2016-19447. Migratory Bird Hunting; Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Final rule; correction.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, published a final rule in the Federal Register on July 25, 2016, that prescribes the hunting seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for migratory game birds during the 2016-17 season. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. In that final rule, we identified several errors concerning season dates, and bag and possession limits, for certain States, as well as a number of formatting and other errors in tables and table notes. With this document, we correct those errors.

DATES:

This correction is effective August 16, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ron W. Kokel, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In a final rule published in the Federal Register on July 25, 2016, at 81 FR 48648, the following corrections are made:

1. On page 48652, § 20.103(a) is amended by revising the entry for Pennsylvania under the heading EASTERN MANAGEMENT UNIT in the table to read as follows:

§ 20.103

Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for doves and pigeons.

* * * * *

(a) * * *

	Season dates	Limits
		Bag	Possession
EASTERN MANAGEMENT UNIT
Pennsylvania
12 noon to sunset	Sept. 1-Sept. 24	15	45
1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset	Sept. 26-Oct. 8 &	15	45
	Oct. 15-Nov. 26 & Dec. 26-Jan. 3	15 15	45 45

* * * * *

2. On page 48656, § 20.104 is amended by revising table note (14) to read as follows:

§ 20.104

Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for rails, woodcock, and snipe.

* * * * *

(14) In Iowa, the limits for sora and Virginia rails are 12 daily and 36 in possession.

* * * * *

3. Section 20.105 is amended as follows:

a. On page 48657, in paragraph (c), by revising the entry for Iowa under the heading MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY in the table;

b. On page 48659, in paragraph (d), by revising table note (11);

c. In paragraph (e):

i. On pages 48660 through 48665, under the heading ATLANTIC FLYWAY, by revising the entries for Georgia, Maine, New Jersey, and Rhode Island in the table; by adding an entry for South Carolina in the table; and by revising table note (14);

ii. On pages 48668 through 48670, under the heading MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY, by revising the entries for Minnesota and Tennessee in the table, and by removing and reserving table note (6); and

iii. On page 48670, under the heading CENTRAL FLYWAY, in the introductory text under the heading “Duck Limits”, by removing the words “1 mottled duck,”; and

d. In paragraph (f), in the table:

i. On page 48678, under the heading MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY, by revising the entry for Iowa; and

ii. On page 48679, under the heading CENTRAL FLYWAY, by revising the entry for Kansas.

The revisions read as follows:

§ 20.105

Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for waterfowl, coots, and gallinules.

* * * * *

(c) * * *

	Season dates	Limits
		Bag	Possession
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Iowa (3):
North Zone	Sept. 3-Sept. 11	6	18
South Zone	Sept. 3-Sept. 11	6	18
Missouri River Zone	Sept. 3-Sept. 18	6	18
*         *         *         *         *         *         *

* * * * *

(d) * * *

* * * * *

(11) In Virginia, shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from September 1 to September 16, and one-half hour before sunrise to sunset from September 17 to September 25 in the area east of I-95 where the September teal season is open. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from September 1 to September 21, and one-half hour before sunrise to sunset from September 22 to September 25 in the area west of I-95.

* * * * *

(e) * * *

ATLANTIC FLYWAY

* * * * *

	Season dates	Limits
		Bag	Possession
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Georgia
Ducks	Nov. 19-Nov. 27 &	6	18
	Dec. 10-Jan. 29	6	18
Mergansers	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Coots	Same as for Ducks	15	45
Canada Geese	Oct. 8-Oct. 23 &	5	15
	Nov. 19-Nov. 27 &	5	15
	Dec. 10-Jan. 29	5	15
Light Geese	Same as for Canada Geese	5	15
Brant	Closed
Maine
Ducks (2):		6	18
North Zone	Sept. 26-Dec. 3
South Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 15 & Nov. 1-Dec. 24
Coastal Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 15 & Nov. 11-Jan. 4
Mergansers	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Coots	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Canada Geese:
North Zone	Oct. 1-Dec. 21	3	9
South Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 27 &	3	9
	Nov. 1-Dec. 24	3	9
Coastal Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 27 &	3	9
	Nov. 11-Jan. 4	3	9
Light Geese	Oct. 1-Jan. 31	25
Brant:
North Zone	Sept. 26-Dec. 3	2	6
South Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 15 &	2	6
	Nov. 1-Dec. 24	2	6
Coastal Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 15 &	2	6
	Nov. 11-Jan. 4	2	6
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
New Jersey
Ducks:		6	18
North Zone	Oct. 8-Oct. 15 & Nov. 5-Jan. 5
South Zone	Oct. 22-Oct. 29 & Nov. 12-Jan. 12
Coastal Zone	Nov. 10-Nov. 12 & Nov. 24-Jan. 28
Mergansers	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Coots	Same as for Ducks	15	45
Canada and White-fronted Geese:
North Zone	Nov. 12-Nov. 26 &	3	9
	Dec. 10-Jan. 21	3	9
South Zone	Nov. 12-Nov. 26 &	3	9
	Dec. 10-Jan. 21	3	9
Coastal Zone	Nov. 10-Nov. 12 &	5	15
	Nov. 24-Feb. 15	5	15
Special Season Zone	Jan. 23-Feb. 15	5	15
Light Geese:
North Zone	Oct. 17-Feb. 15	25
South Zone	Oct. 17-Feb. 15	25
Coastal Zone	Oct. 17-Feb. 15	25
Brant:
North Zone	Oct. 8-Oct. 15 &	1	3
	Nov. 5-Jan. 5	1	3
South Zone	Oct. 22-Oct. 29 &	1	3
	Nov. 12-Jan. 12	1	3
Coastal Zone	Nov. 10-Nov. 12 &	1	3
	Nov. 24-Jan. 28	1	3
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Rhode Island
Ducks	Oct. 7-Oct. 10 &	6	18
	Nov. 23-Nov. 27 &	6	18
	Dec. 3-Jan. 22	6	18
Mergansers	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Coots	Same as for Ducks	15	45
Canada Geese	Nov. 19-Nov. 27 &	3	9
	Dec. 3-Jan. 30	3	9
Special season	Feb. 4-Feb. 10	5	15
Light Geese	Oct. 16-Jan. 30	25
Brant	Dec. 4-Jan. 22	2	6
South Carolina
Ducks (9)(10)	Nov. 12 &	6	18
	Nov. 19-Nov. 26 &	6	18
	Dec. 10-Jan. 29	6	18
Mergansers (11)	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Coots	Same as for Ducks	15	45
Canada and White-fronted Geese (12)	Nov. 19-Nov. 26 &	5	15
	Dec. 10-Jan. 29 &	5	15
	Feb. 12-Feb. 27	5	15
Light Geese	Nov. 19-Nov. 26 &	25
	Dec. 10-Jan. 29 &	25
	Feb. 12-Feb. 27	25
Brant	Nov. 19-Nov. 26 &	2	6
	Dec. 10-Jan. 29	2	6
*         *         *         *         *         *         *

