51522 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

50 CFR Part 20 

RIN 1018–AT76 

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 from which the 

States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 

Islands may select season dates, limits, 

and other options for the 2005–06 

migratory bird hunting seasons. Early 

seasons are those that generally open 

prior to October 1, and include seasons 

in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the 

Virgin Islands. 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. 

DATES: This rule takes effect on August 

30, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: States and Territories 

should send their season selections to: 

Chief, Division of Migratory Bird 

Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Department of the Interior, 

MBSP–4107–ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, 

NW., Washington, DC 20240. You may 

inspect comments during normal 

business hours at the Service’s office in 

room 4107, 4501 N. Fairfax Drive, 

Arlington, Virginia. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brian Millsap, Chief, or Ron W. Kokel, 

Division of Migratory Bird Management, 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (703) 

358–1714. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulations Schedule for 2005 

On April 6, 2005, we published in the 

Federal Register (70 FR 17574) a 

proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20. The 

proposal provided a background and 

overview of the migratory bird hunting 

regulations process, and dealt with the 

establishment of seasons, limits, the 

proposed regulatory alternatives for the 

2005–06 duck hunting season, and other 

regulations for migratory game birds 

under §§ 20.101 through 20.107, 20.109, 

and 20.110 of subpart K. On June 24, 

2005, we published in the Federal 

Register (70 FR 36794) a second 

document providing supplemental 

proposals for early- and late-season 

migratory bird hunting regulations 

frameworks and the regulatory 

alternatives for the 2005–06 duck 

hunting season. The June 24 

supplement also provided detailed 

information on the 2005–06 regulatory 

schedule and announced the Service 

Migratory Bird Regulations Committee 

(SRC) and Flyway Council meetings. 

On June 22 and 23, we held open 

meetings with the Flyway Council 

Consultants at which the participants 

reviewed information on the current 

status of migratory shore and upland 

game birds and developed 

recommendations for the 2005–06 

regulations for these species plus 

regulations for migratory game birds in 

Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 

Islands, special September waterfowl 

seasons in designated States, special sea 

duck seasons in the Atlantic Flyway, 

and extended falconry seasons. In 

addition, we reviewed and discussed 

preliminary information on the status of 

waterfowl as it relates to the 

development and selection of the 

regulatory packages for the 2005–06 

regular waterfowl seasons. On August 1, 

we published in the Federal Register 

(70 FR 44200) a third document 

specifically dealing with the proposed 

frameworks for early-season regulations, 

and on August 22, we published in the 

Federal Register (70 FR 49068) a fourth 

document specifically dealing with the 

proposed frameworks for late-season 

regulations. 

This document is the fifth in a series 

of proposed, supplemental, and final 

rulemaking documents. It establishes 

final frameworks from which States may 

select season dates, shooting hours, and 

daily bag and possession limits for the 

2005–06 season. 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. 

Review of Public Comments 

The preliminary proposed 

rulemaking, which appeared in the 

April 6 Federal Register, opened the 

public comment period for migratory 

game bird hunting regulations. We have 

considered all pertinent comments 

received. Comments are summarized 

below and numbered in the order used 

in the April 6 Federal Register. We have 

included only the numbered items 

pertaining to early-season issues for 

which we received comments. 

Consequently, the issues do not follow 

in successive numerical or alphabetical 

order. We received recommendations 

from all Flyway Councils. Some 

recommendations supported 

continuation of last year’s frameworks. 

Due to the comprehensive nature of the 

Councils’ annual review of the 

frameworks, we assume Council support 

for continuation of last year’s 

frameworks for items for which we 

received no recommendation. Council 

recommendations for changes are 

summarized below. 

1. Ducks 

Categories used to discuss issues 

related to duck harvest management are: 

(A) General Harvest Strategy, (B) 

Regulatory Alternatives, including 

specification of framework dates, season 

length, and bag limits, (C) Zones and 

Split Seasons, and (D) Special Seasons/ 

Species Management. The categories 

correspond to previously published 

issues/discussions, and only those 

containing substantial recommendations 

are discussed below. 

4. Canada Geese 

A. Special Seasons 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that Connecticut’s September goose 

season framework dates of 1 September 

to 30 September become operational. 

The Central Flyway Council 

recommended that Oklahoma’s 

Experimental September Canada Goose 

Hunting Season become operational for 

the time period September 16–25, 

beginning with the September 2005 

hunting season. 

The Pacific Flyway Council 

recommended extending Idaho’s 

geographically limited September 

season framework to a Statewide 

framework. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

recommendations regarding 

Connecticut’s and Idaho’s September 

goose seasons. We do not support the 

Central Flyway Council 

recommendation to give operational 

status to the experimental season in 

Oklahoma. The sample size of tail fans 

necessary to determine the portion of 

migrant Canada geese in the harvest is 

insufficient for the experimental period. 

We believe that the experimental season 

should be extended for 1 year and we 

will work with Oklahoma to complete 

collections required for this assessment. 

B. Regular Seasons 

Council Recommendations: The 

Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations 

Committees of the Mississippi Flyway 

Council recommended that the 

framework opening date for all species 

of geese be September 16 in 2005 and 

future years. If this recommendation is 

not approved, the Committees 

recommended that the framework 

opening date for all species of geese for 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 51523 

the regular goose seasons in Michigan 

and Wisconsin be September 16. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

objective to increase harvest pressure on 

resident Canada geese in the Mississippi 

Flyway, but do not concur with a 

September 16 framework opening date 

throughout the Flyway. A September 16 

opening date Flyway-wide would 

require establishing the regular season 

during the early-season regulations 

process, which presents a number of 

administrative problems and has 

implications beyond the Mississippi 

Flyway. Regarding the 

recommendations for a September 16 

framework opening date in Wisconsin 

and Michigan, we concur. However, the 

opening dates in both States will 

continue to be considered exceptions to 

the general Flyway opening date, to be 

reconsidered annually. 

9. Sandhill Cranes 

Council Recommendations: The 

Central Flyway Council recommended 

using the 2005 Rocky Mountain 

Population sandhill crane harvest 

allocation of 906 birds as proposed in 

the allocation formula using the 2002–

2004 3-year running average. In 

addition, the Council recommended no 

changes in the Mid-continent 

Population sandhill crane hunting 

frameworks. 

Service Response: As we indicated in 

the April 6 Federal Register, during last 

year’s waterfowl and sandhill crane 

hunting season, a group of hunters in 

Kansas accidentally shot at some 

whooping cranes. Two of the whooping 

cranes from this flock sustained injuries 

and were subsequently captured and 

treated by agency and university 

personnel. Both subsequently died after 

capture. We have worked with staff 

from the Kansas Department of Wildlife 

and Parks to review this incident, and 

we concur with the Central Flyway 

Council recommendation for no change 

to the Mid-Continent Sandhill Crane 

Population hunting season frameworks. 

The State of Kansas has indicated that 

they will increase and improve hunter 

outreach and education efforts 

concerning whooping cranes in 

cooperation with the Service and will 

delay the opening of the sandhill crane 

season through State regulations. We 

believe these actions will minimize the 

potential conflicts with whooping 

cranes and hunting in this area. 

