="" the="" rest="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" is="" january="" 23="" (again,="" the="" sunday="" closest="" to="" january="" 20),="" resulting="" in="" only="" a="" realized="" 8-day="" extension="" to="" january="" 31.="" thus,="" mississippi="" believes="" the="" offset="" for="" this="" season="" should="" be="" 5="" days.="" the="" missouri="" department="" of="" conservation="" supported="" the="" proposals="" for="" the="" 1999-2000="" regulatory="" alternatives="" and="" agreed="" with="" maintaining="" the="" framework="" date="" specifications="" through="" the="" 2002-03="" season.="" while="" missouri="" continued="" to="" believe="" that="" the="" 1998-99="" alternatives="" offered="" the="" most="" acceptable="" regulations="" package,="" they="" believed="" that="" the="" next="" best="" solution="" was="" the="" service's="" proposal="" of="" framework="" extensions="" limited="" to="" alabama,="" mississippi,="" and="" tennessee.="" they="" believed="" that="" this="" alternative="" would="" have="" the="" least="" biological="" impact="" and="" the="" least="" effect="" on="" continuing="" ahm="" progress.="" the="" south="" dakota="" department="" of="" game,="" fish,="" and="" parks="" (south="" dakota)="" generally="" agreed="" with="" the="" proposed="" regulatory="" alternatives,="" including="" bag="" limits="" and="" season="" lengths.="" however,="" they="" believed="" that="" there="" was="" room="" to="" provide="" increased="" hunting="" opportunity="" for="" northern="" production="" states="" by="" extending="" the="" framework="" opening="" date,="" with="" or="" without="" offsets,="" to="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" to="" september="" 24="" in="" the="" ``liberal''="" and="" ``moderate''="" alternatives.="" south="" dakota="" further="" believed="" that="" the="" impact="" of="" any="" framework="" extension="" would="" be="" minimal="" and="" that="" the="" effects="" of="" such="" an="" extension="" should="" be="" evaluated="" in="" an="" adaptive="" manner="" after="" the="" fact="" rather="" than="" assuming="" worst-case="" scenario="" impacts.="" the="" tennessee="" wildlife="" resources="" agency="" requested="" the="" service="" allow="" additional="" time="" to="" review="" harvest="" data="" from="" last="" year="" and="" solicit="" public="" comments="" before="" committing="" to="" an="" additional="" 4-year="" january="" 31="" framework="" closing="" date="" alternative.="" they="" requested="" that="" this="" decision="" be="" part="" of="" the="" normal="" late-season="" selection="" process.="" the="" california="" waterfowl="" association="" recommended="" the="" service="" offer="" pacific="" flyway="" states="" a="" january="" 31="" framework="" closing="" date="" in="" both="" the="" ``moderate''="" and="" ``liberal''="" alternatives.="" more="" specifically,="" they="" recommended="" frameworks="" of="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" september="" 23="" to="" january="" 31="" in="" the="" ``moderate''="" and="" ``liberal''="" alternatives,="" with="" associated="" offsets.="" they="" believe="" that="" continuing="" the="" use="" of="" the="" 1998-99="" frameworks="" will="" effectively="" inhibit="" the="" gathering="" of="" data="" critical="" to="" developing="" a="" predictive="" ahm="" model="" for="" california="" and="" other="" pacific="" flyway="" states.="" the="" mississippi="" fish="" and="" wildlife="" foundation="" and="" the="" mississippi="" outfitters="" association="" supported="" a="" january="" 31="" framework="" closing="" date="" in="" the="" ``liberal'',="" ``moderate'',="" and="" ``restrictive''="" alternatives.="" individuals="" in="" alabama="" and="" tennessee="" supported="" a="" january="" 31="" framework="" closing="" date,="" while="" an="" individual="" in="" minnesota="" supported="" a="" framework="" opening="" date="" of="" the="" saturday="" nearest="" october="" 1.="" another="" individual="" in="" minnesota="" requested="" a="" later="" closing="" date="" for="" northern="" states="" citing="" concerns="" over="" global="" warming.="" an="" individual="" in="" texas="" requested="" that="" seasons="" be="" shifted="" 2-3="" weeks="" later="" to="" account="" for="" changes="" in="" waterfowl="" migration="" patterns.="" service="" response:="" as="" indicated="" in="" the="" june="" 17="" federal="" register,="" there="" remains="" a="" diversity="" of="" opinions:="" (1)="" about="" the="" desirability="" of="" framework-date="" extensions="" at="" this="" time;="" (2)="" about="" the="" need="" for="" corresponding="" reductions="" in="" season="" length;="" (3)="" about="" whether="" extensions="" should="" be="" applied="" to="" opening="" dates,="" closing="" dates,="" or="" both;="" and="" (4)="" about="" the="" inclusion="" of="" framework-date="" extensions="" in="" some="" or="" all="" of="" the="" regulatory="" alternatives.="" in="" light="" of="" the="" lack="" of="" consensus="" among="" the="" flyways="" and="" states,="" and="" because="" of="" a="" pressing="" need="" for="" stable="" regulatory="" alternatives,="" we="" are="" continuing="" the="" use="" of="" the="" 1998-99="" regulatory="" alternatives="" published="" in="" the="" august="" 5,="" 1998,="" federal="" register,="" for="" the="" 1999-2000="" hunting="" season="" with="" one="" exception.="" for="" the="" states="" of="" alabama,="" mississippi,="" and="" tennessee,="" we="" will="" offer="" the="" use="" of="" a="" 51-day="" season="" in="" the="" ``liberal''="" alternative="" and="" a="" 38-day="" season="" in="" the="" ``moderate''="" alternative="" with="" a="" january="" 31="" framework="" closing="" date="" in="" both="" alternatives.="" of="" the="" six="" states="" that="" were="" offered="" the="" framework="" extension="" in="" the="" 1998-99="" season,="" only="" these="" three="" states="" availed="" themselves="" of="" this="" option.="" we="" believe="" that="" a="" reduction="" in="" season="" length="" is="" needed="" to="" offset="" the="" expected="" increase="" in="" duck="" harvest="" (about="" 18%="" for="" mallards),="" and="" that="" 9="" [[page="" 39464]]="" days="" in="" the="" ``liberal''="" alternative="" and="" 7="" days="" in="" the="" ``moderate''="" alternative="" are="" commensurate="" offsets="" for="" this="" region="" of="" the="" country.="" these="" season-length="" offsets="" are="" based="" on="" the="" average="" increase="" in="" harvest="" associated="" with="" extending="" the="" framework="" beyond="" the="" traditional="" date="" of="" the="" sunday="" nearest="" january="" 20.="" although="" we="" recognize="" that="" the="" length="" of="" the="" framework="" extension="" will="" vary="" with="" calender="" changes,="" it="" currently="" is="" technically="" impossible="" to="" reliably="" assess="" year-specific="" offsets="" of="" season-length.="" the="" framework-date="" extension="" is="" limited="" to="" the="" ``liberal''="" and="" ``moderate''="" regulatory="" alternatives="" to="" avoid="" the="" introduction="" of="" additional="" uncertainty="" about="" harvest="" impacts="" at="" other="" regulatory="" levels,="" and="" to="" avoid="" the="" potential="" for="" late-season="" physiological="" or="" behavioral="" impacts="" on="" ducks="" when="" population="" levels="" are="" insufficient="" to="" support="" more="" liberal="" seasons.="" framework="" opening="" and="" closing="" dates="" for="" all="" other="" states="" would="" remain="" unchanged="" from="" those="" published="" in="" the="" august="" 5,="" 1998,="" federal="" register.