46420 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

RIN 1018-AE14

MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING;

Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations on

Certain Federal Indian Reservations

and Ceded Lands for the 1997–98 Early

Season

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule prescribes special

early season migratory bird hunting

regulations for certain tribes on Federal

Indian reservations, off-reservation trust

lands and ceded lands. This responds to

tribal requests for U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (hereinafter Service) recognition

of their authority to regulate hunting

under established guidelines. This rule

allows the establishment of season bag

limits and, thus, harvest at levels

compatible with populations and

habitat conditions.

DATE: This rule takes effect on

September 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The public may inspect

comments received, if any, on the

proposed special hunting regulations

and tribal proposals during normal

business hours in Room 634, Arlington

Square Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,

Arlington, Virginia. The public should

send communications regarding the

documents to: Director (FWS/MBMO),

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ms

634—ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron

W. Kokel, Office of Migratory Bird

Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, (703/358–1714).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Migratory Bird Treaty Act of July 3,

1918 (40 Stat. 755; 16 U.S.C. 703 et

seq.), authorizes and directs the

Secretary of the Department of the

Interior, having due regard for the zones

of temperature and for the distribution,

abundance, economic value, breeding

habits, and times and lines of flight of

migratory game birds, to determine

when, to what extent, and by what

means such birds or any part, nest or

egg thereof may be taken, hunted,

captured, killed, possessed, sold,

purchased, shipped, carried, exported or

transported.

In the August 11, 1997, Federal

Register (62 FR 43042), the Service

proposed special migratory bird hunting

regulations for the 1997–98 hunting

season for certain Indian tribes, under

the guidelines described in the June 4,

1985, Federal Register (50 FR 23467).

The guidelines respond to tribal

requests for Service recognition of their

reserved hunting rights, and for some

tribes, recognition of their authority to

regulate hunting by both tribal members

and nonmembers on their reservations.

The guidelines include possibilities for: (1) on-reservation hunting by both

tribal members and nonmembers, with

hunting by nontribal members on some

reservations to take place within Federal

frameworks but on dates different from

those selected by the surrounding

State(s);

(2) on-reservation hunting by tribal

members only, outside of usual Federal

frameworks for season dates and length,

and for daily bag and possession limits;

and

(3) off-reservation hunting by tribal

members on ceded lands, outside of

usual framework dates and season

length, with some added flexibility in

daily bag and possession limits.

In all cases, the regulations

established under the guidelines must

be consistent with the March 10 -

September 1 closed season mandated by

the 1916 Migratory Bird Treaty with

Canada.

In the March 13, 1997, Federal

Register (62 FR 2054), the Service

requested that tribes desiring special

hunting regulations in the 1997–98

hunting season submit a proposal

including details on:

(1) requested season dates and other

regulations to be observed;

(2) harvest anticipated under the

requested regulations; (3) methods that will be employed to

measure or monitor harvest;

(4) steps that will be taken to limit

level of harvest, where it could be

shown that failure to limit such harvest

would impact seriously on the

migratory bird resource; and (5) tribal capabilities to establish and

enforce migratory bird hunting

regulations.

No action is required if a tribe wishes

to observe the hunting regulations

established by the State(s) in which an

Indian reservation is located. The

Service has successfully used the

guidelines since the 1985–86 hunting

season. The Service finalized the

guidelines beginning with the 1988–89

hunting season (August 18, 1988,

Federal Register [53 FR 31612]).

Although the proposed rule included

generalized regulations for both earlyand late-season hunting, this

rulemaking addresses only the earlyseason proposals. Late-season hunting

will be addressed in late-September. As

a general rule, early seasons begin

during September each year and have a

primary emphasis on such species as

mourning and white-winged dove. Late

seasons begin about October 1 or later

each year and have a primary emphasis

on waterfowl.

Comments and Issues Concerning

Tribal Proposals

For the 1997–98 migratory bird

hunting season, the Service proposed

regulations for 20 tribes and/or Indian

groups that followed the 1985

guidelines and were considered

appropriate for final rulemaking. Some

of the proposals submitted by the tribes

had both early- and late-season

elements. However, as noted earlier,

only those with early-season proposals

are included in this final rulemaking; 12

tribes have proposals with early

seasons. Comments and revised

proposals received to date are addressed

in the following section. The comment

period for the proposed rule, published

on August 11, 1997, closed on August

21, 1997. Because of the necessary brief

comment period, the Service will

respond to any comments received on

the proposed rule and/or these earlyseason regulations not responded to

herein in the September late-season

final rule.

