51124 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

50 CFR Part 20 

[FWS–R9–MB–2008–0032; 91200–1231– 

9BPP–L2] 

RIN 1018–AV62 

Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed 

Frameworks for Late-Season Migratory 

Bird Hunting Regulations 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; supplemental. 

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service 

(hereinafter Service or we) is proposing 

to establish the 2008–09 late-season 

hunting regulations for certain 

migratory game birds. We annually 

prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, 

for dates and times when hunting may 

occur and the number of birds that may 

be taken and possessed in late seasons. 

These frameworks are necessary to 

allow State selections of seasons and 

limits and to allow recreational harvest 

at levels compatible with population 

and habitat conditions. 

DATES: You must submit comments on 

the proposed migratory bird hunting 

late-season frameworks by September 8, 

2008. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the proposals by one of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public 

Comments Processing, Attn: 1018– 

AV62; Division of Policy and Directives 

Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 

222; Arlington, VA 22203. 

We will not accept e-mail or faxes. We 

will post all comments on http:// 

www.regulations.gov. This generally 

means that we will post any personal 

information you provide us (see the 

Public Comments section below for 

more information). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron 

W. Kokel, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Department of the Interior, MS 

MBSP–4107–ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, 

NW., Washington, DC 20240; (703) 358– 

1714. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulations Schedule for 2008 

On May 28, 2008, we published in the 

Federal Register (73 FR 30712) 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, and 

other regulations for hunting migratory 

game birds under §§ 20.101 through 

20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. 

Major steps in the 2008–09 regulatory 

cycle relating to open public meetings 

and Federal Register notifications were 

also identified in the May 28 proposed 

rule. Further, we explained that all 

sections of subsequent documents 

outlining hunting frameworks and 

guidelines were organized under 

numbered headings. 

On June 18, 2008, we published in the 

Federal Register (73 FR 34692) a second 

document providing supplemental 

proposals for early- and late-season 

migratory bird hunting regulations. The 

June 18 supplement also provided 

detailed information on the 2008–09 

regulatory schedule and announced the 

SRC and Flyway Council meetings. 

On June 25 and 26, 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 2008–09 

regulations for these species plus 

regulations for migratory game birds in 

Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 

Islands; special September waterfowl 

seasons in designated States; special sea 

duck seasons in the Atlantic Flyway; 

and extended falconry seasons. In 

addition, we reviewed and discussed 

preliminary information on the status of 

waterfowl as it relates to the 

development and selection of the 

regulatory packages for the 2008–09 

regular waterfowl seasons. On July 24, 

2008, we published in the Federal 

Register (73 FR 43290) a third document 

specifically dealing with the proposed 

frameworks for early-season regulations. 

On August 27, 2008, we published a 

rulemaking establishing final 

frameworks for early-season migratory 

bird hunting regulations for the 2008–09 

season. 

On July 30–31, 2008, we held open 

meetings with the Flyway Council 

Consultants, at which the participants 

reviewed the status of waterfowl and 

developed recommendations for the 

2008–09 regulations for these species. 

This document deals specifically with 

proposed frameworks for the late-season 

migratory bird hunting regulations. It 

will lead to final frameworks from 

which States may select season dates, 

shooting hours, areas, and limits. 

We have considered all pertinent 

comments received through August 1, 

2008, in developing this document. In 

addition, new proposals for certain lateseason regulations are provided for 

public comment. The comment period 

is specified above under DATES. We will 

publish final regulatory frameworks for 

late-season migratory game bird hunting 

in the Federal Register on or around 

September 22, 2008. 

Population Status and Harvest 

The following paragraphs provide a 

brief summary of information on the 

status and harvest of waterfowl 

excerpted from various reports. For 

more detailed information on 

methodologies and results, you may 

obtain complete copies of the various 

reports at the address indicated under 

ADDRESSES or from our Web site at 

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/ 

reports/reports.html. 

Status of Ducks 

Federal, provincial, and State 

agencies conduct surveys each spring to 

estimate the size of breeding 

populations and to evaluate the 

conditions of the habitats. These 

surveys are conducted using fixed-wing 

aircraft and helicopters and encompass 

principal breeding areas of North 

America, and cover over 2.0 million 

square miles. The Traditional survey 

area comprises Alaska, Canada, and the 

northcentral United States, and includes 

approximately 1.3 million square miles. 

The Eastern survey area includes parts 

of Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, 

Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince 

Edward Island, New Brunswick, New 

York, and Maine, an area of 

approximately 0.7 million square miles. 

Breeding Ground Conditions 

Habitat conditions during the 2008 

Waterfowl Breeding Population and 

Habitat Survey were characterized in 

many areas by a delayed spring 

compared to several preceding years. 

Drought in many parts of the traditional 

survey area contrasted sharply with 

record snow and rainfall in the eastern 

survey area. The total pond estimate 

(Prairie Canada and United States 

combined) was 4.4 ± 0.2 million ponds, 

37 percent below last year’s estimate of 

7.0 ± 0.3 million ponds and 10 percent 

lower than the long-term average of 4.9 

± 0.03 million ponds. The 2008 estimate 

of ponds in Prairie Canada was 3.1 ± 0.1 

million. This was a 39 percent decrease 

from last year’s estimate (5.0 ± 0.3 

million), and 11 percent below the 

1955–2007 average (3.4 ± 0.03 million). 

The 2008 pond estimate for the northcentral United States (1.4 ± 0.1 million) 

was 30 percent lower than last year’s 

estimate (2.0 ± 0.1 million) and 11 

percent below the long-term average (1.5 

± 0.02 million). 


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Breeding Population Status 

In the Waterfowl Breeding Population 

and Habitat Survey traditional survey 

area (strata 1–18, 20–50, and 75–77), the 

total duck population estimate was 37.3 

± 0.6 [SE] million birds. This was 9 

percent lower than last year’s estimate 

of 41.2 ± 0.7 million birds, but 11 

percent above the 1955–2007 long-term 

average. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 

abundance was 7.7 ± 0.3 million birds, 

similar to last year’s estimate of 8.3 ± 0.3 

million birds and to the long-term 

average. Blue-winged teal (A. discors) 

estimated abundance was 6.6 ± 0.3 

million birds similar to last year’s 

estimate of 6.7 ± 0.4 million birds, and 

45 percent above the long-term average. 