12. Rails 

Written Comments: An individual 

expressed concern over the status of 

several rail species and subspecies, 

particularly clapper rails in Florida, and 

believed that since many States have 

closed rail hunting that the Service 

should take similar action. 

Service Response: Historically, 

monitoring of rail populations is 

difficult due to their inconspicuous 

behavior and dense habitats that they 

occupy. A recent status assessment of 

king rails in the Mississippi Flyway 

indicated that loss of wetland habitat is 

responsible for the perceived declines in 

king rails, and we believe habitat 

declines are responsible for declines in 

other species. There is no evidence that 

hunting mortality is responsible for 

such declines. Recent estimates of rail 

harvest from the Harvest Information 

Program indicate that total rail harvest 

in Florida was only 1,200 birds in 2003 

and 4,900 birds in 2004 (report available 

at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/ 

reports). Further, clapper rail harvest 

accounts for only 50% of the total rail 

harvest in the Atlantic Flyway; 

therefore, we believe harvest of this 

species in Florida is low. We 

promulgate hunting season frameworks 

(i.e. season length, bag limits) for rails, 

within which States can choose their 

own seasons. As always, States may be 

more restrictive than Federal 

frameworks, including closures. 

16. Mourning Doves 

Council Recommendations: The 

Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations 

Committees of the Mississippi Flyway 

Council recommended that zoning 

remain an option for States in their 

management of mourning dove harvest. 

The Committees recommend the 

following elements should be noted or 

made part of any change in zoning 

policy by the Service: 

1. There is no strong biological basis 

to establish a latitudinal line below 

which zoning is mandatory in the 

Eastern Management Unit; 

2. Use of September 20th as the 

earliest opening date for a South Zone 

has no biological basis; and 

3. Limiting the frequency that a State 

can select or change zoning options is 

supported, but the time period between 

changes should not exceed 5 years and 

States selecting Zoning should be able 

to revert back to a non-zoning option for 

any remaining years left before Zoning 

is again a regulatory option. 

The Central Flyway Council 

recommends the following guidelines 

for mourning dove hunting zones and 

periods in the Central Management Unit 

(CMU). 

1. The time interval between changes 

in zone boundaries or periods within 

States in the CMU should not exceed 

five (5) years consistent with the review 

schedule for duck zones and periods 

(i.e., 2006–2010, 2011–2015, etc). 

2. States may select two (2) zones and 

three (3) segments except Texas has the 

option to select three (3) zones and two 

(2) segments. 

3. The opening date of September 20 

in the South Zone in Texas with the 

three (3) zone option will remain 

unchanged. 

Service Response: We will defer the 

decision on dove zoning for 1 year, and 

will work with the Flyway Councils and 

Dove technical committees to develop a 

consensus position on dove zoning by 

March 2006. 

17. White-Winged and White-Tipped 

Doves 

Council Recommendations: The 

Central Flyway Council recommended 

that the boundary for the White-winged 

Dove Area in Texas be extended to 

include the area south and west of 

Interstate Highway 37 and U.S. Highway 

90, with an aggregate daily bag limit of 

12 doves, no more than 3 of which may 

be mourning doves. All other 

regulations would remain unchanged. 

The Council subsequently modified its 

recommendation to reduce the 

expansion to that area south and west of 

Interstate Highway 35 and U.S. Highway 

90, with an aggregate daily bag limit of 

12 doves, no more than 4 of which may 

be mourning doves and 2 of which may 

be white-tipped doves. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

modified Council recommendation to 

expand the Special White-winged Dove 

Area to I–35 and U.S. 90 and allow an 

aggregate daily bag limit of 12 doves, of 

which no more than 4 may be mourning 

doves and 2 may be white-tipped doves. 

However, we are concerned about the 

potential increased take of mourning 

doves and will monitor the effects of 

this change. Further, we appreciate 

Texas’ willingness to work with the 

Service to establish those surveys or 

studies that are needed and feasible to 

determine the effects of this expanded 

hunting area on mourning doves. 

Specifically, we are hopeful that the 

proposed comprehensive harvest 

surveys along with implementation of 

extensive nesting and banding studies 

will provide data that will help make 

future decisions. 

18. Alaska 

Council Recommendations: The 

Pacific Flyway Council recommended 

that the Canvasback Harvest Strategy 

include a statement to the effect that ‘‘In 

general, Alaska may annually select a 

canvasback season with limits of one 

daily, three in possession in lieu of 

annual prescriptions from this strategy. 

In the event that the breeding 

population declines to a level that 

51524 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

indicates seasons will be closed for 

several years, the Service will consult 

with the Pacific Flyway Council to 

decide whether Alaska seasons should 

be closed.’’ The Council and Service 

should appreciate that if season closure 

decisions are made during the late 

season process, Alaska will have to 

implement regulation changes by 

emergency orders, which will conflict 

with widely distributed public 

regulations summaries produced in July. 

Further, the Council recommended 

removal of the [Canada] goose closure in 

the Aleutian Islands (Unit 10), reduction 

of dark goose limits in Units 18 and 9(E) 

to four daily with no more than two 

cackling/Canada geese, and reduction in 

the brant season length in Unit 9(D) 

from 107 days to 30 days. The Council’s 

latter two recommendations are 

contingent on concomitant restrictions 

on primary migration and wintering 

areas in the lower 48 states. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

Council’s recommendations. Further, 

we support the recommendation for the 

additional language to be added to the 

existing canvasback strategy describing 

the season closure process for the State 

of Alaska. However, we request that the 

Pacific Flyway Council continue to 

work with the Service to define what 

objective measures might be used to 

more clearly describe when canvasbacks 

would be closed in Alaska. 

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 the Environmental 

Protection Agency on June 9, 1988. We 

published a Notice of Availability in the 

Federal Register on June 16, 1988 (53 

FR 22582). We published our Record of 

Decision on August 18, 1988 (53 FR 

31341). In addition, an August 1985 

environmental assessment entitled 

‘‘Guidelines for Migratory Bird Hunting 

Regulations on Federal Indian 

Reservations and Ceded Lands’’ is 

available from the address indicated 

under the caption ADDRESSES. Further, 

in a proposed rule published in the 

April 30, 2001, Federal Register (66 FR 

21298), we expressed our intent to begin 

the process of developing a new 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement for the migratory bird hunting 

program. We plan to begin the public 

scoping process this year. 

Endangered Species Act Consideration 

Section 7 of the Endangered Species 

Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531–1543; 

87 Stat. 884), provides that, ‘‘The 

Secretary shall review other programs 

administered by him and utilize such 

programs in furtherance of the purposes 

of this Act’’ (and) shall ‘‘insure that any 

action authorized, funded, or carried out 

* * * is not likely to jeopardize the 

continued existence of any endangered 

species or threatened species or result in 

the destruction or adverse modification 

of [critical] habitat * * *.’’

Consequently, we conducted formal 

consultations to ensure that actions 

resulting from these regulations would 

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, which concluded 

that the regulations are not likely to 

adversely affect any endangered or 

threatened species. Additionally, these 

findings may have caused modification 

of some regulatory measures previously 

proposed, and the final frameworks 

reflect any such modifications. Our 

biological opinions resulting from this 

Section 7 consultation are public 

documents available for public 

inspection at the address indicated 

under ADDRESSES. 

