Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44229

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

RIN 1018-AE14

Migratory Bird Hunting; Final

Frameworks for Early-Season

Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule prescribes final

early-season frameworks which States,

Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands may

select season dates, limits, and other

options for the 1997–98 migratory bird

hunting seasons. Early seasons are those

which generally open prior to October 1.

The effect of this final rule is to

facilitate the selection of hunting

seasons by the States and Territories to

further the annual establishment of the

early-season migratory bird hunting

regulations. These selections will be

published in the Federal Register as

amendments to §§ 20.101 through

20.107, and § 20.109 of title 50 CFR part

20.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule takes effect on

August 20, 1997.

ADDRESSES: States and Territories

should send their season selections to:

Chief, Office of Migratory Bird

Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Department of the Interior, ms

634—ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20240. The public may

inspect comments during normal

business hours in room 634, Arlington

Square, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,

Arlington, Virginia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

R. Schmidt, Chief, Office of Migratory

Bird Management, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, (703) 358–1714

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulations Schedule for 1997

On March 13, 1997, the Service

published in the Federal Register (62

FR 12054) a proposal to amend 50 CFR

part 20. The proposal dealt with the

establishment of seasons, limits, and

other regulations for migratory game

birds under §§ 20.101 through 20.107,

20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. On

June 6, 1997, the Service published in

the Federal Register (62 FR 31298) a

second document providing

supplemental proposals for migratory

bird hunting regulations frameworks

and detailed information on the 1997–

98 regulatory schedule and announced

the Service Migratory Bird Regulations

Committee and Flyway Council

meetings. In the same document, the

Service described the proposed 1997–98

regulatory alternatives for duck hunting.

On June 27, 1997, the Service held a

public hearing in Washington, DC, as

announced in the March 13 and June 6

Federal Registers to review the status of

migratory shore and upland game birds.

The Service discussed hunting

regulations for these species and for

other early seasons. On July 23, 1997,

the Service published in the Federal

Register (62 FR 39712) a third document

specifically dealing with proposed

early-season frameworks for the 1997–

98 season. That document also extended

the public comment period to August 5,

1997, for early-season proposals. This

rulemaking establishes final frameworks

for early-season migratory bird hunting

regulations for the 1997–98 season.

Review of Flyway Council

Recommendations, Public Comments

and the Service’s Responses

The public comment period for earlyseason issues ended on August 5, 1997.

The Service received recommendations

from all four Flyway Councils. Earlyseason comments are summarized and

discussed in the order used in the

March 13 Federal Register. Only the

numbered items pertaining to early

seasons for which comments were

received are included. Flyway Council

recommendations shown below include

only those involving changes from the

1996–97 early-season frameworks. For

those topics where a Council

recommendation is not shown, the

Council supported continuing the same

frameworks as in 1996–97.

General

Written Comments: The Humane

Society of the United States (HSUS)

recommended all seasons open at noon,

mid-week, to reduce the large kills

associated with the traditional Saturday

openings. They also recommend that

hunting during the one-half hour before

sunrise be eliminated.

1. Ducks

The categories used to discuss issues

related to duck harvest management are

as follows: (A) General Harvest Strategy,

(B) Framework Dates, (C) Season

Length, (D) Closed Seasons, (E) Bag

Limits, (F) Zones and Split Seasons, and

(G) Special Seasons/Species

Management. Only those categories

containing substantial early-season

recommendations are included below.

G. Special Seasons/Species

Management

iii. September Teal Seasons

Council Recommendations: The

Lower-Region Regulations Committee of

the Mississippi Flyway Council

recommended the continuance of the

experimental September teal/wood duck

seasons in Kentucky and Tennessee for

the 1997–98 season with no change

from the 1996–97 season frameworks.

The Central Flyway Council

recommended a 3-year experimental

teal harvest strategy in the Central

Flyway based on the breeding

population of blue-winged teal. When

the 3-year running average breeding

population of blue-winged teal is 4.7

million or greater, the Council’s

recommended harvest strategy would

consist of two changes to the current

September teal season frameworks.

First, in those Central Flyway States

currently allowed a September teal

season, an additional 7 days of hunting

(for a total of 16 days) and 1 additional

teal (for a total of 5 teal) would be

allowed. Second, for Central Flyway

production States, the recommended

harvest strategy would provide for a

season of up to 7 days, beginning no

earlier than September 20, and a daily

bag limit of 4 ducks, 3 of which must

be teal. The Council further

recommended that the Service work

with the States to cooperatively develop

an experimental design and criteria to

adequately evaluate the proposed

expansion of teal harvest.

Written Comments: The Kansas

Department of Wildlife and Parks

(Kansas), Nebraska Game and Parks

Commission (Nebraska), North Dakota

Game and Fish Department (North

Dakota), Oklahoma Department of

Wildlife Conservation (Oklahoma),

South Dakota Department of Game, Fish

and Parks (South Dakota), and Texas

Parks and Wildlife Department (Texas)

supported the Central Flyway proposal

for September teal seasons. Kansas and

Texas commented that additional

harvest provided by the proposed

season expansion will not be excessive

or negatively impact future teal

populations. Kansas and Texas

indicated that ongoing work associated

with implementation of the Adaptive

Harvest Management Program should

not preclude completion of this

management initiative. Kansas said they

are willing to satisfy requirements

associated with evaluation and

monitoring associated with

implementation of this proposed

strategy. Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas

indicated that this strategy will

encourage the development and

maintenance of wetland habitat and

promote hunting by youth hunters.

Nebraska pointed out that their duck

breeding population was 17 percent
44230 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

above the most recent 5-year average

and would appreciate the additional

opportunity that would be provided by

the Central Flyway proposal. North

Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming

indicated that approval of the Central

Flyway proposal would provide

additional opportunity for northern

States at a time when teal populations

are at an all-time high. North Dakota

commented that implementation of this

proposal is currently appropriate

because the Central Flyway preseason

duck banding program will provide

information for evaluations. North

Dakota pointed out that their bluewinged teal population estimate for this

year is 115 percent above the long-term

average.

Several individuals recommended

higher daily bag limits for teal given the

current population level. Two

individuals from Texas recommended a

5-teal daily bag limit while an

individual from Missouri recommended

a 6-teal limit. Another individual from

Texas questioned why the Service was

reluctant to increase the teal season

length and bag limit. Nine individuals

from Mississippi expressed preference

for a 5-day teal and wood duck season

rather than the present 9-day teal only

season.

Service Response: It is important that

any proposal for expanding the current

teal season include a comprehensive

evaluation plan and be coordinated

within and among the Flyways.

Identifying the full scope of any

expansion is important, because it will

dictate how extensive the evaluation

plan must be.

The Central Flyway proposal does not

include an evaluation plan. As

previously stated, the evaluation plan

must include study objectives,

experimental design, decision criteria,

and identification of data needs. The

evaluation plan should address not only

potential impacts to teal populations,

but also impacts to nontarget species

and the ability of hunters to comply

with special-season regulations. Further,

the September teal season bag limit

should be limited to teal and not

expanded to include other species, as

was contained in the Central Flyway’s

proposal.

In an effort to further define what

would comprise an acceptable

evaluation plan, the Service suggests

that any plan should consider the

following: (1) description of the

population dynamics of teal (e.g., how

the populations respond to changes in

the environment, harvest pressure, etc.),

(2) current and predicted harvest

pressure on teal, (3) the levels of

regulations to be considered, (4) the

harvest allocation among and within

(i.e., production vs. nonproduction

states) Flyways, (5) the acceptable

attempt rate at nontarget species (i.e.,

the rate at which hunters attempt to

shoot ducks other than teal), and (6)

staff and financial resources to conduct

the evaluation.

iv. September Duck Seasons

Council Recommendations: The

Upper-Region Regulations Committee of

the Mississippi Flyway Council

recommended that Iowa be allowed to

open the second segment of their split

duck season no earlier than October 10,

instead of October 15.

Service Response: Although this is

primarily a late-season issue, the

Service understands Iowa’s concern for

reaching a decision on the issue at this

time. The Service concurs with this

minor change in Iowa’s framework.

vi. Youth Hunt

Council Recommendations: The

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended

the continuance of the youth waterfowl

hunt day and requested the Service

announce their intent in June. The

Council further recommended that

ducks, coots, mergansers, moorhens,

brant and snow geese be open to harvest

on the special day and requested

clarification of whether youth may

participate in other open migratory bird

hunting seasons on that day.

The Upper-Region Regulations

Committee of the Mississippi Flyway

Council recommended that youth

waterfowl hunt day bag limits be the

same as the regular-season bag limits

and include ducks, geese, and coots,

with framework dates 14 days outside

the regular duck-season framework

dates instead of 10.

The Lower-Region Regulations

Committee of the Mississippi Flyway

Council recommended the inclusion of

geese and coots in a 2-day youth

waterfowl hunting season, with

framework dates 14 days outside of the

regular duck-season framework dates

instead of 10.

The Pacific Flyway Council

recommended continuation of the youth

hunt that allows States to select outside

the general season and frameworks.

Public-Hearing Comments: Mr. Robert

McDowell, representing the Atlantic

Flyway Council, encouraged the Service

to make an early announcement

regarding the Youth Waterfowl Hunt

Day and asked to include Atlantic brant,

snow geese, and moorhens along with

ducks as legal game.

Written Comments: The New Jersey

Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife

encouraged the Service to make an early

announcement of their intention to hold

another youth hunting day. They also

recommended that ducks, moorhens,

brant and snow geese be open to harvest

on the special day.

An individual from Wisconsin

supported the establishment of a special

youth hunt for the 1997–98 hunting

season. Another commenter from

Nebraska thanked the Service for the

establishment of the youth hunt last

year.

Service Response: The Service

appreciates the recommendations from

the Flyway Councils regarding the

continuation of a youth waterfowl

hunting day for this hunting season.

While the Service recognizes that there

will be those organizations and

individuals opposed to the

establishment of this day on the basis of

general opposition to hunting as a

desirable outdoor recreational activity,

the Service reiterates its belief that

recreational sport hunting is a proper

and compatible use of a renewable

natural resource. The Service is further

directed by various legislation to

regulate the hunting of migratory

waterfowl and views its role as one of

permitting recreational harvest

opportunities consistent with long-term

resource conservation for all Americans.

As part of this objective, the Service

believes a well-educated and properly

trained hunting constituency is in the

best interest of the resource and views

a youth hunting day as an educational

opportunity to help ensure safe, highquality hunting for future generations of

Americans. The Service believes that

the special 1-day hunt is consistent with

its responsibility to provide general

education and training in the wise

recreational uses of our nation’s

valuable wildlife resources and provides

the best and safest learning environment

for our youth who are interested in

hunting.

