55666 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 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 Late-Season Migratory 

Bird Hunting Regulations 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service 

(Service or we) prescribes final lateseason frameworks from which States 

may select season dates, limits, and 

other options for the 2005–06 migratory 

bird hunting seasons. These late seasons 

include most waterfowl seasons, the 

earliest of which commences on 

September 24, 2005. The effect of this 

final rule is to facilitate the States’ 

selection of hunting seasons and to 

further the annual establishment of the 

late-season migratory bird hunting 

regulations. 

DATES: This rule takes effect on 

September 22, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: States should send their 

season selections to: Chief, Division of 

Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, Department of the 

Interior, ms MBSP–4107–ARLSQ, 1849 

C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. 

You may inspect comments during 

normal business hours at our 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. 

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. 

On August 1, 2005, we published in 

the Federal Register (70 FR 44200) a 

document dealing with the proposed 

frameworks for early-season regulations. 

In the August 30, 2004, Federal Register 

(70 FR 51522), we published final 

frameworks for early migratory bird 

hunting seasons from which wildlife 

conservation agency officials from the 

States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 

Islands selected 2005–06 early-season 

hunting dates, hours, areas, and limits. 

On August 31, 2005, we published a 

final rule in the Federal Register (70 FR 

51946) amending subpart K of title 50 

CFR part 20 to set hunting seasons, 

hours, areas, and limits for early 

seasons. 

On July 27–28, 2005, we held open 

meetings with the Flyway Council 

Consultants, at which the participants 

reviewed the status of waterfowl and 

developed recommendations for the 

2005–06 regulations for these species. 

On August 22, 2005, we published in 

the Federal Register (70 FR 49068) the 

proposed frameworks for the 2005–06 

late-season migratory bird hunting 

regulations. This document establishes 

final frameworks for late-season 

migratory bird hunting regulations for 

the 2005–06 season. We will publish 

State selections in the Federal Register 

as amendments to §§ 20.101 through 

20.107, and 20.109 of title 50 CFR part 

20. 

Population Status and Harvest 

A brief summary of information on 

the status and harvest of waterfowl 

excerpted from various reports was 

included in the August 22 supplemental 

proposed rule. For more detailed 

information on methodologies and 

results, complete copies of the various 

reports are available at the address 

indicated under ADDRESSES or from our 

Web site at http:// 

migratorybirds.fws.gov. 

Review of Public Comments and 

Flyway Council Recommendations 

The preliminary proposed 

rulemaking, which appeared in the 

April 6, 2005, Federal Register, opened 

the public comment period for 

migratory game bird hunting 

regulations. The supplemental proposed 

rule, which appeared in the June 24, 

2005, Federal Register, discussed the 

regulatory alternatives for the 2005–06 

duck hunting season. Late-season 

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 

late-season issues for which we received 

written comments. Consequently, the 

issues do not follow in direct numerical 

or alphabetical order. 

We received recommendations from 

all four Flyway Councils. Some 

recommendations supported 

continuation of last year’s frameworks. 

Due to the comprehensive nature of the 

annual review of the frameworks 

performed by the Councils, support for 

continuation of last year’s frameworks is 

assumed for items for which no 

recommendations were received. 

Council recommendations for changes 

in the frameworks are summarized 

below. 

General 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

increasing the waterfowl possession 

limit to four times the daily bag limit, 

except where currently more liberal. 

Service Response: We do not support 

the recommendation to increase 

possession limits. The possession limit 

regulation [50 CFR 20.33] is sometimes 

the only tool law enforcement personnel 

have to combat over-bag violations, due 

to the remoteness of some hunting 

locations and the difficulties officers/ 

agents encounter while conducting 

surveillance of hunter compliance. 

Further, we believe the deterrence to 

violate would be substantially reduced 

by increasing the traditional possession 

limits. 

1. Ducks 

Categories used to discuss issues 

related to duck harvest management are: 

(A) Harvest Strategy Considerations, (B) 

Regulatory Alternatives, (C) Zones and 

Split Seasons, and (D) Special Seasons/ 

Species Management. The categories 

correspond to previously published 

issues/discussion, and only those 

containing substantial recommendations 

are discussed below. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55667 

A. Harvest Strategy Considerations 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic, Central, and Pacific Flyway 

Councils and the Upper- and LowerRegulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council 

recommended the adoption of the 

‘‘liberal’’ regulatory alternative, with the 

exception of some specific bag limits 

described below in section 1.D. Special 

Seasons/Species Management. More 

specifically, recommendations 

concerned sections ii. September Teal/ 

Wood Duck Seasons, iii. Black Ducks, 

iv. Canvasbacks, v. Pintails, and vii. 

Scaup. 

Service Response: We are continuing 

development of an Adaptive Harvest 

Management (AHM) protocol that 

would allow hunting regulations to vary 

among Flyways in a manner that 

recognizes each Flyway’s unique 

breeding-ground derivation of mallards. 

For the 2005 season, we believe that the 

prescribed regulatory choice for the 

Mississippi, Central, and Pacific 

Flyways should continue to depend on 

the status of midcontinent mallards and 

that the regulatory choice for the 

Atlantic Flyway should continue to 

depend on the status of eastern 

mallards. Investigations of the dynamics 

of western mallards (and their potential 

effect on regulations in the West) are 

continuing; therefore we are not yet 

prepared to recommend an AHM 

protocol for this mallard stock. 

For the 2005 hunting season, we are 

continuing to consider the same 

regulatory alternatives as those used last 

year. The nature of the restrictive, 

moderate, and liberal alternatives has 

remained essentially unchanged since 

1997, except that extended framework 

dates have been offered in the moderate 

and liberal regulatory alternatives since 

2002. Also, we agreed in 2003 to place 

a constraint on closed seasons in the 

western three Flyways whenever the 

midcontinent mallard breedingpopulation size (traditional survey area 

plus MN, MI, and WI) is ≥5.5 million. 

Optimal AHM strategies for the 2005 

hunting season were calculated using: 

(1) Harvest-management objectives 

specific to each mallard stock; (2) the 

2005 regulatory alternatives; and (3) 

current population models and 

associated weights for midcontinent and 

eastern mallards. Based on this year’s 

survey results of 7.54 million 

midcontinent mallards (traditional 

surveys area plus MN, WI, and MI), 3.9 

million ponds in Prairie Canada, and 

1.05 million eastern mallards, the 

prescribed regulatory choice for all four 

Flyways is the liberal alternative. 

Therefore, we concur with the 

recommendations of the Atlantic, 

Mississippi, Central, and Pacific 

Flyways regarding selection of the 

‘‘liberal’’ regulatory alternative and 

adopt the ‘‘liberal’’ regulatory 

alternative, as described in the June 24 

Federal Register. 

C. Zones and Split Seasons 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that the Service allow three zones, with 

two-way splits in each zone, as an 

additional option for duck season 

configurations in 2006–2010. Guidelines 

for zone-split configurations should be 

finalized by September 2005 so States 

have adequate opportunity to consider 

possible changes for 2006. 

The Upper-Region Regulations 

Committee of the Mississippi Flyway 

Council recommended that the Service 

allow three zones, with two-way splits 

in each zone, and four zones with no 

splits, as additional options for duck 

season configurations in 2006–2010. In 

addition, the Committee recommended 

that States with existing grandfathered 

status be allowed to retain that status. 

The Central Flyway Council 

recommended allowing three zones, 

with three-segment splits in each zone, 

and four zones with no splits, as 

additional options for in 2006–2010. 

Written Comments: The Wisconsin 

Department of Natural Resources, the 

Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, the 

Missouri Department of Conservation, 

and the Illinois Department of Natural 

Resources expressed support for the 

Upper-Region Regulations Committee of 

the Mississippi Flyway Council’s 

recommendation that the Service allow 

three zones, with two-way splits in each 

zone, and four zones with no splits, as 

additional options for duck season 

configurations in 2006–2010. In 

addition, Missouri questioned allowing 

some States the ability to ‘‘grandfather’’

zone and split season arrangements and 

requested that we establish criteria that 

are consistently applied to all States. 

The Colorado Wildlife Commission 

recommended allowing three zones, 

with three-segment splits in each zone 

as an additional option for duck season 

configurations in 2006–2010. The 

Colorado Division of Wildlife 

recommended allowing three zones, 

with two-segment splits in each zone as 

an additional option for duck season 

configurations in 2006–2010. 

Congressman Ron Kind, the 

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, the 

LaCrosse County Conservation Alliance, 

and the Wisconsin Waterfowl 

Association supported the Wisconsin 

Department of Natural Resources’

request that the Service allow three 

zones, with two-way splits in each zone, 

and four zones with no splits, as 

additional options for duck season 

configurations in 2006–2010. 

An individual from Ohio proposed 

the addition of a third zone in Ohio, 

while an individual from Wisconsin 

requested that we allow three zones, 

with two-way splits in each zone. 

Service Response: In 1990, because of 

concerns about the proliferation of 

zones and split seasons for duck 

hunting, a cooperative review and 

evaluation of the historical use of zone/ 

split options was conducted. This 

review did not show that the 

proliferation of these options had 

increased harvest pressure; however, the 

ability to detect the impact of zone/split 

configurations was poor because of 

unreliable response variables, the lack 

of statistical tests to differentiate 

between real and perceived changes, 

and the absence of adequate 

experimental controls. Consequently, 

guidelines were established to provide a 

framework for controlling the 

proliferation of changes in zone/split 

options. The guidelines identified a 

limited number of zone/split 

configurations that could be used for 

duck hunting and restricted the 

frequency of changes in these 

configurations to 5-year intervals. In 

1996, the guidelines were revised to 

provide States greater flexibility in 

using their zone/split arrangements. 

Open seasons for changes occurred in 

1991, 1996, and 2001. The fourth open 

season will occur next year when zone/ 

split configurations will be established 

for the 2006–2010 period. 

In response to recommendations from 

the Flyway Councils, we considered 

changes to the current zone/split 

guidelines. We believe that the current 

guidelines continue to achieve their 

intended objectives while allowing 

States sufficient flexibility to address 

differences in physiography, climate, 

and other factors and that the guidelines 

need not be changed. Thus, the 

following guidelines will be used to 

guide zone/split selection for next year’s 

and future open seasons: 

Guidelines for Duck Zones and Split 

Seasons 

The following zone/split-season 

guidelines apply only for the regular 

duck season: 

a. A zone is a geographic area or 

portion of a State, with a contiguous 

boundary, for which independent dates 

may be selected for the regular duck 

season. 

b. Consideration of changes for 

management-unit boundaries is not 

subject to the guidelines and provisions 

55668 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

governing the use of zones and split 

seasons for ducks. 

c. Only minor (less than a county in 

size) boundary changes will be allowed 

for any grandfather arrangement, and 

changes are limited to the open season. 

d. Once a zone/split option is selected 

during an open season, it must remain 

in place for the following 5 years. 

Any State may continue the 

configuration used in the previous 5- 

year period. If changes are made, the 

zone/split-season configuration must 

conform to one of the following options: 

1. Three zones with no splits, 

2. Split seasons (no more than 3 

segments) with no zones, or 

3. Two zones with the option for 2- 

way (2-segment) split seasons in one or 

both zones. 

Grandfathered Zone/Split Arrangements 

When the zone/split guidelines were 

first implemented in 1991, several 

States had completed experiments with 

zone/split arrangements different from 

Options 1–3 above. Those States were 

offered a one-time opportunity to 

continue those arrangements, with the 

stipulation that only minor changes 

could be made to zone boundaries; and 

if they ever wished to change their 

zone/split arrangement, the new 

arrangement would have to conform to 

one of the 3 options identified above. If 

a grandfathered State changes its zoning 

arrangement, it cannot go back to the 

grandfathered arrangement it previously 

had in place. We request that by April 

15, 2006, States notify us whether or not 

they plan to change their zone/split 

configurations for the next 5-year period 

(2006–2010). Those States wishing to 

change their configuration should 

submit a proposal for the change by this 

date. 

D. Special Seasons/Species Management 

ii. September Teal/Wood Duck Seasons 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

increasing the wood duck bag limit in 

the Atlantic Flyway to three birds 

during October 1 to the first Sunday in 

November for a 3-year experimental 

period (2005/06–2007/08). 

Written Comments: The New York 

Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine 

Resources (NYDFW) expressed concern 

that we did not support the Atlantic 

Flyway’s proposal to increase the wood 

duck bag limit. They cited Breeding 

Bird Survey data showing a significant 

increase in wood duck numbers over the 

past 20 years and one of the most 

abundant breeding duck species in the 

Flyway. Further, they believed this 

change in bag limits would not 

jeopardize any wood duck populations 

and would allow for an informed 

assessment during a 3-year experimental 

period. 

Service Response: We do not support 

the Atlantic Flyway Council’s proposal 

to increase the bag limit for wood ducks. 

We note that breeding bird survey 

estimates for the past 10 years exhibit 

no significant trend, suggesting the 

population may be stable and using 

population data over the past 20 years 

does not accurately reflect recent trends 

during which season lengths have 

increased significantly. In addition, 

preliminary harvest-rate estimates from 

the cooperative band-reporting-rate 

study suggest that current wood duck 

harvest rates are higher than previously 

thought. We believe that a full 

assessment of this information is needed 

to determine whether or not wood 

ducks can sustain additional harvest 

pressure. We will continue our 

cooperative assessments of available 

wood duck population data with both 

the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways, 

and expect a full assessment to take 

several years. 

iii. Black Ducks 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that we give conceptual approval to 

allow the States of Maine, New 

Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, 

Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, 

and New Jersey an option to return to 

a two-black-duck daily bag limit in any 

or all waterfowl management zones for 

possible implementation in 2006. The 

season length for black ducks would be 

reduced for the number of days 

appropriate to ensure no increase in 

black duck harvest or harvest rate. This 

approach would require the 

development of a 3-year experimental 

design covering a block of States large 

enough to support appropriate 

evaluation. 

Written Comments: The Atlantic 

Flyway Council was disappointed that 

we rejected their recommendation to 

explore a two bird bag-limit option in 

exchange for a reduction in season 

length within a portion of the Flyway. 

They cited our lack of flexibility and 

resiliency to work collaboratively with 

the Flyway Councils on new or 

emerging constructs for sub-regional 

duck harvest management. 

The NYDFW was also concerned that 

we did not support the Flyway’s 

proposal. They cited population survey 

data in much of eastern Canada showing 

that black ducks have been stable or 

increasing over the past 15 years and 

that the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) 

data for the Atlantic Flyway shows a 

significant positive trend for the past 10 

years. They urged us to work 

collaboratively with the States to make 

responsible changes in black duck 

regulations in 2006 and to be receptive 

to the possibility of differential 

regulations within the flyway as a more 

effective way to achieve flyway 

management objectives. 

Service Response: During this past 

year, we have continued dialogue with 

the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway 

Councils regarding assessments of the 

harvest potential of black ducks. We are 

particularly concerned about evidence 

of a long-term decline in the 

productivity of black ducks, which 

implies declining harvest potential. 

Harvest rates of black ducks have 

increased concurrently with 

implementation of AHM and the return 

to longer seasons. Current harvest rates 

are now at or near maximum sustainable 

harvest levels. If the decline in 

productivity continues and harvest rates 

are not reduced, harvest and population 

size can be expected to decline as well. 

In light of these concerns resulting from 

the assessment work conducted to date, 

we do not support the Atlantic Flyway 

Council’s proposal. Further, breeding 

surveys in eastern Canada are currently 

being expanded to reflect range-wide 

changes in breeding numbers and can be 

used to more reliably monitor 

population trends in the future. The 

Atlantic Flyway Breeding Plot Survey 

shows a significant decline in breeding 

pairs over the history of the survey 

(1993–2005) and do not support the BBS 

data which is less targeted toward 

waterfowl. 

In addition to the biological concerns 

expressed above, we have a more basic 

conceptual concern with this proposal. 