Executive Order 12866 

The migratory bird hunting 

regulations are economically significant 

and were reviewed by the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) under 

Executive Order 12866. As such, a cost/ 

benefit analysis was initially prepared 

in 1981. This analysis was subsequently 

revised annually from 1990–96, updated 

in 1998, and updated again in 2004. It 

is further discussed under the heading 

Regulatory Flexibility Act. Results from 

the 2004 analysis indicate that the 

expected welfare benefit of the annual 

migratory bird hunting frameworks is on 

the order of $734 to $1,064 million, with 

a mid-point estimate of $899 million. 

Copies of the cost/benefit analysis are 

available upon request from the address 

indicated under ADDRESSES or from our 

Web site at http:// 

www.migratorybirds.gov. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

These regulations have a significant 

economic impact on substantial 

numbers of small entities under the 

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

et seq.). We analyzed the economic 

impacts of the annual hunting 

regulations on small business entities in 

detail as part of the 1981 cost-benefit 

analysis discussed under Executive 

Order 12866. This analysis was revised 

annually from 1990–95. In 1995, the 

Service issued a Small Entity Flexibility 

Analysis (Analysis), which was 

subsequently updated in 1996, 1998, 

and 2004. The primary source of 

information about hunter expenditures 

for migratory game bird hunting is the 

National Hunting and Fishing Survey, 

which is conducted at 5-year intervals. 

The 2004 Analysis was based on the 

2001 National Hunting and Fishing 

Survey and the U.S. Department of 

Commerce’s County Business Patterns, 

from which it was estimated that 

migratory bird hunters would spend 

between $481 million and $1.2 billion at 

small businesses in 2004. Copies of the 

Analysis are available upon request 

from the address indicated under 

ADDRESSES or from our Web site at http: 

//www.migratorybirds.gov. 

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 

Fairness Act 

This rule is a major rule under 5 

U.S.C. 804(2), the Small Business 

Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. 

For the reasons outlined above, this rule 

has an annual effect on the economy of 

$100 million or more. However, because 

it establishes hunting seasons, we do 

not plan to defer the effective date 

required by 5 U.S.C. 801 under the 

exemption contained in 5 U.S.C. 808(1). 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

We examined these regulations under 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

The various recordkeeping and 

reporting requirements imposed under 

regulations established in 50 CFR part 

20, Subpart K, are utilized in the 

formulation of migratory game bird 

hunting regulations. Specifically, OMB 

has approved the information collection 

requirements of the surveys associated 

with the Migratory Bird Harvest 

Information Program and assigned 

clearance number 1018–0015 (expires 

2/29/2008). This information is used to 

provide a sampling frame for voluntary 

national surveys to improve our harvest 

estimates for all migratory game birds in 

order to better manage these 

populations. OMB has also approved 

the information collection requirements 

of the Sandhill Crane Harvest Survey 

and assigned clearance number 1018–

0023 (expires 11/30/2007). The 

information from this survey is used to 

estimate the magnitude and the 

geographical and temporal distribution 

of the harvest, and the portion it 

constitutes of the total population. A 

Federal agency may not conduct or 

sponsor and a person is not required to 

respond to a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 51525 

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

We have determined and certify, in 

compliance with the requirements of the 

Unfunded Mandates Reform 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. 

Therefore, this rule is not a ‘‘significant 

regulatory action’’ under the Unfunded 

Mandates Reform Act. 

Civil Justice Reform—Executive Order 

12988 

In promulgating this rule, we have 

determined that it will not unduly 

burden the judicial system and that it 

meets the requirements of sections 3(a) 

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

Takings Implication Assessment 

In accordance with Executive Order 

12630, this rule, authorized by the 

Migratory Bird Treaty Act, does not 

have significant takings implications 

and does not affect any constitutionally 

protected property rights. This rule will 

not result in the physical occupancy of 

property, the physical invasion of 

property, or the regulatory taking of any 

property. In fact, these rules allow 

hunters to exercise otherwise 

unavailable privileges and, therefore, 

reduce restrictions on the use of private 

and public property. 

Energy Effects—Executive Order 13211 

On May 18, 2001, the President issued 

Executive Order 13211 on regulations 

that significantly affect energy supply, 

distribution, and use. Executive Order 

13211 requires agencies to prepare 

Statements of Energy Effects when 

undertaking certain actions. While this 

rule is a significant regulatory action 

under Executive Order 12866, it is not 

expected to adversely affect energy 

supplies, distribution, or use. Therefore, 

this action is not a significant energy 

action and no Statement of Energy 

Effects is required. 

Federalism Effects 

Due to the migratory nature of certain 

species of birds, the Federal 

Government has been given 

responsibility over these species by the 

Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We annually 

prescribe frameworks from which the 

States make selections regarding the 

hunting of migratory birds, and we 

employ guidelines to establish special 

regulations on Federal Indian 

reservations and ceded lands. This 

process preserves the ability of the 

States and tribes to determine which 

seasons meet their individual needs. 

Any State or tribe may be more 

restrictive than the Federal frameworks 

at any time. The frameworks are 

developed in a cooperative process with 

the States and the Flyway Councils. 

This process allows States to participate 

in the development of frameworks from 

which they will make selections, 

thereby having an influence on their 

own regulations. These rules do not 

have a substantial direct effect on fiscal 

capacity, change the roles or 

responsibilities of Federal or State 

governments, or intrude on State policy 

or administration. Therefore, in 

accordance with Executive Order 13132, 

these regulations do not have significant 

federalism effects and do not have 

sufficient federalism implications to 

warrant the preparation of a federalism 

assessment. 

Regulations Promulgation 

The rulemaking process for migratory 

game bird hunting must, by its nature, 

operate under severe time constraints. 

However, we intend that the public be 

given the greatest possible opportunity 

to comment. Thus, when the 

preliminary proposed rulemaking was 

published, we established what we 

believed were the longest periods 

possible for public comment. In doing 

this, we 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, 

States would have insufficient time to 

select season dates and limits; to 

communicate those selections to us; and 

to establish and publicize the necessary 

regulations and procedures to 

implement their decisions. We therefore 

find 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. 

Therefore, under authority of the 

Migratory Bird Treaty Act (July 3, 1918), 

as amended (16 U.S.C. 703–711), we 

prescribe 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 will select 

hunting season dates and other options. 

Upon receipt of season selections from 

these officials, we will publish a final 

rulemaking amending 50 CFR part 20 to 

reflect seasons, limits, and shooting 

hours for the conterminous United 

States for the 2005–06 season. 

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 2005–06 hunting 

season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 

703–712 and 16 U.S.C. 742 a–j. 

Dated: August 11, 2005. 

Julie MacDonald, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and 

Wildlife and Parks. 

Final Regulations Frameworks for 

2005–06 Early Hunting Seasons on 

Certain Migratory Game Birds 

Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty 

Act and delegated authorities, the 

Department of the Interior approved the 

following frameworks, which prescribe 

season lengths, bag limits, shooting 

hours, and outside dates within which 

States may select hunting seasons for 

certain migratory game birds between 

September 1, 2005, and March 10, 2006. 

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. 

Flyways and Management Units 

Waterfowl Flyways 

Atlantic Flyway—includes 

Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, 

Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New 

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode 

Island, South Carolina, Vermont, 

Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Mississippi Flyway—includes 

Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, 

Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, 

Tennessee, and Wisconsin. 