="" further,="" alabama,="" mississippi,="" and="" tennessee="" should="" base="" their="" decision="" on="" the="" clear="" understanding="" that="" we="" intend="" to="" maintain="" these="" framework-date="" specifications="" through="" the="" 2002-03="" hunting="" season,="" or="" until="" such="" time="" that="" the="" flyway="" councils="" can="" develop="" an="" approach="" that="" adequately="" addresses="" the="" concerns="" of="" the="" service="" and="" a="" majority="" of="" states.="" thus,="" alabama,="" mississippi,="" and="" tennessee="" must="" decide="" on="" whether="" they="" want="" to="" enter="" into="" a="" 4-year="" commitment="" on="" frameworks.="" following="" their="" decision="" this="" year,="" we="" do="" not="" intend="" to="" annually="" revisit="" this="" issue.="" this="" stability="" is="" necessary="" to="" assess="" the="" appropriateness="" of="" the="" offset="" for="" the="" extended="" framework="" closing="" date="" in="" the="" southern="" mississippi="" flyway,="" and="" to="" ensure="" that="" the="" ahm="" process="" can="" continue="" to="" increase="" our="" understanding="" of="" the="" effects="" of="" hunting="" on="" waterfowl="" populations.="" this="" understanding="" is="" essential="" to="" providing="" maximum="" levels="" of="" biologically="" sustainable="" hunting="" opportunity.="" finally,="" in="" making="" this="" offer="" to="" alabama,="" mississippi,="" and="" tennessee,="" we="" believe="" that="" it="" is="" important="" to="" reiterate="" one="" of="" our="" guidelines="" from="" last="" year="" (63="" fr="" 63580)="" that="" if="" a="" season="" closing="" date="" after="" the="" sunday="" nearest="" january="" 20="" is="" selected="" for="" any="" portion="" of="" the="" state,="" the="" season-length="" offset="" applies="" throughout="" the="" state.="" f.="" zones="" and="" split="" seasons="" council="" recommendations:="" the="" upper-region="" regulations="" committee="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" that="" the="" service="" add="" ``3="" zones="" with="" 2-way="" splits="" permitted="" in="" one="" or="" more="" zones''="" as="" an="" additional="" option="" beginning="" in="" 2001.="" further,="" because="" of="" the="" public="" input="" process="" many="" states="" undertake,="" the="" committee="" recommended="" that="" states="" have="" up="" to="" one="" year="" to="" choose="" this="" option="" prior="" to="" the="" 2001="" regular="" duck="" season="" regulations="" process.="" the="" lower-region="" regulations="" committee="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" that="" the="" service="" consider="" offering="" all="" states="" the="" option="" of="" choosing="" 3="" zones="" with="" a="" split="" season="" in="" each="" zone="" in="" the="" year="" 2001.="" the="" pacific="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" the="" service="" engage="" the="" flyway="" councils="" in="" an="" evaluation="" of="" the="" guidelines="" for="" zoning="" and="" split="" seasons,="" prior="" to="" the="" 2001="" ``open="" season''="" on="" regulation="" changes.="" written="" comments:="" the="" mississippi="" department="" of="" wildlife,="" fisheries="" and="" parks,="" the="" mississippi="" fish="" and="" wildlife="" foundation="" and="" the="" mississippi="" outfitters="" association="" requested="" that="" all="" states="" participating="" in="" a="" framework="" extension="" be="" allowed="" 1="" split.="" service="" response:="" we="" acknowledge="" the="" recommendations="" from="" the="" upper-="" and="" lower-region="" regulations="" committees="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" and="" the="" pacific="" flyway="" council="" pertaining="" to="" revision="" of="" guidelines="" for="" selecting="" zone="" and="" split="" options="" for="" duck="" hunting.="" accordingly,="" we="" will="" work="" with="" all="" the="" flyway="" councils="" in="" the="" next="" year="" to="" review="" the="" existing="" guidelines,="" and="" plan="" to="" finalize="" these="" guidelines="" during="" next="" year's="" (2000-01)="" late="" season="" regulations="" process.="" the="" final="" guidance="" will="" then="" be="" available="" for="" use="" by="" all="" states="" in="" the="" ensuing="" year="" as="" they="" solicit="" public="" input="" for="" zone="" and="" split="" configurations="" for="" use="" during="" 2001-05.="" regarding="" the="" comments="" from="" mississippi,="" we="" will="" continue="" to="" utilize="" the="" existing="" zone/split="" guidelines="" published="" in="" the="" july="" 22,="" 1996,="" federal="" register="" (61="" fr="" 37994)="" until="" the="" next="" open="" season="" in="" 2001.="" these="" guidelines="" apply="" to="" all="" states,="" regardless="" of="" whether="" a="" state="" chooses="" to="" participate="" in="" an="" experimental="" framework="" extension.="" g.="" special="" seasons/species="" management="" i.="" scaup="" in="" the="" past="" year,="" we="" have="" continued="" to="" indicate="" our="" growing="" concern="" for="" the="" status="" and="" trends="" of="" north="" american="" scaup.="" we="" have="" distributed="" a="" status="" report="" on="" scaup="" and="" provided="" some="" initial="" guidelines="" concerning="" a="" scaup="" harvest="" strategy="" to="" the="" flyway="" councils="" and="" others="" for="" consideration="" in="" the="" development="" of="" recommendations="" for="" the="" 1999-="" 2000="" hunting="" season.="" in="" response="" to="" this="" information,="" all="" four="" flyways="" discussed="" the="" issue="" at="" their="" winter="" meetings.="" council="" recommendations:="" the="" atlantic="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" that="" the="" service="" monitor="" and="" manage="" the="" harvest="" of="" greater="" and="" lesser="" scaup="" populations="" separately.="" they="" recommended="" that="" differences="" in="" harvest="" management,="" when="" required,="" be="" achieved="" through="" different="" daily="" bag="" limits="" applied="" on="" a="" regional="" basis.="" in="" the="" atlantic="" flyway,="" they="" recommended="" that="" in="" those="" regions="" harvesting="" primarily="" greater="" scaup,="" 1999-2000="" scaup="" harvest="" regulations="" be="" based="" on="" the="" status="" of="" greater="" scaup,="" while="" the="" remaining="" portions="" of="" the="" flyway="" be="" based="" on="" the="" status="" of="" lesser="" scaup.="" they="" further="" recommended="" that="" population="" objectives="" and="" regulatory="" triggering="" levels="" be="" finalized="" this="" summer.="" the="" upper-="" and="" lower-region="" regulations="" committees="" of="" the="" mississippi="" flyway="" council="" recommended="" that="" the="" scaup="" daily="" bag="" limit="" be="" reduced="" from="" 6="" to="" 3="" for="" 1999.="" the="" central="" flyway="" council="" believes="" that="" the="" north="" american="" waterfowl="" management="" plan's="" scaup="" population="" objective="" (6.3="" million)="" is="" too="" high="" and="" that="" a="" more="" appropriate="" objective="" is="" 5.4="" million="" (1955-="" 1998="" average).="" this="" new="" objective="" would="" consist="" of="" 4.9="" million="" lesser="" scaup="" and="" 462,000="" greater="" scaup.="" the="" council="" recommended="" a="" prescription="" for="" scaup="" bag="" limits="" based="" on="" the="" status="" of="" lesser="" scaup="" as="" follows:=""><2 million,="" bag="" limit="" of="" 1;="" 2-4.2="" million,="" bag="" limit="" of="" 2;="" and="">4.2, the
bag limit for scaup should equal the regular daily duck limit as
determined by the AHM process.
