Media Contact: Carolyn Rickard
919-707-0124
carolyn.rickard@ncwildlife.org
RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 31) — The N.C Wildlife Resources Commission has set season dates, bag limits and applicable regulations for the 2012-13 waterfowl and extended falconry seasons.
Beginning Sept. 1, sportsmen and women can apply for permit waterfowl hunts online or by visiting a Wildlife Service Agent, or calling 888-248-6834, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Application deadline for the majority of waterfowl permit hunts is Oct. 1.
Information on all late-season waterfowl permit hunting opportunities, including locations, dates and quotas, is now available on the agency’s website, www.ncwildlife.org. Click on 2012-13 Permit Hunting Opportunities.
Of particular note this year is the increase in bag limit or scaup, which doubled from 2 last year to 4 this year to accommodate an increase in the breeding population.
The following are the 2012-13 bag limits, shooting hours and season dates for waterfowl seasons occurring after Sept. 30. Possession limits are twice the daily bag unless otherwise noted.
a) Conventional bag: 6 ducks with no more than 4 scoters, 4 scaup,4 mallards with no more than 2 hen mallards, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2pintails, 1 black or mottled duck (season closed until Nov. 17), 1 canvasback,or 1 fulvous whistling duck. The season on harlequin ducks is closed.
b) Other limits: 25 light geese (includes snow, blue and Ross’ geese), no possession limit; 2 brant; 5 mergansers (2 hooded mergansers); 7 sea ducks (in special sea duck area only). In other areas, sea ducks are part of the regular duck bag limit. Includes scoters, eiders and long-tailed ducks. No more than 4scoters per day may be taken in either season; 15 coots; 5 dark geese (includes Canada geese and white-fronted geese) in the Resident Hunt Zone, 5 in the Southern James Bay Zone and 1 in the Northeast Hunt Zone.
HOURS: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
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Ducks, Mergansers and Coots
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Oct. 3-6,
Nov. 10 – Dec. 1 and
Dec. 15 – Jan. 26 [Black and mottled ducks closed until Nov. 17]
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Sea Ducks (In special sea duck area only)
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Oct. 1 – Jan. 31
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Dark Geese (Includes Canada geese and
white-fronted geese) To view a map of the goose hunt zones, refer to the Regulations Digest or www.ncwildlife.org
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Resident Population Hunt Zone: Oct. 3-13, Nov. 10 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 – Feb. 9
Southern James Bay Hunt Zone (Gaddy Goose Refuge closed after Sept. 30): Oct. 3 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 10 – Dec. 31.
Northeast Hunt Zone: Jan. 19 – Jan. 26 (By permit only)
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Light Geese (Includes snow and blue geese, and Ross’ geese)
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Oct. 17 – Oct. 20
Nov. 10 – March 9
Electronic calls and unplugged guns are allowed from Feb. 11 – March 9
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Brant
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Nov. 17 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 – Jan. 26
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Tundra Swan
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Nov. 10 – Jan. 31
(1 per season by permit only; 5,000 will be issued.)
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Youth Waterfowl Days (Includes ducks, geese, brant, mergansers, coots and tundra swans.) The youth must have a valid permit to harvest a tundra swan or a Canada goose (NE Hunt Zone only).
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Feb. 2 and Feb. 9
Youth must be 15 years of age or younger and accompanied by a properly licensed adult. The adult cannot duck hunt but may participate in other seasons that are open on the special youth day.
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Extended falconry seasons and bag limits are as follows. The webless species’ seasons were previously approved by the Commission
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SPECIES
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OPEN DATES
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DAILY BAG
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POSSESSION
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Dove
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Oct. 13 – Nov. 17
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3
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6
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King, Clapper, Sora and Virginia Rails
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Nov. 17 – Dec. 22
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3
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6
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Gallinule and Moorhens
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Nov. 17 – Dec. 22
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3
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6
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Woodcock
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Nov. 5 – Dec. 8 &
Feb. 1 – Feb. 28
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3
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6
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Ducks, mergansers and coots 1
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Oct. 22 – Nov. 3 &
Jan. 28 – Feb. 16
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3
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6
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1 The taking of harlequin ducks is prohibited.
*** Falconers may also hunt during the applicable gun seasons. Daily bag and possession limits of 3 and 6,respectively, also apply while hunting during the gun season.
** Falconry hours for all species are from ½ hour before sunrise until sunset.
** Falconry is not allowed on Sunday.
** Daily bag and possession limits are for all species singly or in the aggregate. For example, if the applicable season(s) are open, a daily bag may consist of 3 doves or 1 dove, 1 duck and 1 woodcock for a total of 3 migratory game birds.