Estimated abundances of gadwall (A. 

strepera; 2.7 ± 0.2 million) and northern 

shovelers (A. clypeata; 3.5 ± 0.2 million) 

were lower than those of last year (¥19 

percent and ¥23 percent, respectively), 

but both remained 56 percent above 

their long-term averages. Estimated 

abundance of American wigeon (A. 

americana; 2.5 ± 0.2 million) was 

similar to the 2007 estimate and the 

long-term average. Estimated 

abundances of green-winged teal (A. 

crecca; 3.0 ± 0.2 million) and redheads 

(Aythya americana; 1.1 ± 0.1 million) 

were similar to last year’s, but were each 

>50 percent above their long-term 

averages. The redhead and greenwinged teal estimates were the highest 

and the second highest ever for the 

traditional survey area. The canvasback 

(A. valisineria) estimate of 0.5 ± 0.05 

million was down 44 percent relative to 

2007’s record high, and 14 percent 

below the long-term average. Northern 

pintails (Anas acuta; 2.6 ± 0.1 million) 

were 22 percent below last year’s 

estimate and 36 percent below their 

long-term average. The scaup (Aythya 

affinis and A. marila combined; 3.7 ± 

0.2 million) estimate was similar to that 

of 2007, and remained 27 percent below 

the long-term average. 

The eastern survey area was 

restratified in 2005 and is now 

composed of strata 51–72. Estimates of 

mallards, scaup, scoters (black 

[Melanitta nigra], white-winged [M. 

fusca], and surf [M. perspicillata]), 

green-winged teal, American wigeon, 

bufflehead (B. albeola), American black 

duck (A. rubripes), ring-necked duck 

(Aythya collaris), mergansers (redbreasted [Mergus serrator], common [M. 

merganser], and hooded [Lophodytes 

cucullatus]), and goldeneye (common 

[Bucephala clangula] and Barrow’s [B. 

islandica]) all were similar to their 2007 

estimates and long-term averages. 

Fall Flight Estimate 

The mid-continent mallard 

population is composed of mallards 

from the traditional survey area (revised 

in 2008 to exclude Alaska mallards), 

Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, 

and was estimated to be 7.7 ± 0.3 

million. This was similar to the revised 

2007 estimate of 8.5 ± 0.3 million. In 

2007, we reported a projected mallard 

fall-flight index of 11.4 million ± 1.0 

million. After the removal of Alaska 

mallards from the mid-continent stock, 

the revised 2007 fall-flight estimate was 

10.9 ± 1.0 million, which was not 

significantly different from the 2008 

estimate of 9.2 ± 0.8 million. These 

indices were based on mid-continent 

mallard population models revised in 

2002, and the 2008 updated model 

weights, and therefore differ from those 

previously published. 

See section 1.A. Harvest Strategy 

Considerations for further discussion of 

the implications of this information for 

this year’s selection of the appropriate 

hunting regulations. 

Status of Geese and Swans 

We provide information on the 

population status and productivity of 

North American Canada geese (Branta 

canadensis), brant (B. bernicla), snow 

geese (Chen caerulescens), Ross’ geese 

(C. rossii), emperor geese (C. canagica), 

white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons), 

and tundra swans (Cygnus 

columbianus). In May of 2008, much of 

eastern Arctic and subarctic Canada 

experienced well above-average 

temperatures which contributed to 

average or early availability of nesting 

sites. Reports from most other important 

goose and swan nesting areas indicated 

near-average nesting phenology and 

average production of young in 2008. 

Poor nesting conditions were reported 

from Wrangel Island, Russia and 

relatively small areas along western 

Hudson Bay, Bristol Bay (Alaska), and 

interior Alaska. Reduced wetland 

abundance in the Canadian and U.S. 

prairies, and a cool and wet spring in 

other southern areas may have reduced 

the production of some temperatenesting Canada geese in 2008. Primary 

abundance indices increased for 17 

goose populations and decreased for 9 

goose populations in 2008 compared to 

2007. Primary abundance indices for 

both populations of tundra swans 

decreased in 2008 from 2007 levels. The 

following populations displayed 

significant positive trends during the 

most recent 10-year period (P < 0.05): 

Mississippi Flyway Giant, Aleutian, 

Atlantic Canada geese, Western Arctic/ 

Wrangel Island snow geese, and Pacific 

white-fronted geese. No populations 

showed a significant negative 10-year 

trend. The forecast for the production of 

geese and swans in North America in 

2008 is regionally variable, but 

production for many populations will 

be improved from the generally low 

production observed in 2007. 

Waterfowl Harvest and Hunter Activity 

National surveys of migratory bird 

hunters were conducted during the 2006 

and 2007 hunting seasons. About 1.2 

million waterfowl hunters harvested 

13,808,100 (± 4 percent) ducks and 

3,579,100 (± 5 percent) geese in 2006, 

and harvested 14,578,900 (± 4 percent) 

ducks and 3,666,100 (± 6 percent) geese 

in 2007. Mallard, green-winged teal, 

gadwall, blue-winged/cinnamon teal 

(Anas cyanoptera), and wood duck (Aix 

sponsa) were the most-harvested duck 

species, and Canada goose was the 

predominant goose species in the 

harvest. Coot hunters (about 39,400 in 

2006 and 33,700 in 2007) harvested 

199,100 (± 29 percent) coots in 2006 and 

198,300 (± 29 percent) in 2007. 

Review of Public Comments and 

Flyway Council Recommendations 

The preliminary proposed 

rulemaking, which appeared in the May 

28, 2008, Federal Register, opened the 

public comment period for migratory 

game bird hunting regulations. The 

supplemental proposed rule, which 

appeared in the June 18, 2008, Federal 

Register, discussed the regulatory 

alternatives for the 2008–09 duck 

hunting season. Late-season comments 

are summarized below and numbered in 

the order used in the May 28 and June 

18 Federal Register documents. 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 successive 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. 

We seek additional information and 

comments on the recommendations in 

this supplemental proposed rule. New 

proposals and modifications to 

previously described proposals are 

discussed below. Wherever possible, 


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51126 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 

they are discussed under headings 

corresponding to the numbered items in 

the May 28 and June 18, 2008, Federal 

Register documents. 

General 

Written Comments: An individual 

commenter protested the entire 

migratory bird hunting regulations 

process, the killing of all migratory 

birds, and the Flyway Council process. Service Response: Our long-term 

objectives continue to include providing 

opportunities to harvest portions of 

certain migratory game bird populations 

and to limit harvests to levels 

compatible with each population’s 

ability to maintain healthy, viable 

numbers. Having taken into account the 

zones of temperature and the 

distribution, abundance, economic 

value, breeding habits, and times and 

lines of flight of migratory birds, we 

believe that the hunting seasons 

provided herein are compatible with the 

current status of migratory bird 

populations and long-term population 

goals. Additionally, we are obligated to, 

and do, give serious consideration to all 

information received as public 

comment. While there are problems 

inherent with any type of representative 

management of public-trust resources, 

we believe that the Flyway-Council 

system of migratory bird management 

has been a longstanding example of 

State-Federal cooperative management 

since its establishment in 1952. 