Service Response: We remain concerned about the long-term status
and trends in North American scaup populations. Further, we appreciate
the efforts of all four Flyway Councils to constructively address the
issue of a harvest strategy for scaup and will continue to work with
the Councils to finalize a harvest strategy for scaup for the 1999-2000
season.
iv. September Teal/Wood Duck Seasons
Council Recommendations: The Lower-Region Regulations Committee of
the Mississippi Flyway Council requested that the Service clarify the
linkage between the Flyway-wide wood duck harvest strategy, September
teal seasons, and regional (reference area) September wood duck
seasons. They further recommended the continuation of the experimental
September teal/wood duck seasons in Kentucky and Tennessee in 1999 with
no changes from the 1998 season.
Service Response: In the July 17, 1998, Federal Register (63 FR
38707) we
[[Page 39465]]
indicated that September wood duck seasons would be allowed to continue
for a maximum of 3 years. Results from the Wood Duck Population
Monitoring Initiative indicate that sufficient monitoring capabilities
currently do not exist at the sub-Flyway level to support continuation
of September wood duck seasons. Therefore, the seasons in Florida,
Kentucky, and Tennessee will be discontinued after September 2000.
Flyway harvest strategies that address regular-season wood duck
regulations will then be implemented for the 2001-2002 season. We see
no linkage between the Flyway-wide wood duck strategy, September teal
seasons, and regional September wood duck seasons.
v. Youth Hunt
Council Recommendations: The Lower-Region Regulations Committee of
the Mississippi Flyway Council and the Central Flyway Council
recommended expansion of the special youth waterfowl hunt to 2 days.
Written Comments: The Alabama Division of Game and Fish recommended
expansion of the special youth hunt to 2 consecutive days.
Service Response: We appreciate the Flyway Councils' support of the
youth waterfowl hunting day, but do not support the recommendation of
the Mississippi Flyway Council's Lower-Region Regulations Committee and
the Central Flyway Council to expand the youth hunt to two consecutive
days. Our intent in establishing this special day of opportunity was to
introduce youth to the concepts of ethical utilization and stewardship
of waterfowl and other natural resources, encourage youngsters and
adults to experience the outdoors together, and to contribute to the
long-term conservation of the migratory bird resource. We view the
special youth hunting day as a unique educational opportunity, above
and beyond the regular season, which helps ensure high-quality learning
experiences for those youth indicating interest in hunting. We believe
that the youth hunting day will help develop a conservation ethic in
our youth and is consistent with the Service's responsibility to foster
an appreciation for our nation's valuable wildlife resources. We do not
believe an extensive evaluation of the effects of youth hunting day is
cost effective but believe waterfowl populations can support this
limited additional opportunity. Increases in the duration of this
unique opportunity would increase the pressure to conduct additional
evaluations. With the above objectives and potential costs in mind,
there is not a compelling reason to extend the opportunity beyond the
1-day period.
4. Canada Geese
A. Special Seasons
Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council made several
recommendations concerning September goose seasons. They recommended
the approval of operational status for a September 1 to 25 framework in
Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and a September 1 to 30 framework in New
Jersey. They further recommended the expansion of the September goose
season framework closing date around Montezuma National Wildlife
Refuge, New York from September 15 to 20.
The Upper-Region Regulations Committee of the Mississippi Flyway
Council recommended that Minnesota be allowed to have an experimental
extension of their September special season from September 16 to 22,
except in the Northwest Goose Zone, for the 1999-2001 hunting seasons.
The Lower-Region Regulations Committee of the Mississippi Flyway
Council urged the Service to use caution in changing or expanding
special goose seasons.
The Pacific Flyway Council recommended the addition of the Bridger
Valley hunt unit to the existing September RMP Canada goose seasons in
western Wyoming, with frameworks of September 1 to 7.
Written Comments: The Alabama Division expressed appreciation for
the caution demonstrated by the Service in changing or expanding
special Canada goose seasons.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau recommended lengthening hunting
seasons for resident geese to provide relief from excessive crop
damage. An individual in Pennsylvania also supported increasing hunting
seasons to help farmers control excessive goose damage.
Service Response: We concur with the recommendations regarding the
change in status for the New Jersey and Pennsylvania special seasons.
Additionally, we concur with the recommendations for experimental
extensions of the special September Canada goose seasons in New York
and Minnesota, with the provisions and evaluation outlined in their
proposals. We also concur with the proposal to add the Bridger Valley
Hunt Unit in Wyoming.
B. Regular Seasons
Council Recommendations: The Upper-Region Regulations Committee of
the Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that the 1999 regular goose
season opening date be as early as September 18 in Michigan and
Wisconsin.
Service Response: We concur with the recommendations for a
September 18 opening date in Wisconsin and the North Zone (Upper
Peninsula) of Michigan. For the Lower Peninsula (Middle and South
Zones) of Michigan, we concur with the recommendation for a September
18 opening under the conditions for Canada geese identified in the
following frameworks. Continuation of an opening date earlier than the
Saturday nearest October 1 in the Lower Peninsula beyond the 1999-2000
hunting season will be contingent upon the State's developing a
proposal for evaluating the population composition of the Canada goose
harvest during the earlier regular seasons in comparison to seasons
with a traditional opening date. In addition to identifying the kinds
of data to be collected and analyzed during the next few years, the
proposal should include a summary of data collected during the earlier
regular seasons in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. Michigan should submit the
proposal to us and the Mississippi Flyway Council prior to the
Council's March 2000 meeting.
Regarding the Lower-Region Regulation Committee's concern for
cumulative impacts of special-season harvests on migrant Canada goose
populations of concern, we are aware of the Committee's concern and are
monitoring the harvests occurring during these seasons.
9. Sandhill Cranes
Council Recommendations: The Central Flyway Council recommended
removal of the ``float'' portion (10% of the total allowable harvest)
of the Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) greater sandhill crane annual
harvest allocation for the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons. The Council
recommended removal of this harvest portion to allow a research study.
The Pacific Flyway Council recommended several changes in sandhill
crane seasons. For greater sandhill cranes, the Council recommended the
establishment of a new experimental crane hunt in Box Elder County,
Utah, between September 1 and September 30. For RMP cranes, the Council
recommended that the frameworks be modified to include Bear Lake and
Fremont Counties in Idaho, and that the current requirement for hunter
check stations in these counties be waived. The Council further
recommended that the annual check station requirement for the Arizona
[[Page 39466]]
RMP Greater Sandhill Crane hunt be modified to a required check station
every 3 years.
Service Response: We concur with the various proposals from the
Central and Pacific Flyway Councils regrading RMP Cranes. We note that
several of the proposals received from the Pacific Flyway Council were
requests for exemptions from specific provisions of the management plan
for this population. We believe the biological information was clearly
in support of the recommended exemptions, however, it would also note
that it is our strong preference to see the Councils address these
types of issues through management plan revisions rather than through
exemptions to procedures placed in Federal regulations. Therefore, we
have approved these recommendations but require that the management
plan for this population be revised to reflect these changes in
procedures by July, 2001. Further, we request that the Pacific Flyway
Council give consideration to changing management plans rather than
requesting federal regulatory changes if similar situations should
develop with this or other populations of migratory game birds in the
future.
