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Pennsylvania 2011-12 Migratory Game Bird Seasons & Bag Limits Selected

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that the agency has made its selections for the 2011-12 migratory game bird hunting seasons and bag limits.

Annual waterfowl seasons are selected by states from a framework established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Game Commission selections were made after reviewing last year’s season results, waterfowl survey data, and input gathered from waterfowl hunters and the public. Final approval from the USFWS is expected by late September.

Roe also noted that the Game Commission will post the annual waterfowl and migratory bird season brochure and zone maps on its website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) the week of Aug. 15. However, the agency will not be mass-producing brochures to be distributed to U.S. Post Offices.

“Many hunters already have purchased their hunting licenses and federal waterfowl stamps in anticipation of the season,” Roe said. “For their convenience, hunters will be able to obtain this important information from the Game Commission’s website.

“However, to improve efficiency and reduce printing and postage costs, the Game Commission will not be mass producing the brochure and mailing copies to U.S. Post Offices.”

Kevin Jacobs, Game Commission waterfowl biologist, said the federal frameworks are again allowing for a 60-day duck season, with a six bird daily limit.

“In response to public input, we are keeping the duck season open in the Northwest Duck Zone during the two-week firearms deer season (Nov. 28-Dec. 10),” Jacobs said. “We incorporated this request into the 2010 season dates, and have responded to public comments received in 2011 to have no split season in the Northwest Duck Zone. Based upon these recommendations, the Northwest Duck Zone seasons will run from Oct. 8-Dec. 16.”

Jacobs also noted that hunters will see changes in the regular snow goose and snow goose conservation hunts.

In the Atlantic Population and Southern James Bay Population goose zones, the regular snow goose season will be Oct. 25-Jan. 25, with a snow goose conservation season to run from Jan. 26-April 27. The Resident Population Goose Zone regular snow goose season will run Oct. 25-Feb. 25, and the snow goose conservation season will run Feb. 27-April 27.

To participate in the snow goose conservation hunts, hunters will need to obtain a free conservation hunt permit, in addition to their other required licenses, and file a mandatory report of harvest/participation. In late 2011, the Snow Goose Conservation Hunt website will be available on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) so that hunters can apply for and print out the free conservation permit.

New this year, young Pennsylvania hunters will be provided with two special days of waterfowl hunting, on Saturday, Sept. 17, and Saturday, Sept. 24. The Youth Waterfowl Days will be open to those 12 to 15 year olds who hold a junior hunting license. To participate, a youngster must be accompanied by an adult, who may assist the youth in calling, duck identification and other aspects of the hunt. During these two special hunts, youth can harvest Canada geese, ducks, mergansers, coots and moorhens. The daily bag limit for youth participating in the Youth Waterfowl Days is the same as for the regular season daily limit in the area being hunted. The only exception is when September Canada goose daily bag limits exceed the regular season limit for the area being hunted, youth then can take the September daily limit.

Also, the Game Commission again will hold a special youth-only waterfowl hunting day at the controlled hunting blinds at both Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area and Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area. The youth day for Middle Creek is Nov. 19; for Pymatuning, Nov. 26. A special drawing of applications submitted by junior license holders will be held immediately before the regular drawing for goose blinds. Interested youth should use the same application on page 28 of the 2011-12 Digest. Only one application will be accepted per junior hunter.

In addition to a regular Pennsylvania hunting license, persons 16 and older must have a Federal Migratory Bird and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as a “Duck Stamp,” signed in ink across its face. All waterfowl hunters, regardless of age, must have a Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird License to hunt waterfowl and other migratory birds, including doves, woodcock, coots, moorhens, rails and snipe. All migratory game bird hunters in the United States are required to complete a Harvest Information Program survey when they purchase a state migratory game bird license. The survey information is then forwarded to the USFWS.

“By answering the questions on the survey card, hunters will improve survey efficiency and the quality of information used to track the harvest of migratory birds for management purposes,” Jacobs said.

Hunters must use non-toxic shot while hunting ducks, geese or coots in Pennsylvania. The use of decoys powered or operated by batteries or any other source of electricity is unlawful in Pennsylvania, except during the snow goose conservation seasons. Also, the use of any sort of artificial substance or product as bait or an attractant is prohibited.

Jacobs noted that, although hunting hours have been extended to one-half hour after sunset for big game (except spring gobbler), as well as small game and furbearers, federal regulations prevail for waterfowl and migratory game birds. Therefore, shooting hours for these species will continue to close at sunset. The only exceptions are during the September Canada goose season (Sept. 1-24) and the Snow Goose Conservation Seasons, in which the USFWS has permitted states to extend the hunting hours to one-half hour after sunset.

Also, during the first part of the dove season (Sept. 1-Oct. 1), hunting hours are from noon through sunset.

For complete early Canada goose season information, as well as webless migratory game bird seasons, please see News Release #084-11, which the agency issued on July 26.

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Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird Seasons To Begin Sept. 1

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Early Canada goose and dove hunters will be able to take to the fields of Penn’s Woods on Sept. 1, as part of Pennsylvania’s 2011-12 migratory bird seasons announced today by Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe.

Dove hunters will have the opportunity to participate in a triple-split season, which will see some shifts due to the way the calendar falls this year.