Regarding the Councils’

recommendation on the framework

dates, the Service agrees that the period

14 days prior to and after the outside

framework dates for the regular duck

season provides sufficient flexibility for

States to provide this opportunity to

their constituents.

The Service recognizes the potential

opportunity that inclusion of geese in

the youth waterfowl hunt might

provide. However, due to season

closures and restrictions in place to

protect certain populations of Canada

geese in various parts of the country, the

Service believes this complication is not

appropriate at this point but is certainly

a matter for consideration in future

regulatory cycles. Further, these

guidelines do not preclude the inclusion

of geese in the daily bag if the goose
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44231

season is open at the time of the special

youth hunt. Therefore, the Service

believes this opportunity should be

offered during the 1997–98 hunting

season and will utilize the following

guidelines:

(1) States may select 1 day per duckhunting zone, designated as ‘‘Youth

Waterfowl Hunting Day’’, in addition to their

regular duck seasons.

(2) The day must be held outside any

regular duck season on either a weekend,

holiday, or other non-school day when youth

hunters would have the maximum

opportunity to participate.

(3) The day could be held up to 14 days

before or after any regular duck-season

frameworks or within any split of a regular

duck season.

(4) The daily bag limit may include ducks,

mergansers, coots, moorhens, and gallinules

and would be the same as that allowed in the

regular season. Flyway species restrictions

would remain in effect.

(5) Youth hunters must be 15 years of age

or younger.

(6) An adult at least 18 years of age must

accompany the youth hunter into the field.

This adult could not duck hunt but may

participate in other seasons that are open on

the special youth day.

3. Sea Ducks

Written Comments: The HSUS

recommended the sea duck season

either be closed or severely restricted

until more complete information on

biology and population status is

available.

Service Response: The Service

continues to be concerned about the

status of sea ducks and the potential

impact that increased hunting activity

could have on these species. While

there are ongoing cooperative efforts to

summarize additional information on

sea ducks, the Service continues to

emphasize the importance of

completing the sea duck management

plan. The Service also believes that

improvements in survey capabilities for

these species are extremely important

for future management actions. The

Service will continue to closely monitor

these species.

4. Canada Geese

A. Special Seasons

Council Recommendations: The

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended

a 3-year experimental September

Canada goose season in New Jersey with

a framework closing date of the first

Saturday in October. The Council also

recommended an experimental

framework closing date of October 5 for

the Long Island, New York, 1997

September Canada Goose Season.

The Pacific Flyway Council

recommended several modifications to

the existing special September goose

seasons. The Council recommended

expansion of the Washington September

Canada goose hunt zone to include all

of Washington for 7 consecutive days. In

California, the Council recommended

the establishment of a new 9-day

season, with a 2-bird daily bag and

possession limit, in Humboldt County,

California. Harvest of up to 200 birds

would be controlled through a regulated

permit system. In Oregon, the Council

recommended that the framework in

Clatsop, Columbia, Multnomah,

Washington, Clackamas, Marion,

Yamhill, Polk, Linn, Benton, Lane,

Lincoln, and Tillamook Counties be 14

consecutive days between September 1

and 20 with a daily bag and possession

limit of 5 and 10 birds, respectively.

Public-Hearing Comments: Mr. Robert

McDowell, representing the Atlantic

Flyway Council, reiterated support for

New Jersey’s request for extension of the

special September Canada goose season

to the first Saturday in October and New

York’s request to extend to October 5

and cited that all criteria have been met.

These additional days would increase

the harvests of resident geese and help

to reduce complaints.

Written Comments: The Maryland

Department of Natural Resources

opposed the extension of the framework

closing date in New Jersey’s September

Canada goose season. They believed that

there will be an insufficient number of

migrant neck-banded geese in the

migrant population to evaluate the

impacts of this proposed change. They

further believed that due to potential

differences in vulnerability to harvest

between resident and migrant geese, the

addition of hunting days in early

October could lead to even higher than

expected migrant goose harvest.

The New Jersey Division of Fish,

Game and Wildlife supported the

modification of the framework closing

date in New Jersey to the first Saturday

in October. They estimated that the

additional days would allow hunters to

harvest an additional average of 1,600

resident Canada geese which would

help slow population growth and

reduce the number and severity of

nuisance goose complaints. In response

to Maryland’s comments, they pointed

out several other techniques for

assessing migrant harvest during special

seasons, such as the continuing

telemetry studies and the initiation of

Atlantic Population (AP) preseason

breeding ground banding in 1997. New

Jersey contends that use of these data

sets will greatly enhance the

understanding of arrival dates of AP

geese and will replace the dependence

on the disappearing migrant neck bands.

New Jersey further pointed out that their

proposal meets the criteria established

by the Atlantic Flyway Council and the

Service for special Canada goose

seasons targeting resident Canada geese.

Service Response: At the request of

the Atlantic Flyway Council, the Service

temporarily extended framework closing

dates in the Atlantic Flyway on resident

geese in 1996 to September 25, without

evaluation in most areas, and on an

experimental basis to September 30 in

New Jersey and North Carolina.

Presently, New Jersey has completed

only one year of its agreed upon 3-year

evaluation.

Although extending the framework

closing dates into early October in New

Jersey and New York would increase

harvests of resident geese and help to

alleviate injurious problems, the Service

believes that further evaluation is

needed before all parties are comfortable

that the harvest of migrant geese will

not exceed 10 percent of the special

season harvest. Also, the Service is

concerned that sample sizes of neckbanded migrant geese are no longer

sufficient to estimate the percentage of

migrant geese in the early seasons with

any degree of reliability. Both New

Jersey’s and New York’s proposals

indicate that the harvests of migrant

geese increases rather dramatically after

October 1 and there is little capability

to measure precisely the percentage of

migrant harvest. Thus, the Service does

not support New Jersey’s request until it

completes its 3-year evaluation.

However, based on the observations

presented, the Service would support

New York extending its season on Long

Island from September 25 until

September 30 on a 3-year experimental

basis.

With respect to the Pacific Flyway

Council’s recommendations, the Service

supports the change to a 7-day

Statewide season in Washington and the

new season proposal for California, as

both of these recommendations conform

to the existing Service criteria for

special Canada goose seasons. The

Service also endorses the proposal for a

14-day experimental season in Oregon

between September 1 and 20. The

Service notes that a 3-year evaluation of

that portion of the season occurring after

September 15 is required. The Service is

particularly concerned about possible

impacts on dusky Canada geese. The

Service specifically requires monitoring

be conducted for the presence of neckbanded dusky Canada geese throughout

the hunt area during this period as a

part of the experimental evaluation.

Additionally, the Service requires

Oregon to submit an annual report of
44232 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

their evaluation by July 15 each year

describing the results of this monitoring

program. These results will be reviewed

prior to continuation of the experiment

during the 3-year experimental period

and modifications of the area open to

hunting during this period will be

required if dusky Canada geese are

found to be present during the season.

B. Regular Seasons

Council Recommendations: The

Upper-Region Regulations Committee of

the Mississippi Flyway Council

recommended Michigan and Wisconsin

be allowed to open their regular Canada

goose season as early as September 27,

1997, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

and September 20, 1997, in Wisconsin.

Service Response: The Service

concurs.

9. Sandhill Cranes

Council Recommendations: The

Central Flyway and Pacific Flyway

Councils recommended that in

Montana, sandhill cranes in Wheatland

County and that portion of Sweet Grass

County north of I-90 be delineated as

Rocky Mountain Population sandhill

cranes. Thus, management of these

cranes, including harvest, would be

guided by the Rocky Mountain

Population Sandhill Crane Management

Plan, rather than the Mid-Continent

Population Sandhill Crane Management

Plan.

Service Response: The Service agrees

with this minor change.

14. Woodcock

Council Recommendations: The

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended

framework dates of October 6 to January

31, a 30-day season and 3-bird daily bag

limit and urged the Service to make

assessment of the relative effects of

harvest and habitat on woodcock

populations a high priority.

The Mississippi Flyway Council

recommended an interim woodcock

harvest strategy for the Central region

until such time as Regional Woodcock

Management Plans and a long-term

harvest strategy are completed. The

interim harvest strategy would consist

of the following:

The following harvest restrictions

would be implemented when the

cumulative change since 1968 in the

number of woodcock heard in the

Singing-ground Survey exceeds 51

percent for the Central Management

Region:

(1) Season framework dates would be the

Saturday nearest September 22 through

January.

(2) The daily bag limit would be reduced

from 5 to 3 birds.

Public-Hearing Comments: Mr. Robert

McDowell, representing the Atlantic

Flyway Council, expressed reluctant

support for the recommendation for

more restrictive framework dates and

season lengths for woodcock. However,

he indicated that given the proposed

September 20 opening framework in the

Mississippi and Central Flyway States,

perhaps October 1, rather than October

6, would be a more appropriate opening

date for the Atlantic Flyway. He

encouraged the Service to assess the

relative roles of harvest and habitat

changes in woodcock population

declines.

Mr. Charles D. Kelley, representing

the Southeastern Association of Fish

and Wildlife Agencies, acknowledged

the problem with declining woodcock

populations and encouraged the Service

to work with the States to address the

problem of diminishing woodcock

habitat.

Mr. William H. Goudy, representing

the Ruffed Grouse Society, expressed

concern about the lost recreational

opportunity that will result from

reduced season lengths and bag limits,

particularly in the Mississippi Flyway.

Although the change in bag limits

would be acceptable, he regretted the

loss in days. He indicated that the

population data on which the Service

bases its decisions is flawed and subject

to criticism and that there is no

information on what effects the changes

in regulations will have. He expressed

support for the expanded use of zones

for woodcock hunting.

Written Comments: The New Jersey

Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife

supported the Atlantic Flyway Council’s

recommended framework dates of

October 6 to January 31, a 30-day season

and 3-bird daily bag limit. Although

they believed that the population

declines were the result of habitat

changes and harvest played little or no

role in the declines, they realized that

the data bases regarding woodcock

populations are not adequate to assess

the role of harvest in woodcock

population dynamics. They further

urged the Service to make assessment of

the relative effects of harvest and habitat

on woodcock populations a high

priority.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife (Ohio)

believed that the population declines

were habitat related. Based on this

belief, Ohio recommended the Service

adopt the Mississippi Flyway Council’s

recommendation regarding woodcock

harvest regulations. They did not

support changing harvest regulations

when evidence of hunting as the cause

of the decline is not conclusive and

believed that these actions could

significantly affect recreational

opportunity.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife

and Fisheries (Louisiana) and the

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

(Tennessee) expressed disappointment

in the Service’s proposed woodcock

frameworks and the failure to adopt the

Mississippi Flyway Council’s

recommendation. Louisiana encouraged

the Service to reconsider its proposed

actions and urged the Service to attack

the real problem affecting woodcock

populations’ habitat. Tennessee further

requested the Service provide the States

the option to have two zones with no

more than a 5- and 10-day penalty for

a 45- and 65-day framework,

respectively.