Central Flyway—includes Colorado 

(east of the Continental Divide), Kansas, 

Montana (Counties of Blaine, Carbon, 

Fergus, Judith Basin, Stillwater, 

Sweetgrass, Wheatland, and all counties 

east thereof), Nebraska, New Mexico 

(east of the Continental Divide except 

the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation), 

North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, 

Texas, and Wyoming (east of the 

Continental Divide). 

Pacific Flyway—includes Alaska, 

Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, 

Oregon, Utah, Washington, and those 

portions of Colorado, Montana, New 

Mexico, and Wyoming not included in 

the Central Flyway. 

51526 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

Management Units 

Mourning Dove Management Units: 

Eastern Management Unit—All States 

east of the Mississippi River, and 

Louisiana. 

Central Management Unit—Arkansas, 

Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, 

Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South 

Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. 

Western Management Unit—Arizona, 

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, 

and Washington. 

Woodcock Management Regions: 

Eastern Management Region—

Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, 

Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New 

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode 

Island, South Carolina, Vermont, 

Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Central Management Region—

Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, 

Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, 

Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, 

Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, 

Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, 

Texas, and Wisconsin. 

Other 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, and 

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 the 

following States in areas delineated by 

State regulations: 

Atlantic Flyway—Delaware, Florida, 

Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, 

South Carolina, and Virginia. 

Mississippi Flyway—Alabama, 

Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, 

and Tennessee. 

Central Flyway—Colorado (part), 

Kansas, Nebraska (part), New Mexico 

(part), Oklahoma, and Texas. 

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag 

Limits: Not to exceed 9 consecutive 

days in the Atlantic Flyway and (to be 

determined) in the Mississippi and 

Central Flyways. The daily bag limit is 

4 teal. 

Shooting Hours: 

Atlantic Flyway—One-half hour 

before sunrise to sunset except in 

Maryland, where the hours are from 

sunrise to sunset. 

Mississippi and Central Flyways—

One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, 

except in the States of Arkansas, 

Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio, 

where the hours are from sunrise to 

sunset. 

Special September Duck Seasons 

Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee: In 

lieu of a special September teal season, 

a 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 that 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 17). 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 Days 

Outside Dates: States may select two 

consecutive days (hunting days in 

Atlantic Flyway States with 

compensatory days) per duck-hunting 

zone, designated as ‘‘Youth Waterfowl 

Hunting Days,’’ in addition to their 

regular duck seasons. The days must be 

held outside any regular duck season on 

a weekend, holidays, or other nonschool days when youth hunters would 

have the maximum opportunity to 

participate. The days may be held up to 

14 days before or after any regular duckseason frameworks or within any split 

of a regular duck season, or within any 

other open season on migratory birds. 

Daily Bag Limits: The daily bag limits 

may include ducks, geese, mergansers, 

coots, moorhens, and gallinules and 

would be the same as those allowed in 

the regular season. Flyway species and 

area 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 may 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 31. 

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 are part of the 

regular duck season daily bag (not to 

exceed 4 scoters) 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 Eastern Unit of Maryland and 

Delaware. Seasons not to exceed 30 days 

during September 1–30 may be selected 

for Connecticut, the Northeast Hunt 

Unit of North Carolina, New Jersey, and 

Rhode Island. Except for experimental 

seasons described below, seasons may 

not exceed 25 days during September 

1–25 in the remainder of the Flyway. 

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 8 

Canada geese. 

Experimental Seasons 

Experimental Canada goose seasons of 

up to 25 days during September 1–25 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 51527 

may be selected for the Montezuma 

Region of New York and the Lake 

Champlain Region of New York and 

Vermont. Experimental seasons of up to 

30 days during September 1–30 may be 

selected by Florida, Georgia, New York 

(Long Island Zone), North Carolina 

(except in the Northeast Hunt Unit), and 

South Carolina. 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 8 

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 

Minnesota (except in the Northwest 

Goose Zone), where a season of up to 22 

days during September 1–22 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. 

A Canada goose season of up to 10 

consecutive days during September 

1–10 may be selected by Michigan for 

Huron, Saginaw, and Tuscola Counties, 

except that the Shiawassee National 

Wildlife Refuge, Shiawassee River State 

Game Area Refuge, and the Fish Point 

Wildlife Area Refuge will remain 

closed. The daily bag limit may not 

exceed 5 Canada geese. 

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. 

A Canada goose season of up to 15 

consecutive days during September 16–

30 may be selected by South Dakota. 

The daily bag limit may not exceed 5 

Canada geese. 

Experimental Seasons 

An experimental Canada goose season 

of up to 9 consecutive days during 

September 22–30 may be selected by 

Oklahoma. The daily bag limit may not 

exceed 5 Canada geese. 

An experimental Canada goose season 

of up to 15 consecutive days during 

September 16–30 may be selected by 

Nebraska. The daily bag limit may not 

exceed 5 Canada geese. 

Pacific Flyway 

General Seasons 

California may select a 9-day season 

in Humboldt County during the period 

September 1–15. The daily bag limit is 

2. 

Colorado may select a 9-day season 

during the period of September 1–15. 

The daily bag limit is 3. 

Oregon may select a special Canada 

goose season of up to 15 days during the 

period September 1–15. In addition, in 

the NW goose management zone in 

Oregon, a 15-day season may be selected 

during the period September 1–20. 

Daily bag limits may not exceed 5 

Canada geese. 

Idaho may select a 7-day season 

during the period September 1–15. The 

daily bag limit is 2 and the possession 

limit is 4. 

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 5 

Canada geese. 

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. A daily bag limit of 2, with season 

and possession limits of 4, will apply to 

the special season. 

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 16 in Wisconsin and 

Michigan. Season lengths, bag and 

possession limits, and other provisions 

will be established during the lateseason regulations process. 

Sandhill Cranes 

Regular Seasons in the Central 

Flyway: 

Outside Dates: Between September 1 

and February 28. 

Hunting Seasons: Seasons not to 

exceed 37 consecutive days may be 

selected in designated portions of North 

Dakota (Area 2) and Texas (Area 2). 

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, 

except 2 sandhill cranes in designated 

portions of North Dakota (Area 2) and 

Texas (Area 2). 

Permits: Each person participating in 

the regular sandhill crane seasons must 

have a valid Federal sandhill crane 

hunting permit and/or, in those States 

where a Federal sandhill crane permit is 

not issued, a State-issued Harvest 

Information Survey Program (HIP) 

certification for game bird hunting 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 

(RMP) 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 with the following 

exceptions: 

1. In Utah, the requirement for 

monitoring the racial composition of the 

harvest in the experimental season is 

waived, and 100 percent of the harvest 

will be assigned to the RMP quota; 

2. In Arizona, monitoring the racial 

composition of the harvest must be 

conducted at 3 year intervals; 

3. In Idaho, seasons are experimental, 

and the requirement for monitoring the 

racial composition of the harvest is 

waived; 100 percent of the harvest will 

be assigned to the RMP quota; and 

4. In New Mexico, the season in the 

Estancia Valley is experimental, with a 

requirement to monitor the level and 

racial composition of the harvest; 

greater sandhill cranes in the harvest 

will be assigned to the RMP quota. 