18. Alaska
Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council made several
recommendations concerning Alaska. For sea ducks, the Council
recommended reducing the separate sea duck bag and possession limits
from
15/30 to 10/20 king and common eiders, scoters, and mergansers in the
aggregate. Long-tailed ducks (oldsquaws) and harlequins would be
included in general duck limits and seasons would remain closed for
spectacled and Steller's eiders. For Canada geese, the Council
recommended removal of Canada goose bag limit restrictions within dark
goose bag limits (4/8) in Alaska Game Management Subunit 9E (Alaska
Peninsula) and Unit 18 (Y-K Delta). Further, for tundra swans, the
Council recommended that tundra swan permits issued for swan hunts in
Alaska allow the take of up to 3 swans per permit, with no change in
reporting requirements or other framework conditions.
Written comments: A constituent from Alaska wrote regarding the
need for greater reductions in sea duck harvest regulations than had
been proposed by the Pacific Flyway Council.
Service Response: We concur with the recommendations of the Pacific
Flyway Council regarding Alaska's migratory game birds regulations for
the 1999-2000 hunting season. We have carefully reviewed the
recommendation regarding changes in sea duck regulations for Alaska
from both the Council and from a concerned constituent from Alaska. The
population status of sea ducks remains a concern to us. We believe that
the changes proposed by the Council constitute a good first step in
developing a more comprehensive strategy for the long-term harvest
management of sea ducks in Alaska. We are convinced that the long-term
solution will involve both sport and subsistence harvest as well as
meeting many of the pressing information needs for this important group
of waterfowl. We look forward to working with our partners in the newly
formed Sea Duck Joint Venture to meet these challenges.
Additionally, we note that the tundra swan permit request for
Alaska is another instance where the Council is requesting an exemption
from procedures outlined in approved management plans. While we
recognize the special circumstances that have lead to this
recommendation and have approved the change in procedures as
recommended by the Council, we strongly prefer that future deviations
from procedures in the management plan be addressed through management
plan revisions rather than Federal regulation. Further, it is our
belief that changes in total harvest allocation were not intended to
result from the proposed changes in the permit procedure. Therefore, we
have not changed the total swan harvest allocated to Alaska. We
strongly recommend that the western tundra swan management and hunt
plans be revised in a timely fashion and prior to any further requests
for exceptions to the procedures outlined in the management and hunt
plans. We suggest that July of 2001 would seem a reasonable target date
for completion of such a revision and will work with the Council to
achieve this goal.
Public Comment Invited
We intend that adopted final rules be as responsive as possible to
all concerned interests, and therefore desire to obtain the comments
and suggestions of the public, other governmental agencies, non-
governmental organizations, and other private interests on these
proposals. However, special circumstances are involved in the
establishment of these regulations which limit the amount of time that
we can allow for public comment. Specifically, two considerations
compress the time in which the rulemaking process must operate: (1) the
need to establish final rules at a point early enough in the summer to
allow affected State agencies to appropriately adjust their licensing
and regulatory mechanisms; and (2) the unavailability, before mid-June,
of specific, reliable data on this year's status of some waterfowl and
migratory shore and upland game bird populations. Therefore, we believe
that to allow comment periods past the dates specified is contrary to
the public interest.
The Department of the Interior's policy is, whenever practicable,
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 promulgation of final migratory game bird hunting
regulations, we will take into consideration all comments received.
Such comments, and any additional information received, may lead to
final regulations that differ from these proposals. We invite
interested persons to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
written comments to the address indicated under the caption ADDRESSES.
You may inspect comments received on the proposed annual regulations
during normal business hours at the Service's office in room 634, 4401
North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia. 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 received during the comment
period and respond to them after the closing date.
NEPA Consideration
NEPA considerations are covered by 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 on June 9, 1988.
We published a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on June
16, 1988 (53 FR 22582). We published our Record of Decision on August
18, 1988 (53 FR 31341). Copies are available from the address indicated
under the caption ADDRESSES.
Endangered Species Act Consideration
Prior to issuance of the 1999-2000 migratory game bird hunting
regulations, we will consider provisions of the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended, (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543; hereinafter the Act) to
ensure that hunting is not likely to jeopardize the
[[Page 39467]]
continued existence of any species designated as endangered or
threatened or modify or destroy its critical habitat and that the
proposed action is consistent with conservation programs for those
species. Consultations under Section 7 of this Act may cause us to
change proposals in this and future supplemental proposed rulemakings.
Executive Order (E.O.) 12866
While this individual supplemental rule was not reviewed by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the migratory bird hunting
regulations are economically significant and are annually reviewed by
OMB under E.O. 12866. E.O. 12866 requires each agency to write
regulations that are easy to understand. We invite comments on how to
make this rule easier to understand, including answers to questions
such as the following: (1) Are the requirements in the rule clearly
stated? (2) Does the rule contain technical language or jargon that
interferes with its clarity? (3) Does the format of the rule (grouping
and order of sections, use of headings, paragraphing, etc.) aid or
reduce its clarity? (4) Would the rule be easier to understand if it
were divided into more (but shorter) sections? (5) Is the description
of the rule in the ``Supplementary Information'' section of the
preamble helpful in understanding the rule? What else could we do to
make the rule easier to understand?
Regulatory Flexibility Act
These regulations have a significant economic impact on substantial
numbers of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.). We analyzed the economic impacts of the annual
hunting regulations on small business entities in detail and issued a
Small Entity Flexibility Analysis (Analysis) in 1998. The Analysis
documented the significant beneficial economic effect on a substantial
number of small entities. The primary source of information about
hunter expenditures for migratory game bird hunting is the National
Hunting and Fishing Survey, which is conducted at 5-year intervals. The
Analysis was based on the 1996 National Hunting and Fishing Survey and
the U.S. Department of Commerce's County Business Patterns from which
it was estimated that migratory bird hunters would spend between $429
and $1,084 million at small businesses in 1998. Copies of the Analysis
are available upon request.
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
This rule is a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. For the reasons outlined above,
this rule has an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more.
However, because this rule establishes hunting seasons, we do not plan
to defer the effective date under the exemption contained in 5 U.S.C.
808(1) .
Paperwork Reduction Act
We examined these regulations under the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995. We utilize the various recordkeeping and reporting requirements
imposed under regulations established in 50 CFR part 20, Subpart K, in
the formulation of migratory game bird hunting regulations.
Specifically, OMB has approved the information collection requirements
of the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program and assigned
clearance number 1018-0015 (expires 9/30/2001). This information is
used to provide a sampling frame for voluntary national surveys to
improve our harvest estimates for all migratory game birds in order to
better manage these populations. OMB has also approved the information
collection requirements of the Sandhill Crane Harvest Questionnaire and
assigned clearance number 1018-0023 (expires 9/30/2000). The
information from this survey is used to estimate the magnitude, the
geographical and temporal distribution of harvest, and the portion it
constitutes of the total population. A Federal agency may not conduct
or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
We have determined and certify, in compliance with the requirements
of the Unfunded Mandates Act, 2 U.S.C. 1502 et seq., that this
rulemaking will not impose a cost of $100 million or more in any given
year on local or State government or private entities.