However, as always, we continue to 

seek new ways to streamline and 

improve the process. 

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. 

A. Harvest Strategy Considerations 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic and Pacific Flyway Councils 

and the Upper- and Lower-Regulations 

Committees of the Mississippi Flyway 

Council recommended the adoption of 

the ‘‘liberal’’ regulatory alternative. The Mississippi Flyway Council 

opposed the implementation of the 

western mallard Adaptive Harvest 

Management (AHM) protocol and 

recommended the midcontinent mallard 

AHM protocol should be used for all 

three western Flyways. The Central Flyway Council also 

recommended the ‘‘liberal’’ alternative. 

However, as part of their Hunter’s 

Choice experiment, they recommended 

continuation of the following bag limits: 

In Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, and Oklahoma, the daily bag limit 

would be six ducks, with species and sex 

restrictions as follows: five mallards (no more 

than two of which may be females), two 

redheads, two scaup, two wood ducks, one 

pintail, one mottled duck, and one 

canvasback. For pintails and canvasbacks, 

the season length would be 39 days, which 

may be split according to applicable zones/ 

split duck hunting configurations approved 

for each State. 

In Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, 

Texas, and Wyoming, the daily bag limit 

would be five ducks, with species and sex 

restrictions as follows: two scaup, two 

redheads, and two wood ducks, and only one 

from the following group—hen mallards, 

mottled ducks, pintails, canvasbacks. 

Service Response: We are continuing 

development of an 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. 

In the July 24 Federal Register, we 

described and adopted a protocol for 

regulatory decision-making for the 

newly defined stock of western 

mallards. For the 2008 hunting season, 

we believe that the prescribed 

regulatory choice for Pacific Flyway 

should be based on the status of this 

western mallard breeding stock, while 

the regulatory choice for the Mississippi 

and Central Flyways should depend on 

the status of the recently redefined midcontinent mallard stock. In defining the 

western breeding stock, based on 

available data, mallards breeding in 

Alaska were disassociated with the midcontinent mallard stock and reassigned 

to the western stock. We also 

recommend that the regulatory choice 

for the Atlantic Flyway continue to 

depend on the status of eastern 

mallards. 

For the 2008 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, in 2003, we agreed to place 

a constraint on closed seasons in the 

western three Flyways whenever the 

midcontinent mallard breedingpopulation size (as defined prior to 

2008; traditional survey area plus 

Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin) 

was ≥5.5 million. As we described in 

the July 24 Federal Register, 

redefinition of the midcontinent mallard 

stock through the removal of Alaska 

necessitated that both the population 

constraint (North American Waterfowl 

Management Plan goal plus Minnesota, 

Michigan, and Wisconsin) and the 

closed season constraint in the 

midcontinent mallard objective function 

be rescaled to 4.75 million in order to 

achieve performance of the midcontinent mallard strategy that is 

comparable to performance prior to the 

stock redefinition. 

Optimal AHM strategies for the 2008 

hunting season were calculated using: 

(1) Harvest-management objectives 

specific to each mallard stock; (2) the 

2008 regulatory alternatives; and (3) 

current population models and 

associated weights for midcontinent, 

western, and eastern mallards. Based on 

this year’s survey results of 7.87 million 

midcontinent mallards (traditional 

survey area minus Alaska plus 

Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan), 

3.06 million ponds in Prairie Canada, 

913.8 thousand western mallards (381.1 

and 532.4 thousand respectively in 

California-Oregon and Alaska) and 815 

thousand 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 Flyway 

Councils regarding selection of the 

‘‘liberal’’ regulatory alternative and 

propose to adopt the ‘‘liberal’’

regulatory alternative, as described in 

the June 18 Federal Register. 

Regarding Hunter’s Choice, we 

support continuation of the Central 

Flyway Council’s recommendation for a 

3-year evaluation of the Central 

Flyway’s Hunter’s Choice duck bag 

limit. The Central Flyway’s Hunter’s 

Choice regulations are intended to limit 

harvest on pintails and canvasbacks in 

a manner similar to the season-withina-season regulations. Hunter’s Choice 

regulations should also reduce harvests 

of mottled ducks and hen mallards, 

while maintaining full hunting 

opportunity on abundant species such 

as drake mallards. For the species 

included in the aggregate bag limit, the 

harvest of one species is intended to 

‘‘buffer’’ the harvest of the others, thus 

reducing the harvest of all species 

included in the one-bird category. The 

Central Flyway has accumulated 4 years 

of baseline information on harvests 

resulting from ‘‘season-within-a-season’’

regulations in the Central Flyway; the 

season length for pintails and 

canvasbacks in season-within-a-season 

States under the ‘‘liberal’’ alternative 

will be 39 days. 

Five States (Kansas, North Dakota, 

South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming) 


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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 51127 

were randomly assigned to Hunter’s 

Choice regulations and the remaining 

five States (Colorado, Montana, 

Nebraska, New Mexico, and Oklahoma) 

serve as controls (season-within-aseason regulations) as the evaluation 

proceeds. The overall duck daily bag 

limit is reduced from six to five for the 

Hunter’s Choice States. 

While we continue to support the 

Central Flyway’s Hunter’s Choice 

experiment, we reiterate that we believe 

implementation of this experiment 

should not preclude any future changes 

in hunting regulations that may be 

deemed necessary on an annual basis 

for any other duck species in the Central 

Flyway, if such changes are deemed 

necessary. 

Regarding the Mississippi Flyway 

Council’s opposition to the western 

mallard AHM protocol, we have 

cooperated with the Pacific Flyway 

during the past several years to develop 

a protocol for managing the harvest of 

the western stock of mallards. As we 

discussed above, in July 2008, we 

formally adopted the western mallard 

protocol (73 FR 43290). This decision 

resulted in Alaska mallards being 

removed from the midcontinent mallard 

stock and placing them in the western 

mallard stock. This change resulted in 

an increase (+7 percent) in the 

frequency of closed seasons in the 

Central and Mississippi Flyways under 

the midcontinent mallard AHM 

protocol. As we also discussed above, to 

address this concern, we modified the 

closed season constraint for 

midcontinent mallards from 5.25 to 4.75 

million mallards. 