In general, we do not support dividing 

Flyways into regions with differential 

species regulations and/or regulatory 

options. This policy is predicated on the 

fact that our monitoring and assessment 

capacity is primarily designed to 

monitor harvest and population status at 

the Flyway scale. In many cases, our 

monitoring programs do not have the 

necessary precision to evaluate the 

management of duck stocks at smaller 

spatial scales. Also, our recent 

assessments using the latest banding 

data shows considerable overlap in 

harvest derivations and high harvest 

rates of regional breeding stocks to the 

northern and southern portions of the 

Atlantic Flyway. Therefore, these data 

do not lend support for regional subdivisions. Although additional effort 

can be directed at refining these 

estimates, we believe the costs of the 

additional information far outweighs 

any potential benefits to resource 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55669 

conservation, harvest opportunity, or 

hunter satisfaction. We will continue to 

work collaboratively with Flyway 

Councils to develop the assessment 

tools needed to inform harvest 

management decisions. 

iv. Canvasbacks 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic, Central, and Pacific Flyway 

Councils and the Upper- and LowerRegulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council 

recommended that the Service allow a 

‘‘restrictive’’ canvasback season 

consisting of a 1-bird daily bag limit and 

a 30-day season in the Atlantic and 

Mississippi Flyways, 39-day season in 

the Central Flyway, and 60-day season 

in the Pacific Flyway. 

Service Response: Based on regulatory 

actions in recent years and 

recommendations from the Flyway 

Councils, the canvasback harvest 

strategy was modified in 2004 to allow 

partial seasons within the regular duck 

season. The modification allows a 

canvasback season length equal to that 

of the ‘‘restrictive’’ AHM regulatory 

alternative if a full season is not 

supported, but the reduced harvest from 

the restricted season predicts a spring 

abundance the following year equal to 

or greater than the objective of 500,000 

birds. Otherwise, the season on 

canvasbacks would be closed. Further, 

Alaska would have a 1-bird daily bag 

limit for the entire regular duck season 

in all years unless we determine that it 

is in the best interest of the canvasback 

resource to close the season in Alaska as 

well as the lower 48 States. 

This year’s spring survey resulted in 

an estimate of 520,574 canvasbacks. The 

estimate of ponds in Prairie Canada was 

3.9 million, which was 17% above the 

average. The allowable U.S. harvest 

calculated from these numbers is 84,424 

birds, which is below the predicted U.S. 

harvest of 118,904 associated with the 

‘‘liberal’’ duck season alternative. Thus, 

for 2005–06, a canvasback season the 

entire length of the regular season is not 

supported. However, the ‘‘restrictive’’

season length within the regular duck 

season is expected to result in a harvest 

of about 61,758 canvasbacks and a 

spring 2006 population of about 

531,000, and is supported. Thus, we 

will establish a season length at the 

level of the ‘‘restrictive’’ AHM 

alternative (i.e., 30 days in the Atlantic 

and Mississippi Flyways, 39 days in the 

Central Flyway, and 60 days in the 

Pacific Flyway) for this year. Seasons 

may be split according to applicable 

zones/split duck hunting configurations 

approved for each State. 

v. Pintails 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic, Central, and Pacific Flyway 

Councils and the Upper- and LowerRegulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council 

recommended a full season for pintails 

consisting of a 1-bird daily bag limit and 

a 60-day season in the Atlantic and 

Mississippi Flyways, a 74-day season in 

the Central Flyway, and a 107-day 

season in the Pacific Flyway. 

Service Response: We earlier 

endorsed the continued use of the 

pintail harvest strategy without 

alteration from the provision adopted in 

2004. With an observed spring breeding 

population of 2,561,000 and a projected 

fall flight of 3,215,000 pintails, the 

harvest strategy prescribes a full season 

and a 1-bird daily bag limit in all 

Flyways. Under the ‘‘liberal’’ season 

length, this regulation is expected to 

result in a harvest of 603,000 pintails 

with 2,288,000 birds in next year’s 

breeding population. Thus, we concur 

with the Atlantic, Mississippi, and 

Pacific Flyway Council 

recommendations for the selection of a 

full season for pintails. 

Furthermore, we agree with the 

Central Flyway’s recommendation to 

adopt a 39-day ‘‘season within a season’’

for pintails. We understand that this 

departure from the pintail strategy is a 

necessary step for the Flyway to 

complete a 3-year evaluation of the 

‘‘season within a season’’ structure for 

pintails and canvasbacks. This baseline 

information will allow a comparison to 

a proposed strategy to implement an 

experimental ‘‘Hunter’s Choice’’ season 

in the future. 

vi. Scaup 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway recommended States be 

given the option of choosing a scaup 

season of 60 days with a one-bird daily 

bag limit, or a restrictive 30-day 

(consecutive) season with a three-bird 

daily bag limit. 

Written Comments: Delta Waterfowl 

Foundation urged delay of the Service’s 

proposed daily bag limit reduction in 

order to achieve a better science-based 

foundation for management decisions 

on scaup populations, an assessment of 

potential scaup management options on 

waterfowl hunter clients and the future 

of waterfowl hunting, and a more 

collaborative process for management 

decisions pertaining to scaup 

populations. 

Service Response: In 1998, we first 

publicly stated our concern about the 

declining trend in the scaup population, 

and stated that substantial reductions in 

harvest opportunity might soon be 

necessary. We also stated our intent to 

work with the Flyway Councils to 

cooperatively develop regulatory 

guidelines for scaup. 

In 1999, we reiterated our concerns, 

heightened by an increasing trend in 

harvest. We also completed an in-depth 

review of the status of lesser and greater 

scaup in North America and provided 

that report to the Flyway Councils for 

their review and consideration. 

Following that report, we drafted a 

preliminary strategy to help guide the 

development of hunting regulations for 

scaup and asked the Flyway Councils to 

provide feedback. No consensus was 

reached among the Flyway Councils on 

a strategy for regulating scaup harvest. 

In light of this continuing decline, we 

reduced the daily bag limit by three 

birds in all Flyways in an effort to 

reduce harvest until such time as a more 

comprehensive strategy can be 

developed. 

During 2000–2003, we continued to 

state our concern about the decline of 

the continental scaup population and 

that little progress was being made 

toward an acceptable harvest strategy. 

The lack of progress was in part due to 

other priorities that dominated the 

agendas of both the Service and the 

Flyway Councils, but probably also in 

part due to the widespread belief that 

harvest had played little, if any, role in 

the population decline. In 2004, we 

issued an in-depth report concerning 

the population dynamics of scaup. The 

report suggested that scaup harvests had 

not declined with the bag-limit 

restrictions imposed in 1999, that the 

breeding population was continuing to 

decline, and that harvest rates had 

increased dramatically. We decided to 

take no regulatory action in 2004 in 

order to provide the Flyway Councils 

adequate time to review these findings. 

A second assessment report provided 

to the Flyway Councils this summer 

strengthened our confidence in these 

conclusions. Although harvest has not 

been demonstrated to be a causal factor 

in the population decline, harvests now 

appear to be at or near maximum 

sustainable levels. Perhaps more 

importantly, there is increasing 

evidence that the long-term decline of 

the scaup population has been 

accompanied by declines in the 

sustainable levels of harvest. Based on 

assessments of available data to date, we 

believe that additional regulatory 

restrictions on scaup at this time are 

warranted. We also believe that the 

Flyway Councils and the public have 

had sufficient opportunity to review 

scientific findings and collaborate in all 

aspects of the regulatory process over 

55670 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

the last five years. Therefore, we will: 

(1) Reduce the daily bag limit for scaup 

by 1 bird in each Flyway; (2) continue 

assessment work with a goal of 

developing a framework for making 

more informed regulatory decisions for 

scaup harvest management; and finally; 

and (3) ascertain if this bag-limit 

restriction results in a meaningful 

reduction in harvest rate to a level that 

is more consistent with scaup 

population levels and harvest potential 

than is currently the case. Our most 

recent (February 2004 and July 2005) 

assessment reports on scaup are 

available at http:// 

migratorybirds.fws.gov/mgmt/ahm/ 

special-topics.htm. We continue to 

invite critical technical review of this 

assessment work. 

Lastly, we appreciate the Atlantic 

Flyway Council’s recommendation 

calling for further restrictions on scaup 

harvest. However, we do not support 

their request for an optional bag limit in 

exchange for a shorter season length due 

to our inability to assess the effects on 

harvest. 

3. Mergansers 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that we offer Atlantic Flyway States the 

option of including the merganser bag 

limit within the regular duck bag limit 

(the merganser limit would be the same 

as the regular duck bag limit). States 

would also have the option of selecting 

a separate merganser bag limit. The 

Council further recommended that the 

daily bag limit on hooded mergansers be 

increased from one to two birds. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

recommendation to allow mergansers to 

be included in the duck bag limit in the 

Atlantic Flyway. Regarding hooded 

mergansers, we understand that a 

variety of data sources suggest that 

hooded mergansers may be increasing. 

However, the recommendation from the 

Council to increase the bag limit has 

implications beyond the Atlantic 

Flyway. Therefore, we will defer a 

decision until next year to allow the 

other Flyway Councils to consider the 

ramifications of this recommendation in 

their respective Flyways. 

4. Canada Geese 

B. Regular Seasons 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that Atlantic Population (AP) Canada 

goose hunting regulations include a 45- 

day season, with a daily bag limit of 

three geese in the New England and 

Mid-Atlantic Regions with an opening 

framework date of the fourth Saturday 

in October and a closing date of January 

31. In the Chesapeake Region (except 

Back Bay, VA), season length would be 

45 days, with a daily bag limit of two 

geese. In Back Bay, VA, season length 

would be 15 days at the end of the 

Virginia’s AP season, with a daily bag 

limit of one goose. The framework 

opening date in the Chesapeake Region 

would be November 15 and the closing 

date would be January 31. Remaining 

AP harvest areas (i.e., Northeast Hunt 

Unit in coastal NC) would remain 

closed. The Council also recommended 

modification of the Pymatuning Zone in 

Pennsylvania to include a portion of 

Crawford County. Further, the Council 

recommended that the framework for 

the SJBP Canada goose zone in 

Pennsylvania be 70 hunting days 

between the second Saturday in October 

and February 15 with a daily bag limit 

of no more than two for days used 

before January 15 and a daily bag limit 

of five for days used between January 15 

and February 15. Lastly, the Council 

recommended modifications to Atlantic 

Flyway Resident Population (AFRP) 

regular-season hunting zones in New 

York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and 

North Carolina. 

The Upper- and Lower-Regulations 

Committees of the Mississippi Flyway 

Council recommended a number of 

changes in season length, season dates, 

bag limits, and quotas for Minnesota, 

Iowa, and Missouri in response to 

changes in the status of the Eastern 

Prairie Population (EPP) Canada goose 

population and in Kentucky, Tennessee, 

Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois in 

response to changes in the status of the 

Mississippi Valley Population (MVP) 

Canada goose population. 

The Pacific Flyway Council 

recommended the following changes for 

geese in the Pacific Flyway: (1) Increase 

the daily bag limit for Aleutian and 

cackling geese in California’s Northeast 

zone and Balance of State zone from one 

per day to four per day; (2) remove the 

Canada goose hunting closure in the 

Sacramento Valley of the Balance of 

State Zone in California; (3) decrease the 

cackling goose daily bag limit from four 

per day to two per day in the Oregon 

and Washington special permit goose 

zones; (4) remove the restriction on 

Aleutian geese in the Oregon special 

permit goose zone; and (5) remove the 

goose hunting closure in Coos and Curry 

counties Oregon. 

Written Comments: The NYDFW 

stated that the framework opening date 

for Canada goose hunting in New York’s 

RP Zone should be corrected to the 

fourth Saturday in October. 

Service Response: We concur with all 

of the Atlantic Flyway Council’s 

recommendations and New York’s 

framework correction. However, 

regarding the recommendation to 

establish a limited season in Back Bay, 

Virginia, we are establishing the 

addition of a 15-day season, one bird 

per season, in North Carolina’s 

Northeastern Hunt Unit. Both States 

will be required to conduct a 3-year 

evaluation to determine the origin of the 

harvested birds. We will work with 

Virginia and North Carolina to develop 

an MOU specifying criteria regarding 

sample sizes and methods of 

assessment. These assessments will be 

conducted at the individual State level. 

We also concur with the Mississippi 

Flyway Council’s recommendations. 

Further, we concur with all of the 

recommendations forwarded by the 

Pacific Flyway Council with one 

exception, the request to increase small 

Canada goose bag limits from one to 

four in California. We are aware of the 

concerns regarding increasing 

depredation complaints stemming from 

increasing numbers of Aleutian Canada 

geese in California. We are also 

committed to achieving the population 

objectives for cackling geese and 

support the recommendations from the 

Pacific Flyway Council to achieve the 

targeted harvest reductions. The 

proposal to increase the small Canada 

goose bag limit in the Northeastern and 

Balance-of-State Zones in California 

does address the Aleutian depredation 

problem, but not the requested targeted 

harvest reductions for cackling geese. 

Therefore, since we believe only 

cackling geese occur in the Northeastern 

Zone, we do not support the proposed 

bag limit increase for this zone, as this 

change will not address the Aleutian 

goose depredation issue and will 

increase the harvest of cackling geese. 

However, in recognition of the 

depredation issue, and recognizing the 

very limited cackler harvest expected to 

result from the proposed bag limit 

increase in the Balance-of-State Zone, 

we support the increase in the bag limit 

from one to four small Canada geese in 

this zone. 

5. White-Fronted Geese 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that the Service include white-fronted 

geese as part of Canada goose hunting 

regulation frameworks in the Atlantic 

Flyway to allow the legal take of this 

species. 

The Upper- and Lower-Region 

Regulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council 

recommended that the 2005–06 whitefronted goose regulations be consistent 

with the ‘‘base’’ regulations in the 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55671 

current White-fronted Goose 

Management Plan. This would result in 

regulations options of 72 days and two 

white-fronted geese per day or 86 days 

and one white-fronted goose per day. 

Their recommendation is contingent 

upon the same regulations being 

implemented in the eastern portion of 

the Central Flyway. 

The Central Flyway Council 

recommended a season framework of 72 

days with a daily bag limit of two whitefronted geese, or an alternative season of 

86 days with a bag limit of one, in all 

East-tier States. In the West Tier States, 

the Council recommended a season 

framework of 107 days, except in Texas 

and Colorado where the season would 

be 95 days, with a daily bag limit of five 

white-fronted geese except in the 

Western Goose Zone of Texas where the 

daily bag limit will be one white-fronted 

goose. In both cases, States could split 

the season once. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

recommendations of the Mississippi and 

Central Flyway Councils to return to the 

base regulations package for whitefronted geese this year as described in 

the original management plan. We also 

support the Atlantic Flyway Council’s 

recommendation to include whitefronted geese as part of the Canada 

goose hunting regulation frameworks in 

the Atlantic Flyway. 

6. Brant 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

a 30-day season with a two-bird daily 

bag limit for Atlantic brant in 2005. 

The Pacific Flyway Council 

recommends decreasing the brant 

season length in Washington from 16 

days to 8 days and decreasing the brant 

season in California from 30 days to 15 

days. Both States may create two zones. 

Seasons in Oregon and California must 

end by December 15. 

Written Comments: An individual 

from Massachusetts recommended 

allowing a 50- or 51-day season with a 

one-bird daily bag limit. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

Atlantic and Pacific Flyway Councils’

recommendations. 

7. Snow and Ross’s (Light) Geese 

Council Recommendations: The 

Pacific Flyway Council recommended 

increasing the light goose limit 

throughout the Flyway from three per 

day to four per day. 

Service Response: We concur. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(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 Notice of Availability in the 

Federal Register on June 16, 1988 (53 

FR 22582), and our Record of Decision 

on August 18, 1988 (53 FR 31341). In 

addition, 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 

EIS for the migratory bird hunting 

program. Our notice beginning the 

public scoping process was published in 

the September 8, 2005, Federal Register 

(70 FR 53376). 

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 prepared in 1981. 

This analysis was subsequently revised 

annually from 1990–96, updated in 

1998, and updated again in 2004. It is 

further discussed below 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 

this rule establishes hunting seasons, we 

do not plan to defer the effective date 

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 

55672 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

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. 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. 

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 

The Department, in promulgating this 

rule, has 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, it 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. Thus, this 

rule is not a significant energy action 

and no Statement of Energy Effects is 

required. 