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 were 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 have caused modification of some

regulatory measures previously
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 46421

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

Collectively, the rules covering the

overall frameworks for migratory bird

hunting are economically significant

and are reviewed by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) under

E.O. 12866. This rule is a small portion

of the overall migratory bird hunting

frameworks and was not individually

submitted and 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

Overall, migratory bird hunting

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 Office of Migratory Bird

Management.

Paperwork Reduction Act

The Department examined these

regulations under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 and found no

information collection requirements.

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 tribes would have insufficient time

to communicate these seasons to their

member and non-tribal hunters and to

establish and publicize the necessary

regulations and procedures to

implement their decisions.

Therefore, the Service, under the

authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty

Act of July 3, 1918, as amended (40 Stat.

755; 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), prescribes

final hunting regulations for certain

tribes on Federal Indian reservations

(including off-reservation trust lands),

and ceded lands. The regulations

specify the species to be hunted and

establish season dates, bag and

possession limits, season length, and

shooting hours for migratory game birds.

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 Reform Act

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.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20

Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting

and recordkeeping requirements,

Transportation, Wildlife.

Accordingly, part 20, subchapter B,

chapter I of Title 50 of the Code of

Federal Regulations is amended as

follows:

PART 20—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 20 is

revised to read as follows:

1. AUTHORITY: 16 U.S.C. 703–712 and 16

U.S.C. 742 a—j. (Editorial Note: The

following hunting regulations provided for

by § 20.110 of 50 CFR part 20 will not appear

in the Code of Federal Regulations because

of their seasonal nature).

2. Section 20.110 is revised to read as

follows:

§ 20.110 Seasons, limits and other

regulations for certain Federal Indian

reservations, Indian Territory, and ceded

lands.

(a) Colorado River Indian Tribes, Parker,

Arizona (Tribal Members and Non-tribal

Hunters)

Doves

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close September 15, 1997; then open

November 16, close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: For

the early season, daily bag limit is 10

mourning or 10 white-winged doves,

singly, or in the aggregate. For the late

season, the daily bag limit is 10

mourning doves. Possession limits are

twice the daily bag limits.

General Conditions: A valid Colorado

River Indian Reservation hunting permit

is required for all persons 14 years and

older and must be in possession before

taking any wildlife on tribal lands. Any

person transporting game birds off the

Colorado River Indian Reservation must

have a valid transport declaration form.

Other tribal regulations apply, and may

be obtained at the Fish and Game Office

in Parker, Arizona.

(b) Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior

Chippewa Indians, Cloquet, Minnesota

(Tribal Members Only)

Ducks

Minnesota 1854 Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 13,

close November 23, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 20 ducks, including

no more than 10 mallards; only 5 of

which may be hen mallards; 4 black

ducks; 4 redheads, 4 pintails and 2

canvasbacks.

Mergansers

Minnesota 1854 Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 13,

close November 23, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 mergansers,

including no more than 1 hooded

merganser.

Geese

Minnesota 1854 Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 6,

close November 23, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 10 geese.

Coots and Common Moorhens

(Gallinule)

Minnesota 1854 Zone:
46422 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

Season Dates: Open September 13,

close November 23, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 20 coots and

common moorhens, singly or in the

aggregate.

Sora and Virginia Rails

Minnesota 1854 Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 6,

close November 23, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 25 sora and Virginia

rails, singly or in the aggregate. The

possession limit is 25.

Common Snipe

Minnesota 1854 Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close November 23, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 8 snipe.

Woodcock

Minnesota 1854 Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close November 23, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 woodcock.

General Conditions:

(i) While hunting waterfowl, a tribal

member must carry on his/her person a

valid tribal waterfowl hunting permit.

(ii) Except as otherwise noted, tribal

members will be required to comply

with tribal codes that will be no less

restrictive than the provisions of

Chapter 10 of the Model Off—

Reservation Code. This Model Code was

the subject of the stipulation in Lac

Courte Oreilles v. State of Wisconsin

regarding migratory bird hunting.

Except as modified herein, these

amended regulations parallel Federal

requirements, 50 CFR Part 20, and

shooting hour regulations in 50 CFR

Part 20, subpart K, as to hunting

methods, transportation, sale,

exportation and other conditions

generally applicable to migratory bird

hunting.

(iii) Tribal members in each zone will

comply with State regulations providing

for closed and restricted waterfowl

hunting areas.