We recognize the concerns expressed 

by the Mississippi Flyway Council with 

regard to implementation of the western 

mallard protocol. However, we believe 

that establishment of a western mallard 

protocol is justified, and we have made 

an appropriate adjustment to the 

midcontinent mallard protocol to 

reduce the impact of removing Alaska 

from that stock of birds. With regard to 

potential impacts of higher frequency of 

liberal seasons in the Pacific Flyway on 

midcontinent mallards, a preliminary 

joint optimization of western and 

midcontinent mallards was assessed. 

The preliminary analysis suggested that 

joint optimization does not result in a 

significant difference in the 

performance of either protocol. 

Therefore, we believe an independent 

harvest strategy for western mallards 

poses little risk to the midcontinent 

stock. With regard to the potential 

impacts of near-permanent liberal 

regulations in the Pacific Flyway on 

other species of waterfowl, it is 

presently unclear how such impacts 

would be assessed. However, we are 

committed to monitoring of these 

potential impacts and will discuss any 

findings with all of the Flyway Councils 

prior to implementing any appropriate 

regulatory changes to address such 

impacts. 

B. Regulatory Alternatives 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that the Service propose a process and 

time line by June 2009 for review and 

modification of the regulatory 

alternatives for implementation by the 

2011 season. 

Service Response: We plan to address 

this issue within the context of the new 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement (SEIS) for the migratory bird 

hunting program (see NEPA 

Consideration for further discussion) 

and anticipate the issuance of the draft 

SEIS by the date desired by the Atlantic 

Flyway Council. 

C. Special Seasons/Species Management 

iii. Black Ducks 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that black duck harvest regulations 

remain unchanged for the 2008–09 

season. 

Service Response: In the July 24 

Federal Register we described the black 

duck interim harvest strategy developed 

by U.S. and Canadian waterfowl 

managers that will be employed by both 

countries to make regulatory decisions 

over the next three seasons (2008–09 to 

2010–11), allowing time for the 

development of a formal strategy based 

on the principles of AHM. The interim 

harvest strategy is prescriptive, in that it 

calls for no substantive changes in 

hunting regulations unless the black 

duck breeding population, averaged 

over the most recent 3 years, exceeds or 

falls below the long-term average 

breeding population by 15 percent or 

more. The strategy is designed to share 

the black duck harvest equally between 

the two countries; however, recognizing 

incomplete control of harvest through 

regulations, it will allow realized 

harvest in either country to vary 

between 40 and 60 percent. 

The 2008 composite estimate (based 

on hierarchical modeling and both 

Service and Canadian Wildlife Service 

survey data) for the Eastern Survey Area 

is 683.4 thousand. The 1998–2007 mean 

estimate is 713.8 thousand and the most 

recent 3-year running mean estimate is 

721.6 thousand. Based on these 

estimates, we agree with the Atlantic 

Flyway Council that no restriction or 

liberalization of harvest is warranted. 

iv. Canvasbacks 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

a full season for canvasbacks consisting 

of a 1-bird daily bag limit and a 60-day 

season in the Atlantic Flyway. 

The Upper- and Lower-Region 

Regulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council reiterated 

their recommended alternative 

canvasback harvest management 

strategy that uses threshold levels based 

on breeding population size in order to 

determine bag limits (detailed in the 

June 18 Federal Register). Using their 

strategy would result in a 1-bird daily 

bag limit and a 60-day season in the 

Mississippi Flyway. 

The Central Flyway Council, as part 

of their Hunter’s Choice experiment, 

recommended a full season (74 days) for 

canvasbacks with a 1-bird daily bag 

limit in Kansas, North Dakota, South 

Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming and a 39- 

day season with a 1-bird daily bag limit 

in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, and Oklahoma. 

The Pacific Flyway Council 

recommended a closed season for 

canvasbacks. 

Service Response: Since 1994, we 

have followed a canvasback harvest 

strategy that if canvasback population 

status and production are sufficient to 

permit a harvest of one canvasback per 

day nationwide for the entire length of 

the regular duck season, while still 

attaining a projected spring population 

objective of 500,000 birds, the season on 

canvasbacks should be opened. A 

partial season would be permitted if the 

estimated allowable harvest was within 

the projected harvest for a shortened 

season. If neither of these conditions 

can be met, the harvest strategy calls for 

a closed season on canvasbacks 

nationwide. In the July 24 Federal 

Register we announced our decision to 

modify the Canvasback Harvest Strategy 

to incorporate the option for a 2-bird 

daily bag limit for canvasbacks when 

the predicted breeding population the 

subsequent year exceeds 725,000 birds. 

This year’s spring survey resulted in 

an estimate of 489,000 canvasbacks. 

This was 44 percent below the 2007 

estimate of 865,000 canvasbacks and 14 

percent below the 1955–2007 average. 

The estimate of ponds in Prairie Canada 

was 3.06 million, which was 39 percent 

below last year and 11 percent below 

the long-term average. According to the 

Canvasback Harvest Strategy, the 

allowable harvest in the conterminous 

United States is 24,700 birds, which is 

less than the expected harvest in the 

United States for all four flyways under 

their respective restrictive season 


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lengths (61,758 birds). Thus, the 

Canvasback Harvest Strategy stipulates a 

canvasback season closure for the 

upcoming season. 

Last year, the estimate of canvasback 

abundance was a record-high of 865,000 

birds. In response to Flyway requests for 

additional harvest opportunities due to 

that estimate, we increased the daily bag 

limit to 2 birds per day. As expected, 

the harvest of canvasbacks increased 

last year, but not to the extent that could 

explain the large decrease in the 

estimate of canvasback abundance this 

spring. We have conducted a 

comprehensive review of canvasback 

survey information, with a particular 

focus on the change in estimates 

between 2007 and 2008. Investigations 

into the estimation procedures for 

canvasbacks revealed that numbers of 

canvasbacks observed during the May 

survey increased across many survey 

areas last year, but counts were 

consistently lower in those same areas 

this spring. We found no anomalies in 

the data, leading us to conclude with 

confidence that the estimate this year is 

as reliable as previous estimates. 

Annual canvasback estimates typically 

have higher variances than for most 

other species counted during May, and 

large changes from year-to-year have 

happened historically. It is possible that 

the discrepancy between this year’s 

estimate and last year’s record-high 

estimate is purely the result of sampling 

variation, but other factors may have 

contributed. 

