ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, August 12, 1996 TAG: 9608120109
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN STAFF WRITER
In response to a continued upswing in breeding duck populations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing frameworks for the 1996-97 waterfowl hunting season that generally maintain hunting opportunities from last year's expanded season and bag limits.
Along the Atlantic Flyway, which encompasses Virginia, the service has proposed a duck hunting season of not more than 50 days between Oct. 1, 1996, and Jan. 20, 1997.
The proposed daily bag limit for the Atlantic Flyway is five and may include no more than one mallard hen, one black duck, one pintail, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling duck, two wood ducks, two redheads and one canvasback. The season on harlequins is closed. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only one of which my be a hooded merganser.
Virginia wildlife officials are scheduled to select state regulations within the federal framework during a public hearing Aug.22 in Richmond. Last year, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries set a 50-day season with a four-per-day bag limit. That was an increase of 10 days and one bird.
State officials had the option of setting a five-per-day bag limit, but chose a more conservative number. Some hunters, expressing fear the population-building process had a ways to go, wanted a three-per-day limit.
For the second consecutive year there will be no migratory Canada goose season in the Atlantic Flyway. Virginia will have a special Sept.3-21 season for resident Canada geese.
"Boosted by three successive years of plentiful rain and snowfall in key nesting areas, nearly 83 million ducks should fly south this fall," said John Rogers, acting director of the service. "This contrasts with the late 1980s, when the fall flight was only 57 million ducks."
Although duck populations generally are nearing the highest levels they have reached in the past 20 years, the Atlantic population of Canada geese remains substantially below objective levels. Also, because of reductions in population, the Atlantic brant season will be shortened from 50 to 30 days.
The resurgence in duck populations has made it possible for the service to extend hunting seasons and expand bag limits the past two years. Last year's harvest increased from 8.5 million to 12.5 million ducks.
In addition to setting the season frameworks, the service is proposing a "Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day" on a trial basis. This day would provide hunters 15 and younger an extra hunting day before or after the regular waterfowl season.
LENGTH: Short : 50 linesby CNB