The Louisiana Wildlife Federation

(LWF) urged the Service to reconsider

and allow for a 65-day season and a 5-

bird daily bag limit in the Central

Region. The LWF was concerned that

the proposed reductions would reduce

participation and needed support for

woodcock conservation.

The Wildlife Management Institute

(WMI) did not agree with the Service’s

proposal to reduce woodcock seasons

and bag limits. WMI believed this action

would have major negative effects on

hunters, public perceptions of hunters,

and State/Federal relations and would

not have a significant effect on

woodcock population trends. WMI

suggested the Service could better

respond to woodcock declines by

emphasizing management programs that

create early successional forest habitats.

The Service also received many

comments from individuals with many

noting the importance of habitat

management. Several individuals from

Michigan, Ohio, Maine, and North

Carolina supported more restrictive

woodcock hunting regulations

indicating that restrictions were

overdue. Four individuals from

Wisconsin and one from Michigan

supported reducing the bag limit from 5

to 3 birds but expressed concerns about

other possible regulatory changes. They

indicated a shorter season would be

acceptable but felt that the framework

opening date should remain September

15, noting that hunting opportunity in

northern areas would be affected

disproportionately by a later framework

opening date. Another individual from

Wisconsin felt that changes in

regulations should only be made when

it is certain that they will help the

population. He indicated the season

should begin before October 1 and that

it should not be shorter than 45 days.

An individual from Michigan indicated

that based on his personal observations,

woodcock populations have not
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44233

declined. He felt that an opening date

later than September 15 would take

away the best time to hunt and

suggested different opening and closing

dates based on latitude. Another

individual from Michigan implied that

regulations should not be changed

unless hunting mortality is causing the

population declines. An individual from

Kentucky thought that reducing the

woodcock harvest would help a little

but would not solve the overall

problem. An individual from Tennessee

supported the Service’s proposed

changes except for reductions in season

length. An individual from New

Hampshire suggested a special 20-day

blackpowder season.

Individuals from Louisiana (18),

Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland, and

Vermont opposed any changes in

regulations, generally citing habitat

changes and/or weather as the causes of

the woodcock population decline. Many

of these individuals were concerned

that more restrictive regulations would

reduce the number of woodcock hunters

and thus, support for woodcock

conservation. Four of these individuals

indicated that the Service should

improve its ability to monitor woodcock

populations before restricting hunting

regulations while another believed that

the Service’s delay in implementing the

American Woodcock Management Plan

was inexcusable and negligent. Another

individual from Louisiana was not

opposed to restrictions provided that

accurate data indicate that hunting

pressure is the major cause of the

population declines. Three individuals

from Texas opposed more restrictive

hunting regulations based on the

presumption that the Singing-Ground

Survey is statistically flawed and

potentially biased.

The HSUS commended the Service

for its proposal to reduce woodcock

hunting seasons given the long-term

population declines that have occurred

throughout its range.

Service Response: Woodcock

populations have declined significantly

since the 1960s, and in recent years

reproductive success has been poor. The

Service is very concerned about the

ongoing declines in woodcock

populations. Although hunting

mortality is not believed to be the major

force driving the declines, the Service

believes some restrictions to woodcock

harvest opportunity are appropriate

given the current status and trends of

woodcock populations and the limited

information on the role of hunting

mortality and other factors in woodcock

population dynamics. While habitat

changes appear to be the primary cause

of the woodcock population declines,

other factors, including hunting

mortality, may be contributing to the

declines, and the importance of these

factors may increase as populations,

reproductive success, and the habitat

base decline. Thus, the Service believes

that hunting regulations should be

commensurate with woodcock

population status and rates of decline. A

combination of changes in framework

dates, bag limits, and season length are

necessary in order to achieve a

significant reduction in harvest that is

shared throughout the range of the

woodcock.

Therefore, in response to continuing

long-term declines in the woodcock

population, the Service is implementing

several framework changes. In the

Eastern Region, the Service concurs

with the recommendation from the

Atlantic Flyway Council for framework

dates of October 6 through January 31,

season length of 30 days, and a daily bag

limit of 3 birds. New Jersey may

continue to select 2 zones with a

reduced season length of 24 days in

each zone. In the Central Region, the

Service will utilize framework dates of

the Saturday nearest September 22

(September 20 this year) through

January 31, a reduced season length of

45 days (from 65 days), and a bag-limit

reduction from 5 to 3 birds. The Service

believes that these restrictions represent

a compromise to achieve a reduction in

harvest while still allowing reasonable

recreational opportunity.

The Service also acknowledges that

existing woodcock surveys are

somewhat limited compared to surveys

for some other migratory bird species,

and believes this is one of the reasons

a cautious approach to harvest

management is appropriate. Although

the Service always seeks to improve its

monitoring programs whenever

practical, woodcock populations are

inherently difficult to monitor because

of the bird’s inconspicuous nature and

preference for areas with dense

vegetation. Although some aspects of

the Singing-ground Survey may warrant

scrutiny and/or improvement, the

current survey provides the only index

to changes in abundance of breeding

populations of woodcock and the results

are used with confidence to guide the

decision-making process. Improved

information on total woodcock harvest

and hunter success will be available

when the Harvest Information Program,

currently being implemented by the

Service and State wildlife agencies, is

fully implemented. Unfortunately, this

information is not likely to clarify the

relationship between hunting mortality

and population status.

The Service notes that a 30-day

season with an October 1 framework

opening date would result in little or no

reduction in harvest in the northern

states in the Atlantic Flyway, where

much of the harvest in the Flyway

occurs. Thus, the Service concurs with

the original October 6 recommendation

by the Atlantic Flyway Council, which

was not predicated on the establishment

of specific regulations in the Mississippi

and Central flyways.

The Service believes zoning has the

potential to increase the harvest of

woodcock, and therefore does not

support the expanded use of zoning at

a time when more restrictive woodcock

hunting regulations are being

established to bring harvest

opportunities to a level more

commensurate with current woodcock

population status.

The Service seeks active participation

by the Flyway Councils to address the

major factors behind long-term

population declines, and to develop a

long-term harvest strategy for woodcock.

17. White-winged and White-tipped

Doves

Council Recommendations: The

Central Flyway Council recommended

removing the restriction of no more than

6 white-winged doves in the aggregate

daily bag limit during the regular

mourning dove season in Texas.

Service Response: The Service

supports removing the restriction on the

number of white-winged doves allowed

within the aggregate daily bag limit

during the regular dove season in Texas.

The distribution and density of whitewinged doves have expanded northward

in Texas. Populations have doubled

since 1989, with an estimated 702,000

whitewings nesting in a 17-county area

north of the Lower Rio Grande Valley

(LRGV), which historically was the only

area occupied by the birds. No increase

in harvest is expected for whitewings in

the LRGV. In the remainder of the State,

a harvest increase of 15 percent is

projected.

18. Alaska

Council Recommendations: The

Pacific Flyway Council recommended

an experimental tundra swan season in

the Kotzebue Sound region of Alaska’s

Game Management Unit (GMU 23),

which would be consistent with the

Pacific Flyway Management Plan’s

harvest and permit guidelines for the

Western Population of [Tundra] swans,

and current guidelines for conducting

experimental seasons (3-year

evaluation). The recommended season

framework would be September 1 -

October 31 with a 3-swan per season
44234 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

limit (by sequential permit) and a

maximum of 300 permits in the GMU.

The Pacific Flyway Council

recommended an increase in Alaska’s

dark goose daily bag and possession

limits from 4 and 8 to 6 and 12,

respectively in GMU 9(D) and the

Unimak Island portion of Unit 10.

The Pacific Flyway Council

recommended an increase in Alaska’s

falconry bag limits to 6 daily and 12 in

possession for migratory birds in the

aggregate. Restrictive species limits

would not be applied.

Written Comments: The HSUS

recommended that the opening date for

all seasons in Alaska be delayed by 2

weeks so that young birds are able to

leave natal marshes before being

subjected to hunting pressure.

Service Response: The Service

concurs with the proposal to offer an

experimental tundra swan season in

GMU 23 consistent with the Flyway

Management Plan and hunt guidelines

in the Hunt Plan for the Western

Population of Tundra Swans. The

Service also supports the change in the

dark goose bag and possession limits in

Unit 9(D) and the Unimak Island

portion of Unit 10. The Service finds no

compelling rationale for the request to

alter the falconry bag and possession

limits in Alaska and will maintain the

existing national falconry bag and

possession limits in all States.

Regarding the opening date for

seasons in Alaska, the Service reiterates

previous responses that hunting

pressure on migratory birds is

comparatively light. Many northern

species migrate from the State before

seasons open there in September and

there is no evidence to indicate

regulated hunting has adversely

impacted local populations.

23. Other

A. Compensatory Days

Council Recommendations: The

Atlantic Flyway Council requested the

Service grant compensatory days for

States in their Flyway that are closed to

waterfowl hunting statewide on Sunday

by State law. The Council’s requested

compensatory days would apply to

waterfowl seasons only and not to other

migratory game birds. The

compensatory request includes the

States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,

Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia,

and West Virginia. The Council believes

that granting this request at this time

will allow integration of these changes

into AHM evaluations of harvest rates in

the Flyway and selection of appropriate

regulatory alternatives.

Public-Hearing Comments: Mr. Robert

McDowell, representing the Atlantic

Flyway Council, offered to modify the

Flyway’s original request for

compensatory days to states closed to

Sunday hunting by restricting it to only

those states with existing statewide

prohibitions in place prior to its

implementation. This action prevents

any states from enacting new laws to

close Sunday hunting in order to be

eligible for compensatory days.

Written Comments: The South

Carolina Department of Natural

Resources asserted that Sunday closures

of waterfowl hunting are State issues

and should not be addressed by the

Service. South Carolina further asserted

that if the Service grants compensatory

days to States that are currently closed

on Sundays by State law, then

compensatory days should also be

granted to States that enact Sunday

closures in the future.