Government-to-Government 

Relationship With Tribes 

In accordance with the President’s 

memorandum of April 29, 1994, 

‘‘Government-to-Government Relations 

with Native American Tribal 

Governments’’ (59 FR 22951), Executive 

Order 13175, and 512 DM 2, we have 

evaluated possible effects on Federally 

recognized Indian tribes and have 

determined that there are no effects. 

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 Indian 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 selections from these 

officials, we will publish in the Federal 

Register a final rulemaking amending 50 

CFR part 20 to reflect seasons, limits, 

and shooting hours for the 

conterminous United States for the 

2005–06 hunting 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. 742a–j. 

Dated: September 14, 2005. 

Craig Manson, 

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and 

Parks. 

Final Regulations Frameworks for 

2005–06 Late Hunting Seasons on 

Certain Migratory Game Birds 

Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty 

Act and delegated authorities, the 

Department has approved the following 

frameworks for season lengths, shooting 

hours, bag and possession limits, and 

outside dates within which States may 

select seasons for hunting waterfowl 

and coots between the dates of 

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, 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55673 

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. 

Management Units 

High Plains Mallard Management 

Unit—roughly defined as that portion of 

the Central Flyway that lies west of the 

100th meridian. 

Definitions: For the purpose of 

hunting regulations listed below, the 

collective terms ‘‘dark’’ and ‘‘light’’

geese include the following species: 

Dark geese: Canada geese, whitefronted geese, brant, and all other goose 

species except light geese. 

Light geese: snow (including blue) 

geese and Ross’ geese. 

Area, Zone, and Unit Descriptions: 

Geographic descriptions related to lateseason regulations are contained in a 

later portion of this document. 

Area-Specific Provisions: Frameworks 

for open seasons, season lengths, bag 

and possession limits, and other special 

provisions are listed below by Flyway. 

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). 

Atlantic Flyway 

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots 

Outside Dates: Between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 24) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

29). 

Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 60 

days, except for the season for 

canvasbacks, which may not exceed 30 

days, and season splits must conform to 

each State’s zone/split configuration for 

duck hunting. The daily bag limit is 6 

ducks, including no more than 4 

mallards (2 hens), 2 scaup, 1 black duck, 

1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 1 mottled duck, 

1 fulvous whistling duck, 2 wood ducks, 

2 redheads, and 4 scoters. A single 

canvasback may also be included in the 

6-bird daily bag limit for designated 

youth-hunt days. 

Closures: The season on harlequin 

ducks is closed. 

Sea Ducks: 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. 

Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit 

of mergansers is 5, only 1 of which may 

be a hooded merganser. In States that 

include mergansers in the duck bag 

limit, the daily limit is the same as the 

duck bag limit, only one of which may 

be a hooded merganser. 

Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 

coots. 

Lake Champlain Zone, New York: The 

waterfowl seasons, limits, and shooting 

hours shall be the same as those 

selected for the Lake Champlain Zone of 

Vermont. 

Connecticut River Zone, Vermont: 

The waterfowl seasons, limits, and 

shooting hours shall be the same as 

those selected for the Inland Zone of 

New Hampshire. 

Zoning and Split Seasons: Delaware, 

Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North 

Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, 

and Virginia may split their seasons into 

three segments; Connecticut, Maine, 

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New 

Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, 

Vermont, and West Virginia may select 

hunting seasons by zones and may split 

their seasons into two segments in each 

zone. 

Canada Geese 

Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and 

Limits: Specific regulations for Canada 

geese are shown below by State. These 

seasons also include white-fronted 

geese. Unless specified otherwise, 

seasons may be split into two segments. 

In areas within States where the 

framework closing date for Atlantic 

Population (AP) goose seasons overlaps 

with special late-season frameworks for 

resident geese, the framework closing 

date for AP goose seasons is January 14. 

Connecticut 

North Atlantic Population (NAP) 

Zone: Between October 1 and January 

31, a 60-day season may be held with 

a 2-bird daily bag limit in the H Unit 

and a 70-day season with a 3-bird daily 

bag in the L Unit. 

Atlantic Population (AP) Zone: A 45- 

day season may be held between the 

fourth Saturday in October (October 22) 

and January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag 

limit. 

South Zone: A special season may be 

held between January 15 and February 

15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 

Delaware 

A 45-day season may be held between 

November 15 and January 31, with a 2- 

bird daily bag limit. 

Florida 

A 70-day season may be held between 

November 15 and February 15, with a 5- 

bird daily bag limit. 

Georgia 

In specific areas, a 70-day season may 

be held between November 15 and 

February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag 

limit. 

Maine 

A 60-day season may be held 

Statewide between October 1 and 

January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

Maryland 

Resident Population (RP) Zone: A 70- 

day season may be held between 

November 15 and February 15, with a 5- 

bird daily bag limit. 

AP Zone: A 45-day season may be 

held between November 15 and January 

31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

Massachusetts 

NAP Zone: A 60-day season may be 

held between October 1 and January 31, 

with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

Additionally, a special season may be 

held from January 15 to February 15, 

with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 

AP Zone: A 45-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 22) and January 31, 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit. 

New Hampshire 

A 60-day season may be held 

statewide between October 1 and 

January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

New Jersey 

Statewide: A 45-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 22) and January 31, 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit. 

Special Late Goose Season Area: An 

experimental season may be held in 

55674 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

designated areas of North and South 

New Jersey from January 15 to February 

15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 

New York 

NAP Zone: Between October 1 and 

January 31, a 60-day season may be 

held, with a 2-bird daily bag limit in the 

High Harvest areas; and a 70-day season 

may be held, with a 3-bird daily bag 

limit in the Low Harvest areas. 

Special Late Goose Season Area: An 

experimental season may be held 

between January 15 and February 15, 

with a 5-bird daily bag limit in 

designated areas of Chemung, Delaware, 

Tioga, Broome, Sullivan, Westchester, 

Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Dutchess, 

Putnam, and Rockland Counties. 

AP Zone: A 45-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 22) and January 31, 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit. 

RP Zone: A 70-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 22) and February 15, 

with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 

North Carolina 

SJBP Zone: A 70-day season may be 

held between October 1 and December 

31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

RP Zone: A 70-day season may be 

held between October 1 and February 

15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 

Northeast Hunt Unit: A 15-day 

experimental season may be held 

concurrent with the season selected for 

the Back Bay Area of Virginia. The 

seasonal bag limit is 1 bird. 

Pennsylvania 

SJBP Zone: A 70-day season may be 

held between the second Saturday in 

October (October 8) and February 15, 

with a 2-bird daily bag limit until 

January 14 and a 5-bird daily bag limit 

between January 15 and February 15. 

Pymatuning Zone: A 35-day season 

may be held between October 1 and 

January 31, with a 1-bird daily bag limit. 

RP Zone: A 70-day season may be 

held between November 15 and 

February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag 

limit. 

AP Zone: A 45-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 22) and January 31, 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit. 

Special Late Goose Season Area: An 

experimental season may be held from 

January 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird 

daily bag limit. 

Rhode Island 

A 60-day season may be held between 

October 1 and January 31, with a 2-bird 

daily bag limit. An experimental season 

may be held in designated areas from 

January 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird 

daily bag limit. 

South Carolina 

In designated areas, a 70-day season 

may be held during November 15 to 

February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag 

limit. 

Vermont 

A 45-day season may be held between 

the fourth Saturday in October (October 

22) and January 31, with a 3-bird daily 

bag limit. 

Virginia 

SJBP Zone: A 40-day season may be 

held between November 15 and January 

14, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

Additionally, an experimental season 

may be held between January 15 and 

February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag 

limit. 

AP Zone: A 45-day season may be 

held between November 15 and January 

31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

RP Zone: A 70-day season may be 

held between November 15 and 

February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag 

limit. 

Back Bay Area: A 15-day 

experimental season may be held during 

the last 15 days of the AP Zone season 

with a 1-bird daily bag limit. 

West Virginia 

A 70-day season may be held between 

October 1 and January 31, with a 3-bird 

daily bag limit. 

Light Geese 

Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and 

Limits: States may select a 107-day 

season between October 1 and March 

10, with a 15-bird daily bag limit and no 

possession limit. States may split their 

seasons into three segments, except in 

Delaware and Maryland, where, 

following the completion of their duck 

season, and until March 10, Delaware 

and Maryland may split the remaining 

portion of the season to allow hunting 

on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and 

Saturdays only. 

Brant 

Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and 

Limits: States may select a 30-day 

season between the Saturday nearest 

September 24 (September 24) and 

January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

States may split their seasons into two 

segments. 

Mississippi Flyway 

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots 

Outside Dates: Between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 24) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

29). 

Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 60 

days, except that the season for 

canvasbacks may not exceed 30 days, 

and season splits must conform to each 

State’s zone/split configuration for duck 

hunting. The daily bag limit is 6 ducks, 

including no more than 4 mallards (no 

more than 2 of which may be females), 

3 mottled ducks, 2 scaup, 1 black duck, 

1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood ducks, 

and 2 redheads. A single canvasback 

may also be included in the 6-bird daily 

bag limit for designated youth-hunt 

days. 

Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit 

is 5, only 1 of which may be a hooded 

merganser. In States that include 

mergansers in the duck bag limit, the 

daily limit is the same as the duck bag 

limit, only one of which may be a 

hooded merganser. 

Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 

coots. 

Zoning and Split Seasons: Alabama, 

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, 

Tennessee, and Wisconsin may select 

hunting seasons by zones. 

In Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, 

and Wisconsin, the season may be split 

into two segments in each zone. 

In Arkansas, Minnesota, and 

Mississippi, the season may be split into 

three segments. 

Geese 

Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may 

be split into three segments. Three-way 

split seasons for Canada geese require 

Mississippi Flyway Council and U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service approval and 

a 3-year evaluation by each participating 

State. 

Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and 

Limits: States may select seasons for 

light geese not to exceed 107 days, with 

20 geese daily between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 24) 

and March 10; for white-fronted geese 

not to exceed 72 days, with 2 geese 

daily or 86 days with 1 goose daily 

between the Saturday nearest September 

24 (September 24) and the Sunday 

nearest February 15 (February 12); and 

for brant not to exceed 70 days, with 2 

brant daily or 107 days with 1 brant 

daily between the Saturday nearest 

September 24 (September 24) and 

January 31. There is no possession limit 

for light geese. Specific regulations for 

Canada geese and exceptions to the 

above general provisions are shown 

below by State. Except as noted below, 

the outside dates for Canada geese are 

the Saturday nearest September 24 

(September 24) and January 31. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55675 

Alabama 

In the SJBP Goose Zone, the season 

for Canada geese may not exceed 50 

days. Elsewhere, the season for Canada 

geese may extend for 70 days in the 

respective duck-hunting zones. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

Arkansas 

In the Northwest Zone, the season for 

Canada geese may extend for 33 days, 

provided that one segment of at least 9 

days occurs prior to October 15. In the 

remainder of the State, the season may 

not exceed 23 days. The season may 

extend to February 15, and may be split 

into 2 segments. The daily bag limit is 

2 Canada geese. 

Illinois 

The total harvest of Canada geese in 

the State will be limited to 80,600 birds. 

The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

The possession limit is 10 Canada geese. 

(a) North Zone—The season for 

Canada geese will close after 86 days or 

when 16,000 birds have been harvested 

in the Northern Illinois Quota Zone, 

whichever occurs first. 

(a) Central Zone—The season for 

Canada geese will close after 86 days or 

when 20,600 birds have been harvested 

in the Central Illinois Quota Zone, 

whichever occurs first. 

(c) South Zone—The season for 

Canada geese will close after 86 days or 

when 8,200 birds have been harvested 

in the Southern Illinois Quota Zone, 

whichever occurs first. 

Indiana 

The season for Canada geese may 

extend for 70 days, except in the SJBP 

Zone, where the season may not exceed 

50 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

Iowa 

The season may extend for 70 days 

and may be split into 3 segments in each 

zone. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

Kentucky 

(a) Western Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 66 days 

(81 days in Fulton County), and the 

harvest will be limited to 10,300 birds. 

Of the 10,300-bird quota, 6,700 birds 

will be allocated to the Ballard 

Reporting Area and 2,600 birds will be 

allocated to the Henderson/Union 

Reporting Area. If the quota in either 

reporting area is reached prior to 

completion of the 66-day season, the 

season in that reporting area will be 

closed. If the quotas in both the Ballard 

and Henderson/Union reporting areas 

are reached prior to completion of the 

66-day season, the season in the 

counties and portions of counties that 

comprise the Western Goose Zone 

(listed in State regulations) may 

continue for an additional 7 days, not to 

exceed a total of 66 days (81 days in 

Fulton County). The season in Fulton 

County may extend to February 15. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(b) Pennyroyal/Coalfield Zone—The 

season may extend for 50 days. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(c) Remainder of the State—The 

season may extend for 50 days. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

Louisiana 

The season for Canada geese may 

extend for 9 days. During the season, the 

daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose and 2 

white-fronted geese with a 72-day 

white-fronted goose season or 1 whitefronted goose with an 86-day season. 

Hunters participating in the Canada 

goose season must possess a special 

permit issued by the State. 

Michigan 

(a) MVP—Upper and Lower Peninsula 

Zones—The total harvest of Canada 

geese will be limited to 50,000 birds for 

these zones combined. The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16 and the season for Canada geese may 

extend for 28 days. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(1) Allegan County Game 

Management Unit (GMU)—The Canada 

goose season will close after 25 days or 

when 1,500 birds have been harvested, 

whichever occurs first. The daily bag 

limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(2) Muskegon Wastewater GMU—The 

Canada goose season will close after 25 

days or when 500 birds have been 

harvested, whichever occurs first. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(b) SJBP Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16 and the season for Canada geese may 

extend for 28 days. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(1) Saginaw County GMU—The 

Canada goose season will close after 50 

days or when 2,000 birds have been 

harvested, whichever occurs first. The 

daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose. 

(2) Tuscola/Huron GMU—The Canada 

goose season will close after 50 days or 

when 750 birds have been harvested, 

whichever occurs first. The daily bag 

limit is 1 Canada goose. 

(c) Southern Michigan GMU—A 30- 

day special Canada goose season may be 

held between December 31 and 

February 7. The daily bag limit may not 

exceed 5 Canada geese. 

(d) Central Michigan GMU—A 30-day 

special Canada goose season may be 

held between December 31 and 

February 7. The daily bag limit may not 

exceed 5 Canada geese. 

Minnesota 

(a) West Zone. 

(1) West Central Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 40 days. 

The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose. 

(2) Remainder of West Zone—The 

season for Canada geese may extend for 

40 days. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada 

goose. 

(b) Northwest Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 40 days. 

The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose. 

(c) Remainder of the State—The 

season for Canada geese may extend for 

70 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

(d) Special Late Canada Goose 

Season—A special Canada goose season 

of up to 10 days may be held in 

December, except in the West Central 

Goose zone. During the special season, 

the daily bag limit is 5 Canada geese, 

except in the Southeast Goose Zone, 

where the daily bag limit is 2. 

Mississippi 

The season for Canada geese may 

extend for 70 days. The daily bag limit 

is 3 Canada geese. 

Missouri 

(a) Southeast Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 77 days. 

The season may be split into 3 

segments, provided that at least 1 

segment occurs prior to December 1. 

The daily bag limit is 3 Canada geese 

through October 31 and 2 Canada geese 

thereafter. 

(b) Remainder of the State—

(1) North Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 77 days, 

with no more than 40 days occurring 

after November 30. The season may be 

split into 3 segments, provided that 1 

segment of at least 9 days occurs prior 

to October 16. The daily bag limit is 3 

Canada geese through October 31, and 2 

Canada geese thereafter. 

(2) Middle Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 77 days, 

with no more than 40 days occurring 

after November 30. The season may be 

split into 3 segments, provided that 1 

segment of at least 9 days occurs prior 

to October 16. The daily bag limit is 3 

Canada geese through October 31, and 2 

Canada geese thereafter. 

(3) South Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 77 days. 

The season may be split into 3 

segments, provided that at least 1 

segment occurs prior to December 1. 

The daily bag limit is 3 Canada geese 

through October 31 and 2 Canada geese 

thereafter. 