However, we support the completion 

of the Hunter’s Choice experiment in 

the Central Flyway. For the last 2 years, 

the average harvest of canvasbacks in 

the U.S. portion of the Central Flyway 

has been about 14,800 birds. This, 

together with the average expected 

harvest in Alaska (350 birds), is below 

the allowable U.S. harvest resulting 

from the strategy this year. Thus, we 

propose that the States in the Central 

Flyway be allowed an open season on 

canvasbacks this year according to the 

Hunter’s Choice experimental design, 

but the seasons on canvasbacks would 

be closed in the Atlantic, Mississippi, 

and Pacific Flyways. 

v. Pintails 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic and Pacific Flyway Councils 

and the Upper- and Lower-Region 

Regulations 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, and a 107-day 

season in the Pacific Flyway. 

The Central Flyway Council, as part 

of their Hunter’s Choice experiment, 

recommended a full season (74 days) for 

pintails with a 1-bird daily bag limit in 

Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, 

Texas, and Wyoming and a 39-day 

season with a 1-bird daily bag limit in 

Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, and Oklahoma. 

Service Response: Based on the 

current strategy, along with an observed 

spring breeding population of 2.61 

million, an overflight-bias-corrected 

breeding population of 4.24 million and 

a projected fall flight of 4.47 million 

pintails, the Pintail Harvest Strategy 

prescribes a full season and a 1-bird bag 

in all Flyways. Under the ‘‘liberal’’

season length, this regulation is 

expected to result in a harvest of 

569,000 pintails and an observed 

breeding population estimate of 3.53 

million in 2009, not considering any 

potential effect from continuation of the 

Hunter’s Choice evaluation in the 

Central Flyway. 

Furthermore, we agree with the 

Central Flyway Council’s 

recommendation to adopt a 39-day 

‘‘season-within-a-season’’ for pintails in 

Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New 

Mexico, and Oklahoma. We understand 

that this departure from the pintail 

strategy is a necessary part of the 

experimental ‘‘Hunter’s Choice’’ season. 

vi. Scaup 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that the following regulatory packages 

for scaup be allowed for the Atlantic 

Flyway for the next 3 years and that we 

use their harvest prediction 

methodology to predict scaup harvests 

in the Atlantic Flyway: 

(1) Under the restrictive harvest 

policy, a 40-day season with a 1-bird 

daily bag and a 20-day season with a 2- 

bird daily bag. The 20 days with the 2- 

bird daily bag shall be 20 consecutive 

hunting days; 

(2) Under the moderate harvest 

policy, a 60-day season with a 2-bird 

daily bag; and 

(3) Under the liberal harvest policy, a 

60-day season with a 4-bird daily bag. 

For 2008–09, the Council 

recommended implementation of the 

restrictive season package, based on 

results of the scaup harvest model. 

The Upper- and Lower-Region 

Regulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council 

recommended a 60-day season with a 2- 

bird daily bag limit for the 2008–09 

season. They further recommended a 

restrictive and moderate regulatory 

package of 60 days with a 2-bird daily 

bag limit and a liberal regulatory 

package of 60 days with a 4-bird daily 

bag limit. 

The Central Flyway Council 

recommended the continuation of the 

Hunter’s Choice bag limit for the 2008–

09 season. After completion of the 

Hunter’s Choice experiment, the Central 

Flyway Council recommends the 

following potential scaup regulatory 

alternatives (season lengths and daily 

bag limits) for Central Flyway States: 

(1) Restrictive Policy—74 days with a 

1-bird daily bag limit; 

(2) Moderate Policy—74 days with a 

2-bird daily bag limit; and 

(3) Liberal Policy—74 days with a 6- 

bird daily bag limit. 

The Pacific Flyway Council 

recommended the adoption of the 

following scaup regulation packages for 

the Pacific Flyway for the next three 

years: 

(1) Restrictive season package: 86 

days, 2 bag limit. 

(2) Moderate season package: 86 days, 

3 bag limit. 

(3) Liberal season package: 107 days, 

7 bag limit. 

In addition, the Pacific Flyway 

Council requested that split and zone 

configurations be available to individual 

States for scaup seasons, similar to the 

split and zone options we previously 

provided for pintail seasons. For 2008–

09, the Council recommended 

implementation of the restrictive season 

package, based on results of the scaup 

harvest model. 

Service Response: As we have stated 

over the last several years, the 

continental scaup (greater Aythya 

marila and lesser Aythya affinis 

combined) population has experienced 

a long-term decline over the past 20 

years. Over the past several years in 

particular, we have continued to express 

our growing concern about the status of 

scaup (see the May 28 Federal Register 

for a review of the actions we have 

taken over the last few years to 

synthesize data relevant to scaup 

harvest management and frame a 

scientifically-sound scaup harvest 

strategy or for a complete list of reports 

see http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/ 

reports/reports.html). 

In the July 24 Federal Register, we 

adopted a scaup harvest strategy that 

resulted from three years of 

development and review in cooperation 

with the Flyway Councils. The 2008 

scaup breeding population estimate was 

3.74 million. Total estimated scaup 

harvest in 2007–08 was 295,000. 

Employing these estimates as the input 

to the scaup harvest strategy, the 

optimal harvest for the 2008–09 hunting 

season is 200,000 (including the 40,000 

scaup harvest expected in Canada and 


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Alaska). The available harvest results in 

a recommendation for a restrictive 

package in all four Flyways (except 

Alaska). 

We appreciate the time and attention 

that the Flyways have given this issue. 

We further support the 

recommendations received from the 

Atlantic, Central and Pacific Flyways for 

their restrictive, moderate and liberal 

packages for scaup. We also support the 

packages recommended by the 

Mississippi Flyway for their moderate 

and liberal packages. However, the 

restrictive package recommended by the 

Mississippi Flyway is not projected to 

be sufficient to achieve the required 

harvest reductions. In further 

consultation with the Mississippi 

Flyway Consultants, we accepted the 

same season structure recommended by 

the Atlantic Flyway for restrictive 

seasons in the Mississippi Flyway. 

These season structures will be used for 

the next three years and evaluated at the 

end of that period. 

In addition, we have adopted the 

alternative harvest prediction models 

suggested by the Atlantic and Central 

Flyways. We also support the proposal 

by the Pacific Flyway to afford States 

the opportunity to use their existing 

zone/split rules for their respective 

States when choosing scaup season 

frameworks. 

vii. Mottled Ducks 

Council Recommendations: The 

Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations 

Committees of the Mississippi Flyway 

Council recommended continuation of a 

60-day season and a 3-bird daily bag 

limit for mottled ducks for the 2008–09 

waterfowl season. They further 

recommended that given adequate 

justification for a 30 percent reduction 

in harvest, and no further analyses of 

effects of harvest regulations on mottled 

duck harvests sometime in the future, 

the following: 

(a) Season length of 45 days with a 

daily bag limit of 1 per day in years 

when AHM prescribes a liberal or 

moderate regulations package. 