The Georgia Department of Natural

Resources objected to the Service

offering compensatory days to States in

the Atlantic Flyway with Sunday

closures. They believed that this was a

State issue and, as such, the Federal

government should not be involved.

They further believed that each State

should change any applicable selfimposed restrictions relating to Sunday

hunting closures and that involving

Federal procedures to circumvent State

laws sets a bad precedent that could

open the door for further involvement in

future unresolved issues.

The Delaware Division of Fish and

Wildlife recommended the Service grant

compensatory days in lieu of Sunday

hunting on a 1 for 1 basis to restricted

States with no penalty to unrestricted

States.

The Maryland Department of Natural

Resources (Maryland) requested that the

Service grant compensatory days to the

10 Atlantic Flyway States that are

closed to waterfowl hunting on Sunday

by State law. They believe that

compensatory days would enable these

States to equally share in the

recreational benefits derived from the

Flyway’s waterfowl resource. Maryland

supported the Federal closure of Sunday

for the taking of wild waterfowl if the

Service deemed this approach necessary

to provide compensatory days.

However, Maryland requested the

Service give consideration to the current

Sunday hunting exception Maryland

grants falconers.

The New Jersey Division of Fish,

Game and Wildlife (New Jersey)

requested the Service grant

compensatory days for States in their

Flyway that are closed to waterfowl

hunting statewide on Sunday by State

law. New Jersey’s requested

compensatory days would apply to

waterfowl seasons only and not to other

migratory game birds. The

compensatory request includes the

States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,

Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia,

and West Virginia.

Several individuals from Maryland

questioned the need to close Sundays to

the take of all migratory waterfowl,

including falconry, in order to provide

compensatory hunting days to those

States prohibiting Sunday hunting.

Service Response: In 1995, the Service

committed to working with the Atlantic

Flyway Council to review and better

clarify the issue of compensatory days

for those States prohibiting Sunday

hunting in an attempt to resolve this

long-standing issue. In the past, the

Service has maintained the policy that

this problem is an individual State

issue, to be resolved by each State

removing their self-imposed restrictions.

However, recognizing the difficulties

involved with changing State law, the

Service is sympathetic to the loss of

hunting opportunity that results from

the existing prohibitions on Sunday

hunting. A recent Service assessment

suggests that compensatory days for

Sunday closures will result in a slight

increase in the harvest rates of mallards

breeding in eastern Canada and the

northeastern U.S., which would be

accompanied by a small decrease in

average breeding population size. A

similar effect is expected on other

species. Thus, after examining the

various technical and policy concerns,

the Service believes that any additional

harvest impacts can be adjusted by

changing regulatory frameworks where

needed and that various administrative

and procedural concerns can be

managed. Therefore, during the 1997–98

hunting season, the Service will offer

compensatory days to States in

accordance to the following guidelines:

(1) Only States in the Atlantic Flyway that

prohibit Sunday hunting Statewide by State

law prior to 1997 are eligible (Connecticut,

Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,

New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,

Virginia, and West Virginia).

(2) All Sundays will be closed to all take

(including extended falconry) of migratory

waterfowl (including mergansers and coots)

by Federal rulemaking. Other migratory game

species are not eligible for compensatory

days.

(3) Season days must run consecutively

within prescribed framework dates and

season length, excluding the Sunday closure,

and conform to existing split-season criteria.

Total season days (including extended

falconry) must not exceed 107 days.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44235

NEPA Consideration

NEPA considerations are covered by

the programmatic document, ‘‘Final

Supplemental Environmental Impact

Statement: Issuance of Annual

Regulations Permitting the Sport

Hunting of Migratory Birds (FSES 88–

14),’’ filed with EPA on June 9, 1988.

The Service published a Notice of

Availability in the June 16, 1988,

Federal Register (53 FR 22582). The

Service published its Record of Decision

on August 18, 1988 (53 FR 31341).

Copies of these documents are available

from the Service at the address

indicated under the caption ADDRESSES.

Endangered Species Act Consideration

As in the past, the Service designs

hunting regulations to remove or

alleviate chances of conflict between

migratory game bird hunting seasons

and the protection and conservation of

endangered and threatened species.

Consultations have been conducted to

ensure that actions resulting from these

regulatory proposals will not likely

jeopardize the continued existence of

endangered or threatened species or

result in the destruction or adverse

modification of their critical habitat.

Findings from these consultations are

included in a biological opinion and

may cause modification of some

regulatory measures previously

proposed. The final frameworks reflect

any modifications. The Service’s

biological opinions resulting from its

Section 7 consultation are public

documents available for public

inspection in the Service’s Division of

Endangered Species and MBMO, at the

address indicated under the caption

ADDRESSES.

Executive Order (E.O.) 12866

This rule is economically significant

and was reviewed by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) under

E.O. 12866.

Congressional Review

In accordance with Section 251 of the

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement

Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 8), this

rule has been submitted to Congress and

has been declared major. Because this

rule establishes hunting seasons, this

rule qualifies for an exemption under 5

U.S.C. 808(1); therefore, the Department

determines that this rule shall take

effect immediately.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

These regulations have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities under the

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601

et seq). In the March 13, 1997, Federal

Register, the Service reported measures

it took to comply with requirements of

the Act. One measure was to prepare a

Small Entity Flexibility Analysis

(Analysis) in 1996 documenting the

significant beneficial economic effect on

a substantial number of small entities.

The Analysis estimated that migratory

bird hunters would spend between $254

and $592 million at small businesses in

1996. Copies of the Analysis are

available upon request from the MBMO.

Paperwork Reduction Act

The Department examined these

regulations under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.

3507(d)). Under the Act, information

collections must be approved by the

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB). The Service uses the various

information collection requirements

contained in this rule to develop future

migratory game bird hunting

regulations. Specifically, the

information collection requirements of

the Migratory Bird Harvest Information

Program have been approved by OMB

and assigned clearance number 1018–

0015. This information is used to

provide a sampling frame for voluntary

national surveys to improve Service

harvest estimates for all migratory game

birds in order to better manage these

populations. OMB approval for the

Sandhill Crane Harvest Questionnaire,

1018–0023, has expired and has been

submitted to OMB for reinstatement.

The information from this survey is

used to estimate the magnitude, the

geographical and temporal distribution

of harvest, and the portion its

constitutes of the total population. The

Service will not collect this information

until OMB approval has been obtained

and a Federal Register notice published.

Additionally, no person may be

required to respond to a collection of

information unless it displays a

currently valid OMB number.

Regulations Promulgation

The rulemaking process for migratory

game bird hunting must, by its nature,

operate under severe time constraints.

However, the Service intends that the

public be given the greatest possible

opportunity to comment on the

regulations. Thus, when the preliminary

proposed rulemaking was published,

the Service established what it believed

were the longest periods possible for

public comment. In doing this, the

Service recognized that when the

comment period closed, time would be

of the essence. That is, if there were a

delay in the effective date of these

regulations after this final rulemaking,

the States would have insufficient time

to select season dates and limits; to

communicate those selections to the

Service; and to establish and publicize

the necessary regulations and

procedures to implement their

decisions.

Therefore, the Service, under

authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty

Act (July 3, 1918), as amended, (16

U.S.C. 703–711), prescribes final

frameworks setting forth the species to

be hunted, the daily bag and possession

limits, the shooting hours, the season

lengths, the earliest opening and latest

closing season dates, and hunting areas,

from which State conservation agency

officials may select hunting season dates

and other options. Upon receipt of

season and option selections from these

officials, the Service will publish in the

Federal Register a final rulemaking

amending 50 CFR part 20 to reflect

seasons, limits, and shooting hours for

the conterminous United States for the

1997–98 season.

The Service therefore finds that ‘‘good

cause’’ exists, within the terms of 5

U.S.C. 553(d)(3) of the Administrative

Procedure Act, and these frameworks

will, therefore, take effect immediately

upon publication.

Unfunded Mandates

The Service has determined and

certifies in compliance with the

requirements of the Unfunded Mandates

Act, 2 U.S.C. 1502 et seq., that this

rulemaking will not impose a cost of

$100 million or more in any given year

on local or State government or private

entities.

Civil Justice Reform—Executive Order

12988

The Department, in promulgating this

rule, has determined that these

regulations meet the applicable

standards provided in Sections 3(a) and

3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988.

Authorship

The priamry author of this rule is

Ronald W. Kokel, Office of Migratory

Bird Management.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20

Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting

and recordkeeping requirements,

Transportation, Wildlife.

The rules that eventually will be

promulgated for the 1997–98 hunting

season are authorized under 16 U.S.C.

703–711, 16 U.S.C. 712, and 16 U.S.C.

742 a—j.
44236 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

Dated: August 8, 1997.

Donald J. Barry,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and

Wildlife and Parks.

Final Regulations Frameworks for

1997–98 Early Hunting Seasons on

Certain Migratory Game Birds

Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty

Act and delegated authorities, the

Department of Interior approved the

following frameworks which prescribe

season lengths, bag limits, shooting

hours, and outside dates within which

States may select seasons for certain

migratory game birds between

September 1, 1997, and March 10, 1998.

General

Dates: All outside dates noted below

are inclusive.

Shooting and Hawking (taking by

falconry) Hours: Unless otherwise

specified, from one-half hour before

sunrise to sunset daily.

Possession Limits: Unless otherwise

specified, possession limits are twice

the daily bag limit.

Area, Zone, and Unit Descriptions:

Geographic descriptions are contained

in a later portion of this document.

Compensatory Days in the Atlantic

Flyway: In the Atlantic Flyway States of

Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,

Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey,

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia,

and West Virginia, where Sunday

hunting is prohibited statewide by State

law, all Sundays are closed to all take

of migratory waterfowl (including

mergansers and coots).

Special September Teal Season

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and September 30, an open season on

all species of teal may be selected by

Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado (Central

Flyway portion only), Illinois, Indiana,

Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,

Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico

(Central Flyway portion only), Ohio,

Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas in

areas delineated by State regulations.

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Not to exceed 9 consecutive

days, with a daily bag limit of 4 teal.

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before

sunrise to sunset, except in Arkansas,

Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio,

where the hours are from sunrise to

sunset.

Special September Duck Seasons

Florida: An experimental 5-

consecutive-day season may be selected

in September. The daily bag limit may

not exceed 4 teal and wood ducks in the

aggregate.

Kentucky and Tennessee: In lieu of a

special September teal season, an

experimental 5-consecutive-day season

may be selected in September. The daily

bag limit may not exceed 4 teal and

wood ducks in the aggregate, of which

no more than 2 may be wood ducks.