Civil Justice Reform-Executive Order 12988
The Department, in promulgating this proposed rule, has determined
that these regulations meet the applicable standards found in Sections
3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988.
Takings Implication Assessment
In accordance with Executive Order 12630, this proposed rule,
authorized by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, does not have significant
takings implications and does not affect any constitutionally protected
property rights. This rule will not result in the physical occupancy of
property, the physical invasion of property, or the regulatory taking
of any property. In fact, these rules allow hunters to exercise
otherwise unavailable privileges; and, therefore, reduce restrictions
on the use of private and public property.
Federalism Effects
Due to the migratory nature of certain species of birds, the
Federal government has been given responsibility over these species by
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We annually prescribe frameworks from
which the States make selections and employ guidelines to establish
special regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands.
This process preserves the ability of the States and Tribes to
determine which seasons meet their individual needs. Any State or Tribe
may be more restrictive than the Federal frameworks at any time. The
frameworks are developed in a cooperative process with the States and
the Flyway Councils. This allows States to participate in the
development of frameworks from which they will make selections, thereby
having an influence on their own regulations. These rules do not have a
substantial direct effect on fiscal capacity, change the roles or
responsibilities of Federal or State governments, or intrude on State
policy or administration. Therefore, in accordance with Executive Order
12612, these regulations do not have significant federalism effects and
do not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the
preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
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 1999-2000
hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-711, 16 U.S.C. 712,
and 16 U.S.C. 742a-j.
Dated: July 13, 1999.
Donald J. Barry,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
Proposed Regulations Frameworks for 1999-2000 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
[[Page 39468]]
within which States may select for certain migratory game birds between
September 1, 1999, and March 10, 2000.
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 twice the daily bag limit.
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, 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.
Compensatory Days in the Atlantic Flyway: In the Atlantic Flyway
States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West 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, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. All seasons
are experimental.
Mississippi Flyway--Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Central Flyway--Colorado (part), Kansas, New Mexico (part),
Oklahoma, and Texas.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 9 consecutive
days in the Atlantic Flyway and 16 consecutive days in the Mississippi
and Central Flyways. The daily bag limit is 4 teal.
Shooting Hours
Atlantic Flyway--One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, if
evaluated; otherwise 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: 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.
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 which 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 18). 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 Day
Outside Dates: States may select 1 day per duck-hunting zone,
designated as ``Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day,'' in addition to their
regular duck seasons. The day must be held outside any regular duck
season on a weekend, holiday, or other non-school day when youth
hunters would have the maximum opportunity to participate. The day 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 limit may include ducks, geese,
mergansers, coots, moorhens, and gallinules and would be the same as
that allowed in the regular season. Flyway species and area
restrictions would 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 could not duck
hunt but may participate in other seasons that are open on the special
youth day.
Scoter, Eider, and Oldsquaw Ducks (Atlantic Flyway)
Outside Dates: Between September 15 and January 20.
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.
[[Page 39469]]
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
Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be
selected for the Montezuma Region of New York, the Lake Champlain
Region of New York and Vermont, the Eastern Unit of Maryland, and
Delaware. Seasons not to exceed 20 days during September 1-20 may be
selected for the Northeast Hunt Unit of North Carolina. Seasons not to
exceed 30 days during September 1-30 may be selected by New Jersey.
Seasons may not exceed 25 days during September 1-25 in the remainder
of the Flyway, except Georgia and Florida, where the season is closed.
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 5 Canada geese.
Experimental Seasons
Experimental Canada goose seasons of up to 20 days during September
1-20 may be selected by New York (Montezuma Region). Experimental
seasons of up to 30 days during September 1-30 may be selected by New
York (Long Island Zone), North Carolina (except in the Northeast Hunt
Unit), and South Carolina. 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 5 Canada geese.
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 the Michigan Counties of
Huron, Saginaw and Tuscola, where no special season may be held. The
daily bag limit may not exceed 5 Canada geese. Areas open to the
hunting of Canada geese must be described, delineated, and designated
as such in each State's hunting regulations.
Experimental Seasons
An experimental Canada goose season of up to 7 consecutive days
during September 16-22 may be selected by Minnesota, except in the
Northwest Goose Zone. The daily bag limit may not exceed 5 Canada
geese.
Central Flyway
General Seasons
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. Areas open
to the hunting of Canada geese must be described, delineated, and
designated as such in each State's hunting regulations.
Pacific Flyway
General Seasons
Wyoming may select an 8-day season on Canada geese between
September 1-15. This season is subject to the following conditions:
1. Where applicable, the season must be concurrent with the
September portion of the sandhill crane season.
2. All participants must have a valid State permit for the special
season.
3. A daily bag limit of 2, with season and possession limits of 4
will apply to the special season.
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, a 15-day season may be selected during the period
September 1-20. Any portion of the season selected between September 16
and 20 will be considered experimental. Daily bag limits may not exceed
5 Canada geese. In the NW goose zone, at a minimum, Oregon must provide
an annual evaluation of the number of dusky Canada geese present in the
hunt zone during the period September 16-20 and agree to adjust seasons
as necessary to avoid any potential harvest of dusky Canada geese.
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
3 Canada geese.
Idaho may select a 15-day season in the special East Canada Goose
Zone, as described in State regulations, during the period September 1-
15. All participants must have a valid State permit and the total
number of permits issued is not to exceed 110 for this zone. The daily
bag limit is 2.
Idaho may select a 7-day Canada Goose Season during the period
September 1-15 in Nez Perce County, with a bag limit of 4.
California may select a 9-day season in Humboldt County during the
period September 1-15. The daily bag limit is 2.
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 18 in
Wisconsin and Michigan. In Wisconsin, and in Michigan for all geese
except Canada geese, season lengths and 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. In the Middle and South
Zones of Michigan, for Canada goose seasons opening September 18, the
season may not exceed 23 days. The daily bag limit will be 2 Canada
geese, except that in the South Zone, during that portion of the season
that overlaps the duck season, the daily bag limit will be one Canada
goose. Provision for seasons opening October 2 or later will be
contained in the late-season frameworks.
Sandhill Cranes
Regular Seasons in the Central Flyway
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28.
Hunting Seasons: 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.
Permits: Each person participating in the regular sandhill crane
seasons must have a valid Federal sandhill crane hunting permit and/or,
in those States where a Federal sandhill crane permit is not issued, a
State-issued Harvest Information Survey Program (HIP) certification for
game bird hunting, in their possession while hunting.
Special Seasons in the Central and Pacific Flyways
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming
may
[[Page 39470]]
select seasons for hunting sandhill cranes within the range of the
Rocky Mountain Population 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
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:
(1) In Utah, the requirement for monitoring the racial composition
of the harvest in the experimental season is waived and 100% of the
harvest will be assigned to the RMP quota;
(2) In Arizona, the annual requirement for monitoring the racial
composition of the harvest is changed to once every 3 years; and
(3) In Idaho, seasons are experimental and the requirement for
monitoring the racial composition of the harvest is waived, 100% of the
harvest will be assigned to the RMP quota.
Common Moorhens and Purple Gallinules
Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 20 in the Atlantic
Flyway, and between September 1 and the Sunday nearest January 20
(January 23) in the 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.
