N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Sets Waterfowl Regulations

RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 4, 2007) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission established season dates, bag limits and other waterfowl regulations for 2007-2008 at a Wednesday, Aug. 29, Commission meeting.

Working within mandatory frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Commission set the following regulations:

Bag Limits

  • Conventional bag:  Six ducks with no more than one black or mottled duck, four mallards with no more than two hen mallards, two wood ducks, two redheads, two scaup, two canvasbacks, four scoters, one fulvous tree duck or one pintail.  The season on harlequin ducks is closed.  (Possession limits are twice the daily bag unless otherwise noted.)
  • Other limits:  
    • Fifteen light geese (Includes snow & blue geese & Ross’ geese), no possession limit
    • Two brant
    • Five mergansers (two hooded mergansers)
    • Seven sea ducks (In special sea duck areas only).  In other areas sea ducks are part of the regular duck bag limit.  No more than four scoters per day may be taken in either season.
    • Fifteen coots
    • Five dark geese (Includes Canada geese & white-fronted geese) in the Resident Hunt Zone, two in the Southern James Bay Zone and one per season (permit holders only) in the Northeast Hunt Zone.

Hours

  • One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Season Dates

Ducks, Mergansers & Coots

Oct. 3-6,
Nov. 10 – Dec. 1 and
Dec. 15 – Jan. 26
[No black or mottled duck shall be taken until Dec. 1]

Sea Ducks  (Applies to extended bag limits only in Special Sea Duck Area.)

Oct. 3 – Jan. 31

Dark Geese (Includes Canada geese &
white-fronted geese)  Ask your Wildlife Service Agent to see the map for goose hunt zones or view at www.ncwildlife.org

Resident Population Hunt Zone:  Oct. 3-27, Nov. 10 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 – Jan. 26.
Southern James Bay Hunt Zone (Gaddy Goose refuge closed after Sept. 30):  Oct. 3-27 and
Nov. 10 – Dec. 31.
Northeast Hunt Zone:  Dec. 24 – Jan. 26 (By permit only – 1,000 will be issued).

Light Geese (Includes snow & blue geese & Ross’ geese)

Oct. 17 – Oct. 27
Nov. 10 - March 1

Brant

Nov. 17 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 15 – Jan. 26

Tundra Swan

Nov. 3 – Jan. 31
(By permit only - 5,000 will be issued.)

Youth Waterfowl Day (Species include ducks, geese, mergansers, coots and tundra swans.  Youth must have a valid permit to harvest a tundra swan or a Canada goose in the NE Hunt Zone only.  The accompanying adult may not hunt these species.

Feb. 2, 2008
Youth must be 15 years of age or younger and accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age.

You may also call 1-800-675-0263 for this information.
Report all bands by calling 1-800-327-BAND or www.reportband.gov.

For more information about waterfowl hunting regulations in North Carolina, see the hunting regulations page or call the Division of Wildlife Management at (919) 707-0050.

 

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