GFP Commission Sets Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

PIERRE, S.D.—The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission set the opening dates for the waterfowl hunting seasons at its meeting in Pierre on Thursday.

Of note for many hunters are two changes in the High Plains Zone. One change endorsed by the commission expanded the eastern border of the zone to encompass a little more of the Missouri River area. The High Plains Zone extends to the state’s western border and allows an additional 23 days of hunting opportunity.

The second change was in the High Plains season opening date which the commission pushed back to Sept. 30. The season will run continuously through Jan. 4, 2007.

Commissioner Jeff Olson of Rapid City proposed moving back the opening date, saying that there’s still good waterfowl hunting in January in West River South Dakota. “The ducks come through in January,” Olson said.

Season dates for the other zones include: Low Plains North and Low Plains Middle, Sept. 23 through Dec. 5 and Low Plains South, Oct. 7 through Dec. 19.

Other changes in the duck hunting season approved by the commission included:

•Increasing the daily bag limit on hooded merganser from one to two daily and from two to four in possession.

•Adjusting the boundary between the High Plains and Low Plains Middle and South zones which will move a little more of the Missouri River area into the High Plains Zone.

•Changing the total duck limit from six to five.

•Establishing a hunter’s choice aggregate daily bag limit of one hen mallard or one pintail or one canvasback.

•Removing special season dates on pintails and canvasbacks.

The commission approved starting the Canada Goose hunting season on Sept. 23 in Units 1 and 3. In Unit 1 it runs through Dec. 24. In Unit 3 the season will last until Dec. 16. The Unit 2 season runs from Oct. 28 through Feb. 9, 2007. Unit 4 has a nine-day season running from Jan. 13 through Jan. 21, 2007.

The season dates in Unit 2 are two days shorter than previously proposed, GFP Assistant Director George Vandel explained, because the original dates did not take into consideration the two-day resident youth waterfowl season which allows the taking of Canada geese.

Other changes in the goose hunting season included:

• A change in the season length in Unit 3 from 86 days to 85 days.

• A change in the season length for light geese and white-fronted geese from 86 days to 85 days.

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