Rails
Outside Dates: States included herein may select seasons between
September 1 and January 20 on clapper, king, sora, and Virginia rails.
Hunting Seasons: The season 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 daily and 25 in possession, 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.
American Woodcock
Outside Dates: States in the Eastern Management Region may select
hunting seasons between October 6 and January 31. States in the Central
Management Region may select hunting seasons between the Saturday
nearest September 22 (September 25) and January 31.
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 30
days in the Atlantic Flyway and 45 days in the Central and Mississippi
Flyways. 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 24 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 bag and possession limits of 2 and 2 band-tailed pigeons,
respectively.
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 4.
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.
Mourning 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 12, or not more than 60 days with a daily bag limit
of 15.
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. The hunting seasons in the South Zones of Alabama,
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi may commence no earlier
than September 20. Regulations for bag and possession limits, season
length, and shooting hours must be uniform within specific hunting
zones.
Central Management Unit
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 70 days with a
daily bag limit of 12, or not more than 60 days with a daily bag limit
of 15.
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 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 mourning dove season may be held
concurrently with that special season (see white-winged dove
frameworks).
B. A season may be selected for the North and Central Zones between
September 1 and January 25; and for the South Zone between September 20
and January 25.
C. Each zone may have a daily bag limit of 12 doves (15 under the
alternative) in the aggregate, no more than 2 of which may be white-
tipped doves, except that during the special white-winged dove season,
the daily bag limit may not exceed 10 white-winged, mourning, and
white-tipped doves in the aggregate, of which no more than 5 may be
mourning doves and 2 may be white-tipped doves.
[[Page 39471]]
D. Except as noted above, regulations for bag and possession
limits, season length, and shooting hours must be uniform within each
hunting zone.
Western Management Unit
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah,
and Washington--Not more than 30 consecutive days with a daily bag
limit of 10 mourning doves (in Nevada, the daily bag limit may not
exceed 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, of which no more
than 6 may be white-winged doves. During the remainder of the season,
the daily bag limit is restricted to 10 mourning doves. In California,
the daily bag limit may not exceed 10 mourning and white-winged doves
in the aggregate.
White-Winged and White-Tipped Doves
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits
Except as shown below, seasons in Arizona, California, Florida,
Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas must be concurrent with mourning dove
seasons.
Arizona may select a hunting season of not more than 30 consecutive
days, running concurrently with the first segment of the mourning dove
season. The daily bag limit may not exceed 10 mourning and white-winged
doves in the aggregate, of which no more than 6 may be white-winged
doves.
In Florida, the daily bag limit may not exceed 12 mourning and
white-winged doves (15 under the alternative) in the aggregate, of
which no more than 4 may be white-winged doves.
In the Nevada Counties of Clark and Nye, and in the California
Counties of Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino, the daily bag
limit may not exceed 10 mourning and white-winged doves in the
aggregate.
In New Mexico, the daily bag limit may not exceed 12 mourning and
white-winged doves (15 under the alternative) in the aggregate.
In Texas, the daily bag limit may not exceed 12 doves (15 under the
alternative) in the aggregate, of which not more than 2 may be white-
tipped doves.
In addition, Texas may also 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 10 white-winged, mourning, and white-tipped doves in the
aggregate, of which no more than 5 may be mourning doves and 2 may be
white-tipped doves.
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 five zones. The
season may be split without penalty in the Kodiak Zone. The seasons in
each zone must be concurrent.
Closures: The season is closed on Canada geese from Unimak Pass
westward in the Aleutian Island chain. The hunting season is closed on
Aleutian Canada geese, emperor geese, spectacled eiders, and Steller's
eiders.
Daily Bag and Possession Limits
Ducks--Except as noted, a basic daily bag limit of 7 and a
possession limit of 21 ducks. Daily bag and possession limits in the
North Zone are 10 and 30, and in the Gulf Coast Zone they are 8 and 24,
respectively. The basic limits may include no more than 1 canvasback
daily and 3 in possession.
In addition to the basic duck limits, there is a sea duck daily bag
limit of 10, with a possession limit of 20, scoter, common and king
eiders, and common and red-breasted mergansers, singly or in the
aggregate. Alaska may choose to allow these sea duck limits in addition
to regular duck bag limits. However, the total daily bag limit for any
duck species may not exceed 10.
Light Geese--A basic daily bag limit of 3 and a possession limit of
6.
Dark Geese--A basic daily bag limit of 4 and a possession limit of
8.
Dark-goose seasons are subject to the following exceptions:
1. In Units 5 and 6, the taking of Canada geese is permitted from
September 28 through December 16. A special, permit only Canada goose
season may be offered on Middleton Island. No more than 10 permits can
be issued. A mandatory goose identification class is required . Hunters
must check-in and check-out. Bag limit of 1 daily and 1 in possession.
Season to 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.
2. In Unit 10 (except Unimak Island), the taking of Canada geese is
prohibited.
3. In Unit 9(D) and the Unimak Island portion of Unit 10, the
limits for dark geese are 6 daily and 12 in possession.
Brant--A daily bag limit of 2.
Common snipe--A daily bag limit of 8.
Sandhill cranes--A daily bag limit of 3.
Tundra Swans--Open seasons for tundra swans may be selected subject
to the following conditions:
1. All seasons are by registration permit only.
2. All season framework dates are September 1-October 31.
3. In GMU 18, no more than 500 swans may be harvested 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.
4. In GMU 22, no more than 300 swans may be harvested during the
operational season. Each permittee may be authorized to take up to 3
tundra swan per permit. No more than 1 permit may be issued per hunter
per season.
5. In GMU 23, no more than 300 swans may be harvested during the
experimental season. No more than 3 tundra swans may be authorized per
permit with no more than 1 permit issued per hunter per season. The
experimental season evaluation must adhere to the guidelines for
experimental seasons as described in the Pacific Flyway Management Plan
for the Western Population of (Tundra) Swans.
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 10 Zenaida,
mourning, and white-winged doves in the aggregate. Not to exceed 5
scaly-naped pigeons.
Closed Areas: There is no open season on doves or pigeons in the
following areas: Municipality of Culebra, Desecheo Island, Mona Island,
El Verde
[[Page 39472]]
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 in the Virgin Islands.
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 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(k). 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 shall 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 and Possession Limits: Falconry daily bag and possession
limits for all permitted migratory game birds shall not exceed 3 and 6
birds, respectively, 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(k). Regular-season bag and possession limits do not apply to
falconry. The falconry bag limit is not in addition to gun limits.
Area, Unit, and Zone Descriptions
Mourning and White-Winged Doves
Alabama
South Zone--Baldwin, Barbour, Coffee, Conecuh, 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.
Georgia
Northern Zone--That portion of the State lying north of a line
running west to east along U.S. Highway 280 from Columbus to Wilcox
County, thence southward along the western border of Wilcox County;
thence east along the southern border of Wilcox County to the Ocmulgee
River, thence north along the Ocmulgee River to Highway 280, thence
east along Highway 280 to the Little Ocmulgee River; thence southward
along the Little Ocmulgee River to the Ocmulgee River; thence
southwesterly along the Ocmulgee River to the western border of the
Jeff Davis County; thence south along the western border of Jeff Davis
County; thence east along the southern border of Jeff Davis and Appling
Counties; thence north along the eastern border of Appling County, to
the Altamaha River; thence east to the eastern border of Tattnall
County; thence north along the eastern border of Tattnall County;
thence north along the western border of Evans to Candler County;
thence west along the southern border of Candler County to the Ohoopee
River; thence north along the western border of Candler County to
Bulloch County; thence north along the western border of Bulloch County
to U.S. Highway 301; thence northeast along U.S. Highway 301 to the
South Carolina line.