55676 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

Ohio 

The season for Canada geese may 

extend for 60 days in the respective 

duck-hunting zones, with a daily bag 

limit of 2 Canada geese, except in the 

Lake Erie SJBP Zone, where the season 

may not exceed 40 days and the daily 

bag limit is 2 Canada geese. A special 

Canada goose season of up to 22 days, 

beginning the first Saturday after 

January 10, may be held in the following 

Counties: Allen (north of U.S. Highway 

30), Fulton, Geauga (north of Route 6), 

Henry, Huron, Lucas (Lake Erie Zone 

closed), Seneca, and Summit (Lake Erie 

Zone closed). During the special season, 

the daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

Tennessee 

(a) Northwest Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may not exceed 72 days, 

and may extend to February 15. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(b) Southwest Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 59 days, at 

least 9 of which must occur before Oct. 

16. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

(c) Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Zone—

The season for Canada geese may extend 

for 59 days, at least 9 of which must 

occur before Oct. 16. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(d) Remainder of the State—The 

season for Canada geese may extend for 

70 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

Wisconsin 

The total harvest of Canada geese in 

the State will be limited to 62,500 birds. 

(a) Horicon Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16. The harvest of Canada geese is 

limited to 21,000 birds. The season may 

not exceed 92 days. All Canada geese 

harvested must be tagged. The daily bag 

limit is 2 Canada geese, and the season 

limit will be the number of tags issued 

to each permittee. 

(b) Collins Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16. The harvest of Canada geese is 

limited to 800 birds. The season may 

not exceed 65 days. All Canada geese 

harvested must be tagged. The daily bag 

limit is 2 Canada geese, and the season 

limit will be the number of tags issued 

to each permittee. 

(c) Exterior Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16. The harvest of Canada geese is 

limited to 40,700 birds, 500 of which are 

allocated to the Mississippi River 

Subzone. The season may not exceed 92 

days, except in the Mississippi River 

Subzone, where the season may not 

exceed 72 days. The daily bag limit is 

2 Canada geese. In that portion of the 

Exterior Zone outside the Mississippi 

River Subzone, the progress of the 

harvest must be monitored, and the 

season closed, if necessary, to ensure 

that the harvest does not exceed 40,200 

birds. 

Additional Limits: In addition to the 

harvest limits stated for the respective 

zones above, an additional 4,500 Canada 

geese may be taken in the Horicon Zone 

under special agricultural permits. 

Quota Zone Closures: When it has 

been determined that the quota of 

Canada geese allotted to the Northern 

Illinois, Central Illinois, and Southern 

Illinois Quota Zones in Illinois; the 

Ballard and Henderson—Union 

Subzones in Kentucky; the Allegan 

County, Muskegon Wastewater, Saginaw 

County, and Tuscola/Huron Goose 

Management Units in Michigan; and the 

Exterior Zone in Wisconsin will have 

been filled, the season for taking Canada 

geese in the respective zone (and 

associated area, if applicable) will be 

closed, either by the Director upon 

giving public notice through local 

information media at least 48 hours in 

advance of the time and date of closing, 

or by the State through State regulations 

with such notice and time (not less than 

48 hours) as they deem necessary. 

Central Flyway 

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots 

Outside Dates: Between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 24) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

29). 

Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 

(1) High Plains Mallard Management 

Unit (roughly defined as that portion of 

the Central Flyway which lies west of 

the 100th meridian): 97 days, except 

canvasbacks and pintails, which may 

not exceed 39 days, and season splits 

must conform to each State’s zone/split 

configuration for duck hunting. The 

daily bag limit is 6 ducks, including no 

more than 5 mallards (no more than 2 

of which may be hens), 1 mottled duck, 

1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 

scaup, and 2 wood ducks. The last 23 

days may start no earlier than the 

Saturday nearest December 10 

(December 10). A single canvasback and 

pintail may also be included in the 6- 

bird daily bag limit for designated 

youth-hunt days. 

(2) Remainder of the Central Flyway: 

74 days, except canvasbacks and 

pintails, which may not exceed 39 days, 

and season splits must conform to each 

State’s zone/split configuration for duck 

hunting. The daily bag limit is 6 ducks, 

including no more than 5 mallards (no 

more than 2 of which may be hens), 1 

mottled duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 

redheads, 2 scaup, and 2 wood ducks. 

A single canvasback and pintail may 

also be included in the 6-bird daily bag 

limit for designated youth-hunt days. 

Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit 

is 5 mergansers, only 1 of which may be 

a hooded merganser. In States that 

include mergansers in the duck daily 

bag limit, the daily limit may be the 

same as the duck bag limit, only one of 

which may be a hooded merganser. 

Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 

coots. 

Zoning and Split Seasons: Kansas 

(Low Plains portion), Montana, 

Nebraska (Low Plains portion), New 

Mexico, Oklahoma (Low Plains portion), 

South Dakota (Low Plains portion), 

Texas (Low Plains portion), and 

Wyoming may select hunting seasons by 

zones. 

In Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South 

Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, the 

regular season may be split into two 

segments. 

In Colorado, the season may be split 

into three segments. 

Geese 

Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may 

be split into three segments. Three-way 

split seasons for Canada geese require 

Central Flyway Council and U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service approval, and a 3- 

year evaluation by each participating 

State. 

Outside Dates: For dark geese, seasons 

may be selected between the outside 

dates of the Saturday nearest September 

24 (September 24) and the Sunday 

nearest February 15 (February 12). For 

light geese, outside dates for seasons 

may be selected between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 24) 

and March 10. In the Rainwater Basin 

Light Goose Area (East and West) of 

Nebraska, temporal and spatial 

restrictions consistent with the 

experimental late-winter snow goose 

hunting strategy endorsed by the Central 

Flyway Council in July 1999 are 

required. 

Season Lengths and Limits: 

Light Geese: States may select a light 

goose season not to exceed 107 days. 

The daily bag limit for light geese is 20 

with no possession limit. 

Dark Geese: In Kansas, Nebraska, 

North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, 

and the Eastern Goose Zone of Texas, 

States may select a season for Canada 

geese (or any other dark goose species 

except white-fronted geese) not to 

exceed 95 days with a daily bag limit of 

3. Additionally, in the Eastern Goose 

Zone of Texas, an alternative season of 

107 days with a daily bag limit of 1 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55677 

Canada goose may be selected. For 

white-fronted geese, these States may 

select either a season of 72 days with a 

bag limit of 2 or a 86-day season with 

a bag limit of 1. 

In South Dakota, for Canada geese in 

the Big Stone Power Plant Area of 

Canada Goose Unit 3, the daily bag limit 

is 3 until November 30, and 2 thereafter. 

In Montana, New Mexico and 

Wyoming, States may select seasons not 

to exceed 107 days. The daily bag limit 

for dark geese is 5 in the aggregate. 

In Colorado, the season may not 

exceed 95 days. The daily bag limit is 

3 dark geese in the aggregate. 

In the Western Goose Zone of Texas, 

the season may not exceed 95 days. The 

daily bag limit for Canada geese (or any 

other dark goose species except whitefronted geese) is 3. The daily bag limit 

for white-fronted geese is 1. 

Pacific Flyway 

Ducks, Mergansers, Coots, Common 

Moorhens, and Purple Gallinules 

Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 

Concurrent 107 days, except that the 

season for canvasbacks may not exceed 

60 days, and season splits must conform 

to each State’s zone/split configuration 

for duck hunting. The daily bag limit is 

7 ducks and mergansers, including no 

more than 2 female mallards, 1 pintail, 

1 canvasback, 3 scaup, and 2 redheads. 

A single canvasback may also be 

included in the 7-bird daily bag limit for 

designated youth-hunt days. 

The season on coots and common 

moorhens may be between the outside 

dates for the season on ducks, but not 

to exceed 107 days. 

Coot, Common Moorhen, and Purple 

Gallinule Limits: The daily bag and 

possession limits of coots, common 

moorhens, and purple gallinules are 25, 

singly or in the aggregate. 

Outside Dates: Between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 24) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

29). 

Zoning and Split Seasons: Arizona, 

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, 

and Washington may select hunting 

seasons by zones. 

Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, 

Oregon, Utah, and Washington may 

split their seasons into two segments. 

Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and 

Wyoming may split their seasons into 

three segments. 

Colorado River Zone, California: 

Seasons and limits shall be the same as 

seasons and limits selected in the 

adjacent portion of Arizona (South 

Zone). 

Geese 

Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and 

Limits: 

California, Oregon, and Washington: 

Except as subsequently noted, 100-day 

seasons may be selected, with outside 

dates between the Saturday nearest 

October 1 (October 1), and the last 

Sunday in January (January 29). Basic 

daily bag limits are 4 light geese and 4 

dark geese, except in California, Oregon, 

and Washington, where the dark goose 

bag limit does not include brant. 

Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, 

Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 

Wyoming: Except as subsequently 

noted, 107-day seasons may be selected, 

with outside dates between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 24), 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

29). Basic daily bag limits are 4 light 

geese and 4 dark geese. 

Split Seasons: Unless otherwise 

specified, seasons for geese may be split 

into up to 3 segments. Three-way split 

seasons for Canada geese and whitefronted geese require Pacific Flyway 

Council and U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service approval and a 3-year 

evaluation by each participating State. 

Brant Season 

Oregon may select a 16-day season, 

Washington an 8-day season, and 

California a 15-day season. Days must 

be consecutive. Washington and 

California may select hunting seasons 

by up to two zones. The daily bag limit 

is 2 brant and is in addition to dark 

goose limits. In Oregon and California, 

the brant season must end no later than 

December 15. 

Arizona 

The daily bag limit for dark geese is 

3. 

California 

Northeastern Zone: The daily bag 

limit is 4 geese and may include no 

more than than 1 cackling Canada goose 

or 1 Aleutian Canada goose and 2 whitefronted geese. 

Southern Zone: In the Imperial 

County Special Management Area, light 

geese only may be taken from the end 

of the general goose hunting season 

through the first Sunday in February 

(February 5). 

Balance-of-the-State Zone: Limits may 

not include more than 4 geese per day, 

of which not more than 3 may be whitefronted geese. In the Sacramento Valley 

Special Management Area (West), the 

season on white-fronted geese must 

begin no earlier than the last Saturday 

in October and end on or before 

December 14, and the daily bag limit 

shall contain no more than 2 whitefronted geese. 

Oregon 

Except as subsequently noted, the 

dark goose daily bag limit is 4, 

including not more than 1 cackling or 

Aleutian goose. 

Harney, Klamath, Lake, and Malheur 

County Zone: For Lake County only, the 

daily dark goose bag limit may not 

include more than 2 white-fronted 

geese. 

Northwest Special Permit Zone: 

Except for designated areas, there will 

be no open season on Canada geese. In 

the designated areas, individual quotas 

will be established that collectively will 

not exceed 165 dusky geese. See section 

on quota zones. In those designated 

areas, the daily bag limit of dark geese 

is 4 including not more than 2 cackling 

or Aleutian geese. 

Closed Zone: All of Tillamook 

County. 

Southwest Zone: The daily dark goose 

bag limit is 4 including cackling and 

Aleutian geese. 

Washington 

The daily bag limit is 4 geese. A 107- 

day season may be selected in Areas 4 

and 5 (eastern Washington). 

Southwest Quota Zone: In the 

Southwest Quota Zone, except for 

designated areas, there will be no open 

season on Canada geese. In the 

designated areas, individual quotas will 

be established that collectively will not 

exceed 85 dusky geese. See section on 

quota zones. In this area, the daily bag 

limit may include 2 cackling geese. In 

Southwest Quota Zone Area 2B (Pacific 

and Grays Harbor Counties), the daily 

bag limit may include 1 Aleutian goose. 

Colorado 

The daily bag limit for dark geese is 

3 geese. 

Idaho 

The daily bag limit is 4 geese. 

Nevada 

The daily bag limit for dark geese is 

3 except in the Lincoln and Clark 

County Zone, where the daily bag limit 

of dark geese is 2. 

New Mexico 

The daily bag limit for dark geese is 

3. 

Utah 

The daily bag limit for dark geese is 

3. 

Quota Zones 

Seasons on dark geese must end upon 

attainment of individual quotas of 

55678 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

dusky geese allotted to the designated 

areas of Oregon and Washington. The 

September Canada goose season, the 

regular goose season, any special late 

dark goose season, and any extended 

falconry season, combined, must not 

exceed 107 days, and the established 

quota of dusky geese must not be 

exceeded. Hunting of dark geese in 

those designated areas will only be by 

hunters possessing a State-issued permit 

authorizing them to do so. In a Serviceapproved investigation, the State must 

obtain quantitative information on 

hunter compliance of those regulations 

aimed at reducing the take of dusky 

geese. If the monitoring program cannot 

be conducted, for any reason, the season 

must immediately close. In the 

designated areas of the Washington 

Southwest Quota Zone, a special late 

dark goose season may be held between 

the Saturday following the close of the 

general goose season and March 10. In 

the Northwest Special Permit Zone of 

Oregon, the framework closing date is 

extended to the Sunday closest to March 

1 (February 26). Regular dark goose 

seasons may be split into 3 segments 

within the Oregon and Washington 

quota zones. 

Swans 

In portions of the Pacific Flyway 

(Montana, Nevada, and Utah), an open 

season for taking a limited number of 

swans may be selected. Permits will be 

issued by the State and will authorize 

each permittee to take no more than 1 

swan per season. Each State’s season 

may open no earlier than the Saturday 

nearest October 1 (October 1). These 

seasons are also subject to the following 

conditions: 

Montana 

No more than 500 permits may be 

issued. The season must end no later 

than December 1. The State must 

implement a harvest-monitoring 

program to measure the species 

composition of the swan harvest and 

should use appropriate measures to 

maximize hunter compliance in 

reporting bill measurement and color 

information. 

Utah 

No more than 2,000 permits may be 

issued. During the swan season, no 

more than 10 trumpeter swans may be 

taken. The season must end no later 

than the second Sunday in December 

(December 11) or upon attainment of 10 

trumpeter swans in the harvest, 

whichever occurs earliest. The Utah 

season remains subject to the terms of 

the Memorandum of Agreement entered 

into with the Service in August 2001, 

regarding harvest monitoring, season 

closure procedures, and education 

requirements to minimize the take of 

trumpeter swans during the swan 

season. 

Nevada 

No more than 650 permits may be 

issued. During the swan season, no 

more than 5 trumpeter swans may be 

taken. The season must end no later 

than the Sunday following January 1 

(January 8) or upon attainment of 5 

trumpeter swans in the harvest, 

whichever occurs earliest. 

In addition, the States of Utah and 

Nevada must implement a harvestmonitoring program to measure the 

species composition of the swan 

harvest. The harvest-monitoring 

program must require that all harvested 

swans or their species-determinant parts 

be examined by either State or Federal 

biologists for the purpose of species 

classification. The States should use 

appropriate measures to maximize 

hunter compliance in providing bagged 

swans for examination. Further, the 

States of Montana, Nevada, and Utah 

must achieve at least an 80-percent 

compliance rate, or subsequent permits 

will be reduced by 10 percent. All three 

States must provide to the Service by 

June 30, 2004, a report detailing harvest, 

hunter participation, reporting 

compliance, and monitoring of swan 

populations in the designated hunt 

areas. 

Tundra Swans 

In portions of the Atlantic Flyway 

(North Carolina and Virginia) and the 

Central Flyway (North Dakota, South 

Dakota [east of the Missouri River], and 

that portion of Montana in the Central 

Flyway), an open season for taking a 

limited number of tundra swans may be 

selected. Permits will be issued by the 

States that authorize the take of no more 

than 1 tundra swan per permit. A 

second permit may be issued to hunters 

from unused permits remaining after the 

first drawing. The States must obtain 

harvest and hunter participation data. 

These seasons are also subject to the 

following conditions: 

In the Atlantic Flyway: 

—The season is experimental. 

—The season may be 90 days, from 

October 1 to January 31. 

—In North Carolina, no more than 5,000 

permits may be issued. 

—In Virginia, no more than 600 permits 

may be issued. 

In the Central Flyway: 

—The season may be 107 days, from the 

Saturday nearest October 1 (October 

1) to January 31. 

—In the Central Flyway portion of 

Montana, no more than 500 permits 

may be issued. 