Iowa: Iowa may hold up to 5 days of

its regular duck hunting season in

September. All ducks which are legal

during the regular duck season may be

taken during the September segment of

the season. The September season

segment may commence no earlier than

the Saturday nearest September 20

(September 20). The daily bag and

possession limits will be the same as

those in effect last year, but are subject

to change during the late-season

regulations process. The remainder of

the regular duck season may not begin

before October 10.

Special Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day

Outside Dates: States may select 1 day

per duck-hunting zone, designated as

‘‘Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day’’, in

addition to their regular duck seasons.

The day must be held outside any

regular duck season on either a

weekend, holiday, or other non-school

day when youth hunters would have the

maximum opportunity to participate.

The day could be held up to 14 days

before or after any regular duck-season

frameworks or within any split of a

regular duck season.

Daily Bag Limits: The daily bag limit

may include ducks, mergansers, coots,

moorhens, and gallinules and would be

the same as that allowed in the regular

season. Flyway species restrictions

would remain in effect.

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before

sunrise to sunset.

Participation Restrictions: Youth

hunters must be 15 years of age or

younger. In addition, an adult at least 18

years of age must accompany the youth

hunter into the field. This adult could

not duck hunt but may participate in

other seasons that are open on the

special youth day.

Scoter, Eider, and Oldsquaw Ducks

(Atlantic Flyway)

Outside Dates: Between September 15

and January 20.

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Not to exceed 107 days, with a

daily bag limit of 7, singly or in the

aggregate of the listed sea-duck species,

of which no more than 4 may be scoters.

Daily Bag Limits During the Regular

Duck Season: Within the special sea

duck areas, during the regular duck

season in the Atlantic Flyway, States

may choose to allow the above sea duck

limits in addition to the limits applying

to other ducks during the regular duck

season. In all other areas, sea ducks may

be taken only during the regular open

season for ducks and must be included

in the regular duck season daily bag and

possession limits.

Areas: In all coastal waters and all

waters of rivers and streams seaward

from the first upstream bridge in Maine,

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode

Island, Connecticut, and New York; in

any waters of the Atlantic Ocean and in

any tidal waters of any bay which are

separated by at least 1 mile of open

water from any shore, island, and

emergent vegetation in New Jersey,

South Carolina, and Georgia; and in any

waters of the Atlantic Ocean and in any

tidal waters of any bay which are

separated by at least 800 yards of open

water from any shore, island, and

emergent vegetation in Delaware,

Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia;

and provided that any such areas have

been described, delineated, and

designated as special sea-duck hunting

areas under the hunting regulations

adopted by the respective States.

Special Early Canada Goose Seasons

Atlantic Flyway

General Seasons

Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days

during September 1–15 may be selected

for the Montezuma Region of New York;

the Lake Champlain Region of New

York and Vermont; the Counties of

Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, and Talbot

in Maryland; Delaware; and Crawford

County in Pennsylvania. Seasons not to

exceed 20 days during September 1–20

may be selected for the Northeast Hunt

Unit of North Carolina. Seasons may not

exceed 25 days during September 1–25

in the remainder of the Flyway, except

Georgia and Florida, where the season is

closed. Areas open to the hunting of

Canada geese must be described,

delineated, and designated as such in

each State’s hunting regulations.

Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 5

Canada geese.

Experimental Seasons

Experimental Canada goose seasons of

up to 30 days during September 1–30

may be selected by New Jersey, New

York (Long Island Zone), North Carolina

(except in the Northeast Hunt Unit), and

South Carolina. Experimental Canada

goose seasons of up to 25 days during

September 1–25 may be selected in

Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Areas

open to the hunting of Canada geese

must be described, delineated, and

designated as such in each State’s

hunting regulations.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44237

Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 5

Canada geese.

Mississippi Flyway

General Seasons

Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days

during September 1-15 may be selected,

except in the Upper Peninsula in

Michigan, where the season may not

extend beyond September 10, and in the

Michigan Counties of Huron, Saginaw

and Tuscola, where no special season

may be held. The daily bag limit may

not exceed 5 Canada geese. Areas open

to the hunting of Canada geese must be

described, delineated, and designated as

such in each State’s hunting regulations.

Central Flyway

General Seasons

Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days

during September 1–15 may be selected.

The daily bag limit may not exceed 5

Canada geese. Areas open to the hunting

of Canada geese must be described,

delineated, and designated as such in

each State’s hunting regulations.

Pacific Flyway

General Seasons

Wyoming may select an 8-day season

on Canada geese between September 1–

15. This season is subject to the

following conditions:

1. Where applicable, the season must be

concurrent with the September portion of the

sandhill crane season.

2. All participants must have a valid State

permit for the special season.

3. A daily bag limit of 2, with season and

possession limits of 4 will apply to the

special season.

Oregon may select an experimental

special Canada goose season of up to 15

days during the period September 1–20.

Daily bag limits may not exceed 5

Canada geese. At a minimum, Oregon

must provide an annual evaluation of

the number of dusky Canada geese

present in the hunt zone during the

period September 16–20 and agree to

adjust seasons as necessary to avoid any

potential harvest of dusky Canada geese.

Washington may select a special

Canada goose season of up to 15 days

during the period September 1–15.

Daily bag limits may not exceed 3

Canada geese.

Idaho may select a 15-day season in

the special East Canada Goose Zone, as

described in State regulations, during

the period September 1–15. All

participants must have a valid State

permit and the total number of permits

issued is not to exceed 110 for this zone.

The daily bag limit is 2.

Idaho may select a 7-day Canada

Goose Season during the period

September 1–15 in Nez Perce County,

with a bag limit of 4.

California may select a 9-day season

in Humboldt County during the period

September 1–15.

Areas open to hunting of Canada

geese in each State must be described,

delineated, and designated as such in

each State’s hunting regulations.

Regular Goose Seasons

Regular goose seasons may open as

early as September 20 in Wisconsin and

September 27 in the Upper Peninsula of

Michigan. Season lengths and bag and

possession limits will be the same as

those in effect last year, but are subject

to change during the late-season

regulations process.

Sandhill Cranes

Regular Seasons in the Central Flyway:

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and February 28.

Hunting Seasons: Seasons not to

exceed 58 consecutive days may be

selected in designated portions of the

following States: Colorado, Kansas,

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota,

and Wyoming. Seasons not to exceed 93

consecutive days may be selected in

designated portions of the following

States: New Mexico, Oklahoma, and

Texas.

Daily Bag Limits: 3 sandhill cranes.

Permits: Each person participating in

the regular sandhill crane seasons must

have a valid Federal sandhill crane

hunting permit in their possession

while hunting.

Special Seasons in the Central and

Pacific Flyways:

Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,

New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming may

select seasons for hunting sandhill

cranes within the range of the Rocky

Mountain Population subject to the

following conditions:

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and January 31.

Hunting Seasons: The season in any

State or zone may not exceed 30 days.

Bag limits: Not to exceed 3 daily and

9 per season.

Permits: Participants must have a

valid permit, issued by the appropriate

State, in their possession while hunting.

Other provisions: Numbers of permits,

open areas, season dates, protection

plans for other species, and other

provisions of seasons must be consistent

with the management plan and

approved by the Central and Pacific

Flyway Councils. Seasons in the ParkBig Horn Unit in Wyoming and Idaho

are experimental.

Common Moorhens and Purple

Gallinules

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and January 20 in the Atlantic Flyway,

and between September 1 and the

Sunday nearest January 20 (January 18)

in the Mississippi and Central Flyways.

States in the Pacific Flyway have been

allowed to select their hunting seasons

between the outside dates for the season

on ducks; therefore, they are late-season

frameworks and no frameworks are

provided in this document.

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Seasons may not exceed 70 days

in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central

Flyways. Seasons may be split into 2

segments. The daily bag limit is 15

common moorhens and purple

gallinules, singly or in the aggregate of

the two species.

Rails

Outside Dates: States included herein

may select seasons between September

1 and January 20 on clapper, king, sora,

and Virginia rails.

Hunting Seasons: The season may not

exceed 70 days, and may be split into

2 segments.

Daily Bag Limits:

Clapper and King Rails - In Rhode

Island, Connecticut, New Jersey,

Delaware, and Maryland, 10, singly or

in the aggregate of the two species. In

Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,

Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North

Carolina, and Virginia, 15, singly or in

the aggregate of the two species.

Sora and Virginia Rails - In the

Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central

Flyways and the Pacific-Flyway

portions of Colorado, Montana, New

Mexico, and Wyoming, 25 daily and 25

in possession, singly or in the aggregate

of the two species. The season is closed

in the remainder of the Pacific Flyway.

Common Snipe

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and February 28, except in Maine,

Vermont, New Hampshire,

Massachusetts, Rhode Island,

Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,

Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia,

where the season must end no later than

January 31.

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Seasons may not exceed 107

days and may be split into two

segments. The daily bag limit is 8 snipe.

American Woodcock

Outside Dates: States in the Atlantic

Flyway may select hunting seasons

between October 6 and January 31.

States in the Central and Mississippi

Flyways may select hunting seasons
44238 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

between the Saturday nearest September

22 (September 20) and January 31.

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Seasons may not exceed 30 days

in the Atlantic Flyway and 45 days in

the Central and Mississippi Flyways.

The daily bag limit is 3. Seasons may be

split into two segments.

Zoning: New Jersey may select

seasons in each of two zones. The

season in each zone may not exceed 24

days.

Band-tailed Pigeons

Pacific Coast States (California, Oregon,

Washington, and Nevada)

Outside Dates: Between September 15

and January 1.

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Not more than 9 consecutive

days, with bag and possession limits of

2 and 2 band-tailed pigeons,

respectively.

Permit Requirement: The appropriate

State agency must issue permits or

participate in the Migratory Bird

Harvest Information Program.

Zoning: California may select hunting

seasons not to exceed 9 consecutive

days in each of two zones. The season

in the North Zone must close by October

7.

Four-Corners States (Arizona, Colorado,

New Mexico, and Utah)

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and November 30.

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Not more than 30 consecutive

days, with a daily bag limit of 5 bandtailed pigeons.

Permit Requirement: The appropriate

State agency must issue permits or

participate in the Migratory Bird

Harvest Information Program.

Zoning: New Mexico may select

hunting seasons not to exceed 20

consecutive days in each of two zones.

The season in the South Zone may not

open until October 1.