South Zone--Remainder of the State.
Louisiana
North Zone--That portion of the State north of Interstate Highway
10 from the Texas State line to Baton Rouge, Interstate Highway 12 from
Baton Rouge to Slidell and Interstate Highway 10 from Slidell to the
Mississippi State line.
South Zone--The remainder of the State.
Mississippi
South Zone--The Counties of Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock,
Harrison, Jackson, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Stone, and
Walthall.
North Zone--The remainder of the State.
Nevada
White-winged Dove Open Areas--Clark and Nye Counties.
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 San Antonio; then east on I-10 to Orange, Texas.
[[Page 39473]]
Special White-winged Dove Area in the 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 Uvalde; south on
U.S. 83 to TX 44; east along TX 44 to TX 16 at Freer; south along TX 16
to TX 285 at Hebbronville; east along TX 285 to FM 1017; southwest
along FM 1017 to TX 186 at Linn; east along TX 186 to the Mansfield
Channel at Port Mansfield; east along the Mansfield Channel to the Gulf
of Mexico.
Area with additional restrictions--Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and
Willacy Counties.
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--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.
Maryland
Eastern Unit--Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles,
Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Annes, St. Marys, Somerset, Talbot,
Wicomico, and Worcester Counties, and those portions of Baltimore,
Howard, and Prince George's Counties east of I-95.
Western Unit--Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery,
and Washington Counties, and those portions of Baltimore, Howard, and
Prince George's Counties east of I-95.
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 shall 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.
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, except for the Montezuma Zone.
Montezuma Zone--Those portions of Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, Wayne,
and Oswego Counties north of U.S. Route 20, east of NYS Route 14, south
of NYS Route 104, and west of NYS Route 34.
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.
North Carolina
Northeast Hunt Unit--Counties of Bertie, Camden, Chovan, Currituck,
Dare, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington.
South Carolina
Early-season Hunt Unit--Clarendon County and those portions of
Orangeburg County north of SC Highway 6 and Berkeley County north of SC
Highway 45 from the Orangeburg County line to the junction of SC
Highway 45 and State Road S-8-31 and west of the Santee Dam.
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 the Canadian border.
Interior Zone: The remaining portion of Vermont.
Mississippi Flyway
Illinois
Northeast Canada Goose Zone--Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee,
Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.
North Zone: That portion of the State outside the Northeast Canada
Goose Zone and north of a line extending east from the Iowa border
along Illinois Highway 92 to Interstate Highway 280, east along I-280
to I-80, then east along I-80 to the Indiana border.
Central Zone: That portion of the State outside the Northeast
Canada Goose Zone and south of the North Zone to a line extending east
from the Missouri border along the Modoc Ferry route to Modoc Ferry
Road, east along Modoc Ferry Road to Modoc Road, northeasterly along
Modoc Road and St. Leo's Road to Illinois Highway 3, north along
Illinois 3 to Illinois 159, north along Illinois 159 to Illinois 161,
east along Illinois 161 to Illinois 4, north along Illinois 4 to
Interstate Highway 70, east along I-70 to the Bond County line, north
and east along the Bond County line to Fayette County, north and east
along the Fayette County line to Effingham County, east and south along
the Effingham County line to I-70, then east along I-70 to the Indiana
border.
South Zone: The remainder of Illinois.
[[Page 39474]]
Iowa
North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending
east from the Nebraska border along State Highway 175 to State 37,
southeast along State 37 to U.S. Highway 59, south along U.S. 59 to
Interstate Highway 80, then east along I-80 to the Illinois 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 border 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, east along U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 10, east along U.S. 10 to
Interstate Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, north along I-75/U.S. 23 to the
U.S. 23 exit at Standish, east along U.S. 23 to Shore Road in Arenac
County, east along Shore Road to the tip of Point Lookout, then on a
line directly east 10 miles into Saginaw Bay, and from that point on a
line directly northeast to the Canada border.
South Zone: The remainder of Michigan.
Minnesota
Twin Cities Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone.
A. All of Hennepin and Ramsey Counties.
B. In Anoka County, all of Columbus Township lying south of County
State Aid Highway (CSAH) 18, Anoka County; all of the cities of Ramsey,
Andover, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Spring Lake Park, Fridley, Hilltop,
Columbia Heights, Blaine, Lexington, Circle Pines, Lino Lakes, and
Centerville; and all of the city of Ham Lake except that portion lying
north of CSAH 18 and east of U.S. Highway 65.
C. That part of Carver County lying north and east of the following
described line: Beginning at the northeast corner of San Francisco
Township; thence west along the north boundary of San Francisco
Township to the east boundary of Dahlgren Township; thence north along
the east boundary of Dahlgren Township to U.S. Highway 212; thence west
along U.S. Highway 212 to State Trunk Highway (STH) 284; thence north
on STH 284 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 10; thence north and west
on CSAH 10 to CSAH 30; thence north and west on CSAH 30 to STH 25;
thence east and north on STH 25 to CSAH 10; thence north on CSAH 10 to
the Carver County line.
D. In Scott County, all of the cities or Shakopee, Savage, Prior
Lake, and Jordan, and all of the Townships of Jackson, Louisville, St.
Lawrence, Sand Creek, Spring Lake, and Credit River.
E. In Dakota County, all of the cities of Burnsville, Eagan,
Mendota Heights, Mendota, Sunfish Lake, Inver Grove Heights, Apple
Valley, Lakeville, Rosemount, Farmington, Hastings, Lilydale, West St.
Paul, and South St. Paul, and all of the Township of Nininger.
F. That portion of Washington County lying south of the following
described line: Beginning at County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 on the
west boundary of the county; thence east on CSAH 2 to U.S. Highway 61;
thence south on U.S. Highway 61 to State Trunk Highway (STH) 97; thence
east on STH 97 to the intersection of STH 97 and STH 95; thence due
east to the east boundary of the State.
Northwest Goose Zone (included for reference only, not a special
September Goose Season 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.
Two Goose Zone--That portion of the state lying east of Interstate
Highway 35 and south of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone.
Five Goose Zone--That portion of the state not included in the Twin
Cities Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone, the Northwest Goose Zone, or the
Two Goose Zone.
Tennessee
Middle Tennessee Zone--Those portions of Houston, Humphreys,
Montgomery, Perry, and Wayne Counties east of State Highway 13; and
Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Coffee, Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Giles,
Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Moore,
Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson
Counties.
East Tennessee Zone--Anderson, Bledsoe, Bradley, Blount, Campbell,
Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Cumberland, Dekalb, Fentress, Grainger,
Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson,
Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe,
Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie,
Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, and
White Counties.
Wisconsin
Early-Season Subzone A--That portion of the State encompassed by a
line beginning at the Lake Michigan shore in Sheboygan, then west along
State Highway 23 to State 67, southerly along State 67 to County
Highway E in Sheboygan County, southerly along County E to State 28,
south and west along State 28 to U.S. Highway 41, southerly along U.S.
