8/9/2007

Illinois Waterfowl Hunting Seasons Announced

USFWS Service Regulations Committee endorses duck and goose hunting seasons

SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ (IDNR) proposals for a 60-day duck hunting season statewide, 85-day Canada goose seasons in the North and Central zones, and a 66-day Canada goose season in the South Zone for the 2007-08 waterfowl season, have been endorsed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Regulations Committee. Final approval from the USFWS is expected in September.

“All indications are that duck and goose numbers will be good this fall, and we believe our plans for season dates and bag limits will provide hunters with plenty of opportunity for the upcoming Illinois waterfowl seasons,” said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood. “Illinois hunters last year harvested the third most ducks since 1981 and second most geese in state history. We are looking forward to hunters getting into the field this fall.”

Illinois Duck Season Recommendations for 2007-08

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this year is allowing a 60-day duck season with a daily bag limit of six ducks. This marks the 11th consecutive year in which hunters in Illinois have been offered a 60-day duck season. Federal regulations will allow pintails and canvasbacks to be hunted during the regular 60-day duck seasons.

The Illinois duck season dates are as follows:

North Zone - Saturday, Oct. 20 - Tuesday, Dec. 18
Central Zone - Saturday, Oct. 27 - Tuesday, Dec. 25
South Zone - Thursday, Nov. 22 - Sunday, Jan. 20

The daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), two scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail, and two canvasbacks.
The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers. Possession limits are twice the daily bag limits.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) annual survey of key nesting areas indicated 41.2 million breeding ducks, 14 percent greater than last year and 24 percent above the 1955-2006 long-term average.

Mallards - The mid-continent mallard fall flight forecast is 11.4 million, 1.5 million higher than last year. The fall flight index predicts 2.3 million young mallards, compared to 1.9 million last year. (Young mallards are generally twice as vulnerable to hunting as adults).

Pintails - The pintail population of 3.3 million is similar to last year and 19 percent below the long-term average. The population is above the threshold of 2.5 million, justifying a full season length based on the USFWS interim pintail harvest strategy.

Canvasbacks - The canvasback population reached a record high of 865,000, 25 percent higher than last year and 53 percent above the long-term average. With the excellent habitat conditions in Prairie Canada, above average production is expected. As a result, the canvasback daily bag limit has been increased to two this year. It has been 41 years since the daily bag limit on canvasbacks in Illinois has been as high as two.

Scaup - Scaup population estimates of 3.45 million increased 6 percent over last year but are still 33 percent below the long-term average. The USFWS decreased the daily bag limit from three to two in 2005 because of concerns regarding a decreasing population with an increasing harvest rate for the past several years. The USFWS initially recommended reducing the daily bag limit to one scaup for this season, but approved the Flyway Councils’ recommendation to retain the two-bird limit until a new harvest strategy can be developed prior to the 2008 season. There is no evidence indicating that hunting is the primary cause of scaup declines and many agencies continue to conduct research on the scaup population.

The preliminary Illinois duck harvest estimate for 2006 was 507,464, up 23 percent compared with 2005 and the third highest harvest since state estimates began in 1981. Preliminary mallard harvest last year was 308,000, second only to the 1999 harvest of 311,325. On average, duck hunters spent just over 13 days afield to harvest 10 ducks per hunter for the season. Harvest of teal during the 2006 September season in Illinois was 28,016, compared to 10,953 in 2005.
 

September Teal Season for 2007

The statewide 16-day teal season is Sept. 8-23 from sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is four teal with a possession limit of eight.

Illinois Goose Season Recommendations for 2007-08

The Canada goose season dates in Illinois are:

North Zone (85 days) – Saturday, Oct. 20 - Sunday, Jan. 12
Central Zone (85 days) – Saturday, Oct. 27 - Thursday, Nov. 8 and Wednesday, Nov. 21 - Thursday, Jan. 31
South Zone (66 days) – Thursday, Nov. 22 - Sunday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Dec. 1 - Thursday, Jan. 31

Late May aerial surveys found 402,640 breeding Mississippi Valley Population (MVP) Canada geese, the highest level since 1999. Indications of an early spring suggest better reproduction on the breeding grounds. Nesting conditions were favorable and it should be another good production year for MVP geese. A higher percentage of young geese in the flock often indicates better hunting. Production of local giant Canada geese is expected to be normal again in Illinois.

MVP Canada geese comprise about 40 percent of the Illinois harvest during the regular waterfowl season. Giant Canada geese comprise about 54 percent (less than half of those from Illinois, with the remainder from other Mississippi Flyway states and provinces). Eastern Prairie Population Canada geese (Manitoba) comprise five percent of the Illinois harvest.