Mourning Doves

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and January 15, except as otherwise

provided, States may select hunting

seasons and daily bag limits as follows:

Eastern Management Unit (All States

east of the Mississippi River, and

Louisiana)

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Not more than 70 days with a

daily bag limit of 12, or not more than

60 days with a daily bag limit of 15.

Zoning and Split Seasons: States may

select hunting seasons in each of two

zones. The season within each zone may

be split into not more than three

periods. The hunting seasons in the

South Zones of Alabama, Florida,

Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi may

commence no earlier than September

20. Regulations for bag and possession

limits, season length, and shooting

hours must be uniform within specific

hunting zones.

Central Management Unit (Arkansas,

Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota,

Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New

Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma,

South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming)

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Not more than 70 days with a

daily bag limit of 12, or not more than

60 days with a daily bag limit of 15.

Zoning and Split Seasons: States may

select hunting seasons in each of two

zones. The season within each zone may

be split into not more than three

periods. Texas may select hunting

seasons for each of three zones subject

to the following conditions:

A. The hunting season may be split

into not more than two periods, except

in that portion of Texas in which the

special white-winged dove season is

allowed, where a limited mourning

dove season may be held concurrently

with that special season (see whitewinged dove frameworks).

B. A season may be selected for the

North and Central Zones between

September 1 and January 25; and for the

South Zone between September 20 and

January 25.

C. Each zone may have a daily bag

limit of 12 doves (15 under the

alternative) in the aggregate, no more

than 2 of which may be white-tipped

doves, except that during the special

white-winged dove season, the daily bag

limit may not exceed 10 white-winged,

mourning, and white-tipped doves in

the aggregate, of which no more than 5

may be mourning doves and 2 may be

white-tipped doves.

D. Except as noted above, regulations

for bag and possession limits, season

length, and shooting hours must be

uniform within each hunting zone.

Western Management Unit (Arizona,

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,

Utah, and Washington)

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits: Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah,

and Washington - Not more than 30

consecutive days with a daily bag limit

of 10 mourning doves (in Nevada, the

daily bag limit may not exceed 10

mourning and white-winged doves in

the aggregate).

Arizona and California - Not more

than 60 days which may be split

between two periods, September 1-15

and November 1-January 15. In Arizona,

during the first segment of the season,

the daily bag limit is 10 mourning and

white-winged doves in the aggregate, of

which no more than 6 may be whitewinged doves. During the remainder of

the season, the daily bag limit is

restricted to 10 mourning doves. In

California, the daily bag limit may not

exceed 10 mourning and white-winged

doves in the aggregate.

White-winged and White-tipped Doves

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag

Limits:

Except as shown below, seasons in

Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada,

New Mexico, and Texas must be

concurrent with mourning dove

seasons.

Arizona may select a hunting season

of not more than 30 consecutive days,

running concurrently with the first

segment of the mourning dove season.

The daily bag limit may not exceed 10

mourning and white-winged doves in

the aggregate, of which no more than 6

may be white-winged doves.

In Florida, the daily bag limit may not

exceed 12 mourning and white-winged

doves (15 under the alternative) in the

aggregate, of which no more than 4 may

be white-winged doves.

In the Nevada Counties of Clark and

Nye, and in the California Counties of

Imperial, Riverside, and San

Bernardino, the daily bag limit may not

exceed 10 mourning and white-winged

doves in the aggregate.

In New Mexico, the daily bag limit

may not exceed 12 mourning and whitewinged doves (15 under the alternative)

in the aggregate.

In Texas, the daily bag limit may not

exceed 12 doves (15 under the

alternative) in the aggregate, of which

not more than 2 may be white-tipped

doves.

In addition, Texas may also select a

hunting season of not more than 4 days

for the special white-winged dove area

of the South Zone between September 1

and September 19. The daily bag limit

may not exceed 10 white-winged,

mourning, and white-tipped doves in

the aggregate, of which no more than 5

may be mourning doves and 2 may be

white-tipped doves.

Alaska

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and January 26.

Hunting Seasons: Alaska may select

107 consecutive days for waterfowl,

sandhill cranes, and common snipe in

each of five zones. The season may be

split without penalty in the Kodiak

Zone. The seasons in each zone must be

concurrent.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44239

Closures: The season is closed on

Canada geese from Unimak Pass

westward in the Aleutian Island chain.

The hunting season is closed on

Aleutian Canada geese, emperor geese,

spectacled eiders, and Steller’s eiders.

Daily Bag and Possession limits:

Ducks - Except as noted, a basic daily

bag limit of 7 and a possession limit of

21 ducks. Daily bag and possession

limits in the North Zone are 10 and 30,

and in the Gulf Coast Zone they are 8

and 24, respectively. The basic limits

may include no more than 1 canvasback

daily and 3 in possession.

In addition to the basic limit, there is

a daily bag limit of 15 and a possession

limit of 30 scoter, common and king

eiders, oldsquaw, harlequin, and

common and red-breasted mergansers,

singly or in the aggregate of these

species.

Light Geese - A basic daily bag limit

of 3 and a possession limit of 6.

Dark Geese - A basic daily bag limit

of 4 and a possession limit of 8.

Dark-goose seasons are subject to the

following exceptions:

1. In Units 9(e) and 18, the limits for

Canada geese are 1 daily and 2 in possession.

2. In Units 5 and 6, the taking of Canada

geese is permitted from September 28

through December 16. Middleton Island is

closed to the taking of Canada geese.

3. In Unit 10 (except Unimak Island), the

taking of Canada geese is prohibited.

4. In Unit 9(D) and the Unimak Island

portion of Unit 10, the limits for dark geese

are 6 daily and 12 in possession.

Brant - A daily bag limit of 2.

Common snipe - A daily bag limit of

8.

Sandhill cranes - A daily bag limit of

3.

Tundra Swans - Open seasons for

tundra swans may be selected subject to

the following conditions:

1. All seasons are by registration permit

only.

2. All season Framework dates are

September 1 - October 31.

3. In GMU 18, no more than 500 permits

may be issued during the operational season.

No more than 3 tundra swans permits may

be issued per hunter and permits must be

issued sequentially one at a time, upon filing

a harvest report.

4. In GMU 22, no more than 300 permits

may be issued during the operational season

authorizing each permittee to take 1 tundra

swan per season.

5. In GMU 23, no more than 300 permits

may be issued during the experimental

season. No more than 3 tundra swans permits

may be issued per hunter and permits must

be issued sequentially, one at a time, upon

filing a harvest report. The experimental

season evaluation must adhere to the

guidelines for experimental seasons as

described in the Pacific Flyway Management

Plan for the Western Population of (Tundra)

Swans.

Hawaii

Outside Dates: Between October 1 and

January 31.

Hunting Seasons: Not more than 65

days (75 under the alternative) for

mourning doves.

Bag Limits: Not to exceed 15 (12

under the alternative) mourning doves.

Note: Mourning doves may be taken

in Hawaii in accordance with shooting

hours and other regulations set by the

State of Hawaii, and subject to the

applicable provisions of 50 CFR part 20.

Puerto Rico

Doves and Pigeons:

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and January 15.

Hunting Seasons: Not more than 60

days.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Not

to exceed 10 Zenaida, mourning, and

white-winged doves in the aggregate.

Not to exceed 5 scaly-naped pigeons.

Closed Areas: There is no open season

on doves or pigeons in the following

areas: Municipality of Culebra,

Desecheo Island, Mona Island, El Verde

Closure Area, and Cidra Municipality

and adjacent areas.

Ducks, Coots, Moorhens, Gallinules, and

Snipe:

Outside Dates: Between October 1 and

January 31.

Hunting Seasons: Not more than 55

days may be selected for hunting ducks,

common moorhens, and common snipe.

The season may be split into two

segments.

Daily Bag Limits:

Ducks - Not to exceed 6.

Common moorhens - Not to exceed 6.

Common snipe - Not to exceed 8.

Closed Seasons: The season is closed

on the ruddy duck, white-cheeked

pintail, West Indian whistling duck,

fulvous whistling duck, and masked

duck, which are protected by the

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The

season also is closed on the purple

gallinule, American coot, and Caribbean

coot.

Closed Areas: There is no open season

on ducks, common moorhens, and

common snipe in the Municipality of

Culebra and on Desecheo Island.

Virgin Islands

Doves and Pigeons:

Outside Dates: Between September 1

and January 15.

Hunting Seasons: Not more than 60

days for Zenaida doves.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Not

to exceed 10 Zenaida doves.

Closed Seasons: No open season is

prescribed for ground or quail doves, or

pigeons in the Virgin Islands.

Closed Areas: There is no open season

for migratory game birds on Ruth Cay

(just south of St. Croix).

Local Names for Certain Birds:

Zenaida dove, also known as mountain

dove; bridled quail-dove, also known as

Barbary dove or partridge; Common

ground-dove, also known as stone dove,

tobacco dove, rola, or tortolita; scalynaped pigeon, also known as red-necked

or scaled pigeon.

Ducks

Outside Dates: Between December 1

and January 31.

Hunting Seasons: Not more than 55

consecutive days.

Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 6.

Closed Seasons: The season is closed

on the ruddy duck, white-cheeked

pintail, West Indian whistling duck,

fulvous whistling duck, and masked

duck.

Special Falconry Regulations

Falconry is a permitted means of

taking migratory game birds in any State

meeting Federal falconry standards in

50 CFR 21.29(k). These States may

select an extended season for taking

migratory game birds in accordance

with the following:

Extended Seasons: For all hunting

methods combined, the combined

length of the extended season, regular

season, and any special or experimental

seasons shall not exceed 107 days for

any species or group of species in a

geographical area. Each extended season

may be divided into a maximum of 3

segments.

Framework Dates: Seasons must fall

between September 1 and March 10.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits:

Falconry daily bag and possession limits

for all permitted migratory game birds

shall not exceed 3 and 6 birds,

respectively, singly or in the aggregate,

during extended falconry seasons, any

special or experimental seasons, and

regular hunting seasons in all States,

including those that do not select an

extended falconry season.

Regular Seasons: General hunting

regulations, including seasons and

hunting hours, apply to falconry in each

State listed in 50 CFR 21.29(k). Regularseason bag and possession limits do not

apply to falconry. The falconry bag limit

is not in addition to gun limits.

Area, Unit, and Zone Descriptions

Central Flyway portion of the

following States consists of:

Colorado: That area lying east of the

Continental Divide.
44240 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

Montana: That area lying east of Hill,

Chouteau, Cascade, Meagher, and Park

Counties.

New Mexico: That area lying east of

the Continental Divide but outside the

Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation.