(iv) Minnesota--Duck Blinds and

Decoys. Tribal members hunting in

Minnesota will comply with tribal codes

that contain provisions parallel to

applicable State statutes.

(v) Possession limits for each species

are double the daily bag limit, except on

the opening day of the season, when the

possession limit equals the daily bag

limit, unless otherwise specified.

(vi) Possession limits are applicable

only to transportation and do not

include birds which are cleaned,

dressed, and at a member’s primary

residence. For purposes of enforcing bag

and possession limits, all migratory

birds in the possession or custody of

tribal members on ceded lands will be

considered to have been taken on those

lands unless tagged by a tribal or State

conservation warden as having been

taken on-reservation. In Wisconsin,

such tagging will comply with

applicable State statutes. All migratory

birds which fall on reservation lands

will not count as part of any offreservation bag or possession limit.

(c) Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and

Chippewa Indians, Suttons Bay,

Michigan (Tribal Members Only)

Ducks

Michigan, 1836 Treaty Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 20,

1997, close January 20, 1998.

Daily Bag Limit: 10 ducks, which may

include no more than 1 pintail, 1

canvasback, 1 black duck, 1 hooded

merganser, 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads,

and 5 mallards (only 2 hen mallards).

Canada Geese

Michigan, 1836 Treaty Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close November 30, 1997, and open

January 1, 1998, close February 8, 1998.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 geese.

General Conditions: A valid Grand

Traverse Band Tribal license is required

for all persons 12 years and older and

must be in possession before taking any

wildlife. All other basic regulations

contained in 50 CFR part 20 are valid.

Other tribal regulations apply, and may

be obtained at the tribal office in

Suttons Bay, Michigan.

Sora Rails

Michigan 1836 Treaty Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close November 14, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 rails.

Common Snipe

Michigan 1836 Treaty Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close November 14, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 snipe.

Woodcock

Michigan 1836 Treaty Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close November 14, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 woodcock.

(d) Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife

Commission, Odanah, Wisconsin (Tribal

Members Only)

Ducks

Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837 and

1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 20 ducks, including

no more than 10 mallards; only 5 of

which may be hen mallards; 4 black

ducks; 4 redheads, 4 pintails and 2

canvasbacks.

Michigan 1836 and 1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 10 ducks, including

no more than 5 mallards; only 2 of

which may be hen mallards; 2 black

ducks; 2 redheads, 2 pintails and 1

canvasback.

Mergansers

Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837 and

1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 mergansers.

Michigan 1836 and 1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 mergansers,

including no more than 1 hooded

merganser.

Canada Geese

Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837 and

1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 10 geese, minus the

number of blue, snow or white-fronted

geese taken.

Michigan 1836 and 1842 Treaty Zone:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997. In addition, the

same dates and season length permitted

the State of Michigan during the Special

September Canada goose Season.

Daily Bag Limit: 10 Canada geese,

minus the number of blue, snow or

white-fronted geese taken. In addition,

the same bag limit permitted the State

of Michigan during the Special

September Canada goose Season.

Geese: Blue, Snow and White-fronted

Geese

A. Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837

and 1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 10 geese, minus the

number of Canada geese taken.

B. Michigan 1836 and 1842 Treaty

Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 10 geese, minus the

number of Canada geese taken.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 46423

Other Migratory Birds: Coots and

Common Moorhens (Common

Gallinules)

A. Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837

and 1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 20 coots and

common moorhens (common

gallinules), singly or in the aggregate.

B. Michigan 1836 and 1842 Treaty

Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 20 coots and

common moorhens (common

gallinules), singly or in the aggregate.

Sora and Virginia Rails

A. Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837

and 1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 25 sora and Virginia

rails singly, or in the aggregate.

B. Michigan 1836 and 1842 Treaty

Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 25 sora and Virginia

rails singly, or in the aggregate.

Common Snipe

A. Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837

and 1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 8 common snipe.

B. Michigan 1836 and 1842 Treaty

Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 8 common snipe.

Woodcock

A. Wisconsin and Minnesota 1837

and 1842 Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 2,

close November 30, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 woodcock.

B. Michigan 1836 and 1842 Treaty

Zones:

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag Limit: 5 woodcock.

General Conditions:

(i) While hunting waterfowl, a tribal

member must carry on his/her person a

valid tribal waterfowl hunting permit.