Based on a new Canada goose harvest management strategy the IDNR implemented a year early last year, the use of a goose harvest quota system has been eliminated. Other states in the MVP Canada goose range including Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky will begin the “no-quota” five-year experiment this season.

The preliminary Canada goose harvest estimate in Illinois last year during the regular season was 122,294, the second highest since 1981 (the record was 128,387 in 2000). During the 2006 September season, hunters took an estimated 14,578 Canada geese.

The USFWS is allowing longer Canada goose seasons in Illinois this year – six days longer in the North and Central zones and nine days longer in the South Zone.

During the regular Canada goose season in Illinois, the statewide daily bag limit will be two geese with a possession limit of four geese. Because Illinois eliminated quota zones and Canada goose harvest quotas, Illinois must adhere to the federally mandated daily Canada goose harvest possession limit of twice the daily bag limit for geese.
 

September Canada Goose Season for 2007

The statewide September Canada goose season in all zones will be Sept. 1-15. During the September season only, Illinois retains a Northeast Illinois Canada Goose Zone that
includes Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. During the September season only, the daily harvest bag limit for the Northeast Zone will be five geese (possession limit is 10 for the Northeast Zone only), with a daily bag limit of two geese (possession limit of four geese) for the North, Central and South zones.
 

White-fronted Goose Season – 2007-08

North Zone (72 days) – Friday, Nov. 2 - Saturday, Jan. 12
Central Zone (72 days) – Wednesday, Nov. 21 - Thursday, Jan. 31
South Zone (71 days) – Thursday, Nov. 22 - Thursday, Jan. 31

This year, the North and Central zone white-front season has been shortened from 79 days to 72 days to allow hunters in those zones to take two white-fronted geese per day. Aerial survey data indicates that there are no appreciable numbers of white-fronts in the Central Zone until about Thanksgiving and populations usually peaked in January. The maximum white-fronted goose season allowed by federal regulations is 86 days with a bag limit of one or 72 days with a bag limit of two. Last year in Illinois, hunters in the North and Central zones had a bag limit of one, while hunters in the South Zone had a bag limit of two for white-fronted geese.

The white-fronted goose population increased 43 percent in September 2006 compared with 2005, but reduced reproduction this year is expected to result in a fall flight similar to last year.
 

Snow Goose and Brant Season – 2007-08

North Zone (85 days) – Saturday, Oct. 20 - Saturday, Jan. 12
Central Zone (97 days) – Saturday, Oct. 27 - Thursday, Jan. 31
South Zone (71 days) – Thursday, Nov. 22 - Thursday, Jan. 31

The bag limit is 20 snow geese with no possession limit and one brant in all zones with a possession limit of two.
 

Conservation Order Snow Goose Season - 2007

North Zone (79 days) – Sunday, Jan. 13 - Monday, March 31
Central Zone (60 days) – Friday, Feb. 1- Monday, March 31
South Zone (60 days) – Friday, Feb. 1 - Monday, March 31

During the Conservation Order snow goose season, there is no bag limit. Hunters may use unplugged shotguns and electronic calls. The legal hunting hours extend to one-half hour after sunset.
During the 2007 Midwinter Survey, biologists counted more than 2.9 million light geese (snow, blue and Ross’ geese), 31 percent more than in 2006. However, production is expected to be much lower than last year due to a cold, snowy spring on the high Arctic breeding grounds. During last year’s regular snow goose season, Illinois hunters took an estimated 9,778 snow geese. An estimated 74,268 snow geese were harvested during the 2006 Conservation Order snow goose season, a 69 percent increase over the 2005 estimated harvest. During the 2007 conservation order season preliminary harvest estimates indicate Illinois hunters took 55,000 snow geese.
 

Illinois Youth Hunt Seasons for 2007

The Youth Waterfowl Hunt seasons for 2007 are listed below for each zone.
(Bag limits are the same as during regular seasons for all species of waterfowl and coots)

North Zone – Saturday, Oct. 13 - Sunday, Oct. 14
Central Zone – Saturday, Oct. 20 - Sunday, Oct. 21
South Zone – Saturday, Nov. 10 - Sunday, Nov. 11

Waterfowlers are encouraged to take qualifying young people hunting during the Youth Waterfowl Season. For more information on Illinois waterfowl seasons, check the 2007-08 Illinois Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations available in September.

All hunters are reminded to register with the federal Harvest Information Program (HIP) prior to heading to the field. The program is designed to produce more accurate federal waterfowl harvest estimates. Hunters should include the free HIP certification when they purchase their hunting license or sportsmen’s combination license. Hunters can also register for HIP online through DNR Direct (http://dnr.state.il.us) or by phone toll-free at 1-888-6PERMIT (a convenience fee will be charged). Registration each year with HIP is mandatory.