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SPRINGFIELD, ILL. -- The Natural Resources Advisory Board of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has approved recommendations for liberal waterfowl hunting seasons in Illinois this fall and winter, including a 91-day Canada goose hunting season in the north and central zones, a 73-day Canada goose hunting season in the south zone and a statewide 60-day duck hunting season.
"Fall flight forecasts for geese and ducks have set the stage for liberal waterfowl hunting seasons this year," said IDNR Director Brent Manning. "Our waterfowl hunting advisory committees in each zone recommended season dates that should provide hunters with plenty of opportunity to take advantage of the liberal regulations in place this year."
The basic recommendations for waterfowl hunting in Illinois were endorsed by the Mississippi Flyway Council, representing state and provincial wildlife agencies from the central U.S. and Canada, meeting last month in Memphis.
The specific waterfowl hunting seasons proposed by Illinois will be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for concurrence. Final rules establishing season dates, bag and possession limits and shooting hours will be published in the Federal Register at the end of September.
Geese
The Mississippi Valley Population (MVP) fall flight forecast for Canada geese of 1,295,385 represents an increase of 22,000 compared with the estimate for 1999. The Illinois statewide harvest allocation for Canada geese is 127,000, compared with 119,600 in 1999.
Last year, the entire North Zone closed to Canada goose hunting on Dec. 24, following a 79-day season. The North Zone had been scheduled to closed Jan. 5, but closed early due to projections that the quotas would be reached on Dec. 24. The entire Central Zone remained open through the end of the scheduled 91-day season on Jan. 21, while the entire South Zone remained open through the end of the scheduled 67-day season on Jan. 31.
This year^s recommendation includes 91-day Canada goose seasons in the north and central zones and a 73-day season in the south zone, unless the quota is reached prior to the scheduled closing dates.
The proposal this year calls for a daily bag limit in the North Zone of three geese; a daily bag limit in the Central Zone of two geese during the first 29 days of the season (the October-November dates) and three geese during the remaining 62 days; and, a daily bag limit in the South Zone of two geese during the first 42 days of the season (the November-December dates) and three geese during the remaining 31 days of the season (Jan. 1-31).
The proposed Canada goose season dates and daily bag limits for the North, Central and South zones in Illinois are:
North: Oct. 19-Jan. 17 (91 days)*
Bag limit is 3 (2 during the Youth Hunt Oct. 7-8)
(* or until the quota is reached in the Northern Illinois Quota Zone, at which time the entire zone would close)
Central: Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 4-Jan. 31 (91 days)**
Bag limit is 2 during Oct.-Nov. and Youth Hunt Oct. 14-15;
Bag limit is 3 during Dec.-Jan.
(** or until the quota is reached in the Central Illinois Quota Zone, at which time the entire zone would close)
South: Nov. 9-Nov. 12 and Nov. 24-Jan. 31 (73 days)***
Bag limit is 2 during Nov.-Dec. and Youth Hunt Oct. 28-29;
Bag limit is 3 during Jan.
(*** or until quota is reached in the Southern Illinois Quota Zone and the Rend Lake Quota Zone, at which time the entire zone would close)
Quotas proposed for the regular Canada goose season are:
Statewide: 127,000
Northern Illinois Quota Zone: 21,500
Central Illinois Quota Zone: 24,700
Southern Illinois Quota Zone: 32,900
Rend Lake Quota Zone: 4,650
Remainder of the state: 43,250
Illinois will offer a special September Canada goose season in all zones Sept. 2-15. Federal rules prohibit hunting later than Sept. 15 during the special season. The daily bag limit for the Northeast Zone will be five Canada geese, with a daily bag limit of two Canada geese in the North, Central and South zones. The possession limit is 10 in the Northeast Zone and four in the North, Central and South zones. Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Canada geese taken during the September season do not count toward the state^s quota because few MVP geese are in Illinois in early September.
Snow Geese and White-fronted Geese
Illinois is recommending the following seasons for snow geese and white-fronted geese for the North, Central and South zones in Illinois:
Snow Geese
North Regular Season: Oct. 19-Jan. 17 (91 days)
Bag limit: 20 snow geese
North Cons. Order Season: Jan. 18-March 31 (73 days)
Bag limit: none
Central Regular Season: Oct. 28-Jan. 31 (96 days)
Bag limit: 20 snow geese
Central Cons. Order Season: Feb. 1- March 31 (59 days)
Bag limit: none
South Regular Season: Nov. 9-Jan. 31 (84 days)
Bag limit: 20 snow geese
South Cons. Order Season: Feb. 1- March 31 (59 days)
Bag limit: none
White-fronted Geese
North: Oct. 24-Jan. 17 (86 days)
Bag limit is 2
Central: Nov. 7-Jan. 31 (86 days)
Bag limit is 2
South: Nov. 9-Jan. 31 (84 days)
Bag limit is 2
Ducks
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service^s annual breeding survey of key nesting areas indicated 41.8 million breeding ducks, compared with a record-high 43.4 million in 1999. The fall flight of ducks is projected to be about 90 million birds, compared with a record-setting 105 million birds in 1999. Green-winged and blue-winged teal breeding population estimates of 3.2 million and 7.4 million birds, respectively, were both records since surveys began in 1955.
The mid-continent mallard breeding population estimate is 10.5 million, compared with a record-setting 11.8 million last year. The 2000 mid-continent mallard fall flight estimate of 11.3 million birds is predicted to be lower than the 1999 estimate of 13.1 million birds.
The proposed 60-day seasons in each of the three Illinois duck hunting zones are:
North: Oct. 19-Dec. 17
Central: Oct. 28-Dec. 26
South: Nov. 9-Jan. 7
The daily limit for ducks is proposed to be six, which may include no more than four mallards (two hens), three scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail and one canvasback.
The statewide teal season is Sept. 2-17 from sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is four with a possession limit of eight teal.
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days are proposed for Oct. 7-8 in the North Zone, Oct. 14-15 in the Central Zone, and Oct. 28-29 in the South Zone. The special youth hunts are for those properly licensed hunters 15 years of age and younger who have registered with HIP and who are accompanied by an adult. Ducks, coots, mergansers and geese may be hunted and bag and possession limits for the regular waterfowl seasons will apply to the youth hunts, except that the daily bag limit will be two for Canada geese.
Hunters should consult the 2000-2001 Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations , which is currently available from license vendors, the 2000-2001 Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations, which should be available by late September, and federal regulations for more detailed information on waterfowl hunting in Illinois. Final rules establishing season dates, bag and possession limits and shooting hours will be published in the Federal Register at the end of September
Uploaded: 8/21/2000
Uploaded: 8/21/2000