During the first season (Sept. 1-Oct. 1), hunting will start at noon and close at sunset daily. The second and third splits will be Oct. 29-Nov. 26, and Dec. 26-Jan 4, with hunting hours a half-hour before sunrise until sunset. In all three seasons, the daily bag limit will be 15, and the possession limit will be 30.

The early statewide season for resident Canada geese will open Sept. 1, and continue through Sept. 24. The early season retains a daily bag limit of eight Canada geese and possession limit of 16. However, Kevin Jacobs, agency waterfowl biologist, noted that these bag limits are restricted in certain areas.

In the Southern James Bay Population Canada goose Zone, and on the Pymatuning State Park Reservoir and the area extending 100 yards inland from the shoreline of the reservoir, excluding the area east of SR 3011 (Hartstown Road), hunters will have a daily limit of three and a possession limit of six.

Also, in a portion of western Crawford County, the daily bag limit is one goose and possession limit of two geese in the area south of SR 198 from the Ohio state line to intersection of SR 18, SR 18 south to SR 618, SR 618 south to US Route 6, US Route 6 east to US Route 322/SR 18, US Route 322/SR 18 west to intersection of SR 3013, SR 3013 south to the Crawford/Mercer County line. The exception to this is on State Game Land 214, where September goose hunting is closed. This restriction does not apply to youth participating in the expanded youth waterfowl hunting days, which are set for Sept. 17 and 24, when regular season regulations apply.

The controlled hunting areas at the Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon-Lancaster counties, as well as all of State Game Land 46, will remain closed to September goose hunting to address the decline in the resident Canada goose flock. And, in the area of Lancaster and Lebanon counties north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike I-76, east of SR 501 to SR 419, south of SR 419 to Lebanon-Berks county line, west of Lebanon-Berks county line and Lancaster-Berks county line to SR 1053 (also known as Peartown Road and Greenville Road), west of SR 1053 to Pennsylvania Turnpike I-76, the daily bag limit is one goose, possession limit two geese. This restriction does not apply to youth participating in the youth waterfowl hunting days, which are set for Sept. 17 and 24, when regular season regulations apply.

Jacobs noted that recent liberalizations in Canada goose hunting opportunities, along with control programs being implemented by many municipalities and public and private landowners, appear to be stabilizing the growth of the state’s resident Canada goose population. The 2011 Pennsylvania spring resident Canada goose population was estimated at 245,100, which is statistically similar to the recent eight-year average of 274,300. However, populations remain significantly above the management goal of 150,000.

“Hunting remains the most effective and efficient way to manage resident Canada geese, provided hunters can gain access to geese in problem areas,” Jacobs said.

As noted, young Pennsylvania hunters will be provided with an extra day of waterfowl hunting on Saturday, Sept. 17 and 24. The Youth Waterfowl Days, which previously were limited to one day, are open to those 12- to 15-years-old who hold a junior hunting license. To participate, a youngster must be accompanied by an adult, who may assist the youth in calling, duck identification and other aspects of the hunt. During this special two day-long hunts, youth can harvest ducks, mergansers, coots and moorhens.

In addition, because the Youth Waterfowl Days and the early Canada goose season overlap this year, youth and the adults accompanying them may harvest Canada geese. The daily limit for the Youth Waterfowl Days for Canada geese is the same as the daily limit for adults in the area being hunted.

Youth Waterfowl Days bag limits for ducks, mergansers and coots will be consistent with the limit for the regular season, which will be announced in mid-August, after the annual Waterfowl Symposium on Aug. 5.

Pennsylvania’s woodcock season also has been expanded an extra two weeks. This year, woodcock season will open Oct. 15, and continue through Nov. 26. The daily limit remains three, and the possession limit is six.

A season for common snipe will run from Oct. 15 to Nov. 26, which is the same structure as previous years. The daily limit is 8, and the possession limit is 16.

Virginia and sora rail hunting will run Sept. 1-Nov. 9. Bag limits, which are singly or combined, are 3 daily or 6 in possession. The season for king and clapper rails remains closed.

Hunting for moorhen and gallinules will run from Sept. 1 to Nov. 9, and the bag limits are three daily and six in possession.

Migratory game bird hunters, including those afield for doves and woodcock, are required to obtain and carry a Pennsylvania migratory game bird license ($3.70 for residents, $6.70 for nonresidents), as well as a general hunting, combination or lifetime license. All waterfowl hunters age 16 and older also must possess a federal migratory game bird and conservation (duck) stamp.

Roe noted that, although general hunting hours have been extended to one-half hour after sunset for big game (except spring gobbler), as well as small game and furbearers, federal regulations prevail for waterfowl and migratory game birds and shooting hours for these species will continue to close at sunset. The only exception to this is during the early September Canada goose season, in which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has permitted states to extend the hunting hours to one-half hour after sunset.

Annual migratory bird and waterfowl seasons are selected by states from a framework established by the USFWS. The Game Commission is expected to announce in mid-August the regular and late waterfowl seasons, after the agency holds its annual Waterfowl Symposium, Aug. 5.

The “Pennsylvania 2011-12 Guide to Migratory Bird Hunting” brochure will be posted on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) in mid-August, and the mass-produced brochure should be available at U.S. Post Offices in the state by the end of August.

Hunters are encouraged to report leg-banded migratory game bird recoveries online at www.reportband.gov, or use the toll-free number (1-800-327-BAND). Hunters will be requested to provide information on where, when and what species were taken, in addition to the band number. This information is crucial to the successful management of migratory game birds.

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