(b) Season length of 30 days with a 

daily bag limit of 2 per day in years 

when AHM prescribes a restrictive 

regulations package. 

(c) Outside the mottled duck breeding 

range, mottled duck season length and 

bag limits would be the same as for hen 

mallards. 

The Central Flyway Council 

recommended that no further harvest 

reductions were warranted at this time. 

Service Response: We are not 

proposing any changes to mottled duck 

regulations for the 2008–09 season. 

Because of our long-standing concern 

about the status of mottled ducks, we 

are encouraged by the progress made to 

date on improving population 

monitoring programs for this species in 

the Gulf Coast region. We look forward 

to working with the Flyways on 

continued development of such surveys. 

Further, we appreciate the Mississippi 

Flyway Council’s recommendations on 

potential regulatory packages that could 

serve to reduce harvest pressure on 

mottled ducks if deemed necessary at 

some future date. We will take under 

consideration the Council’s 

recommendation regarding regulations 

in areas outside the mottled duck 

breeding range. We also recognize that 

the Central Flyway Council has taken 

voluntary restrictions in mottled duck 

regulations in the past and, together 

with reductions in harvest resulting 

from the Hunter’s Choice experiment, 

has reduced harvest pressure on mottled 

ducks, primarily in Texas. 

viii. Wood Ducks 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic and Central Flyway Councils 

and the Upper- and Lower-Region 

Regulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council 

recommended that the wood duck bag 

limit in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and 

Central Flyways be increased to 3 birds 

per day during the regular duck season 

for an experimental 3-year period 

beginning in 2008. 

Service Response: We support the 

proposal to increase the daily bag limit 

for wood ducks from 2 to 3 birds in the 

Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central 

Flyways beginning in 2008. We do not, 

however, believe that this change 

warrants an experiment because the 

assessment work that justifies the bag 

limit increase has already been done. 

However, we recognize the importance 

of maintaining the current wood duck 

banding effort that is needed to assess 

the effects of the change. Further, we 

look forward to continuing involvement 

by the Flyways in developing a wood 

duck harvest strategy, including (1) 

determining specific harvest 

management objectives; (2) determining 

regulatory alternatives; (3) designation 

of and support for appropriate 

population monitoring programs; and 

(4) designation of the appropriate test 

criteria for making management 

decisions. We would like the Flyways to 

develop this strategy for implementation 

during the 2010–2011 hunting season. 

viii. Youth Hunt 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 

that the Service allow States to select 

any two weekend days, holidays or 

other non-school days for their youth 

waterfowl hunting days. 

Service Response: We do not support 

the Atlantic Flyway’s proposal to allow 

the selection of any two weekend days, 

holidays, or other non-school days for 

their youth waterfowl hunting days. In 

2000, we expanded the special youth 

waterfowl hunt to two consecutive days 

in order to reduce travel and scheduling 

conflicts for youth hunt participants—

issues identified by the Flyways as 

problems with promoting participation 

under the original 1-day youth hunt 

guidelines (65 FR 51496). The following 

year, we further supported a change to 

two consecutive hunting days to address 

the inability of some States in the 

Atlantic Flyway to hunt on Sundays (66 

FR 44010). As we stated in 2003 when 

presented with a similar proposal by the 

Atlantic Flyway, we believe the 

proposal is inconsistent with the 

original purpose put forth by the Flyway 

Councils in 2000 to facilitate travel and 

scheduling of youth hunt participants 

(68 FR 51658). 

4. Canada Geese 

B. Regular Seasons 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council forwarded a 

number of recommendations concerning 

Canada geese. First, the Council 

recommended that we modify the 

existing criteria for delineation of 

Atlantic Flyway Resident Population 

(AFRP) Canada goose hunting zones in 

the Atlantic Flyway by proposing that 

AFRP hunting zones may not contain 

more than 10 percent of all Atlantic 

Population (AP) band recoveries, or 

more than 10 percent of all North 

Atlantic Population (NAP) recoveries, 

within a State from 2002–2007. 

Second, the Council recommended 

that we adopt the following criteria for 

evaluation of AFRP hunting zones in the 

Atlantic Flyway during 2008–2010: 

(1) All areas holding an AFRP regular 

season must collectively account for no 

more than a 1 percent direct recovery 

rate for adults for any migrant goose 

population during the open AFRP 

regular seasons. Areas contributing 

disproportionately to the cumulative 

recovery rate will be identified and 

these areas may be eliminated to stay 

below the 1 percent threshold; 

(2) AFRP hunting zones must not 

account for more than 10 percent of all 

AP band recoveries, or more than 10 

percent of all NAP recoveries, in any 

State during the 3-year period 2008–

2010; 

(3) If a season is closed for any 

migrant population, AFRP hunting 

zones would remain open as long as 


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they do not result in exceeding the 

cumulative 1 percent adult recovery rate 

threshold; and 

(4) Band recovery data will be 

examined annually, and at 3-year 

intervals all available data will be 

examined to determine if zone 

modifications and/or changes to 

opening and closing framework dates 

are needed to ensure continued 

compliance with the above criteria. 

As a result of the above delineation 

criteria modifications, the Council 

recommended modifications to existing 

AFRP hunting zones in New York, 

Pennsylvania, and Maryland beginning 

in 2008, and that we extend the opening 

and closing framework dates for Canada 

geese in AFRP harvest zones in 

Pennsylvania (from the fourth Saturday 

in October to March 10), Maryland and 

Virginia (from November 15 to March 

10), and North Carolina (from October 1 

to March 10). They also recommended 

allowing Connecticut and New York to 

establish new AFRP harvest zones with 

framework dates between 1 October and 

15 February and bag limits of 5 geese 

per day. 

With regard to frameworks in 

Southern James Bay Population (SJBP) 

harvest zones, the Council 

recommended allowing Pennsylvania a 

70-day Canada goose hunting season, 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit, between 

the second Saturday in October and 

February 15; Virginia, a 40-day season 

between November 15 and January 14 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit and an 

experimental season between January 

15-February 15 with a 5-bird daily bag 

limit; and North Carolina a 70-day 

season with a 5-bird daily bag limit 

between October 1 and December 31. In 

addition, they recommended modifying 

the SJBP harvest zone in Pennsylvania 

to include the former Pymatuning Zone 

and that portion of Mercer, Crawford 

and Erie Counties north of Interstate 80 

and west of Interstate 79 including Lake 

Erie, Presque Isle, and the area within 

150 yards of the Lake Erie shoreline. 