41 to State 33, westerly along State 33 to County Highway U in
Washington County, southerly along County U to County N, southeasterly
along County N to State 60, westerly along State 60 to County Highway P
in Dodge County, southerly along County P to County O, westerly along
County O to State 109, south and west along State 109 to State 26,
southerly along State 26 to U.S. 12, southerly along U.S. 12 to State
89, southerly along State 89 to U.S. 14, southerly along U.S. 14 to the
Illinois border, east along the Illinois border to the Michigan border
in Lake Michigan, north along the Michigan border in Lake Michigan to a
point directly east of State 23 in Sheboygan, then west along that line
to the point of beginning on the Lake Michigan shore in Sheboygan.
Early-Season Subzone B--That portion of the State between Early-
Season Subzone A and 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.
[[Page 39475]]
Central Flyway
Kansas
September Canada Goose Unit--That part of Kansas bounded by a line
from the Kansas-Missouri state line west on KS-68 to its junction with
KS-33, then north on KS-33 to its junction with US-56, then west on US-
56 to its junction with KS-31, then west-northwest on KS-31 to its
junction with KS-99, then north on KS-99 to its junction with US-24,
then east on US-24 to its junction with KS-63, then north on KS-63 to
its junction with KS-16, then east on KS-16 to its junction with KS-
116, then east on KS-116 to its junction with US-59, then northeast on
US-59 to its junction with the Kansas-Missouri line, then south on the
Kansas-Missouri line to its junction with KS-68.
South Dakota
September Canada Goose Unit--Brookings, Clark, Codington, Day,
Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Kingsbury, Lake, McCook, Moody Counties, and
Miner County east of SD 25, and that portion of Minnehaha County north
and west of a line beginning at the junction of County 130 (Renner
Road) and the Minnesota border, then west on County 130 to I-29 and
along I-29 to the Lincoln County 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
Southwest Zone--Clark, Cowlitz, Pacific, and Wahkiakum Counties.
East Zone--Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Garfield, Klickitat, and
Whitman Counties.
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-Edon Area--Those portions of Sweetwater and Sublette
Counties described in State regulations.
Teton Area--Those portions of Teton County described in State
regulations.
Bridger Valley Area--The area described as the Bridger Valley Hunt
Unit in State regulations.
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.
Mississippi Flyway
Indiana
North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending
east from the Illinois border along State Road 18 to U.S. Highway 31,
north along U.S. 31 to U.S. 24, east along U.S. 24 to Huntington, then
southeast along U.S. 224 to the Ohio border.
Ohio River Zone: That portion of the State south of a line
extending east from the Illinois border along Interstate Highway 64 to
New Albany, east along State Road 62 to State 56, east along State 56
to Vevay, east and north on State 156 along the Ohio River to North
Landing, north along State 56 to U.S. Highway 50, then northeast along
U.S. 50 to the Ohio border.
South Zone: That portion of the State between the North and Ohio
River Zone boundaries.
Iowa
North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending
east from the Nebraska border along State Highway 175 to State 37,
southeast along State 37 to U.S. Highway 59, south along U.S. 59 to
Interstate Highway 80, then east along I-80 to the Illinois border.
South Zone: The remainder of Iowa.
Central Flyway
Kansas
High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of U.S. 283.
Low Plains Early Zone: That portion of the State east of the High
Plains Zone and west of a line extending south from the Nebraska border
along KS 28 to U.S. 36, east along U.S. 36 to KS 199, south along KS
199 to Republic County Road 563, south along Republic County Road 563
to KS 148, east along KS 148 to Republic County Road 138, south along
Republic County Road 138 to Cloud County Road 765, south along Cloud
County Road 765 to KS 9, west along KS 9 to U.S. 24, west along U.S. 24
to U.S. 281, north along U.S. 281 to U.S. 36, west along U.S. 36 to
U.S. 183, south along U.S. 183 to U.S. 24, west along U.S. 24 to KS 18,
southeast along KS 18 to U.S. 183, south along U.S. 183 to KS 4, east
along KS 4 to I-135, south along I-135 to KS 61, southwest along KS 61
to KS 96, northwest on KS 96 to U.S. 56, west along U.S. 56 to U.S.
281, south along U.S. 281 to U.S. 54, then west along U.S. 54 to U.S.
283.
Low Plains Late Zone: The remainder of Kansas.
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: That portion of the State east and north of a
line beginning at the Oregon border; south and west along the Klamath
River to the mouth of Shovel Creek; south along Shovel Creek to Forest
Service Road 46N10; south and east along FS 46N10 to FS 45N22; west and
south along FS 45N22 to U.S. 97 at Grass Lake Summit; south and west
along U.S. 97 to I-5 at the town of Weed; south along I-5 to CA 89;
east and south along CA 89 to the junction with CA 49; east and north
on CA 49 to CA 70; east on CA 70 to U.S. 395; south and east on U.S.
395 to the Nevada border.
Colorado River Zone: Those portions of San Bernardino, Riverside,
and Imperial Counties east of a line
[[Page 39476]]
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 seven 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.
Canada Geese
Michigan
North Zone: The Upper Peninsula.
Middle Zone: That portion of the Lower Peninsula north of a line
beginning at the Wisconsin border 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, east along U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 10, east along U.S. 10 to
Interstate Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, north along I-75/U.S. 23 to the
U.S. 23 exit at Standish, east along U.S. 23 to Shore Road in Arenac
County, east along Shore Road to the tip of Point Lookout, then on a
line directly east 10 miles into Saginaw Bay, and from that point on a
line directly northeast to the Canada border.
South Zone: The remainder of Michigan.
Sandhill Cranes
Central Flyway
Colorado
Regular-Season Open Area--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
Regular Season Open Area--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.
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.
Southwest Zone--Sierra, Luna, and Dona Ana Counties.
Oklahoma
Regular-Season Open Area--That portion of the State west of I-35.
Texas
Regular-Season Open Area--That portion of the State west of a line
from the International Toll Bridge at Brownsville along U.S. 77 to
Victoria; U.S. 87 to Placedo; Farm Road 616 to Blessing; State 35 to
Alvin; State 6 to U.S. 290; U.S. 290 to Austin; I-35 to the Texas-
Oklahoma border.
North Dakota
Regular-Season Open Area--That portion of the State west of U.S.
281.
South Dakota
Regular-Season Open Area--That portion of the State west of U.S.
281.
Montana
Regular-Season Open Area--The Central Flyway portion of the State
except that area south of I-90 and west of the Bighorn River.
Wyoming
Regular-Season Open Area--Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen,
Laramie, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston Counties.
Riverton-Boysen Unit--Portions of Fremont County.
Park and Bighorn County Unit--Portions of Park and Bighorn
Counties.
Pacific Flyway
Arizona
Special-Season Area--Game Management Units 30A, 30B, 31, and 32.
Montana
Special-Season Area--See State regulations.
Utah
Special-Season Area--Rich, Cache, and Box Elder Counties.
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.
Eden-Farson Area--Those portions of Sweetwater and Sublette
Counties 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 Birds in the Virgin Islands
Ruth Cay Closure Area--The island of Ruth Cay, just south of St.
Croix.
All Migratory 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.
El 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 one kilometer from the juncture of
Routes 186 and 956 south to
[[Page 39477]]
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, Cayer, 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 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 beginning.
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
[[Page 39478]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP22JY99.003
[FR Doc. 99-18672 Filed 7-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-C
