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Missouri gets maximum number of teal-hunting days
MDC
6/30/06
Blue-winged teal numbers are up substantially, setting the stage for a long, productive early teal season.
JEFFERSON CITY-Missourians who savor the opportunity to hunt ducks in short sleeves and sneakers will be pleased to learn that this year's early teal season will be the longest allowed under federal guidelines. The announcement comes on the heels of other good news-that blue-winged teal numbers are up substantially from last year.
Teal are the smallest of all ducks. Their migration begins sooner than other, larger species, such as mallards. To give hunters a shot at these fast-flying, early-migrating birds, federal officials allow states to hold special hunting seasons before the regular waterfowl season.
Federal waterfowl season guidelines are tied to waterfowl populations. This ensures maximum hunting opportunity consistent with good stewardship. In the case of teal, no early hunting season is allowed if spring population surveys show fewer than 3.3 million blue-winged teal, the most numerous and earliest-migrating teal species. If surveys show 3.3 million to 4.7 million, the early teal season is set at 9 days. If surveys show more than 4.7 million blue-winged teal, the season is 16 days long.
This year's survey showed 5.9 million blue-winged teal, a 28-percent increase from 2005. As a result, this year's early teal season will open Sept. 9 and run through Sept. 24. Bag limits and other regulations remain the same as last year - four blue-winged and green-winged teal in the aggregate daily and eight in possession, with shooting hours from sunrise to sunset.
The Conservation Commission set seasons for teal and other early-migrating game birds at its June meeting. Other early seasons include
--SORA AND VIRGINIA RAILS: Sept. 1 through Nov. 9; limits of 25 daily or in possession.
--COMMON SNIPE: Sept. 1 through Dec. 16; limits of eight daily and 16 in possession.
--AMERICAN WOODCOCK: Oct. 15 through Nov. 28; limits of three daily and six in possession.
--MOURNING DOVE, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES AND WHITE-WINGED DOVES: Sept. 1 through Nov. 9; limits of 12 daily and 24 in possession.
--Shooting hours for early migratory birds other than teal are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Also at its June meeting, the Conservation Commission voted to keep the three-zone structure for Missouri's regular duck season, with one change. The boundary between the North and Middle zones formerly ran west along I-70 from its junction with Highway 47 in Warren County to the junction of Highway 54 in Callaway County. At that point, it followed Highway 54 south to Highway 50 and then followed Highway 50 west to the Kansas border. The new boundary follows I-70 from its junction with Highway 47 west all the way to the Kansas border. For details of the Zone Boundary change, visit mdc.mo.gov/hunt/wtrfowl/zones/index.htm.
Conservation Department Resource Scientist Dave Graber said the increase in teal numbers and encouraging reports about habitat conditions in the northern breeding grounds are good signs for the regular waterfowl season. Dates for the regular waterfowl season will be announced next month.
-Jim Low-
MDC
6/30/06
Blue-winged teal numbers are up substantially, setting the stage for a long, productive early teal season.
JEFFERSON CITY-Missourians who savor the opportunity to hunt ducks in short sleeves and sneakers will be pleased to learn that this year's early teal season will be the longest allowed under federal guidelines. The announcement comes on the heels of other good news-that blue-winged teal numbers are up substantially from last year.
Teal are the smallest of all ducks. Their migration begins sooner than other, larger species, such as mallards. To give hunters a shot at these fast-flying, early-migrating birds, federal officials allow states to hold special hunting seasons before the regular waterfowl season.
Federal waterfowl season guidelines are tied to waterfowl populations. This ensures maximum hunting opportunity consistent with good stewardship. In the case of teal, no early hunting season is allowed if spring population surveys show fewer than 3.3 million blue-winged teal, the most numerous and earliest-migrating teal species. If surveys show 3.3 million to 4.7 million, the early teal season is set at 9 days. If surveys show more than 4.7 million blue-winged teal, the season is 16 days long.
This year's survey showed 5.9 million blue-winged teal, a 28-percent increase from 2005. As a result, this year's early teal season will open Sept. 9 and run through Sept. 24. Bag limits and other regulations remain the same as last year - four blue-winged and green-winged teal in the aggregate daily and eight in possession, with shooting hours from sunrise to sunset.
The Conservation Commission set seasons for teal and other early-migrating game birds at its June meeting. Other early seasons include
--SORA AND VIRGINIA RAILS: Sept. 1 through Nov. 9; limits of 25 daily or in possession.
--COMMON SNIPE: Sept. 1 through Dec. 16; limits of eight daily and 16 in possession.
--AMERICAN WOODCOCK: Oct. 15 through Nov. 28; limits of three daily and six in possession.
--MOURNING DOVE, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES AND WHITE-WINGED DOVES: Sept. 1 through Nov. 9; limits of 12 daily and 24 in possession.
--Shooting hours for early migratory birds other than teal are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Also at its June meeting, the Conservation Commission voted to keep the three-zone structure for Missouri's regular duck season, with one change. The boundary between the North and Middle zones formerly ran west along I-70 from its junction with Highway 47 in Warren County to the junction of Highway 54 in Callaway County. At that point, it followed Highway 54 south to Highway 50 and then followed Highway 50 west to the Kansas border. The new boundary follows I-70 from its junction with Highway 47 west all the way to the Kansas border. For details of the Zone Boundary change, visit mdc.mo.gov/hunt/wtrfowl/zones/index.htm.
Conservation Department Resource Scientist Dave Graber said the increase in teal numbers and encouraging reports about habitat conditions in the northern breeding grounds are good signs for the regular waterfowl season. Dates for the regular waterfowl season will be announced next month.
-Jim Low-