(ii) Except as otherwise noted, tribal

members will be required to comply

with tribal codes that will be no less

restrictive than the provisions of

Chapter 10 of the Model Off-Reservation

Code. This Model Code was the subject

of the stipulation in Lac Courte Oreilles

v. State of Wisconsin regarding

migratory bird hunting. Except as

modified herein, these amended

regulations parallel Federal

requirements, 50 CFR Part 20, and

shooting hour regulations in 50 CFR

Part 20, subpart K, as to hunting

methods, transportation, sale,

exportation and other conditions

generally applicable to migratory bird

hunting.

(iii) Tribal members in each zone will

comply with tribal regulations

providing for closed and restricted

waterfowl hunting areas. These

regulations generally incorporate the

same restrictions contained in parallel

state regulations.

(iv) Minnesota and Michigan--Duck

Blinds and Decoys. Tribal members

hunting in Minnesota will comply with

tribal codes that contain provisions

parallel to applicable State statutes.

Tribal members hunting in Michigan

will comply with tribal codes that

contain provisions parallel to Michigan

law regarding duck blinds and decoys.

(v) Possession limits for each species

are double the daily bag limit, except on

the opening day of the season, when the

possession limit equals the daily bag

limit, unless otherwise specified.

(vi) Possession limits are applicable

only to transportation and do not

include birds which are cleaned,

dressed, and at a member’s primary

residence. For purposes of enforcing bag

and possession limits, all migratory

birds in the possession or custody of

tribal members on ceded lands will be

considered to have been taken on those

lands unless tagged by a tribal or State

conservation warden as having been

taken on-reservation. In Wisconsin,

such tagging will comply with

applicable State statutes. All migratory

birds which fall on reservation lands

will not count as part of any offreservation bag or possession limit.

(e) Kalispel Tribe, Kalispel Reservation,

Usk, Washington (Tribal Members

Only).

Ducks

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 31, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 7

ducks, including no more than 3

pintails, 2 hen mallards, and 1

canvasback.

Geese

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 31, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 4

geese, including 4 dark geese but not

more than 3 light geese. The possession

limit is twice the daily bag limit.

General: Tribal members must possess

a validated Migratory Bird Hunting and

Conservation Stamp and a tribal ceded

lands permit.

(f) Navajo Indian Reservation, Window

Rock, Arizona (Tribal Members and

Nonmembers).

Band-tailed Pigeons

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close September 30, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 5

and 10 pigeons, respectively.

Mourning Doves

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close September 30, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 10

and 20 doves, respectively.

General Conditions: Tribal and

nontribal hunters will comply with all

basic Federal migratory bird hunting

regulations in 50 CFR Part 20, regarding

shooting hours and manner of taking. In

addition, each waterfowl hunter 16

years of age or over must carry on his/

her person a valid Migratory Bird

Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck

Stamp) signed in ink across the face.

Special regulations established by the

Navajo Nation also apply on the

reservation.

(g) Oneida Tribe of Indians of

Wisconsin, Oneida, Wisconsin (Tribal

Members).

Ducks

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close November 20, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 5

ducks, including no more than 3

mallards (only 1 of which can be a

mallard hen), 4 wood ducks, 1

canvasback, 1 redhead, 2 pintails, and 1

hooded merganser. Possession limit is

twice the daily bag limit.

Geese

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close December 31, 1997.

Daily Bag and Limits: 3 Canada geese,

that must be tagged after harvest with

tribal tags. The tribe will reissue tags

upon registration of the daily bag limit.

A season quota of 150 birds is adopted.

If the quota is reached before the season

concludes, the season will be closed at

that time.

Woodcock

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close November 16, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 5

and 10 woodcock, respectively.
46424 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

General Conditions: Indians and nonIndians hunting on the Oneida Indian

Reservation or on lands under the

jurisdiction of the Oneida Nation will

observe all basic Federal migratory bird

hunting regulations found in 50 CFR.

Indian hunters are exempt from the

requirement to purchase a Migratory

Waterfowl Hunting and Conservation

Stamp (Duck Stamp) and the plugging of

shotgun to limit capacity to 3 shells.

(h) Point No Point Treaty Tribes,

Kingston, Washington (Tribal Hunters).

Ducks

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 7

ducks, including no more than 1 female

mallard, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback and 2

redheads. The season on wood ducks

and harlequin ducks is closed.

Possession limit is twice the daily bag

limit.

Geese

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 4

geese, and may include no more than 3

light geese. The season on Aleutian and

Cackling Canada geese is closed.

Possession limit is twice the daily bag

limit.

Brant

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close January 15, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 2

and 4 brant, respectively.