The Upper- and Lower-Region 

Regulations Committees of the 

Mississippi Flyway Council 

recommended a number of changes in 

Canada goose zones, seasons lengths, 

and bag limits for several States in the 

Flyway. These changes are a result of 

approved revisions to the Southern 

James Bay Population (SJBP) Canada 

goose harvest strategy and management 

plan that were made in agreement with 

the Atlantic Flyway. These changes are 

consistent with the revised harvest 

strategies for Canada geese in the 

Mississippi Flyway. 

The Pacific Flyway Council 

recommended revising Idaho zone 

designations for 2 counties (Adams and 

Valley Counties from Zone 2 to Zone 1), 

and reducing the bag limit on dark geese 

in Wyoming from 4 to 3 geese. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

Atlantic Flyway Council’s 

recommendations to modify existing 

criteria for delineation and subsequent 

evaluation of AFRP hunting zones. 

Evaluations of AFRP seasons since 2002 

have demonstrated that these seasons 

have met the established criteria of less 

than a 1 percent direct recovery rate of 

migrant geese. We note that a migrant 

(AP, NAP, SJBP) direct recovery rate of 

0.35 percent was realized for the 2005–

2007 period. AFRP zones have resulted 

in higher hunter opportunity and higher 

AFRP goose harvests, and current North 

Atlantic Population Canada Goose Low 

Harvest zones have shown to be 

effective in minimizing NAP harvest. 

The Atlantic Flyway Council’s proposed 

modification to allow certain portions of 

existing NAP Harvest zones to become 

AFRP zones will allow for greater 

harvest opportunity on AFRP geese 

while further protecting NAP stocks. 

Current direct recovery rates of NAP 

geese in the United States are 2.9 

percent, equating to a harvest rate of <6 

percent. As band return data 

accumulate, adjustments to existing 

AFRP zones and establishment of new 

zones should utilize these data. We will 

continue to evaluate these AFRP 

seasons annually through leg band 

recoveries and at 3-year intervals a 

comprehensive evaluation of all 

available data will occur to ensure 

compliance with established criteria. 

Lastly, we note that these proposed 

modifications for delineation of new 

AFRP zones in certain portions of 

existing NAP harvest zones are in 

accordance with the current North 

Atlantic Population Canada Goose 

Management Plan. 

We also concur with the Atlantic 

Flyway Council’s recommendations to 

modify AFRP hunting zones in 

Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania, 

establish new AFRP zones in 

Connecticut and Long Island, New York, 

and modify the AFRP zone season 

opening and closing framework dates in 

Maryland, North Carolina, 

Pennsylvania, and Virginia. These 

recommended changes all conform to 

the existing criteria, as amended above, 

for delineating AFRP hunting zones and 

establishing AFRP season framework 

dates. We further note that resident 

Canada geese are overabundant in many 

areas of the Atlantic Flyway and 

currently number approximately 1.0 

million birds, significantly above the 

goal in the Atlantic Flyway Resident 

Canada Goose Management Plan of 

650,000 geese. All of the Flyway’s 

objectives to increase the harvest of 

resident Canada geese are consistent 

with those identified in the Service’s 

2005 Final Environmental Impact 

Statement on Resident Canada Goose 

Management (70 FR 69985, November 

18, 2005). 

We also concur with the Atlantic 

Flyway Council’s recommended 

frameworks for the SJBP harvest zones 

in the Atlantic Flyway. We note that the 

SJBP Management Plan was recently 

revised and approved by both the 

Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway 

Councils and guides management 

decisions in both flyways. The plan goal 

is to maintain the SJBP at a level that 

can sustain use throughout its current 

range, while allowing for the 

management of resident Canada geese. 

A key part of the plan is a harvest 

strategy designed to test the resident 

Canada goose buffering hypothesis. This 

hypothesis states that large populations 

of resident Canada geese are now 

buffering the harvest of SJBP geese, and 

therefore liberalization in hunting 

regulations will result in more harvest 

of resident Canada geese, and not SJBP 

Canada geese. Further, genetic studies 

and analysis of band recoveries indicate 

SJBP harvest zones in many States no 

longer function as concentration zones 

for SJBP geese and may therefore be 

ineffective at protecting SJBP geese. We 

agree that these reductions in hunting 

opportunity and hunting pressure on 

resident Canada geese may not be 

warranted when many SJBP harvest 

zones hold a smaller proportion of SJBP 

geese than they did historically. The 

newly revised SJBP plan also calls for 

holding regulations stable for a 5-year 

period (2008–2013). If the spring 

population estimate falls below 50,000 

in combination with either an unabated 

negative trend in the estimate over 3 

years or more, and evidence of 

unsustainable harvest rates, then 

appropriate regulation changes will be 

implemented as/when necessary in both 

the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways. 

We believe that these proposed 

regulation changes will provide for 

increased hunting opportunity and 

harvest of AFRP geese, while 

maintaining the SJBP at levels identified 

in the 2008 plan. 

We also concur with all of the 

recommendations forwarded by the 

Pacific Flyway Council. Some of these 

changes are designed to afford greater 

protection to Tule white-fronted geese 

and the Service strongly supports these 

efforts (see discussion under 5. Whitefronted Geese). In addition, the other 

changes in Canada goose seasons are 

relatively minor and are being 


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undertaken for administrative reasons 

and are not expected to impact 

populations. 

5. White-fronted Geese 

Council Recommendations: The 

Pacific Flyway Council recommended 

the following area, bag, and season 

length changes described below: 

(1) In the Lake County portion of the 

Harney, Lake, and Malheur County 

Zone reduce the daily bag limit for 

white-fronted geese from 2 to 1; 

(2) In the Klamath County Zone of 

Oregon, for hunting days occurring after 

the last Sunday in January, change the 

daily bag limit of 2 white-fronted geese 

to a bag limit of 1 white-fronted goose 

and 3 white geese; and 

(3) Reduce the bag limit on dark geese 

in Wyoming from 4 to 3 geese. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

proposed changes in goose frameworks 

proposed by the Pacific Flyway Council. 