—In North Dakota, no more than 2,200 

permits may be issued. 

—In South Dakota, no more than 1,300 

permits may be issued. 

Area, Unit, and Zone Descriptions 

Ducks (Including Mergansers) and 

Coots 

Atlantic Flyway 

Connecticut 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of I–95. 

South Zone: Remainder of the State. 

Maine 

North Zone: That portion north of the 

line extending east along Maine State 

Highway 110 from the New Hampshire 

and Maine State line to the intersection 

of Maine State Highway 11 in Newfield; 

then north and east along Route 11 to 

the intersection of U.S. Route 202 in 

Auburn; then north and east on Route 

202 to the intersection of Interstate 

Highway 95 in Augusta; then north and 

east along I–95 to Route 15 in Bangor; 

then east along Route 15 to Route 9; 

then east along Route 9 to Stony Brook 

in Baileyville; then east along Stony 

Brook to the United States border. 

South Zone: Remainder of the State. 

Massachusetts 

Western Zone: That portion of the 

State west of a line extending south 

from the Vermont State line 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 State line. 

Central Zone: That portion of the 

State east of the Berkshire Zone and 

west of a line extending south from the 

New Hampshire State line 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 

State line; except the waters, and the 

lands 150 yards inland from the highwater mark, of the Assonet River 

upstream to the MA 24 bridge, and the 

Taunton River upstream to the Center 

St.-Elm St. bridge shall be in the Coastal 

Zone. 

Coastal Zone: That portion of 

Massachusetts east and south of the 

Central Zone. 

New Hampshire 

Coastal Zone: That portion of the 

State east of a line extending west from 

the Maine State line in Rollinsford on 

NH 4 to the city of Dover, south to NH 

108, south along NH 108 through 

Madbury, Durham, and Newmarket to 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55679 

NH 85 in Newfields, south to NH 101 

in Exeter, east to NH 51 (ExeterHampton Expressway), east to I–95 

(New Hampshire Turnpike) in 

Hampton, and south along I–95 to the 

Massachusetts State line. 

Inland Zone: That portion of the State 

north and west of the above boundary 

and along the Massachusetts State line 

crossing the Connecticut River to 

Interstate 91 and northward in Vermont 

to Route 2, east to 102, northward to the 

Canadian border. 

New Jersey 

Coastal Zone: That portion of the 

State seaward of a line beginning at the 

New York State line in Raritan Bay and 

extending west along the New York 

State line to NJ 440 at Perth Amboy; 

west on NJ 440 to the Garden State 

Parkway; south on the Garden State 

Parkway to the shoreline at Cape May 

and continuing to the Delaware State 

line in Delaware Bay. 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

west of the Coastal Zone and north of 

a line extending west from the Garden 

State Parkway on NJ 70 to the New 

Jersey Turnpike, north on the turnpike 

to U.S. 206, north on U.S. 206 to U.S. 

1 at Trenton, west on U.S. 1 to the 

Pennsylvania State line in the Delaware 

River. 

South Zone: That portion of the State 

not within the North Zone or the Coastal 

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 State line. 

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 State line. 

Northeastern Zone: That area north of 

a line extending from Lake Ontario east 

along the north shore of the Salmon 

River to I–81 to NY 31, east along NY 

31 to NY 13, north along NY 13 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 State line, exclusive of the 

Lake Champlain Zone. 

Southeastern Zone: The remaining 

portion of New York. 

Pennsylvania 

Lake Erie Zone: The Lake Erie waters 

of Pennsylvania and a shoreline margin 

along Lake Erie from New York on the 

east to Ohio on the west extending 150 

yards inland, but including all of 

Presque Isle Peninsula. 

Northwest Zone: The area bounded on 

the north by the Lake Erie Zone and 

including all of Erie and Crawford 

Counties and those portions of Mercer 

and Venango Counties north of I–80. 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

east of the Northwest Zone and north of 

a line extending east on I–80 to U.S. 

220, Route 220 to I–180, I–180 to I–80, 

and I–80 to the Delaware River. 

South Zone: The remaining portion of 

Pennsylvania. 

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 State line 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 State line 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. 

West Virginia 

Zone 1: That portion outside the 

boundaries in Zone 2. 

Zone 2 (Allegheny Mountain Upland): 

That area bounded by a line extending 

south along U.S. 220 through Keyser to 

U.S. 50; U.S. 50 to WV 93; WV 93 south 

to WV 42; WV 42 south to Petersburg; 

WV 28 south to Minnehaha Springs; WV 

39 west to U.S. 219; U.S. 219 south to 

I–64; I–64 west to U.S. 60; U.S. 60 west 

to U.S. 19; U.S. 19 north to I–79, I–79 

north to I–68; I–68 east to the Maryland 

State line; and along the State line to the 

point of beginning. 

Mississippi Flyway 

Alabama 

South Zone: Mobile and Baldwin 

Counties. 

North Zone: The remainder of 

Alabama. 

Illinois 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of a line extending east from the 

Iowa State line along Illinois Highway 

92 to Interstate Highway 280, east along 

I–280 to I–80, then east along I–80 to the 

Indiana State line. 

Central Zone: That portion of the 

State south of the North Zone to a line 

extending east from the Missouri State 

line 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 State line. 

South Zone: The remainder of Illinois. 

Indiana 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of a line extending east from the 

Illinois State line 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 State line. 

Ohio River Zone: That portion of the 

State south of a line extending east from 

the Illinois State line along Interstate 

Highway 64 to New Albany, east along 

State Road 62 to State Road 56, east 

along State Road 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 State line. 

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 State line along State Highway 

175 to State Highway 37, southeast 

along State Highway 37 to U.S. Highway 

59, south along U.S. 59 to Interstate 

Highway 80, then east along I–80 to the 

Illinois State line. 

South Zone: The remainder of Iowa. 

Kentucky 

West Zone: All counties west of and 

including Butler, Daviess, Ohio, 

Simpson, and Warren Counties. 

East Zone: The remainder of 

Kentucky. 

55680 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

Louisiana 

West Zone: That portion of the State 

west and south of a line extending south 

from the Arkansas State line along 

Louisiana Highway 3 to Bossier City, 

east along Interstate Highway 20 to 

Minden, south along Louisiana 7 to 

Ringgold, east along Louisiana 4 to 

Jonesboro, south along U.S. Highway 

167 to Lafayette, southeast along U.S. 90 

to the Mississippi State line. 

East Zone: The remainder of 

Louisiana. 

Catahoula Lake Area: All of Catahoula 

Lake, including those portions known 

locally as Round Prairie, Catfish Prairie, 

and Frazier’s Arm. See State regulations 

for additional information. 

Michigan 

North Zone: The Upper Peninsula. 

Middle Zone: That portion of the 

Lower Peninsula north of a line 

beginning at the Wisconsin State line 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, easterly along U.S. 10 BR to 

U.S. 10, easterly along U.S. 10 to 

Interstate Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, 

northerly along I–75/U.S. 23 to the U.S. 

23 exit at Standish, easterly along 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. 

South Zone: The remainder of 

Michigan. 

Missouri 

North Zone: That portion of Missouri 

north of a line running west from the 

Illinois State line (Lock and Dam 25) on 

Lincoln County Highway N to Missouri 

Highway 79; south on Missouri 

Highway 79 to Missouri Highway 47; 

west on Missouri Highway 47 to 

Interstate 70; west on Interstate 70 to 

U.S. Highway 54; south on U.S. 

Highway 54 to U.S. Highway 50; west 

on U.S. Highway 50 to the Kansas State 

line. 

South Zone: That portion of Missouri 

south of a line running west from the 

Illinois State line on Missouri Highway 

34 to Interstate 55; south on Interstate 

55 to U.S. Highway 62; west on U.S. 

Highway 62 to Missouri Highway 53; 

north on Missouri Highway 53 to 

Missouri Highway 51; north on Missouri 

Highway 51 to U.S. Highway 60; west 

on U.S. Highway 60 to Missouri 

Highway 21; north on Missouri 

Highway 21 to Missouri Highway 72; 

west on Missouri Highway 72 to 

Missouri Highway 32; west on Missouri 

Highway 32 to U.S. Highway 65; north 

on U.S. Highway 65 to U.S. Highway 54; 

west on U.S. Highway 54 to the Kansas 

State line. 

Middle Zone: The remainder of 

Missouri. 

Ohio 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of a line extending east from the 

Indiana State line along U.S. Highway 

30 to State Route 37, south along SR 37 

to SR 95, east along SR 95 to LaRue–

Prospect Road, east along LaRue–

Prospect Road to SR 203, south along SR 

203 to SR 739, east along SR 739 to SR 

4, north along SR 4 to SR 309, east along 

SR 309 to U.S. 23, north along U.S. 23 

to SR 231, north along SR 231 to U.S. 

30, east along U.S. 30 to SR 42, north 

along SR 42 to SR 603, south along SR 

603 to U.S. 30, east along U.S. 30 to SR 

60, south along SR 60 to SR 39/60, east 

along SR 39/60 to SR 39, east along SR 

39 to SR 241, east along SR 241 to U.S. 

30, then east along U.S. 30 to the West 

Virginia State line. 

South Zone: The remainder of Ohio. 

Tennessee 

Reelfoot Zone: All or portions of Lake 

and Obion Counties. 

State Zone: The remainder of 

Tennessee. 

Wisconsin 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of a line extending east from the 

Minnesota State line along State 

Highway 77 to State 27, south along 

State 27 and 77 to U.S. Highway 63, and 

continuing south along State 27 to 

Sawyer County Road B, south and east 

along County B to State 70, southwest 

along State 70 to State 27, south along 

State 27 to State 64, west along State 64/ 

27 and south along State 27 to U.S. 12, 

south and east on State 27/U.S. 12 to 

U.S. 10, U.S. 10 east to U.S. 110, east 

along U.S. 110 to State 96, east along 

State 96 to State 76, south along State 

76 to U.S. 10, east on U.S. 10 to State 

310, east along State 310 to State 42, 

north along State 42 to State 147, north 

along State 147 to State 163, north along 

State 163 to Kewaunee County Trunk A, 

north along County Trunk A to State 57, 

north along State 57 to the Kewaunee/ 

Door County Line, west along the 

Kewaunee/Door County Line to the 

Door/Brown County Line, west along 

the Door/Brown County Line to the 

Door/Oconto/Brown County Line, 

northeast along the Door/Oconto County 

Line to the Marinette/Door County Line, 

northeast along the Marinette/Door 

County Line to the Michigan State line. 

South Zone: The remainder of 

Wisconsin. 

Central Flyway 

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. 

Montana (Central Flyway Portion) 

Zone 1: The Counties of Blaine, 

Carbon, Carter, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, 

Fergus, Garfield, Golden Valley, Judith 

Basin, McCone, Musselshell, Petroleum, 

Phillips, Powder River, Richland, 

Roosevelt, Sheridan, Stillwater, Sweet 

Grass, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux, and 

Yellowstone. 

Zone 2: The remainder of Montana. 

Nebraska 

High Plains Zone: That portion of the 

State west of highways U.S. 183 and 

U.S. 20 from the South Dakota State line 

to Ainsworth, NE 7 and NE 91 to 

Dunning, NE 2 to Merna, NE 92 to 

Arnold, NE 40 and NE 47 through 

Gothenburg to NE 23, NE 23 to Elwood, 

and U.S. 283 to the Kansas State line. 

Low Plains Zone 1: That portion of 

the State east of the High Plains Zone 

and north and west of a line extending 

from the South Dakota State line along 

NE 26E Spur to NE 12, west on NE 12 

to the Knox/Boyd County line, south 

along the county line to the Niobrara 

River and along the Niobrara River to 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55681 

U.S. 183 (the High Plains Zone line). 

Where the Niobrara River forms the 

boundary, both banks will be in Zone 1. 

Low Plains Zone 2: Area bounded by 

designated Federal and State highways 

and political boundaries beginning at 

the Kansas-Nebraska State line on U.S. 

Hwy. 73; north to NE Hwy. 67 north to 

U.S. Hwy 136; east to the Steamboat 

Trace (Trace); north to Federal Levee R–

562; north and west to the Trace/ 

Burlington Northern Railroad right-ofway; north to NE Hwy 2; west to U.S. 

Hwy 75; north to NE Hwy. 2; west to NE 

Hwy. 43; north to U.S. Hwy. 34; east to 

NE Hwy. 63; north and west to U.S. 

Hwy. 77; north to NE Hwy. 92; west to 

U.S. Hwy. 81; south to NE Hwy. 66; 

west to NE Hwy. 14; south to U.S. Hwy 

34; west to NE Hwy. 2; south to U.S. 

Hwy. I–80; west to Gunbarrrel Rd. (Hall/ 

Hamilton county line); south to Giltner 

Rd.; west to U.S. Hwy. 281; south to 

U.S. Hwy. 34; west to NE Hwy 10; north 

to County Road ‘‘R’’ (Kearney County) 

and County Road #742 (Phelps County); 

west to County Road #438 (Gosper 

County line); south along County Road 

#438 (Gosper County line) to County 

Road #726 (Furnas County Line); east to 

County Road #438 (Harlan County 

Line); south to U.S. Hwy 34; south and 

west to U.S. Hwy. 136; east to NE Hwy. 

10; south to the Kansas-Nebraska State 

line. 

Low Plains Zone 3: The area east of 

the High Plains Zone, excluding Low 

Plains Zone 1, north of Low Plains Zone 

2. 

Low Plains Zone 4: The area east of 

the High Plains Zone and south of Zone 

2. 

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. 

North Dakota 

High Plains Unit: That portion of the 

State south and west of a line from the 

South Dakota State line along U.S. 83 

and I–94 to ND 41, north to U.S. 2, west 

to the Williams/Divide County line, 

then north along the County line to the 

Canadian border. 

Low Plains: The remainder of North 

Dakota. 

Oklahoma 

High Plains Zone: The Counties of 

Beaver, Cimarron, and Texas. 

Low Plains Zone 1: That portion of 

the State east of the High Plains Zone 

and north of a line extending east from 

the Texas State line along OK 33 to OK 

47, east along OK 47 to U.S. 183, south 

along U.S. 183 to I–40, east along I–40 

to U.S. 177, north along U.S. 177 to OK 

33, west along OK 33 to I–35, north 

along I–35 to U.S. 412, west along U.S. 

412 to OK 132, then north along OK 132 

to the Kansas State line. 

Low Plains Zone 2: The remainder of 

Oklahoma. 

South Dakota 

High Plains Unit: That portion of the 

State west of a line beginning at the 

North Dakota State line and extending 

south along U.S. 83 to U.S. 14, east 

along U.S. 14 to Blunt-Canning Road in 

Blunt, south along Blunt-Canning Road 

to SD 34, east to SD 47, south to I–90, 

east to SD 47, south to SD 49, south to 

Colome and then continuing south on 

U.S. 183 to the Nebraska State line. 

North Zone: That portion of 

northeastern South Dakota east of the 

High Plains Unit and north of a line 

extending east along U.S. 212 to the 

Minnesota State line. 

South Zone: That portion of Gregory 

County east of SD 47, Charles Mix 

County south of SD 44 to the Douglas 

County line, south on SD 50 to Geddes, 

east on the Geddes Hwy. to U.S. 281, 

south on U.S. 281 and U.S. 18 to SD 50, 

south and east on SD 50 to Bon Homme 

County line, the Counties of Bon 

Homme, Yankton, and Clay south of SD 

50, and Union County south and west 

of SD 50 and I–29. 

Middle Zone: The remainder of South 

Dakota. 

Texas 

High Plains Zone: That portion of the 

State west of a line extending south 

from the Oklahoma State line along U.S. 

183 to Vernon, south along U.S. 283 to 

Albany, south along TX 6 to TX 351 to 

Abilene, south along U.S. 277 to Del 

Rio, then south along the Del Rio 

International Toll Bridge access road to 

the Mexico border. 

Low Plains North Zone: That portion 

of northeastern Texas east of the High 

Plains Zone and north of a line 

beginning at the International Toll 

Bridge south of Del Rio, then extending 

east on U.S. 90 to San Antonio, then 

continuing east on I–10 to the Louisiana 

State line at Orange, Texas. 

Low Plains South Zone: The 

remainder of Texas. 