Coots

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag Limits: 25 coots.

Mourning Doves

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close September 30, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 10

and 20 doves, respectively.

Snipe

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close December 16, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 8

and 16 snipe, respectively.

(i) Seminole Tribe of Florida, Big

Cypress Seminole Reservation,

Clewiston, Florida (Tribal and Nontribal Hunters).

Mourning Doves

Season Dates: Open September 14,

1997, close January 18, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 12

and 24 doves, respectively.

General Conditions: Hunting would

be on Sundays only from 1:00 p.m. to

sunset. All other Federal regulations

contained in 50 CFR part 20 would

apply.

(j) Squaxin Island Tribe, Squaxin Island

Reservation, Shelton, Washington

(Tribal Members)

Ducks

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 5

ducks, including no more than 1

canvasback. The season on harlequin

ducks is closed. Possession limit is

twice the daily bag limit.

Geese

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 4

geese, and may include no more than 2

snow geese and 1 dusky Canada goose.

The season on Aleutian and Cackling

Canada geese is closed. Possession limit

is twice the daily bag limit.

Brant

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 31, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 2

and 4 brant, respectively.

Coots

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag Limits: 25 coots.

Snipe

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, and close January 15, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 8

and 16 snipe, respectively.

Band-tailed Pigeons

Season Dates: Open September 15,

close December 1, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 2

and 4 pigeons, respectively.

General Conditions: All tribal hunters

must obtain a Tribal Hunting Tag and

Permit from the tribe’s Natural

Resources Department and must have

the permit, along with the member’s

treaty enrollment card, on his or her

person while hunting. Shooting hours

are one-half hour before sunrise to onehalf hour after sunset and steel shot is

required for all migratory bird hunting.

Other special regulations are available at

the tribal office in Shelton, Washington.

(k) Tulalip Tribes of Washington,

Tulalip Indian Reservation, Marysville,

Washington (Tribal Members)

Ducks/Coot

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, and close February 1, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 6

and 12 ducks, respectively; except that

bag and possession limits are restricted

for blue-winged teal, canvasback,

harlequin, pintail, and wood duck to

those established for the Pacific Flyway

by final Federal frameworks, to be

announced.

Geese

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, and close February 1, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 6

and 12 geese, respectively; except that

the bag limits for brant and cackling and

dusky Canada geese are those

established for the Pacific Flyway in

accordance with final Federal

frameworks, to be announced. The

tribes also set a maximum annual bag

limit on ducks and geese for those tribal

members who engage in subsistence

hunting.

Snipe

Season Dates: Open September 15,

1997, and close February 1, 1998.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 6

and 12 snipe, respectively.

General Conditions: All waterfowl

hunters, members and non-members,

must obtain and possess while hunting

a valid hunting permit from the Tulalip

tribes. Also, non-tribal members sixteen

years of age and older, hunting pursuant

to Tulalip Tribes’ Ordinance No. 67,

must possess a validated Federal

Migratory Bird Hunting and

Conservation Stamp and a validated

State of Washington Migratory

Waterfowl Stamp. All Tulalip tribal

members must have in their possession

while hunting, or accompanying

another, their valid tribal identification

card. All hunters are required to adhere

to a number of other special regulations

enforced by the tribes and available at

the tribal office.

(l) White Mountain Apache Tribe, Fort

Apache Indian Reservation, Whiteriver,

Arizona (Tribal Members and Non-tribal

Hunters).

Band-tailed Pigeons

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close September 10, 1997.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 3

and 6 pigeons, respectively.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 169 / Tuesday, September 2, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 46425

Mourning Doves

Season Dates: Open September 1,

close September 10, 1996.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits: 8

and 16 doves, respectively.

General Conditions: All non-tribal

hunters hunting band-tailed pigeons

and mourning doves on Reservation

lands shall have in their possession a

valid White Mountain Apache Daily or

Yearly Small Game Permit. In addition

to a small game permit, all non-tribal

hunters hunting band-tailed pigeons

must have in their possession a White

Mountain Special Band-tailed Pigeon

Permit. Other special regulations

established by the White Mountain

Apache Tribe apply on the reservation.

Tribal and nontribal hunters will

comply with all basic Federal migratory

bird hunting regulations in 50 CFR Part

20 regarding shooting hours and manner

of taking.

Dated: August 26, 1997.

William L. Leary,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and

Wildlife and Parks.

[FR Doc. 97–23239 Filed 8–27–97; 3:24 pm]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–F