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 22) 

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. 

51528 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

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. 

Zoning: Seasons may be selected by 

zones established for duck hunting. 

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. 

Zoning: Seasons may be selected by 

zones established for duck hunting. 

American Woodcock 

Outside Dates: States in the Eastern 

Management Region may select hunting 

seasons between October 1 and January 

31. States in the Central Management 

Region may select hunting seasons 

between the Saturday nearest September 

22 (September 24) and January 31. 

Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag 

Limits: Seasons may not exceed 30 days 

in the Eastern Region and 45 days in the 

Central Region. 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 a daily bag limit of 2 bandtailed pigeons. 

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 

3. 

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. 

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. 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, and Louisiana 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. Hunting 

Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more 

than 70 days with a daily bag limit of 

12 mourning and white-winged doves in 

the aggregate, or not more than 60 days 

with a bag limit of 15 mourning and 

white-winged doves in the aggregate. 

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. Daily bag limits are aggregate bag 

limits with mourning, white-winged, 

and white-tipped doves (see whitewinged dove frameworks for specific 

daily bag limit restrictions). 

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. Hunting 

Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Idaho, 

Oregon, and Washington—Not more 

than 30 consecutive days with a daily 

bag limit of 10 mourning doves. 

Utah—Not more than 30 consecutive 

days with a daily bag limit that may not 

exceed 10 mourning doves and whitewinged doves in the aggregate. 

Nevada—Not more than 30 

consecutive days with a daily bag limit 

of 10 mourning doves, except in Clark 

and Nye Counties, where 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 white-winged doves. During the 

remainder of the season, the daily bag 

limit is 10 mourning doves. In 

California, the daily bag limit is 10 

mourning doves, except in Imperial, 

Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, 

where 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 

must be concurrent with mourning dove 

seasons. 

Eastern Management Unit: 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 whitewinged doves. 

In the remainder of the Eastern 

Management Unit, the season is closed. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 51529 

Central Management Unit: In Texas, 

the daily bag limit may not exceed 12 

mourning, white-winged, and whitetipped doves (15 under the alternative) 

in the aggregate, of which no more than 

2 may be white-tipped doves. In 

addition, Texas also may 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 12 white-winged, 

mourning, and white-tipped doves in 

the aggregate, of which no more than 4 

may be mourning doves and 2 may be 

white-tipped doves. 

In the remainder of the Central 

Management Unit, the daily bag limit 

may not exceed 12 (15 under the 

alternative) mourning and white-winged 

doves in the aggregate. 

Western Management Unit: 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 Utah, 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 the remainder of the Western 

Management Unit, the season is closed. 

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 5 zones. The season may be split 

without penalty in the Kodiak Zone. 

The seasons in each zone must be 

concurrent. 

Closures: The hunting season is 

closed on 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. The basic limits may include no 

more than 1 canvasback daily and 3 in 

possession and may not include sea 

ducks. 

In addition to the basic duck limits, 

Alaska may select sea duck limits of 10 

daily, 20 in possession, singly or in the 

aggregate, including no more than 6 

each of either harlequin or long-tailed 

ducks. Sea ducks include scoters, 

common and king eiders, harlequin 

ducks, long-tailed ducks, and common 

and red-breasted mergansers. 

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 5 and 6, the taking of 

Canada geese is permitted from 

September 28 through December 16. A 

special, permit-only Canada goose 

season may be offered on Middleton 

Island. No more than 10 permits can be 

issued. A mandatory goose 

identification class is required. Hunters 

must check in and check out. The bag 

limit is 1 daily and 1 in possession. The 

season will close if incidental harvest 

includes 5 dusky Canada geese. A dusky 

Canada goose is any dark-breasted 

Canada goose (Munsell 10 YR color 

value five or less) with a bill length 

between 40 and 50 millimeters. 

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

portion of Unit 10, the limits for dark 

geese are 6 daily and 12 in possession. 

3. In Units 9(E) and 18, the limit for 

dark geese is 4 daily, including no more 

than 2 Canada geese. 

4. In Unit 9, season length for brant 

is 30 days. 

Brant—A daily bag limit of 2. 

Common snipe—A daily bag limit of 

8. 

Sandhill cranes—Bag and possession 

limits of 2 and 4, respectively, in the 

Southeast, Gulf Coast, Kodiak, and 

Aleutian Zones, and Unit 17 in the 

Northern Zone. In the remainder of the 

Northern Zone (outside Unit 17), bag 

and possession limits of 3 and 6, 

respectively. 

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 Game Management Unit (GMU) 

17, no more than 200 permits may be 

issued during this operational season. 

No more than 3 tundra swans may be 

authorized per permit with no more 

than 1 permit issued per hunter per 

season. 

4. In Game Management Unit (GMU) 

18, no more than 500 permits may be 

issued during the operational season. 

Up to 3 tundra swans may be authorized 

per permit. No more than 1 permit may 

be issued per hunter per season. 

5. In GMU 22, no more than 300 

permits may be issued during the 

operational season. Each permittee may 

be authorized to take up to 3 tundra 

swan per permit. No more than 1 permit 

may be issued per hunter per season. 

6. In GMU 23, no more than 300 

permits may be issued during the 

operational season. No more than 3 

tundra swans may be authorized per 

permit with no more than 1 permit 

issued per hunter per season. 

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 15 Zenaida, mourning, and 

white-winged doves in the aggregate, of 

which not more than 3 may be 

mourning doves. Not to exceed 5 scalynaped 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. 

51530 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

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 must 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 

must 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 

Mourning and White-Winged Doves 

Alabama 

South Zone—Baldwin, Barbour, 

Coffee, 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. 

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. 

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 I–

30 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 State Loop 

1604 west of San Antonio; then south, 

east, and north along Loop 1604 to 

Interstate Highway 10 east of 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 State 

Loop 1604 west of San Antonio, 

southeast on State Loop 1604 to 

Interstate Highway 35, southwest on 

Interstate Highway 35 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 Canada Goose 

Seasons 

Atlantic Flyway 

Connecticut 

North Zone—That portion of the State 

north of I–95. 

South Zone—Remainder of the State. 

Maryland 

Eastern Unit—Anne Arundel, Calvert, 

Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, 

Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, St. 

Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, 

and Worcester Counties, and those 

portions of Baltimore, Howard, and 

Prince George’s Counties east of I–95. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 51531 

Western Unit—Allegany, Carroll, 

Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery, and 

Washington Counties, and those 

portions of Baltimore, Howard, and 

Prince George’s Counties west 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 I–

93 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 will be in the Coastal Zone. 

Coastal Zone—That portion of 

Massachusetts east and south of the 

Central Zone. 

New York 

Lake Champlain Zone—The U.S. 

portion of Lake Champlain and that area 

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 104, 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—Camden, 

Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, 

Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and 

Washington Counties; that portion of 

Bertie County north and east of a line 

formed by NC 45 at the Washington 

County line to U.S. 17 in Midway, U.S. 

17 in Midway to U.S. 13 in Windsor to 

the Hertford County line; and that 

portion of Northampton County that is 

north of U.S. 158 and east of NC 35. 