Wyoming: That area lying east of the

Continental Divide and excluding the

Great Divide Portion.

The remaining portions of these States

are in the Pacific Flyway.

Mourning and White-winged Doves

Alabama

South Zone - Baldwin, Barbour,

Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Dale,

Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, and

Mobile Counties.

North Zone - Remainder of the State.

California

White-winged Dove Open Areas -

Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino

Counties.

Florida

Northwest Zone - The Counties of

Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin,

Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson,

Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton,

Washington, Leon (except that portion

north of U.S. 27 and east of State Road

155), Jefferson (south of U.S. 27, west of

State Road 59 and north of U.S. 98), and

Wakulla (except that portion south of

U.S. 98 and east of the St. Marks River).

South Zone - Remainder of State.

Georgia

Northern Zone - That portion of the

State lying north of a line running west

to east along U.S. Highway 280 from

Columbus to Wilcox County, thence

southward along the western border of

Wilcox County; thence east along the

southern border of Wilcox County to the

Ocmulgee River, thence north along the

Ocmulgee River to Highway 280, thence

east along Highway 280 to the Little

Ocmulgee River; thence southward

along the Little Ocmulgee River to the

Ocmulgee River; thence southwesterly

along the Ocmulgee River to the western

border of the Jeff Davis County; thence

south along the western border of Jeff

Davis County; thence east along the

southern border of Jeff Davis and

Appling Counties; thence north along

the eastern border of Appling County, to

the Altamaha River; thence east to the

eastern border of Tattnall County;

thence north along the eastern border of

Tattnall County; thence north along the

western border of Evans to Candler

County; thence west along the southern

border of Candler County to the

Ohoopee River; thence north along the

western border of Candler County to

Bulloch County; thence north along the

western border of Bulloch County to

U.S. Highway 301; thence northeast

along U.S. Highway 301 to the South

Carolina line.

South Zone - Remainder of the State.

Louisiana

North Zone - That portion of the State

north of Interstate Highway 10 from the

Texas State line to Baton Rouge,

Interstate Highway 12 from Baton Rouge

to Slidell and Interstate Highway 10

from Slidell to the Mississippi State

line.

South Zone - The remainder of the

State.

Mississippi

South Zone - The Counties of Forrest,

George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison,

Jackson, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River,

Perry, Pike, Stone, and Walthall.

North Zone - The remainder of the

State.

Nevada

White-winged Dove Open Areas -

Clark and Nye Counties.

Texas

North Zone - That portion of the State

north of a line beginning at the

International Bridge south of Fort

Hancock; north along FM 1088 to TX 20;

west along TX 20 to TX 148; north along

TX 148 to I-10 at Fort Hancock; east

along I-10 to I-20; northeast along I-20

to I-30 at Fort Worth; northeast along I30 to the Texas-Arkansas State line.

South Zone - That portion of the State

south and west of a line beginning at the

International Bridge south of Del Rio,

proceeding east on U.S. 90 to San

Antonio; then east on I-10 to Orange,

Texas.

Special White-winged Dove Area in

the South Zone - That portion of the

State south and west of a line beginning

at the International Bridge south of Del

Rio, proceeding east on U.S. 90 to

Uvalde; south on U.S. 83 to TX 44; east

along TX 44 to TX 16 at Freer; south

along TX 16 to TX 285 at Hebbronville;

east along TX 285 to FM 1017;

southwest along FM 1017 to TX 186 at

Linn; east along TX 186 to the Mansfield

Channel at Port Mansfield; east along

the Mansfield Channel to the Gulf of

Mexico.

Area with additional restrictions -

Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy

Counties.

Central Zone - That portion of the

State lying between the North and South

Zones.

Band-tailed Pigeons

California

North Zone - Alpine, Butte, Del Norte,

Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen, Mendocino,

Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra,

Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties.

South Zone - The remainder of the

State.

New Mexico

North Zone - North of a line following

U.S. 60 from the Arizona State line east

to I-25 at Socorro and then south along

I-25 from Socorro to the Texas State

line.

South Zone - Remainder of the State.

Washington

Western Washington - The State of

Washington excluding those portions

lying east of the Pacific Crest Trail and

east of the Big White Salmon River in

Klickitat County.

Woodcock

New Jersey

North Zone - That portion of the State

north of NJ 70.

South Zone - The remainder of the

State.

Special September Goose Seasons

Atlantic Flyway

Connecticut

North Zone - That portion of the State

north of I-95.

Maryland

Eastern Unit - Anne Arundel, Calvert,

Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester,

Harford, St. Marys, Somerset, Talbot,

Wicomico, and Worcester Counties, and

those portions of Baltimore, Howard,

and Prince Georges Counties east of I95.

Western Unit - Allegany, Carroll,

Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery, and

Washington Counties, and those

portions of Baltimore, Howard, and

Prince Georges Counties east of I-95.

Massachusetts

Western Zone - That portion of the

State west of a line extending south

from the Vermont border on I-91 to MA

9, west on MA 9 to MA 10, south on MA

10 to U.S. 202, south on U.S. 202 to the

Connecticut border.

Central Zone - That portion of the

State east of the Berkshire Zone and

west of a line extending south from the

New Hampshire border on I-95 to U.S.

1, south on U.S. 1 to I-93, south on I93 to MA 3, south on MA 3 to U.S. 6,

west on U.S. 6 to MA 28, west on MA

28 to I-195, west to the Rhode Island

border; except the waters, and the lands

150 yards inland from the high-water

mark, of the Assonet River upstream to

the MA 24 bridge, and the Taunton

River upstream to the Center St.-Elm St.

bridge shall be in the Coastal Zone.

Coastal Zone - That portion of

Massachusetts east and south of the

Central Zone.

New Hampshire

Early-season Hunt Unit - Cheshire,

Hillsborough, Rockingham, and

Strafford Counties.

New York

Lake Champlain Zone - The U.S.

portion of Lake Champlain and that area
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44241

east and north of a line extending along

NY 9B from the Canadian border to U.S.

9, south along U.S. 9 to NY 22 south of

Keesville; south along NY 22 to the west

shore of South Bay, along and around

the shoreline of South Bay to NY 22 on

the east shore of South Bay; southeast

along NY 22 to U.S. 4, northeast along

U.S. 4 to the Vermont border.

Long Island Zone - That area

consisting of Nassau County, Suffolk

County, that area of Westchester County

southeast of I-95, and their tidal waters.

Western Zone - That area west of a

line extending from Lake Ontario east

along the north shore of the Salmon

River to I-81, and south along I-81 to the

Pennsylvania border, except for the

Montezuma Zone.

Montezuma Zone - Those portions of

Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, Wayne, and

Oswego Counties north of U.S. Route

20, east of NYS Route 14, south of NYS

Route 104, and west of NYS Route 34.

Northeastern Zone - That area north of

a line extending from Lake Ontario east

along the north shore of the Salmon

River to I-81, south along I-81 to NY 49,

east along NY 49 to NY 365, east along

NY 365 to NY 28, east along NY 28 to

NY 29, east along NY 29 to I-87, north

along I-87 to U.S. 9 (at Exit 20), north

along U.S. 9 to NY 149, east along NY

149 to U.S. 4, north along U.S. 4 to the

Vermont border, exclusive of the Lake

Champlain Zone.

Southeastern Zone - The remaining

portion of New York.

North Carolina

Northeast Hunt Unit - Counties of

Bertie, Camden, Chovan, Currituck,

Dare, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans,

Tyrrell, and Washington.

South Carolina

Early-season Hunt Unit - Clarendon

County and those portions of

Orangeburg County north of SC

Highway 6 and Berkeley County north

of SC Highway 45 from the Orangeburg

County line to the junction of SC

Highway 45 and State Road S-8-31 and

west of the Santee Dam.

Mississippi Flyway

Illinois

Northeast Canada Goose Zone - Cook,

DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee,

Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will

Counties.

North Zone: That portion of the State

outside the Northeast Canada Goose

Zone and north of a line extending east

from the Iowa border along Illinois

Highway 92 to Interstate Highway 280,

east along I-280 to I-80, then east along

I-80 to the Indiana border.

Central Zone: That portion of the

State outside the Northeast Canada

Goose Zone and south of the North Zone

to a line extending east from the

Missouri border along the Modoc Ferry

route to Modoc Ferry Road, east along

Modoc Ferry Road to Modoc Road,

northeasterly along Modoc Road and St.

Leo’s Road to Illinois Highway 3, north

along Illinois 3 to Illinois 159, north

along Illinois 159 to Illinois 161, east

along Illinois 161 to Illinois 4, north

along Illinois 4 to Interstate Highway 70,

east along I-70 to the Bond County line,

north and east along the Bond County

line to Fayette County, north and east

along the Fayette County line to

Effingham County, east and south along

the Effingham County line to I-70, then

east along I-70 to the Indiana border.

Iowa

North Zone: That portion of the State

north of a line extending east from the

Nebraska border along State Highway

175 to State 37, southeast along State 37

to U.S. Highway 59, south along U.S. 59

to Interstate Highway 80, then east along

I-80 to the Illinois border.

South Zone: The remainder of Iowa.

Minnesota

Twin Cities Metropolitan Canada

Goose Zone -

A. All of Hennepin and Ramsey

Counties.

B. In Anoka County, all of Columbus

Township lying south of County State

Aid Highway (CSAH) 18, Anoka

County; all of the cities of Ramsey,

Andover, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Spring

Lake Park, Fridley, Hilltop, Columbia

Heights, Blaine, Lexington, Circle Pines,

Lino Lakes, and Centerville; and all of

the city of Ham Lake except that portion

lying north of CSAH 18 and east of U.S.

Highway 65.

C. That part of Carver County lying

north and east of the following

described line: Beginning at the

northeast corner of San Francisco

Township; thence west along the north

boundary of San Francisco Township to

the east boundary of Dahlgren

Township; thence north along the east

boundary of Dahlgren Township to U.S.

Highway 212; thence west along U.S.

Highway 212 to State Trunk Highway

(STH) 284; thence north on STH 284 to

County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 10;

thence north and west on CSAH 10 to

CSAH 30; thence north and west on

CSAH 30 to STH 25; thence east and

north on STH 25 to CSAH 10; thence

north on CSAH 10 to the Carver County

line.

D. In Scott County, all of the cities or

Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, and

Jordan, and all of the Townships of

Jackson, Louisville, St. Lawrence, Sand

Creek, Spring Lake, and Credit River.

