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and Parks, 523 E. Capitol, Pierre, S.D. 57501, or send
e-mail to wildinfo@state.sd.us. Comments must include full name
and address.
Wisconsin
comment on proposed 2004 waterfowl seasons
People will have an opportunity to comment on possible frameworks
for the 2004 Wisconsin waterfowl hunting seasons in an upcoming
series of public hearings scheduled for Aug. 2-5. A summary of
the public's comments will be considered by the state Natural
Resources Board at its Aug. 11 meeting in La Crosse where the
board is expected to set the fall waterfowl season framework.
"The final structure of the Fall 2004 waterfowl regulations
frameworks will be made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
later this week," said Kent Van Horn, Department of Natural
Resources migratory waterfowl biologist. "Each state then
develops their waterfowl regulations within the USFWS framework
or sideboards. There are several possible ways Wisconsin could
structure the fall 2004 seasons and that's what we want to share
with the public and get their reactions."
Canada geese
For Canada geese, Van Horn said, 2004 will be a low harvest quota
year because of a late winter and poor conditions on the Ontario
breeding grounds of the Mississippi Valley Population (MVP) of
Canada geese. The MVP geese make up 61 percent of Wisconsin's
Canada goose harvest. The statewide Canada goose quota set by
the Mississippi Flyway Council is 49,200, which is down considerably
from the high 2003 quota of 85,500. This translates into a lower
number of tags in the Horicon and Collins zones and possibly
an early closing of the exterior goose season. Preliminary estimates
are 3 tags/hunter for the Horicon and Collins zones.
"With the lower quota for 2004 we'll be asking the public
to weigh a more liberal two-bird daily bag that will likely lead
to closing the season after three-four weeks, or a one-bird daily
bag that could stretch the season out to a full 90 days,"
Van Horn said.
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Ducks
As for ducks, breeding conditions and population estimates were
variable across North America this spring. Information from the
USFWS indicates that water conditions in breeding areas of the
US prairies and Canada were quite variable but overall pond numbers
were down 24 percent from 2003 and 19 percent below the long
term mean.
"Water conditions on the prairies have improved since May
so brood habitat should be good, however, production is still
expected to be low for several species," Van Horn said.
"The total mid continent breeding population estimate of
mallards was a little over 8.3 million birds. This population
figure combined with the Canadian pond number of 2.5 million
birds supports a liberal duck season for fall of 2004. This is
the same framework that hunters have experienced for several
years, including a 60-day season and 6 birds/day bag limit.
"Given the predicted USFWS liberal framework of 60 days,
we'll be asking for public input on several factors as we work
to finalize the Wisconsin waterfowl regulations.
Season start dates, season splits, and bag limits will all be
discussed. For example, under the 60-day seasons the past few
years, we have opened the northern zone early (this year would
be Sept 25) and the southern zone a week later (this year Oct
2) with a 5-day split in October. Wisconsin hunters in the past
have also elected to reduce the daily bag of hen mallards from
2 to 1 in order to protect our breeding ducks."
Sharp-tailed grouse permits set at 1,000 for 2004
A total of 1,000 permits will be available for the fall 2004
sharp-tailed grouse hunting season Oct. 16 Nov. 7. The
deadline for permit applications is Aug 10. The number of permits
is down slightly from 2003 levels.
"Biologists on the Prairie Grouse Committee recommended
decreasing the number of permits for this fall due to several
factors, including fewer dancing males observed during
spring surveys, hunting pressure and cold, wet spring weather
which will likely have some impact on brood success," said
Andrea Mezera, assistant upland game ecologist for the state
Department of Natural Resources. |