Vermont 

Lake Champlain Zone: The U.S. 

portion of Lake Champlain and that area 

north and west of the line extending 

from the New York border along U.S. 4 

to VT 22A at Fair Haven; VT 22A to U.S. 

7 at Vergennes; U.S. 7 to the Canadian 

border. 

Interior Zone: That portion of 

Vermont west of the Lake Champlain 

Zone and eastward of a line extending 

from the Massachusetts border at 

Interstate 91; north along Interstate 91 to 

U.S. 2; east along U.S. 2 to VT 102; 

north along VT 102 to VT 253; north 

along VT 253 to the Canadian border. 

Connecticut River Zone: The 

remaining portion of Vermont east of 

the Interior Zone. 

Mississippi Flyway 

Illinois 

Northeast Canada Goose Zone—Cook, 

Du Page, 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. 

South Zone: The remainder of Illinois. 

Iowa 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of U.S. Highway 20. 

South Zone: The remainder of Iowa. 

Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Goose Zone. 

Includes portions of Linn and Johnson 

Counties bounded as follows: Beginning 

at the intersection of the west border of 

Linn County and Linn County Road 

E2W; thence south and east along 

County Road E2W to Highway 920; 

thence north along Highway 920 to 

County Road E16; thence east along 

County Road E16 to County Road W58; 

thence south along County Road W58 to 

County Road E34; thence east along 

County Road E34 to Highway 13; thence 

south along Highway 13 to Highway 30; 

thence east along Highway 30 to 

Highway 1; thence south along Highway 

1 to Morse Road in Johnson County; 

thence east along Morse Road to Wapsi 

Avenue; thence south along Wapsi 

Avenue to Lower West Branch Road; 

thence west along Lower West Branch 

Road to Taft Avenue; thence south along 

Taft Avenue to County Road F62; thence 

west along County Road F62 to Kansas 

Avenue; thence north along Kansas 

Avenue to Black Diamond Road; thence 

west on Black Diamond Road to Jasper 

Avenue; thence north along Jasper 

Avenue to Rohert Road; thence west 

along Rohert Road to Ivy Avenue; 

thence north along Ivy Avenue to 340th 

Street; thence west along 340th Street to 

Half Moon Avenue; thence north along 

Half Moon Avenue to Highway 6; 

thence west along Highway 6 to Echo 

Avenue; thence north along Echo 

Avenue to 250th Street; thence east on 

250th Street to Green Castle Avenue; 

thence north along Green Castle Avenue 

to County Road F12; thence west along 

County Road F12 to County Road W30; 

thence north along County Road W30 to 

Highway 151; thence north along the 

Linn-Benton County line to the point of 

beginning. 

Des Moines Goose Zone. Includes 

those portions of Polk, Warren, Madison 

and Dallas Counties bounded as follows: 

Beginning at the intersection of 

Northwest 158th Avenue and County 

Road R38 in Polk County; thence south 

along R38 to Northwest 142nd Avenue; 

thence east along Northwest 142nd 

Avenue to Northeast 126th Avenue; 

thence east along Northeast 126th 

Avenue to Northeast 46th Street; thence 

south along Northeast 46th Street to 

Highway 931; thence east along 

Highway 931 to Northeast 80th Street; 

thence south along Northeast 80th Street 

51532 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

to Southeast 6th Avenue; thence west 

along Southeast 6th Avenue to Highway 

65; thence south and west along 

Highway 65 to Highway 69 in Warren 

County; thence south along Highway 69 

to County Road G24; thence west along 

County Road G24 to Highway 28; thence 

southwest along Highway 28 to 43rd 

Avenue; thence north along 43rd 

Avenue to Ford Street; thence west 

along Ford Street to Filmore Street; 

thence west along Filmore Street to 10th 

Avenue; thence south along 10th 

Avenue to 155th Street in Madison 

County; thence west along 155th Street 

to Cumming Road; thence north along 

Cumming Road to Badger Creek 

Avenue; thence north along Badger 

Creek Avenue to County Road F90 in 

Dallas County; thence east along County 

Road F90 to County Road R22; thence 

north along County Road R22 to 

Highway 44; thence east along Highway 

44 to County Road R30; thence north 

along County Road R30 to County Road 

F31; thence east along County Road F31 

to Highway 17; thence north along 

Highway 17 to Highway 415 in Polk 

County; thence east along Highway 415 

to Northwest 158th Avenue; thence east 

along Northwest 158th Avenue to the 

point of beginning. 

Michigan 

North Zone: The Upper Peninsula. 

Middle Zone: That portion of the 

Lower Peninsula north of a line 

beginning at the Wisconsin border in 

Lake Michigan due west of the mouth of 

Stony Creek in Oceana County; then due 

east to, and easterly and southerly along 

the south shore of, Stony Creek to 

Scenic Drive, easterly and southerly 

along Scenic Drive to Stony Lake Road, 

easterly along Stony Lake and Garfield 

Roads to Michigan Highway 20, east 

along Michigan 20 to U.S. Highway 10 

Business Route (BR) in the city of 

Midland, east along U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 

10, east along U.S. 10 to Interstate 

Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, north 

along I–75/U.S. 23 to the U.S. 23 exit at 

Standish, east along U.S. 23 to Shore 

Road in Arenac County, east along 

Shore Road to the tip of Point Lookout, 

then on a line directly east 10 miles into 

Saginaw Bay, and from that point on a 

line directly northeast to the Canada 

border. 

South Zone: The remainder of 

Michigan. 

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 of 

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—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. 

Southeast Goose Zone—That part of 

the State within the following described 

boundaries: beginning at the 

intersection of U.S. Highway 52 and the 

south boundary of the Twin Cities 

Metro Canada Goose Zone; thence along 

the U.S. Highway 52 to State Trunk 

Highway (STH) 57; thence along STH 57 

to the municipal boundary of Kasson; 

thence along the municipal boundary of 

Kasson County State Aid Highway 

(CSAH) 13, Dodge County; thence along 

CSAH 13 to STH 30; thence along STH 

30 to U.S. Highway 63; thence along 

U.S. Highway 63 to the south boundary 

of the State; thence along the south and 

east boundaries of the State to the south 

boundary of the Twin Cities Metro 

Canada Goose Zone; thence along said 

boundary to the point of beginning. 

Five Goose Zone—That portion of the 

State not included in the Twin Cities 

Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone, the 

Northwest Goose Zone, or the Southeast 

Goose Zone. 

West Zone—That portion of the State 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

junction of State Trunk Highway (STH) 

60 and the Iowa border, then north and 

east along STH 60 to U.S. Highway 71, 

north along U.S. 71 to Interstate 

Highway 94, then north and west along 

I–94 to the North Dakota 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, 

Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, 

Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, 

Macon, Marshall, Maury, Moore, 

Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, 

Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson 

Counties. 

East Tennessee Zone—Anderson, 

Bledsoe, Bradley, Blount, Campbell, 

Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, 

Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, 

Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, 

Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, 

Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, 

Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, 

Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, 

Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, 

Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, 

Warren, Washington, and White 

Counties. 

Wisconsin 

Early-Season Subzone A—That 

portion of the State encompassed by 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 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 51533 

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. 

Early-Season Subzone B—The 

remainder of the State. 