Wyoming (Central Flyway Portion) 

Zone 1: The Counties of Converse, 

Goshen, Hot Springs, Natrona, Platte, 

and Washakie; and the portion of Park 

County east of the Shoshone National 

Forest boundary and south of a line 

beginning where the Shoshone National 

Forest boundary meets Park County 

Road 8VC, east along Park County Road 

8VC to Park County Road 1AB, 

continuing east along Park County Road 

1AB to Wyoming Highway 120, north 

along WY Highway 120 to WY Highway 

294, south along WY Highway 294 to 

Lane 9, east along Lane 9 to Powel and 

WY Highway 14A, and finally east along 

WY Highway 14A to the Park County 

and Big Horn County line. 

Zone 2: The remainder of Wyoming. 

Pacific Flyway 

Arizona—Game Management Units 

(GMU) as Follows: 

South Zone: Those portions of GMUs 

6 and 8 in Yavapai County, and GMUs 

10 and 12B–45. 

North Zone: GMUs 1–5, those 

portions of GMUs 6 and 8 within 

Coconino County, and GMUs 7, 9, 12A. 

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 State line 

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 

Bernardino—Riverside County line; 

south on a road known in Riverside 

55682 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

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 BlytheBrawley paved road to the Ogilby and 

Tumco Mine Road; south on this road 

to U.S. 80; east seven 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 State line. 

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. 

Idaho 

Zone 1: Includes all lands and waters 

within the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, 

including private inholdings; Bannock 

County; Bingham County, except that 

portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir 

drainage; and Power County east of ID 

37 and ID 39. 

Zone 2: Includes the following 

Counties or portions of Counties: 

Adams; Bear Lake; Benewah; Bingham 

within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage; 

those portions of Blaine west of ID 75, 

south and east of U.S. 93, and between 

ID 75 and U.S. 93 north of U.S. 20 

outside the Silver Creek drainage; 

Bonner; Bonneville; Boundary; Butte; 

Camas; Caribou except the Fort Hall 

Indian Reservation; Cassia within the 

Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; 

Clark; Clearwater; Custer; Elmore within 

the Camas Creek drainage; Franklin; 

Fremont; Idaho; Jefferson; Kootenai; 

Latah; Lemhi; Lewis; Madison; Nez 

Perce; Oneida; Power within the 

Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; 

Shoshone; Teton; and Valley Counties. 

Zone 3: Includes the following 

Counties or portions of Counties: Ada; 

Blaine between ID 75 and U.S. 93 south 

of U.S. 20 and that additional area 

between ID 75 and U.S. 93 north of U.S. 

20 within the Silver Creek drainage; 

Boise; Canyon; Cassia except within the 

Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; 

Elmore except the Camas Creek 

drainage; Gem; Gooding; Jerome; 

Lincoln; Minidoka; Owyhee; Payette; 

Power west of ID 37 and ID 39 except 

that portion within the Minidoka 

National Wildlife Refuge; Twin Falls; 

and Washington Counties. 

Nevada 

Lincoln and Clark County Zone: All of 

Clark and Lincoln Counties. 

Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The 

remainder of Nevada. 

Oregon 

Zone 1: Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, 

Lane, Douglas, Coos, Curry, Josephine, 

Jackson, Linn, Benton, Polk, Marion, 

Yamhill, Washington, Columbia, 

Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River, 

Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow and 

Umatilla Counties. 

Columbia Basin Mallard Management 

Unit: Gilliam, Morrow, and Umatilla 

Counties. 

Zone 2: The remainder of the State. 

Utah 

Zone 1: All of Box Elder, Cache, 

Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Morgan, Rich, 

Salt Lake, Summit, Unitah, Utah, 

Wasatch, and Weber Counties, and that 

part of Toole County north of I–80. 

Zone 2: The remainder of Utah. 

Washington 

East Zone: All areas east of the Pacific 

Crest Trail and east of the Big White 

Salmon River in Klickitat County. 

Columbia Basin Mallard Management 

Unit: Same as East Zone. 

West Zone: All areas to the west of the 

East Zone. 

Geese 

Atlantic Flyway 

Connecticut 

NAP L–Unit: That portion of Fairfield 

County north of Interstate 95 and that 

portion of New Haven County: starting 

at I–95 bridge on Housatonic River; 

north of Interstate 95; west of Route 10 

to the intersection of Interstate 691; west 

along Interstate 691 to Interstate 84; 

west and south on Interstate 84 to Route 

67; north along Route 67 to the 

Litchfield County line, then extending 

west along the Litchfield County line to 

the Shepaug River, then south to the 

intersection of the Litchfield and 

Fairfield County lines. 

NAP H–Unit: All of the rest of the 

State not included in the AP or NAP–

L descriptions. 

AP Unit: Litchfield County and the 

portion of Hartford County, west of a 

line beginning at the Massachusetts 

State line in Suffield and extending 

south along Route 159 to its intersection 

with Route 91 in Hartford, and then 

extending south along Route 91 to its 

intersection with the Hartford/ 

Middlesex County line. 

South Zone: Same as for ducks. 

North Zone: Same as for ducks. 

Maryland 

Resident Population (RP) Zone: 

Garrett, Allegany, Washington, 

Frederick, Howard, and Montgomery 

Counties; that portion of Baltimore 

County south of Route 138, Route 137, 

and Mount Carmel Road; that portion of 

Anne Arundel County west of Interstate 

895, Interstate 97 and Route 3; that 

portion of Prince George’s County west 

of Route 3 and Route 301, that portion 

of Charles County west of Route 301 to 

the Virginia State line; and that portion 

of Carroll County south of Route 88, 

west of Route 30 from the intersection 

of Route 30 and Route 88 to the 

intersection of Route 30 and Route 482, 

south of Route 482, south of Route 27 

from the intersection of Route 27 and 

Route 482 to the intersection of Route 

27 and Route 97, and west of Route 97 

from the Intersection of Route 27 and 

Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line. 

AP Zone: Remainder of the State. 

Massachusetts 

NAP Zone: Central Zone (same as for 

ducks) and that portion of the Coastal 

Zone that lies north of route 139 from 

Green Harbor. 

AP Zone: Remainder of the State. 

Special Late Season Area: That 

portion of the Coastal Zone (see duck 

zones) that lies north of the Cape Cod 

Canal and east of Route 3, north to the 

New Hampshire line. 

New Hampshire 

Same zones as for ducks. 

New Jersey 

North—that portion of the State 

within a continuous line that runs east 

along the New York State boundary line 

to the Hudson River; then south along 

the New York State boundary to its 

intersection with Route 440 at Perth 

Amboy; then west on Route 440 to its 

intersection with Route 287; then west 

along Route 287 to its intersection with 

Route 206 in Bedminster (Exit 18); then 

north along Route 206 to its intersection 

with Route 94: then west along Route 94 

to the tollbridge in Columbia; then north 

along the Pennsylvania State boundary 

in the Delaware River to the beginning 

point. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55683 

South—that portion of the State 

within a continuous line that runs west 

from the Atlantic Ocean at Ship Bottom 

along Route 72 to Route 70; then west 

along Route 70 to Route 206; then south 

along Route 206 to Route 536; then west 

along Route 536 to Route 322; then west 

along Route 322 to Route 55; then south 

along Route 55 to Route 553 (Buck 

Road); then south along Route 553 to 

Route 40; then east along Route 40 to 

route 55; then south along Route 55 to 

Route 552 (Sherman Avenue); then west 

along Route 552 to Carmel Road; then 

south along Carmel Road to Route 49; 

then east along Route 49 to Route 555; 

then south along Route 555 to Route 

553; then east along Route 553 to Route 

649; then north along Route 649 to 

Route 670; then east along Route 670 to 

Route 47; then north along Route 47 to 

Route 548; then east along Route 548 to 

Route 49; then east along Route 49 to 

Route 50; then south along Route 50 to 

Route 9; then south along Route 9 to 

Route 625 (Sea Isle City Boulevard); 

then east along Route 625 to the Atlantic 

Ocean; then north to the beginning 

point. 

New York 

Lake Champlain Goose Area—that 

area of New York State lying east and 

north of a continuous line extending 

along Route 11 from the New YorkCanada boundary south to Route 9B, 

south along Route 9B to Route 9, south 

along Route 9 to Route 22 south of 

Keeseville, south along Route 22 to the 

west shore of South Bay along and 

around the shoreline of South Bay to 

Route 22 on the east shore of South Bay, 

southeast along Route 22 to Route 4, 

northeast along Route 4 to the New 

York-Vermont boundary. 

North Central Goose Area—that area 

of New York State lying north of a 

continuous line extending from Route 4 

at the New York-Vermont boundary, 

west and south along Route 4 to Route 

149 at Fort Ann, west on Route 149 to 

Route 9, south along Route 9 to 

Interstate Route 87 (at Exit 20 in Glens 

Falls), south along Route 87 to Route 29, 

west along Route 29 to Route 147 at 

Kimball Corners, south along Route 147 

to Schenectady County Route 40 (West 

Glenville Road), west along Route 40 to 

Touareuna Road, south along Touareuna 

Road to Schenectady County Route 59, 

south along Route 59 to State Route 5, 

east along Route 5 to the Lock 9 bridge, 

southwest along the Lock 9 bridge to 

Route 5S, southeast along Route 5S to 

Schenectady County Route 58, 

southwest along Route 58 to the NYS 

Thruway, south along the Thruway to 

Route 7, southwest along Route 7 to 

Schenectady County Route 103, south 

along Route 103 to Route 406, east along 

Route 406 to Schenectady County Route 

99 (Windy Hill Road), south along Route 

99 to Dunnsville Road, south along 

Dunnsville Road to Route 397, 

southwest along Route 397 to Route 146 

at Altamont, west along Route 146 to 

Albany County Route 252, northwest 

along Route 252 to Schenectady County 

Route 131, north along Route 131 to 

Route 7, west along Route 7 to Route 10 

at Richmondville, south on Route 10 to 

Route 23 at Stamford, west along Route 

23 to the south bank of the Susquehanna 

River, southwest along the south bank of 

the Susquehanna River to Interstate 

Route 88 near Harpursville, west along 

Route 88 to Route 79, northwest along 

Route 79 to Route 26 in Whitney Point, 

southwest along Route 26 to Interstate 

Route 81, north along Route 81 to the 

north shore of the Salmon River, west 

along the north shore of the Salmon 

River to the shore of Lake Ontario, 

extending generally northwest in a 

straight line to the nearest point of the 

international boundary with Canada, 

excluding the Lake Champlain Goose 

Hunting Area. 

West Central Goose Area—that area of 

New York State lying within a 

continuous line beginning at the point 

where the northerly extension of Route 

269 (County Line Road on the NiagaraOrleans County boundary) meets the 

International boundary with Canada, 

south to the shore of Lake Ontario at the 

eastern boundary of Golden Hill State 

Park, south along the extension of Route 

269 and Route 269 to Route 104 at 

Jeddo, west along Route 104 to Niagara 

County Route 271, south along Route 

271 to Route 31E at Middleport, south 

along Route 31E to Route 31, west along 

Route 31 to Griswold Street, south along 

Griswold Street to Ditch Road, south 

along Ditch Road to Foot Road, south 

along Foot Road to the north bank of 

Tonawanda Creek, west along the north 

bank of Tonawanda Creek to Route 93, 

south along Route 93 to the NYS 

Thruway, east along the Thruway 90 to 

Route 98 (at Thruway Exit 48) in 

Batavia, south along Route 98 to Route 

20, east along Route 20 to Route 19 in 

Pavilion Center, south along Route 19 to 

Route 63, southeast along Route 63 to 

Route 246, south along Route 246 to 

Route 39 in Perry, south along Route 39 

to Route 19A (south of Castile), south 

and southeast along Route 19A to Route 

436, east along Route 436 to Route 36 

in Dansville, south along Route 36 to 

Route 17, east along Route 17 to Belfast 

Street at Bath, east along Belfast Street 

to Route 415 (West Washington Street), 

southeast along Route 415 to Route 54, 

northeast along Route 54 to Steuben 

County Route 87, northeast along Route 

87 to Steuben County Route 96, east 

along Route 96 to Steuben County Route 

114, east along Route 114 to Schuyler 

County Route 23, east and southeast 

along Route 23 to Schuyler County 

Route 28, southeast along Route 28 to 

Route 409 at Watkins Glen, south along 

Route 409 to Route 14, south along 

Route 14 to Route 224 at Montour Falls, 

east along Route 224 to Route 228 in 

Odessa, north along Route 228 to Route 

79 in Mecklenburg, east along Route 79 

to Route 366 in Ithaca, northeast along 

Route 366 to Route 13, northeast along 

Route 13 to Interstate Route 81 in 

Cortland, north along Route 81 to the 

north shore of the Salmon River to shore 

of Lake Ontario, extending generally 

northwest in a straight line to the 

nearest point of the International 

boundary with Canada, south and west 

along the International boundary to the 

point of beginning. 

Hudson Valley Goose Area—that area 

of New York State lying within a 

continuous line extending from Route 4 

at the New York-Vermont boundary, 

west and south along Route 4 to Route 

149 at Fort Ann, west on Route 149 to 

Route 9, south along Route 9 to 

Interstate Route 87 (at Exit 20 in Glens 

Falls), south along Route 87 to Route 29, 

west along Route 29 to Route 147 at 

Kimball Corners, south along Route 147 

to Schenectady County Route 40 (West 

Glenville Road), west along Route 40 to 

Touareuna Road, south along Touareuna 

Road to Schenectady County Route 59, 

south along Route 59 to State Route 5, 

east along Route 5 to the Lock 9 bridge, 

southwest along the Lock 9 bridge to 

Route 5S, southeast along Route 5S to 

Schenectady County Route 58, 

southwest along Route 58 to the NYS 

Thruway, south along the Thruway to 

Route 7, southwest along Route 7 to 

Schenectady County Route 103, south 

along Route 103 to Route 406, east along 

Route 406 to Schenectady County Route 

99 (Windy Hill Road), south along Route 

99 to Dunnsville Road, south along 

Dunnsville Road to Route 397, 

southwest along Route 397 to Route 146 

at Altamont, southeast along Route 146 

to Main Street in Altamont, west along 

Main Street to Route 156, southeast 

along Route 156 to Albany County 

Route 307, southeast along Route 307 to 

Route 85A, southwest along Route 85A 

to Route 85, south along Route 85 to 

Route 443, southeast along Route 443 to 

Albany County Route 301 at Clarksville, 

southeast along Route 301 to Route 32, 

south along Route 32 to Route 23 at 

Cairo, west along Route 23 to Joseph 

Chadderdon Road, southeast along 

Joseph Chadderdon Road to Hearts 

55684 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

Content Road (Greene County Route 31), 

southeast along Route 31 to Route 32, 

south along Route 32 to Greene County 

Route 23A, east along Route 23A to 

Interstate Route 87 (the NYS Thruway), 

south along Route 87 to Route 28 (Exit 

19) near Kingston, northwest on Route 

28 to Route 209, southwest on Route 

209 to the New York-Pennsylvania 

boundary, southeast along the New 

York-Pennsylvania boundary to the New 

York-New Jersey boundary, southeast 

along the New York-New Jersey 

boundary to Route 210 near Greenwood 

Lake, northeast along Route 210 to 

Orange County Route 5, northeast along 

Orange County Route 5 to Route 105 in 

the Village of Monroe, east and north 

along Route 105 to Route 32, northeast 

along Route 32 to Orange County Route 

107 (Quaker Avenue), east along Route 

107 to Route 9W, north along Route 9W 

to the south bank of Moodna Creek, 

southeast along the south bank of 

Moodna Creek to the New WindsorCornwall town boundary, northeast 

along the New Windsor-Cornwall town 

boundary to the Orange-Dutchess 

County boundary (middle of the Hudson 

River), north along the county boundary 

to Interstate Route 84, east along Route 

84 to the New York-Connecticut 

boundary, north along the New YorkConnecticut boundary to the New YorkMassachusetts boundary, north along 

the New York-Massachusetts boundary 

to the New York-Vermont boundary, 

north to the point of beginning. 