E. In Dakota County, all of the cities

of Burnsville, Eagan, Mendota Heights,

Mendota, Sunfish Lake, Inver Grove

Heights, Apple Valley, Lakeville,

Rosemount, Farmington, Hastings,

Lilydale, West St. Paul, and South St.

Paul, and all of the Township of

Nininger.

F. That portion of Washington County

lying south of the following described

line: Beginning at County State Aid

Highway (CSAH) 2 on the west

boundary of the county; thence east on

CSAH 2 to U.S. Highway 61; thence

south on U.S. Highway 61 to State

Trunk Highway (STH) 97; thence east

on STH 97 to the intersection of STH 97

and STH 95; thence due east to the east

boundary of the state.

Northwest Goose Zone (included for

reference only, not a special September

Goose Season Zone) - That portion of

the State encompassed by a line

extending east from the North Dakota

border along U.S. Highway 2 to State

Trunk Highway (STH) 32, north along

STH 32 to STH 92, east along STH 92

to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2

in Polk County, north along CSAH 2 to

CSAH 27 in Pennington County, north

along CSAH 27 to STH 1, east along

STH 1 to CSAH 28 in Pennington

County, north along CSAH 28 to CSAH

54 in Marshall County, north along

CSAH 54 to CSAH 9 in Roseau County,

north along CSAH 9 to STH 11, west

along STH 11 to STH 310, and north

along STH 310 to the Manitoba border.

Five Goose Zone - That portion of the

state encompassed by a line extending

north from the Iowa border along U.S.

Interstate Highway 35 to the south

boundary of the Twin Cities

Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone, then

west and north along the boundary of

the Twin Cities Metropolitan Canada

Goose Zone to U.S. Interstate 94, then

west and north on U.S. Interstate 94 to

the North Dakota border.

Two Goose Zone - That portion of the

state to the north of a line extending east

from the North Dakota border along U.S.

Interstate 94 to the boundary of the

Twin Cities Metropolitan Canada Goose

Zone, then north and east along the

Twin Cities Metropolitan Canada Goose

Zone boundary to the Wisconsin border,

except the Northwest Goose Zone and

that portion of the State encompassed

by a line extending north from the Iowa

border along U.S. Interstate 35 to the

south boundary of the Twin Cities

Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone, then

east on the Twin Cites Metropolitan

Canada Goose Zone boundary to the

Wisconsin border.

Tennessee

Middle Tennessee Zone - Those

portions of Houston, Humphreys,

Montgomery, Perry, and Wayne

Counties east of State Highway 13; and

Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Coffee,
44242 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Giles,

Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln,

Macon, Marshall, Maury, Moore,

Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner,

Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson

Counties.

Cumberland Plateau Zone - Bledsoe,

Bradley, Clay, Cumberland, Dekalb,

Fentress, Grundy, Hamilton, Jackson,

Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Morgan,

Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea,

Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Van Buren,

Warren, and White Counties.

East Tennessee Zone - Anderson,

Blount, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne,

Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen,

Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson,

Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Sevier,

Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, and

Washington Counties.

Wisconsin

Early-Season Subzone A - That

portion of the State encompassed by a

line beginning at the Lake Michigan

shore in Sheboygan, then west along

State Highway 23 to State 67, southerly

along State 67 to County Highway E in

Sheboygan County, southerly along

County E to State 28, south and west

along State 28 to U.S. Highway 41,

southerly along U.S. 41 to State 33,

westerly along State 33 to County

Highway U in Washington County,

southerly along County U to County N,

southeasterly along County N to State

60, westerly along State 60 to County

Highway P in Dodge County, southerly

along County P to County O, westerly

along County O to State 109, south and

west along State 109 to State 26,

southerly along State 26 to U.S. 12,

southerly along U.S. 12 to State 89,

southerly along State 89 to U.S. 14,

southerly along U.S. 14 to the Illinois

border, east along the Illinois border to

the Michigan border in Lake Michigan,

north along the Michigan border in Lake

Michigan to a point directly east of State

23 in Sheboygan, then west along that

line to the point of beginning on the

Lake Michigan shore in Sheboygan.

Early-Season Subzone B - That

portion of the State between EarlySeason Subzone A and a line beginning

at the intersection of U.S. Highway 141

and the Michigan border near Niagara,

then south along U.S. 141 to State

Highway 22, west and southwest along

State 22 to U.S. 45, south along U.S. 45

to State 22, west and south along State

22 to State 110, south along State 110

to U.S. 10, south along U.S. 10 to State

49, south along State 49 to State 23,

west along State 23 to State 73, south

along State 73 to State 60, west along

State 60 to State 23, south along State

23 to State 11, east along State 11 to

State 78, then south along State 78 to

the Illinois border.

Central Flyway

South Dakota

Unit A - Deuel, Hamlin, Codington,

and Day Counties.

Unit B - Brookings, Clark, Kingsbury,

and Lake Counties and those portions of

Moody County west of I-29 and Miner

County east of SD Highway 25.

Pacific Flyway

Idaho

East Zone - Bonneville, Caribou,

Fremont and Teton Counties.

Oregon

Northwest Zone - Benton, Clackamas,

Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, Lincoln, Linn,

Marion, Polk, Multnomah, Tillamook,

Washington, and Yamhill Counties.

Southwest Zone - Coos, Curry,

Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, and

Klamath Counties.

East Zone - Baker, Gilliam, Malheur,

Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union and

Wasco Counties.

Washington

Southwest Zone - Clark, Cowlitz,

Pacific, and Wahkiakum Counties.

East Zone - Asotin, Benton, Columbia,

Garfield, Klickitat, and Whitman

Counties.

Wyoming

Bear River Area - That portion of

Lincoln County described in State

regulations.

Salt River Area - That portion of

Lincoln County described in State

regulations.

Farson-Edon Area - Those portions of

Sweetwater and Sublette Counties

described in State regulations.

Teton Area - Those portions of Teton

County described in State regulations.

Ducks

Mississippi Flyway

Iowa

North Zone: That portion of the State

north of a line extending east from the

Nebraska border along State Highway

175 to State 37, southeast along State 37

to U.S. Highway 59, south along U.S. 59

to Interstate Highway 80, then east along

I-80 to the Illinois border.

South Zone: The remainder of Iowa.

Sandhill Cranes

Central Flyway

Colorado

Regular-Season Open Area - The

Central Flyway portion of the State

except the San Luis Valley (Alamosa,

Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio

Grande and Saguache Counties east of

the Continental Divide) and North Park

(Jackson County).

Kansas

Regular Season Open Area - That

portion of the State west of a line

beginning at the Oklahoma border,

north on I-35 to Wichita, north on I-135

to Salina, and north on U.S. 81 to the

Nebraska border.

New Mexico

Regular-Season Open Area - Chaves,

Curry, De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Quay, and

Roosevelt Counties.

Middle Rio Grande Valley Area - The

Central Flyway portion of New Mexico

in Socorro and Valencia Counties.

Southwest Zone - Sierra, Luna, and

Dona Ana Counties.

Oklahoma

Regular-Season Open Area - That

portion of the State west of I-35.

Texas

Regular-Season Open Area - That

portion of the State west of a line from

the International Toll Bridge at

Brownsville along U.S. 77 to Victoria;

U.S. 87 to Placedo; Farm Road 616 to

Blessing; State 35 to Alvin; State 6 to

U.S. 290; U.S. 290 to Austin; I-35 to the

Texas-Oklahoma border.

North Dakota

Regular-Season Open Area - That

portion of the State west of U.S. 281.

South Dakota

Regular-Season Open Area - That

portion of the State west of U.S. 281.

Montana

Regular-Season Open Area - The

Central Flyway portion of the State

except that area south of I-90 and west

of the Bighorn River.

Wyoming

Regular-Season Open Area -

Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen,

Laramie, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston

Counties.

Riverton-Boysen Unit - Portions of

Fremont County.

Park and Bighorn County Unit -

Portions of Park and Bighorn Counties.

Pacific Flyway

Arizona

Special-Season Area - Game

Management Units 30A, 30B, 31, and

32.

Montana

Special-Season Area - See State

regulations.

Utah

Special-Season Area - Rich County.

Wyoming

Bear River Area - That portion of

Lincoln County described in State

regulations.

Salt River Area - That portion of

Lincoln County described in State

regulations.

Eden-Farson Area - Those portions of

Sweetwater and Sublette Counties

described in State regulations.

All Migratory Game Birds in Alaska

North Zone - State Game Management

Units 11-13 and 17-26.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 161 / Wednesday, August 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 44243

Gulf Coast Zone - State Game

Management Units 5-7, 9, 14-16, and 10

- Unimak Island only.

Southeast Zone - State Game

Management Units 1-4.

Pribilof and Aleutian Islands Zone -

State Game Management Unit 10 -

except Unimak Island.

Kodiak Zone - State Game

Management Unit 8.

All Migratory Birds in the Virgin Islands

Ruth Cay Closure Area - The island of

Ruth Cay, just south of St. Croix.

All Migratory Birds in Puerto Rico

Municipality of Culebra Closure Area

- All of the municipality of Culebra.

Desecheo Island Closure Area - All of

Desecheo Island.

Mona Island Closure Area - All of

Mona Island.

El Verde Closure Area - Those areas

of the municipalities of Rio Grande and

Loiza delineated as follows: (1) All

lands between Routes 956 on the west

and 186 on the east, from Route 3 on the

north to the juncture of Routes 956 and

186 (Km 13.2) in the south; (2) all lands

between Routes 186 and 966 from the

juncture of 186 and 966 on the north, to

the Caribbean National Forest Boundary

on the south; (3) all lands lying west of

Route 186 for one kilometer from the

juncture of Routes 186 and 956 south to

Km 6 on Route 186; (4) all lands within

Km 14 and Km 6 on the west and the

Caribbean National Forest Boundary on

the east; and (5) all lands within the

Caribbean National Forest Boundary

whether private or public.

Cidra Municipality and adjacent areas

- All of Cidra Municipality and portions

of Aguas, Buenas, Caguas, Cayer, and

Comerio Municipalities as encompassed

within the following boundary:

beginning on Highway 172 as it leaves

the municipality of Cidra on the west

edge, north to Highway 156, east on

Highway 156 to Highway 1, south on

Highway 1 to Highway 765, south on

Highway 765 to Highway 763, south on

Highway 763 to the Rio Guavate, west

along Rio Guavate to Highway 1,

southwest on Highway 1 to Highway 14,

west on Highway 14 to Highway 729,

north on Highway 729 to Cidra

Municipality boundary to the point of

beginning.

[FR Doc. 97–22047 Filed 8–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–F