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Sportsmen and women will have the opportunity to hunt one duck species early this year - the teal. This early hunting season runs from Sept. 16 through Sept. 24.
Representatives from the Flyway Council, which is made up of waterfowl experts from across the 17 Atlantic flyway states and Canada, recommended the experimental early teal season to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in response to the abundant blue-winged teal population.
"This year marks the final year of a three-year experimental early teal hunting season," says WRD State Waterfowl Biologist Greg Balkcom. "The future of this early season will be determined by hunter performance this year. If there is a significant number of other waterfowl species harvested during the early teal season, the season option will not be offered in future years."
Blue-winged teal, and to a lesser extent green-winged teal, have flourished. One reason is that they migrate earlier, usually August through October, than most other migratory birds. So they have already reached their wintering grounds before waterfowl hunters have the opportunity to hunt them during traditional seasons.
Hunters may come across teal anywhere in the state, but traditional duck hunting spots will probably be the best locations to attempt to take one home. Two such locations include wildlife management areas (WMA) that are public waterfowl hunting hot spots, the Altamaha WMA, located near Darien in McIntosh County, and the Lake Seminole WMA, located near Bainbridge in Seminole County.
Hunters should remember that only teal may be harvested during this early season. The legal bag limit for teal is four per day, this can be any combination of blue or green-winged teal. Sportsmen and women should possess a Georgia hunting license, a Georgia waterfowl license and the federal duck stamp and if hunting on a WMA, they should have a WMA license. Hunters also must possess a free Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit before hunting teal. HIP is an annual federal program that requires those who hunt migratory bird species to fill out a short harvest survey and in return receive a free participation permit.
Uploaded: 9/1/2000
Uploaded: 9/1/2000