Western Long Island Goose Area—

that area of Westchester County and its 

tidal waters lying southeast of Interstate 

Route 95, and that area of Nassau and 

Suffolk Counties lying west of a 

continuous line extending due south 

from the New York-Connecticut 

boundary to the northern end of Sound 

Road (near Wading River), then south 

along Sound Road to North Country 

Road, then west along North Country 

Road to Randall Road, then south along 

Randall Road to State Route 25A, then 

west along Route 25A to the William 

Floyd Parkway (County Route 46), then 

south along William Floyd Parkway to 

Fire Island Beach Road, then due south 

to International waters. 

Eastern Long Island Goose Area—that 

area of Suffolk County that is not part 

of the Western Long Island Goose 

Hunting Area, as defined above. 

South Goose Area—the remainder of 

New York State, excluding New York 

City. 

Special Late Canada Goose Area—that 

area of Westchester County lying 

southeast of Interstate Route 95, and 

that area of Nassau and Suffolk Counties 

lying north of State Route 25A and west 

of a continuous line extending 

northward from State Route 25A along 

Randall Road (near Shoreham) to North 

Country Road, then east to Sound Road 

and then north to Long Island Sound 

and then due north to the New YorkConnecticut boundary. 

North Carolina 

SJBP Hunt Zone: Includes the 

following counties or portions of 

counties: Anson, Cabarrus, Chatham, 

Davidson, Durham, Halifax (that portion 

east of NC 903), Montgomery (that 

portion west of NC 109), Northampton 

(all of the county with the exception of 

that portion that is both north of U.S. 

158 and east of NC 35), Richmond (that 

portion south of NC 73 and west of U.S. 

220 and north of U.S. 74), Rowan, 

Stanly, Union, and Wake. 

RP Hunt Zone: Includes the following 

counties or portions of counties: 

Alamance, Alleghany, Alexander, Ashe, 

Avery, Beaufort, Bertie (that portion 

south and west of a line formed by NC 

45 at the Washington Co. line to U.S. 17 

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

13 in Windsor, U.S. 13 in Windsor to 

the Hertford Co. line), Bladen, 

Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, 

Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Cherokee, 

Clay, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, 

Cumberland, Davie, Duplin, Edgecombe, 

Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, 

Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, 

Halifax (that portion west of NC 903), 

Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, 

Hoke, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, 

Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, McDowell, Macon, 

Madison, Martin, Mecklenburg, 

Mitchell, Montgomery (that portion that 

is east of NC 109), Moore, Nash, New 

Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, 

Pender, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, 

Richmond (all of the county with 

exception of that portion that is south of 

NC 73 and west of U.S. 220 and north 

of U.S. 74), Robeson, Rockingham, 

Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stokes, 

Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Vance, 

Warren, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, 

Wilson, Yadkin, and Yancey. 

Northeast Hunt Unit: Includes the 

following counties or portions of 

counties: Bertie (that portion 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, U.S. 13 in Windsor to the 

Hertford Co. line), Camden, Chowan, 

Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Northampton 

(that portion that is both north of U.S. 

158 and east of NC 35), Pasquotank, 

Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington. 

Pennsylvania 

Resident Canada Goose Zone: All of 

Pennsylvania except for Crawford, Erie, 

and Mercer counties and the area east of 

route SR 97 from Maryland State Line 

to the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 

194 to intersection of U.S. Route 30, 

south of U.S. Route 30 to SR 441, east 

of SR 441 to SR 743, east of SR 743 to 

intersection of I–81, east of I–81 to 

intersection of I–80, south of I–80 to 

New Jersey State line). 

SJBP Zone: Erie, Mercer and Crawford 

Counties except for the Pymatuning 

Zone. 

Pymatuning Zone: The area south of 

SR 198 from the Ohio State line to 

intersection of SR 18, SR 18 south to SR 

618, SR 618 south to U.S. Route 6, U.S. 

Route 6 east to U.S. Route 322/SR 18, 

U.S. Route 322/SR 18 west to 

intersection of SR 3013, SR 3013 south 

to the Crawford/Mercer County line. 

AP Zone: The area east of route SR 97 

from Maryland State Line to the 

intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to 

intersection of U.S. Route 30, south of 

U.S. Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 

to SR 743, east of SR 743 to intersection 

of I–81, east of I–81 to intersection of I–

80, south of I–80 to New Jersey State 

line. 

Rhode Island 

Special Area for Canada Geese: Kent 

and Providence Counties and portions 

of the towns of Exeter and North 

Kingston within Washington County 

(see State regulations for detailed 

descriptions). 

South Carolina 

Canada Goose Area: Statewide except 

for Clarendon County and that portion 

of Lake Marion in Orangeburg County 

and Berkeley County. 

Vermont 

Same zones as for ducks. 

Virginia 

AP Zone: The area east and south of 

the following line—the Stafford County 

line from the Potomac River west to 

Interstate 95 at Fredericksburg, then 

south along Interstate 95 to Petersburg, 

then Route 460 (SE) to City of Suffolk, 

then south along Route 32 to the North 

Carolina line. 

SJBP Zone: The area to the west of the 

AP Zone boundary and east of the 

following line: the ‘‘Blue Ridge’’

(mountain spine) at the West VirginiaVirginia Border (Loudoun CountyClarke County line) south to Interstate 

64 (the Blue Ridge line follows county 

borders along the western edge of 

Loudoun-Fauquier-RappahannockMadison-Greene-Albemarle and into 

Nelson Counties), then east along 

Interstate Rt. 64 to Route 15, then south 

along Rt. 15 to the North Carolina line. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55685 

RP Zone: The remainder of the State 

west of the SJBP Zone. 

Back Bay Area: The waters of Back 

Bay and its tributaries and the marshes 

adjacent thereto, and on the land and 

marshes between Back Bay and the 

Atlantic Ocean from Sandbridge to the 

North Carolina line, and on and along 

the shore of North Landing River and 

the marshes adjacent thereto, and on 

and along the shores of Binson Inlet 

Lake (formerly known as Lake 

Tecumseh) and Red Wing Lake and the 

marshes adjacent thereto. 

West Virginia 

Same zones as for ducks. 

Mississippi Flyway 

Alabama 

Same zones as for ducks, but in 

addition: 

SJBP Zone: That portion of Morgan 

County east of U.S. Highway 31, north 

of State Highway 36, and west of U.S. 

231; that portion of Limestone County 

south of U.S. 72; and that portion of 

Madison County south of Swancott 

Road and west of Triana Road. 

Arkansas 

Northwest Zone: Benton, Carroll, 

Baxter, Washington, Madison, Newton, 

Crawford, Van Buren, Searcy, Sebastion, 

Scott, Franklin, Logan, Johnson, Pope, 

Yell, Conway, Perry, Faulkner, Pulaski, 

Boone, and Marion Counties. 

Illinois 

Same zones as for ducks, but in 

addition: 

North Zone: 

Northern Illinois Quota Zone: The 

Counties of McHenry, Lake, Kane, 

DuPage, and those portions of LaSalle 

and Will Counties north of Interstate 

Highway 80. 

Central Zone: 

Central Illinois Quota Zone: The 

Counties of Woodford, Peoria, Knox, 

Fulton, Tazewell, Mason, Cass, Morgan, 

Pike, Calhoun, and Jersey, and those 

portions of Grundy, LaSalle and Will 

Counties south of Interstate Highway 80. 

South Zone: 

Southern Illinois Quota Zone: 

Alexander, Jackson, Union, and 

Williamson Counties. 

Indiana 

Same zones as for ducks, but in 

addition: 

SJBP Zone: Jasper, LaGrange, LaPorte, 

Starke, and Steuben Counties, and that 

portion of the Jasper’Pulaski Fish and 

Wildlife Area in Pulaski County. 

Iowa 

North Zone: That portion of the State 

north of U.S. Highway 20. 

South Zone: The remainder of Iowa. 

Kentucky 

Western Zone: That portion of the 

State west of a line beginning at the 

Tennessee State line at Fulton and 

extending north along the Purchase 

Parkway to Interstate Highway 24, east 

along I–24 to U.S. Highway 641, north 

along U.S. 641 to U.S. 60, northeast 

along U.S. 60 to the Henderson County 

line, then south, east, and northerly 

along the Henderson County line to the 

Indiana State line. 

Ballard Reporting Area: That area 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

northwest city limits of Wickliffe in 

Ballard County and extending westward 

to the middle of the Mississippi River, 

north along the Mississippi River and 

along the low-water mark of the Ohio 

River on the Illinois shore to the 

Ballard-McCracken County line, south 

along the county line to Kentucky 

Highway 358, south along Kentucky 358 

to U.S. Highway 60 at LaCenter; then 

southwest along U.S. 60 to the northeast 

city limits of Wickliffe. 

Henderson-Union Reporting Area: 

Henderson County and that portion of 

Union County within the Western Zone. 

Pennyroyal/Coalfield Zone: Butler, 

Daviess, Ohio, Simpson, and Warren 

Counties and all counties lying west to 

the boundary of the Western Goose 

Zone. 

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. 

Tuscola/Huron Goose Management 

Unit (GMU): Those portions of Tuscola 

and Huron Counties bounded on the 

south by Michigan Highway 138 and 

Bay City Road, on the east by Colwood 

and Bay Port Roads, on the north by 

Kilmanagh Road and a line extending 

directly west off the end of Kilmanagh 

Road into Saginaw Bay to the west 

boundary, and on the west by the 

Tuscola-Bay County line and a line 

extending directly north off the end of 

the Tuscola-Bay County line into 

Saginaw Bay to the north boundary. 

Allegan County GMU: That area 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

junction of 136th Avenue and Interstate 

Highway 196 in Lake Town Township 

and extending easterly along 136th 

Avenue to Michigan Highway 40, 

southerly along Michigan 40 through 

the city of Allegan to 108th Avenue in 

Trowbridge Township, westerly along 

108th Avenue to 46th Street, northerly 

1⁄2 mile along 46th Street to 109th 

Avenue, westerly along 109th Avenue to 

I–196 in Casco Township, then 

northerly along I–196 to the point of 

beginning. 

Saginaw County GMU: That portion 

of Saginaw County bounded by 

Michigan Highway 46 on the north; 

Michigan 52 on the west; Michigan 57 

on the south; and Michigan 13 on the 

east. 

Muskegon Wastewater GMU: That 

portion of Muskegon County within the 

boundaries of the Muskegon County 

wastewater system, east of the 

Muskegon State Game Area, in sections 

5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, and 32, 

T10N R14W, and sections 1, 2, 10, 11, 

12, 13, 14, 24, and 25, T10N R15W, as 

posted. 

Special Canada Goose Seasons: 

Southern Michigan GMU: That 

portion of the State, including the Great 

Lakes and interconnecting waterways 

and excluding the Allegan County 

GMU, south of a line beginning at the 

Ontario border at the Bluewater Bridge 

in the city of Port Huron and extending 

westerly and southerly along Interstate 

Highway 94 to I–69, westerly along I–69 

to Michigan Highway 21, westerly along 

Michigan 21 to I–96, northerly along I– 

96 to I–196, westerly along I–196 to 

Lake Michigan Drive (M–45) in Grand 

Rapids, westerly along Lake Michigan 

Drive to the Lake Michigan shore, then 

directly west from the end of Lake 

55686 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

Michigan Drive to the Wisconsin State 

line. 

Central Michigan GMU: That portion 

of the Lower Peninsula north of the 

Southern Michigan GMU but south of a 

line beginning at the Wisconsin State 

line 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, easterly along Michigan 20 

to U.S. Highway 10 Business Route (BR) 

in the city of Midland, easterly along 

U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 10, easterly along 

U.S. 10 to Interstate Highway 75/U.S. 

Highway 23, northerly along I–75/U.S. 

23 to the U.S. 23 exit at Standish, 

easterly along 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, 

excluding the Tuscola/Huron GMU, 

Saginaw County GMU, and Muskegon 

Wastewater GMU. 

Minnesota 

West Zone: That portion of the State 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

junction of State Trunk Highway (STH) 

60 and the Iowa State line, 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 State line. 

West Central Zone: That area 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

intersection of State Trunk Highway 

(STH) 29 and U.S. Highway 212 and 

extending west along U.S. 212 to U.S. 

59, south along U.S. 59 to STH 67, west 

along STH 67 to U.S. 75, north along 

U.S. 75 to County State Aid Highway 

(CSAH) 30 in Lac qui Parle County, west 

along CSAH 30 to the western boundary 

of the State, north along the western 

boundary of the State to a point due 

south of the intersection of STH 7 and 

CSAH 7 in Big Stone County, and 

continuing due north to said 

intersection, then north along CSAH 7 

to CSAH 6 in Big Stone County, east 

along CSAH 6 to CSAH 21 in Big Stone 

County, south along CSAH 21 to CSAH 

10 in Big Stone County, east along 

CSAH 10 to CSAH 22 in Swift County, 

east along CSAH 22 to CSAH 5 in Swift 

County, south along CSAH 5 to U.S. 12, 

east along U.S. 12 to CSAH 17 in Swift 

County, south along CSAH 17 to CSAH 

9 in Chippewa County, south along 

CSAH 9 to STH 40, east along STH 40 

to STH 29, then south along STH 29 to 

the point of beginning. 

Northwest Zone: That portion of the 

State encompassed by a line extending 

east from the North Dakota State line 

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. 

Special Canada Goose Seasons: 

Southeast 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. 

Missouri 

Same zones as for ducks but in 

addition: 

Middle Zone 

Southeast Zone: That portion of the 

State encompassed by a line beginning 

at the intersection of Missouri Highway 

(MO) 34 and Interstate 55 and extending 

south along I–55 to U.S. Highway 62, 

west along U.S. 62 to MO 53, north 

along MO 53 to MO 51, north along MO 

51 to U.S. 60, west along U.S. 60 to MO 

21, north along MO 21 to MO 72, east 

along MO 72 to MO 34, then east along 

MO 34 to I–55. 

Ohio 

Same zones as for ducks but in 

addition: 

North Zone 

Lake Erie SJBP Zone: That portion of 

the State encompassed by a line 

beginning in Lucas County at the 

Michigan State line on I–75, and 

extending south along I–75 to I–280, 

south along I–280 to I–80, east along I–

80 to the Pennsylvania State line in 

Trumbull County, north along the 

Pennsylvania State line to SR 6 in 

Ashtabula County, west along SR 6 to 

the Lake/Cuyahoga County line, north 

along the Lake/Cuyahoga County line to 

the shore of Lake Erie. 

Tennessee 

Southwest Zone: That portion of the 

State south of State Highways 20 and 

104, and west of U.S. Highways 45 and 

45W. 

Northwest Zone: Lake, Obion, and 

Weakley Counties and those portions of 

Gibson and Dyer Counties not included 

in the Southwest Tennessee Zone. 

Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Zone: That 

portion of the State bounded on the 

west by the eastern boundaries of the 

Northwest and Southwest Zones and on 

the east by State Highway 13 from the 

Alabama State line to Clarksville and 

U.S. Highway 79 from Clarksville to the 

Kentucky State line. 

Wisconsin 

Same zones as for ducks but in 

addition: 

Horicon Zone: That area encompassed 

by a line beginning at the intersection of 

State Highway 21 and the Fox River in 

Winnebago County and extending 

westerly along State 21 to the west 

boundary of Winnebago County, 

southerly along the west boundary of 

Winnebago County to the north 

boundary of Green Lake County, 

westerly along the north boundaries of 

Green Lake and Marquette Counties to 

State 22, southerly along State 22 to 

State 33, westerly along State 33 to 

Interstate Highway 39, southerly along 

Interstate Highway 39 to Interstate 

Highway 90/94, southerly along I–90/94 

to State 60, easterly along State 60 to 

State 83, northerly along State 83 to 

State 175, northerly along State 175 to 

State 33, easterly along State 33 to U.S. 

Highway 45, northerly along U.S. 45 to 

the east shore of the Fond Du Lac River, 

northerly along the east shore of the 

Fond Du Lac River to Lake Winnebago, 

northerly along the western shoreline of 

Lake Winnebago to the Fox River, then 

westerly along the Fox River to State 21. 