Central Flyway 

Kansas 

September Canada Goose 

Kansas City/Topeka Unit—That part of 

Kansas bounded by a line from the 

Kansas-Missouri State line west on KS 

68 to its junction with KS 33, then north 

on KS 33 to its junction with U.S. 56, 

then west on U.S. 56 to its junction with 

KS 31, then west-northwest on KS 31 to 

its junction with KS 99, then north on 

KS 99 to its junction with U.S. 24, then 

east on U.S. 24 to its junction with KS 

63, then north on KS 63 to its junction 

with KS 16, then east on KS 16 to its 

junction with KS 116, then east on KS 

116 to its junction with U.S. 59, then 

northeast on U.S. 59 to its junction with 

the Kansas-Missouri line, then south on 

the Kansas-Missouri line to its junction 

with KS 68. 

September Canada Goose Wichita 

Unit—That part of Kansas bounded by 

a line from I–135 west on U.S. 50 to its 

junction with Burmac Road, then south 

on Burmac Road to its junction with 279 

Street West (Sedgwick/Harvey County 

line), then south on 279 Street West to 

its junction with KS 96, then east on KS 

96 to its junction with KS 296, then 

south on KS 296 to its junction with 247 

Street West, then south on 247 Street 

West to its junction with U.S. 54, then 

west on U.S. 54 to its junction with 263 

Street West, then south on 263 Street 

West to its junction with KS 49, then 

south on KS 49 to its junction with 90 

Avenue North, then east on 90 Avenue 

North to its junction with KS 55, then 

east on KS 55 to its junction with KS 15, 

then east on KS 15 to its junction with 

U.S. 77, then north on U.S. 77 to its 

junction with Ohio Street, then north on 

Ohio to its junction with KS 254, then 

east on KS 254 to its junction with KS 

196, then northwest on KS 196 to its 

junction with I–135, then north on I–

135 to its junction with U.S. 50. 

Nebraska 

September Canada Goose Unit—That 

part of Nebraska bounded by a line from 

the Nebraska-Iowa State line west on 

U.S. Highway 30 to U.S. Highway 81, 

then south on U.S. Highway 81 to NE 

Highway 64, then east on NE Highway 

64 to NE Highway 15, then south on NE 

Highway 15 to NE Highway 41, then 

east on NE Highway 41 to NE Highway 

50, then north on NE Highway 50 to NE 

Highway 2, then east on NE Highway 2 

to the Nebraska-Iowa State line. 

South Dakota 

September Canada Goose Unit A—

Brown, Campbell, Edmunds, Faulk, 

McPherson, Spink, and Walworth 

Counties. 

September Canada Goose Unit B—

Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, Grant, 

Hamlin, Marshall, and Roberts Counties. 

September Canada Goose Unit C—

Beadle, Brookings, Hanson, Kingsbury, 

Lake, Lincoln, McCook, Miner, 

Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, and 

Turner Counties. 

September Canada Goose Unit D—

Union County. 

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 

Area 1—Skagit, Island, and 

Snohomish Counties. 

Area 2A (SW Quota Zone)—Clark 

County, except portions south of the 

Washougal River; Cowlitz, and 

Wahkiakum Counties. 

Area 2B (SW Quota Zone)—Pacific 

and Grays Harbor Counties. 

Area 3—All areas west of the Pacific 

Crest Trail and west of the Big White 

Salmon River that are not included in 

Areas 1, 2A, and 2B. 

Area 4—Adams, Benton, Chelan, 

Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, 

Lincoln, Okanogan, Spokane, and Walla 

Walla Counties. 

Area 5—All areas east of the Pacific 

Crest Trail and east of the Big White 

Salmon River that are not included in 

Area 4. 

Ducks 

Atlantic Flyway 

New York 

Lake Champlain Zone: The U.S. 

portion of Lake Champlain and that area 

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. 

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. 

Mississippi Flyway 

Indiana 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of a line extending east from the 

Illinois border along State Road 18 to 

U.S. Highway 31, north along U.S. 31 to 

U.S. 24, east along U.S. 24 to 

Huntington, then southeast along U.S. 

224 to the Ohio border. 

Ohio River Zone: That portion of the 

State south of a line extending east from 

the Illinois border along Interstate 

Highway 64 to New Albany, east along 

State Road 62 to State 56, east along 

State 56 to Vevay, east and north on 

State 156 along the Ohio River to North 

Landing, north along State 56 to U.S. 

Highway 50, then northeast along U.S. 

50 to the Ohio border. 

South Zone: That portion of the State 

between the North and Ohio River Zone 

boundaries. 

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. 

51534 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

Central Flyway 

Colorado 

Special Teal Season Area: Lake and 

Chaffee Counties and that portion of the 

State east of Interstate Highway 25. 

Kansas 

High Plains Zone: That portion of the 

State west of U.S. 283. 

Low Plains Early Zone: That area of 

Kansas east of U.S. 283, and generally 

west of a line beginning at the Junction 

of the Nebraska State line and KS 28; 

south on KS 28 to U.S. 36; east on U.S. 

36 to KS 199; south on KS 199 to 

Republic Co. Road 563; south on 

Republic Co. Road 563 to KS 148; east 

on KS 148 to Republic Co. Road 138; 

south on Republic Co. Road 138 to 

Cloud Co. Road 765; south on Cloud Co. 

Road 765 to KS 9; west on KS 9 to U.S. 

24; west on U.S. 24 to U.S. 281; north 

on U.S. 281 to U.S. 36; west on U.S. 36 

to U.S. 183; south on U.S. 183 to U.S. 

24; west on U.S. 24 to KS 18; southeast 

on KS 18 to U.S. 183; south on U.S. 183 

to KS 4; east on KS 4 to I–135; south on 

I–135 to KS 61; southwest on KS 61 to 

KS 96; northwest on KS 96 to U.S. 56; 

west on U.S. 56 to U.S. 281; south on 

U.S. 281 to U.S. 54; west on U.S. 54 to 

U.S. 183; north on U.S. 183 to U.S. 56; 

and southwest on U.S. 56 to U.S. 283. 

Low Plains Late Zone: The remainder 

of Kansas. 

Nebraska 

Special Teal Season Area: That 

portion of the State south of a line 

beginning at the Wyoming State line; 

east along U.S. 26 to Nebraska Highway 

L62A east to U.S. 385; south to U.S. 26; 

east to NE 92; east along NE 92 to NE 

61; south along NE 61 to U.S. 30; east 

along U.S. 30 to the Iowa border. 

New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion) 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of I–40 and U.S. 54. 

South Zone: The remainder of New 

Mexico. 

Pacific Flyway 

California 

Northeastern Zone: In that portion of 

California lying east and north of a line 

beginning at the intersection of the 

Klamath River with the CaliforniaOregon line; south and west along the 

Klamath River to the mouth of Shovel 

Creek; along Shovel Creek to its 

intersection with Forest Service Road 

46N05 at Burnt Camp; west to its 

junction with Forest Service Road 

46N10; south and east to its Junction 

with County Road 7K007; south and 

west to its junction with Forest Service 

Road 45N22; south and west to its 

junction with Highway 97 and Grass 

Lake Summit; south along to its junction 

with Interstate 5 at the town of Weed; 

south to its junction with Highway 89; 

east and south along Highway 89 to 

Main Street Greenville; north and east to 

its junction with North Valley Road; 

south to its junction of Diamond 

Mountain Road; north and east to its 

junction with North Arm Road; south 

and west to the junction of North Valley 

Road; south to the junction with 

Arlington Road (A22); west to the 

junction of Highway 89; south and west 

to the junction of Highway 70; east on 

Highway 70 to Highway 395; south and 

east on Highway 395 to the point of 

intersection with the California-Nevada 

State line; north along the CaliforniaNevada State line to the junction of the 

California-Nevada-Oregon State lines 

west along the California-Oregon State 

line to the point of origin. 