* * * * *

(14) In West Virginia, the season is closed for eiders, whistling ducks, and mottled ducks.

* * * * *

MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY

* * * * *

	Season dates	Limits
		Bag	Possession
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Minnesota
Ducks:	6	18
North Zone	Sept. 24-Nov. 22
Central Zone	Sept. 24-Oct. 2 &
	Oct. 8-Nov. 27
South Zone	Sept. 24-Oct. 2 & Oct. 15-Dec. 4
Mergansers	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Coots (5)	Same as for Ducks	15	45
Dark Geese (1):
North Zone	Sept. 3-Sept. 18 &	5	15
	Sept. 24-Dec. 23	3	9
Central Zone	Sept. 3-Sept. 18 &	5	15
	Sept. 24-Oct. 2 &	3	9
	Oct. 8-Dec. 28	3	9
South Zone	Sept. 3-Sept. 18 &	5	15
	Sept. 24-Oct. 2 &	3	9
	Oct. 15-Jan. 4	3	9
Light Geese:
North Zone	Same as for Dark Geese	20	60
Central Zone	Same as for Dark Geese	20	60
South Zone	Same as for Dark Geese	20	60
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Tennessee
Ducks:		6	18
Reelfoot Zone	Nov. 12-Nov. 13 &
	Dec. 3-Jan. 29
Rest of State	Nov. 26-Nov. 27 &
	Dec. 3-Jan. 29
Mergansers	Same as for Ducks	5	15
Coots	Same as for Ducks	15	45
Canada Geese:
Northwest Zone	Sept. 1-Sept. 15 &	5	15
	Oct. 8-Oct. 12 &	5	15
	Nov. 12-Nov. 13 &	5	15
	Dec. 3-Feb. 11	5	15
Rest of State	Sept. 1-Sept. 15 &	5	15
	Oct. 8-Oct. 25 &	5	15
	Nov. 26-Nov. 27 &	5	15
	Dec. 3-Jan. 29	5	15
White-fronted Geese:
Northwest Zone	Nov. 26-Nov. 27 &	2	6
	Dec. 3-Feb. 11	2	6
Rest of State	Same as Northwest Zone	2	6
Brant:
Northwest Zone	Nov. 26-Nov. 27 &	2	6
	Dec. 3-Jan. 29	2	6
Rest of State	Same as Northwest Zone	2	6
Light Geese	Same as White-fronted Geese	20
*         *         *         *         *         *         *

* * * * *

(f) * * *

	Season dates
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Iowa
Ducks, mergansers, coots
North Zone	Sept. 17 & 18.
Missouri River Zone	Oct. 1 & 2.
South Zone	Sept. 24 & 25.
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
CENTRAL FLYWAY
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Kansas (7)
Ducks, geese, mergansers, and coots:
High Plains	Oct. 1 & 2.
Low Plains:
Early Zone	Oct. 1 & 2.
Late Zone	Oct. 22 & 23.
Southeast Zone	Nov. 5 & 6.
*         *         *         *         *         *         *

* * * * *

4. Amend § 20.109 by:

a. On page 48682, revising the entry for New York under the heading ATLANTIC FLYWAY in the table; and

b. On page 48683, revising the entry for Montana under the heading CENTRAL FLYWAY in the table.

The revisions read as follows:

§ § 20.109

Extended seasons, limits, and hours for taking migratory game birds by falconry.

* * * * *

	Extended falconry dates
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
New York
Ducks, mergansers and coots:
Long Island Zone	Nov. 1-Nov. 23 & Nov. 28-Dec. 4 & Jan. 30-Feb. 13.
Northeastern Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 7 & Oct. 31-Nov. 4 & Dec. 12-Jan. 13.
Southeastern Zone	Oct. 11-Nov. 11 & Jan. 1-Jan. 13.
Western Zone	Oct. 1-Oct. 21 & Dec. 5-Dec. 30.
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
CENTRAL FLYWAY
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Montana (2)
Ducks, mergansers, and coots	Sept. 21-Sept. 30.
*         *         *         *         *         *         *

* * * * *

Dated: August 10, 2016.

Tina A. Campbell,

Chief, Division of Policy, Performance, and Management Programs.