Collins Zone: That area encompassed 

by a line beginning at the intersection of 

Hilltop Road and Collins Marsh Road in 

Manitowoc County and extending 

westerly along Hilltop Road to Humpty 

Dumpty Road, southerly along Humpty 

Dumpty Road to Poplar Grove Road, 

easterly along Poplar Grove Road to 

Rockea Road, southerly along Rockea 

Road to County Highway JJ, 

southeasterly along County JJ to Collins 

Road, southerly along Collins Road to 

the Manitowoc River, southeasterly 

along the Manitowoc River to Quarry 

Road, northerly along Quarry Road to 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55687 

Einberger Road, northerly along 

Einberger Road to Moschel Road, 

westerly along Moschel Road to Collins 

Marsh Road, northerly along Collins 

Marsh Road to Hilltop Road. 

Exterior Zone: That portion of the 

State not included in the Horicon or 

Collins Zones. 

Mississippi River Subzone: That area 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

intersection of the Burlington Northern 

& Santa Fe Railway and the Illinois 

State line in Grant County and 

extending northerly along the 

Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway 

to the city limit of Prescott in Pierce 

County, then west along the Prescott 

city limit to the Minnesota State line. 

Rock Prairie Subzone: That area 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

intersection of the Illinois State line and 

Interstate Highway 90 and extending 

north along I–90 to County Highway A, 

east along County A to U.S. Highway 12, 

southeast along U.S. 12 to State 

Highway 50, west along State 50 to State 

120, then south along 120 to the Illinois 

State line. 

Brown County Subzone: That area 

encompassed by a line beginning at the 

intersection of the Fox River with Green 

Bay in Brown County and extending 

southerly along the Fox River to State 

Highway 29, northwesterly along State 

29 to the Brown County line, south, 

east, and north along the Brown County 

line to Green Bay, due west to the 

midpoint of the Green Bay Ship 

Channel, then southwesterly along the 

Green Bay Ship Channel to the Fox 

River. 

Central Flyway 

Colorado (Central Flyway Portion) 

Northern Front Range Area: All lands 

in Adams, Boulder, Clear Creek, Denver, 

Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld 

Counties west of I–25 from the 

Wyoming State line south to I–70; west 

on I–70 to the Continental Divide; north 

along the Continental Divide to the 

Jackson-Larimer County Line to the 

Wyoming State line. 

South Park/San Luis Valley Area: 

Alamosa, Chaffee, Conejos, Costilla, 

Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park, Teller, and 

Rio Grande Counties and those portions 

of Hinsdale, Mineral, and Saguache 

Counties east of the Continental Divide. 

North Park Area: Jackson County. 

Remainder: Remainder of the Central 

Flyway portion of Colorado. 

Eastern Colorado Late Light Goose 

Area: that portion of the State east of 

Interstate Highway 25. 

Nebraska 

Dark Geese 

Niobrara Unit: That area contained 

within and bounded by the intersection 

of the South Dakota stateline and the 

Cherry County line, south along the 

Cherry County line to the Niobrara 

River, east to the Norden Road, south on 

the Norden Road to U.S. Hwy 20, east 

along U.S. Hwy 20 to NE Hwy 137, 

north along NE Hwy 137 to the Niobrara 

River, east along the Niobrara River to 

the Boyd County line, north along the 

Boyd County line to the South Dakota 

stateline. Where the Niobrara River 

forms the boundary, both banks of the 

river shall be included in the Niobrara 

Unit. 

Keya Paha County east of U.S. 183 

and all of Boyd County, including the 

boundary waters of the Niobrara River. 

Where the Niobrara River forms the 

boundary, both banks will be in the 

Niobrara Unit. 

East Unit: That area north and east of 

U.S. 281 at the Kansas-Nebraska State 

line, north to Giltner Road (near 

Doniphan), east to NE 14, north to NE 

66, east to U.S. 81, north to NE 22, west 

to NE 14 north to NE 91, east to U.S. 

275, south to U.S. 77, south to NE 91, 

east to U.S. 30, east to Nebraska-Iowa 

State line. 

Platte River Unit: That area south and 

west of U.S. 281 at the Kansas-Nebraska 

State line, north to Giltner Road (near 

Doniphan), east to NE 14, north to NE 

66, east to U.S. 81, north to NE 22, west 

to NE 14 north to NE 91, west along NE 

91 to NE 11, north to the Holt County 

line, west along the northern border of 

Garfield, Loup, Blaine and Thomas 

Counties to the Hooker County line, 

south along the Thomas-Hooker County 

lines to the McPherson County line, east 

along the south border of Thomas 

County to the western line of Custer 

County, south along the Custer-Logan 

County line to NE 92, west to U.S. 83, 

north to NE 92, west to NE 61, north 

along NE 61 to NE 2, west along NE 2 

to the corner formed by Garden-GrantSheridan Counties, west along the north 

border of Garden, Morrill, and Scotts 

Bluff Counties to the Wyoming State 

line. 

North-Central Unit: The remainder of 

the State. 

Light Geese 

Rainwater Basin Light Goose Area 

(West): The area bounded by the 

junction of U.S. 283 and U.S. 30 at 

Lexington, east on U.S. 30 to U.S. 281, 

south on U.S. 281 to NE 4, west on NE 

4 to U.S. 34, continue west on U.S. 34 

to U.S. 283, then north on U.S. 283 to 

the beginning. 

Rainwater Basin Light Goose Area 

(East): The area bounded by the junction 

of U.S. 281 and U.S. 30 at Grand Island, 

north and east on U.S. 30 to NE 92, east 

on NE 92 to NE 15, south on NE 15 to 

NE 4, west on NE 4 to U.S. 281, north 

on U.S. 281 to the beginning. 

Remainder of State: The remainder 

portion of Nebraska. 

New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion) 

Dark Geese 

Middle Rio Grande Valley Unit: 

Sierra, Socorro, and Valencia Counties. 

Remainder: The remainder of the 

Central Flyway portion of New Mexico. 

South Dakota 

Canada Geese 

Unit 1: Statewide except for Units 2, 

3 and 4. 

Big Stone Power Plant Area: That 

portion of Grant and Roberts Counties 

east of SD 15 and north of SD 20. 

Unit 2: Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, 

Charles Mix, Gregory, Hughes, Lyman, 

Stanley, and Sully Counties; that 

portion of Dewey County south of U.S. 

212, that portion of Hyde County south 

of U.S. Highway 14; that portion of 

Potter County west of U.S. Highway 83; 

Fall River County east of SD 71 and U.S. 

385; and that portion of Custer County, 

east of SD 79 and south of French Creek. 

Unit 3: Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, 

Grant, Hamlin, Marshall, and Roberts 

Counties. 

Unit 4: Bennett County. 

Texas 

Northeast Goose Zone: That portion of 

Texas lying east and north of a line 

beginning at the Texas-Oklahoma border 

at U.S. 81, then continuing south to 

Bowie and then southeasterly along U.S. 

81 and U.S. 287 to I–35W and I–35 to 

the juncture with I–10 in San Antonio, 

then east on I–10 to the Texas—

Louisiana border. 

Southeast Goose Zone: That portion of 

Texas lying east and south of a line 

beginning at the International Toll 

Bridge at Laredo, then continuing north 

following I–35 to the juncture with I–10 

in San Antonio, then easterly along I–

10 to the Texas-Louisiana border. 

West Goose Zone: The remainder of 

the State. 

Wyoming (Central Flyway Portion) 

Dark Geese 

Area 1: Converse, Hot Springs, 

Natrona, and Washakie Counties, and 

the portion of Park County east of the 

Shoshone National Forest boundary and 

south of a line beginning where the 

Shoshone National Forest boundary 

crosses Park County Road 8VC, easterly 

55688 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

along said road to Park County Road 

1AB, easterly along said road to 

Wyoming Highway 120, northerly along 

said highway to Wyoming Highway 294, 

southeasterly along said highway to 

Lane 9, easterly along said lane to the 

town of Powel and Wyoming Highway 

14A, easterly along said highway to the 

Park County and Big Horn County Line. 

Area 2: Albany, Campbell, Crook, 

Johnson, Laramie, Niobrara, Sheridan, 

and Weston Counties, and that portion 

of Carbon County east of the Continental 

Divide; that portion of Park County west 

of the Shoshone National Forest 

boundary, and that portion of Park 

County north of a line beginning where 

the Shoshone National Forest boundary 

crosses Park County Road 8VC, easterly 

along said road to Park County Road 

1AB, easterly along said road to 

Wyoming Highway 120, northerly along 

said highway to Wyoming Highway 294, 

southeasterly along said highway to 

Lane 9, easterly along said lane to the 

town of Powel and Wyoming Highway 

14A, easterly along said highway to the 

Park County and Big Horn County Line. 

Area 3: Goshen and Platte Counties. 

Area 4: Big Horn and Fremont 

Counties. 

Pacific Flyway 

Arizona 

North Zone: Game Management Units 

1–5, those portions of Game 

Management Units 6 and 8 within 

Coconino County, and Game 

Management units 7, 9, and 12A. 

South Zone: Those portions of Game 

Management Units 6 and 8 in Yavapai 

County, and Game Management Units 

10 and 12B–45. 

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. 

Imperial County Special Management 

Area: The area bounded by a line 

beginning at Highway 86 and the Navy 

Test Base Road; south on Highway 86 to 

the town of Westmoreland; continue 

through the town of Westmoreland to 

Route S26; east on Route S26 to 

Highway 115; north on Highway 115 to 

Weist Rd.; north on Weist Rd. to 

Flowing Wells Rd.; northeast on 

Flowing Wells Rd. to the Coachella 

Canal; northwest on the Coachella Canal 

to Drop 18; a straight line from Drop 18 

to Frink Rd.; south on Frink Rd. to 

Highway 111; north on Highway 111 to 

Niland Marina Rd.; southwest on Niland 

Marina Rd. to the old Imperial County 

boat ramp and the water line of the 

Salton Sea; from the water line of the 

Salton Sea, a straight line across the 

Salton Sea to the Salinity Control 

Research Facility and the Navy Test 

Base Road; southwest on the Navy Test 

Base Road to the point of beginning. 

Balance-of-the-State Zone: The 

remainder of California not included in 

the Northeastern, Southern, and the 

Colorado River Zones. 

Del Norte and Humboldt Area: The 

Counties of Del Norte and Humboldt. 

Sacramento Valley Special 

Management Area (West): That area 

bounded by a line beginning at Willows 

south on I–5 to Hahn Road; easterly on 

Hahn Road and the Grimes-Arbuckle 

Road to Grimes; northerly on CA 45 to 

the junction with CA 162; northerly on 

CA 45/162 to Glenn; and westerly on 

CA 162 to the point of beginning in 

Willows. 

Colorado (Pacific Flyway Portion) 

West Central Area: Archuleta, Delta, 

Dolores, Gunnison, LaPlata, 

Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan, 

and San Miguel Counties and those 

portions of Hinsdale, Mineral, and 

Saguache Counties west of the 

Continental Divide. 

State Area: The remainder of the 

Pacific-Flyway Portion of Colorado. 

Idaho 

Zone 1: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, 

Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, 

Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone 

Counties. 

Zone 2: The Counties of Ada; Adams; 

Boise; Canyon; those portions of Elmore 

north and east of I–84, and south and 

west of I–84, west of ID 51, except the 

Camas Creek drainage; Gem; Owyhee 

west of ID 51; Payette; Valley; and 

Washington. 

Zone 3: The Counties of Blaine; 

Camas; Cassia; those portions of Elmore 

south of I–84 east of ID 51, and within 

the Camas Creek drainage; Gooding; 

Jerome; Lincoln; Minidoka; Owyhee east 

of ID 51; Power within the Minidoka 

National Wildlife Refuge; and Twin 

Falls. 

Zone 4: The Counties of Bear Lake; 

Bingham within the Blackfoot Reservoir 

drainage; Bonneville, Butte; Caribou 

except the Fort Hall Indian Reservation; 

Clark; Custer; Franklin; Fremont; 

Jefferson; Lemhi; Madison; Oneida; 

Power west of ID 37 and ID 39 except 

the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; 

and Teton. 

Zone 5: All lands and waters within 

the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, 

including private inholdings; Bannock 

County; Bingham County, except that 

portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 55689 

drainage; and Power County east of ID 

37 and ID 39. 

Montana (Pacific Flyway Portion) 

East of the Divide Zone: The Pacific 

Flyway portion of the State located east 

of the Continental Divide. 

West of the Divide Zone: The 

remainder of the Pacific Flyway portion 

of Montana. 

Nevada 

Lincoln Clark County Zone: All of 

Lincoln and Clark Counties. 

Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The 

remainder of Nevada. 

New Mexico (Pacific Flyway Portion) 

North Zone: The Pacific Flyway 

portion of New Mexico located north of 

I–40. 

South Zone: The Pacific Flyway 

portion of New Mexico located south of 

I–40. 

Oregon 

Southwest Zone: Douglas, Coos, 

Curry, Josephine, and Jackson Counties. 

Northwest Special Permit Zone: That 

portion of western Oregon west and 

north of a line running south from the 

Columbia River in Portland along I–5 to 

OR 22 at Salem; then east on OR 22 to 

the Stayton Cutoff; then south on the 

Stayton Cutoff to Stayton and due south 

to the Santiam River; then west along 

the north shore of the Santiam River to 

I–5; then south on I–5 to OR 126 at 

Eugene; then west on OR 126 to 

Greenhill Road; then south on Greenhill 

Road to Crow Road; then west on Crow 

Road to Territorial Hwy; then west on 

Territorial Hwy to OR 126; then west on 

OR 126 to OR 36; then north on OR 36 

to Forest Road 5070 at Brickerville; then 

west and south on Forest Road 5070 to 

OR 126; then west on OR 126 to 

Milepost 19, north to the intersection of 

the Benton and Lincoln County line, 

north along the western boundary of 

Benton and Polk Counties to the 

southern boundary of Tillamook 

County, west along the Tillamook 

County boundary to the Pacific Coast. 

Lower Columbia/N. Willamette Valley 

Management Area: Those portions of 

Clatsop, Columbia, Multnomah, and 

Washington Counties within the 

Northwest Special Permit Zone. 

Northwest Zone: Those portions of 

Clackamas, Lane, Linn, Marion, 

Multnomah, and Washington Counties 

outside of the Northwest Special Permit 

Zone and all of Lincoln County. 

Closed Zone: All of Tillamook 

County. 

Eastern Zone: Hood River, Wasco, 

Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, 

Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Wheeler, 

Grant, Baker, Union, and Wallowa 

Counties. 

Harney, Klamath, Lake, and Malheur 

County Zone: All of Harney, Klamath, 

Lake, and Malheur Counties. 

Utah 

Washington County Zone: All of 

Washington County. 

Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The 

remainder of Utah. 

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. 

Brant 

Pacific Flyway 

California 

North Coast Zone: Del Norte, 

Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. 

South Coast Zone: Balance of the 

State. 

Washington 

Puget Sound Zone: Skagit County. 

Coastal Zone: Pacific County. 

Swans 

Central Flyway 

South Dakota 

Aurora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, 

Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Clark, 

Codington, Davison, Deuel, Day, 

Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, 

Hanson, Hughes, Hyde, Jerauld, 

Kingsbury, Lake, Marshall, McCook, 

McPherson, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, 

Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Sully, 

and Walworth Counties. 

Pacific Flyway 

Montana (Pacific Flyway Portion) 

Open Area: Cascade, Chouteau, Hill, 

Liberty, and Toole Counties and those 

portions of Pondera and Teton Counties 

lying east of U.S. 287–89. 

Nevada 

Open Area: Churchill, Lyon, and 

Pershing Counties. 

Utah 

Open Area: Those portions of Box 

Elder, Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and 

Toole Counties lying west of I–15, north 

of I–80 and south of a line beginning 

from the Forest Street exit to the Bear 

River National Wildlife Refuge 

boundary, then north and west along the 

Bear River National Wildlife Refuge 

boundary to the farthest west boundary 

of the Refuge, then west along a line to 

Promontory Road, then north on 

Promontory Road to the intersection of 

SR 83, then north on SR 83 to I–84, then 

north and west on I–84 to State Hwy 30, 

then west on State Hwy 30 to the 

Nevada-Utah State line, then south on 

the Nevada-Utah State line to I–80. 

[FR Doc. 05–18970 Filed 9–21–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P