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September 1, 2011

Waterfowl seasons set

By Niels Nokkentved, IDFG

   The Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted a 107-day waterfowl season for 2011-2012.

   A youth hunt was set for Sept. 24 and 25.

   Daily duck bag limits are seven birds in the aggregate - no more than two female mallards, two redheads, three scaup, two pintails, one canvasback - with a possession limit of 14 birds after the first day and no more than four female mallards, four redheads, four pintails, six scaup and two canvasbacks.

   Daily limits for Wilson's snipe are eight, with a possession limit of 16 after the first day; and the daily limit for coots are 25 with a possession limit of 25 after the first day.

   Daily bag limits for dark geese - Canada, greater white-fronted - is four per day. Daily limits for light geese - snow, blue, Ross's - are 10 per day.

Seasons

Area 1: All of the state not included in Area 2.

§         For ducks and dark geese from Oct. 1 to Jan. 13, with a shorter scaup season from Oct. 22 to Jan. 13.

§         For snow and Ross's geese from Oct. 1 to Jan. 13, 2012.

Area 2: All or parts of Ada, Boise, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls and Washington counties.

§         For ducks and dark geese from Oct. 15 to Jan. 27, 2012, with a shorter scaup season from Nov. 5 to Jan. 27, 2012.

§         For snow and Ross's geese from Nov. 6 to Jan. 27, 2012; and reopen from Feb. 18 to March 10, 2012.

Area 3: For light geese only - includes that portion of the Upper Snake Region within Bingham County in Game Management Unit 63 south of Highway 20 and west of the west bank of the Snake River, and that portion of the Southeast Region within Bingham and Power counties in units 68 and 68A west of the west bank of the Snake River and American Falls Reservoir bluff.

§         For snow and Ross's geese from Oct. 23 to Jan. 13, 2012; and reopens from Feb. 18 to March 10, 2012.

   Parts of Area 2 closed during the spring light goose season are Fort Boise and Payette River WMAs and that portion of the Roswell Marsh Wildlife Habitat Area south of state Highway 18, and the Snake River Islands Unit of the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge in the Southwest Region.

   In Area 1, Fremont and Teton counties are closed to light goose hunting.

   Additional details will be available in a printed brochure and on the Fish and Game website within about a week.

   Hunters must have a valid Idaho hunting license, a federal migratory game bird harvest information program validation and a federal migratory bird (duck) stamp, except youths 15 and under do not need the duck stamp.

   Nontoxic shot is required for all waterfowl hunting in Idaho.

Sportsmen's Report sponsored by John and Lorraine Weiland