Colorado River Zone: Those portions 

of San Bernardino, Riverside, and 

Imperial Counties east of a line 

extending from the Nevada border south 

along U.S. 95 to Vidal Junction; south 

on a road known as ‘‘Aqueduct Road’’

in San Bernardino County through the 

town of Rice to the San BernardinoRiverside County line; south on a road 

known in Riverside County as the 

‘‘Desert Center to Rice Road’’ to the 

town of Desert Center; east 31 miles on 

I–10 to the Wiley Well Road; south on 

this road to Wiley Well; southeast along 

the Army-Milpitas Road to the Blythe, 

Brawley, Davis Lake intersections; south 

on the Blythe-Brawley paved road to the 

Ogilby and Tumco Mine Road; south on 

this road to U.S. 80; east 7 miles on U.S. 

80 to the Andrade-Algodones Road; 

south on this paved road to the Mexican 

border at Algodones, Mexico. 

Southern Zone: That portion of 

southern California (but excluding the 

Colorado River Zone) south and east of 

a line extending from the Pacific Ocean 

east along the Santa Maria River to CA 

166 near the City of Santa Maria; east on 

CA 166 to CA 99; south on CA 99 to the 

crest of the Tehachapi Mountains at 

Tejon Pass; east and north along the 

crest of the Tehachapi Mountains to CA 

178 at Walker Pass; east on CA 178 to 

U.S. 395 at the town of Inyokern; south 

on U.S. 395 to CA 58; east on CA 58 to 

I–15; east on I–15 to CA 127; north on 

CA 127 to the Nevada border. 

Southern San Joaquin Valley 

Temporary Zone: All of Kings and 

Tulare Counties and that portion of 

Kern County north of the Southern 

Zone. 

Balance-of-the-State Zone: The 

remainder of California not included in 

the Northeastern, Southern, and 

Colorado River Zones, and the Southern 

San Joaquin Valley Temporary Zone. 

Canada Geese 

Michigan 

MVP—Upper Peninsula Zone: The 

MVP—Upper Peninsula Zone consists 

of the entire Upper Peninsula of 

Michigan. 

MVP—Lower Peninsula Zone: The 

MVP—Lower Peninsula Zone consists 

of the area within the Lower Peninsula 

of Michigan that is north and west of the 

point beginning at the southwest corner 

of Branch county, north continuing 

along the western border of Branch and 

Calhoun counties to the northwest 

corner of Calhoun county, then east to 

the southwest corner of Eaton county, 

then north to the southern border of 

Ionia county, then east to the southwest 

corner of Clinton county, then north 

along the western border of Clinton 

County continuing north along the 

county border of Gratiot and Montcalm 

counties to the southern border of 

Isabella county, then east to the 

southwest corner of Midland county, 

then north along the west Midland 

county border to Highway M–20, then 

easterly to U.S. Highway 10, then 

easterly to U.S. Interstate 75/U.S. 

Highway 23, then northerly along I–75/ 

U.S. 23 and easterly on U.S. 23 to the 

centerline of the Au Gres River, then 

southerly along the centerline of the Au 

Gres River to Saginaw Bay, then on a 

line directly east 10 miles into Saginaw 

Bay, and from that point on a line 

directly northeast to the Canadian 

border. 

SJBP Zone is the rest of the State, that 

area south and east of the boundary 

described above. 

Sandhill Cranes 

Central Flyway 

Colorado 

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 

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. 

Montana 

The Central Flyway portion of the 

State except for that area south and west 

of Interstate 90, which is closed to 

sandhill crane hunting. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 167 / Tuesday, August 30, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 51535 

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. 

Estancia Valley Area—Those portions 

of Santa Fe, Torrance and Bernallilo 

Counties within an area bounded on the 

west by New Mexico Highway 55 

beginning at Mountainair north to NM 

337, north to NM 14, north to I–25; on 

the north by I–25 east to U.S. 285; on 

the east by U.S. 285 south to U.S. 60; 

and on the south by U.S. 60 from U.S. 

285 west to NM 55 in Mountainair. 

Southwest Zone—Sierra, Luna, Dona 

Ana Counties, and those portions of 

Grant and Hidalgo Counties south of I–

10. 

North Dakota 

Area 1—That portion of the State west 

of U.S. 281. 

Area 2—That portion of the State east 

of U.S. 281. 

Oklahoma 

That portion of the State west of I–35. 

South Dakota 

That portion of the State west of U.S. 

281. 

Texas 

Area 1—That portion of the State west 

of a line beginning at the International 

Bridge at Laredo, north along I–35 to the 

Oklahoma border. 

Area 2—That portion of the State east 

and south of a line from the 

International Bridge at Laredo northerly 

along I–35 to U.S. 290; southeasterly 

along U.S. 290 to I–45; south and east 

on I–45 to State Highway 87, south and 

east on TX 87 to the channel in the Gulf 

of Mexico between Galveston and Point 

Bolivar; EXCEPT: That portion of the 

State lying within the area bounded by 

the Corpus Christi Bay Causeway on 

U.S. 181 at Portland; north and west on 

U.S. 181 to U.S. 77 at Sinton; north and 

east along U.S. 77 to U.S. 87 at Victoria; 

east and south along U.S. 87 to Texas 

Highway 35; north and east on TX 35 to 

the west end of the Lavaca Bay Bridge; 

then south and east along the west 

shoreline of Lavaca Bay and Matagorda 

Island to the Gulf of Mexico; then south 

and west along the shoreline of the Gulf 

of Mexico to the Corpus Christi Bay 

Causeway. 

Wyoming 

Regular-Season Open Area—

Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen, 

Laramie, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston 

Counties. 

Riverton-Boysen Unit—Portions of 

Fremont County. 

Park and Big Horn County Unit—

Portions of Park and Big Horn 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, Cache, 

and Unitah Counties and that portion of 

Box Elder County beginning on the 

Utah-Idaho State line at the Box ElderCache County line; west on the State 

line to the Pocatello Valley County 

Road; south on the Pocatello Valley 

County Road to I–15; southeast on I–15 

to SR–83; south on SR–83 to Lamp 

Junction; west and south on the 

Promontory Point County Road to the 

tip of Promontory Point; south from 

Promontory Point to the Box ElderWeber County line; east on the Box 

Elder-Weber County line to the Box 

Elder-Cache County line; north on the 

Box Elder-Cache County line to the 

Utah-Idaho State line. 

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-Eden 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. 

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 Game Birds in the Virgin 

Islands 

Ruth Cay Closure Area—The island of 

Ruth Cay, just south of St. Croix. 

All Migratory Game 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 1 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, 

Cayey, 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 the beginning. 

[FR Doc. 05–17234 Filed 8–29–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P