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Lincoln -- Nebraska^s Game and Parks Commissioners will consider making some major changes in the 2000 waterfowl hunting season when they set season dates and regulations at the August 31 Commission meeting in Lincoln.
Among the changes the commissioners will consider are staff recommendations to open the Low Plains Late duck hunting season about a week later than last year and put the split on the front end of the season. The staff is also recommending there being fewer hunting days in October during the Low Plains Late season than there were last year.
There is also a recommendation to combine the South-Central and Panhandle dark goose hunting units to form the "Platte River Unit." Splits on the front ends of all dark goose seasons are also proposed.
The staff is also recommending that the West Zone (Zone 2) be closed for both the late -winter season and the Conservation Action as part of the evaluation plan adopted by the Game and Parks Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Commissioners will consider setting the falconry season to run concurrently with waterfowl season dates within zones and management units.
All recommendations must be made, and are made, within the season frameworks and other parameters determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. No regulations changes, other than season dates, are proposed for the coot, white-fronted goose or crow seasons.
The proposed recommendations for Nebraska^s 2000 waterfowl, crow and falconry seasons are:
DUCKS
Low Plains Early: Sept. 30 - Dec. 10 (72 days) and Dec. 16-17 (2 days) - 5 day split.
Low Plains Late: Oct. 14-15 (2 Days) and Oct. 21 – Dec. 31 (72 days) - 5 day split.
High Plains: Sept. 30 – Dec. 10 (72 days) and Dec. 15 - Jan. 7 (24 days) - 4 day split.
Youth Hunt Season: Sept. 23-24
Daily Bag Limit: All areas - Conventional System: 6 ducks. May include no more than: 5 mallards of which 2 can be females, 1 mottled duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, and 3 scaup (greater and lesser combined).
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag.
Early Teal Season: Sept. 9-17
COOTS
Season: Concurrent with duck season dates.
Daily Bag Limit: 15. Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag.
DARK GEESE
East Unit: Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 (2 Days) and Oct. 7 – Jan. 7 (93 days) - 5 day split.
North Central Unit: Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 (2 Days) and Oct. 7 – Jan. 7 (93 days) - 5 day split.
Platte River Unit: Oct. 21-22 (2 days) and Oct. 28 - Jan. 28 (93 days) - 5 day split. (The Platte River Unit is a combination of the South Central and Panhandle Dark Geese Units).
North Unit: Oct. 21-22 (2 days) and Oct. 28 - Jan. 28 (93 days) - 5 day split.
Daily Bag Limit: All Units - Three (3) geese. Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag.
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE
Statewide: Sept. 30 - Dec. 24 (86 days).
Daily Bag Limit: Two (2) geese. Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag.
LIGHT GEESE
Statewide: Oct. 14 - Dec. 21 (Thursday) (69 days) and for areas that can be open until Mar. 10, Feb. 3 - Mar. 10 (Saturday) (36 days). (Special regulations apply within the Rainwater Basin/Platte River Zone). The Conservation Action will be set at a future Commission meeting.
Daily Bag Limit: Twenty (20) geese. Possession Limit: None.
CROWS
Statewide: Oct. 1 - Nov. 15 (46 days) and Jan. 20 - Apr. 7 (78 days). Special Public Health Hazard Order: Nov. 16 - Jan.19 (64 days).
Daily Bag Limit: None. Possession Limit: None.
FALCONRY
Statewide: Concurrent with waterfowl season dates within zones and management units. Daily Bag Limit: Three (3) birds. Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag.
Photo illustration to accompany this release can be found at http://owl.ngpc.state.ne.us/photos/ Choose the photo, right click on your mouse, select "save as", and save it where you want.
Uploaded: 8/22/2000
Uploaded: 8/22/2000