In general, these changes are designed to 

afford greater protection to Tule whitefronted geese and we strongly support 

these efforts. Tule greater white-fronted 

geese continue to be of concern because 

of low population numbers. In Oregon, 

Tule white-fronted geese are 

predominantly encountered in Lake 

County where the bag limit for whitefronted geese has been two for some 

time. Because of the continued concern 

for Tule geese, and uncertainty about 

their true population size, we agree with 

the Pacific Flyway Council that a 

reduction in harvest is warranted. This 

proposed change will keep Tule goose 

harvest in Oregon at minimum levels 

and support ongoing research efforts to 

assess population status. 

We note, however, that indices to the 

Pacific population of white-fronted 

geese exceed management plan goals 

and this population is responsible for 

numerous agricultural depredation 

complaints in the Klamath Basin as 

well. However, given the concerns over 

the status of population of Tule whitefronted geese, which, as documented 

through telemetry observations, are 

present in at least very low numbers in 

the Oregon portion of the Klamath Basin 

during this time period, further 

assessment is warranted. 

6. Brant 

Council Recommendations: The 

Atlantic Flyway Council recommends a 

60-day season with a 3-bird daily bag 

limit for Atlantic brant. 

Service Response: We concur with the 

Atlantic Flyway Council’s 

recommendation. The 2008 Mid-Winter 

Index (MWI) for Atlantic brant was 

160,618 brant. The Brant Management 

Plan prescribes a 60-day season with a 

3-bird daily bag limit when the MWI 

estimate is above 150,000 and 

productivity and food supplies are 

deemed sufficient to sustain additional 

harvest opportunity. We note that 

productivity for 2008 looks very good 

on the main breeding grounds and that 

productivity in 2007 was good, with 

approximately 28–31 percent young in 

the fall productivity surveys. Thus, we 

agree with the Council that an increase 

of 10 days with the associated daily bag 

limit increase is the proper approach for 

the upcoming season. 

7. Snow and Ross’s (Light) Geese 

Council Recommendations: The 

Pacific Flyway Council recommended 

several area, bag, and season length 

changes for light geese: 

(1) In the States of California, Oregon, 

and Washington increase the light goose 

season length to 107 days, and in the 

States of California and Oregon increase 

the bag limit to 6 light geese per day and 

extend the light goose framework 

ending date to March 10; 

(2) Increase the bag limit to 10 light 

geese per day in all other states of the 

Pacific Flyway with a framework ending 

date of March 10; and 

(3) In the Klamath County Zone of 

Oregon, for hunting days occurring after 

the last Sunday in January, change the 

daily bag limit of 2 white-fronted geese 

to a bag limit of 1 white-fronted goose 

and 3 white geese. 

Service Response: We support the 

proposed changes for light geese in the 

Pacific Flyway. Last year the Flyway’s 

December goose count exceeded 1 

million for the first time, representing a 

doubling of this index since 1999. Light 

goose indices (Snow and Ross’ geese 

combined) indicate that all recognized 

populations currently exceed 

management plan goals. In some areas 

of the Pacific Flyway, these goose 

populations are leading to increasing 

depredation complaints. In addition, 

numbers of light geese breeding on 

Wrangle Island, Russia, a colony that 

has been of concern in the past, has 

recovered to near record levels in the 

past few years. We support efforts to 

increase harvest of these geese in aid of 

limiting further population growth and 

perhaps avoiding the overabundance 

problems associated with the species 

that have been documented in several of 

the mid-continent region. 

Public Comments 

The Department of the Interior’s 

policy is, whenever practicable, to 

afford the public an opportunity to 

participate in the rulemaking process. 

Accordingly, we invite interested 

persons to submit written comments, 

suggestions, or recommendations 

regarding the proposed regulations. 

Before promulgation of final migratory 

game bird hunting regulations, we will 

take into consideration all comments 

received. Such comments, and any 

additional information received, may 

lead to final regulations that differ from 

these proposals. 

You may submit your comments and 

materials concerning this proposed rule 

by one of the methods listed in the 

ADDRESSES section. We will not 

consider comments sent by e-mail or fax 

or to an address not listed in the 

ADDRESSES section. Finally, we will not 

consider hand-delivered comments that 

we do not receive, or mailed comments 

that are not postmarked, by the date 

specified in the DATES section. 

We will post your entire comment—

including your personal identifying 

information—on http:// 

www.regulations.gov. If you provide 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you may request at the top of 

your document that we withhold this 

information from public review. 

However, we cannot guarantee that we 

will be able to do so. 

Comments and materials we receive, 

as well as supporting documentation we 

used in preparing this proposed rule, 

will be available for public inspection 

on http://www.regulations.gov, or by 

appointment, during normal business 

hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Division of Migratory Bird 

Management, Room 4107, 4501 North 

Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203. 

For each series of proposed 

rulemakings, we will establish specific 

comment periods. We will consider, but 

possibly may not respond in detail to, 

each comment. As in the past, we will 

summarize all comments received 

during the comment period and respond 

to them after the closing date in any 

final rules. 

NEPA Consideration 

NEPA considerations are covered by 

the programmatic document ‘‘Final 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement: Issuance of Annual 

Regulations Permitting the Sport 

Hunting of Migratory Birds (FSES 88–

14),’’ filed with the Environmental 

Protection Agency on June 9, 1988. We 

published a notice of availability in the 

Federal Register on June 16, 1988 (53 

FR 22582). We published our Record of 

Decision on August 18, 1988 (53 FR 

31341). In addition, an August 1985 

environmental assessment entitled 

‘‘Guidelines for Migratory Bird Hunting 

Regulations on Federal Indian 

Reservations and Ceded Lands’’ is 

available from the address indicated 


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under the caption FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. 

In a notice published in the 

September 8, 2005 Federal Register (70 

FR 53376), we announced our intent to 

develop a new Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement for the 

migratory bird hunting program. Public 

scoping meetings were held in the 

spring of 2006, as detailed in a March 

9, 2006 Federal Register (71 FR 12216). 

We have prepared a scoping report 

summarizing the scoping comments and 

scoping meetings. The report is 

available by either writing to the 

address indicated under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT or by viewing on 

our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/ 

migratorybirds. 

Endangered Species Act Consideration 

Prior to issuance of the 2008–09 

migratory game bird hunting 

regulations, we will comply with 

provisions of the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 

1531–1543; hereinafter, the Act), to 

ensure that hunting is not likely to 

jeopardize the continued existence of 

any species designated as endangered or 

threatened, or modify or destroy its 

critical habitat, and is consistent with 

conservation programs for those species. 

Consultations under section 7 of this 

Act may cause us to change proposals 

in this and future supplemental 

rulemaking documents. 

Executive Order 12866 

The Office of Management and Budget 

has determined that this rule is 

significant and has reviewed this rule 

under Executive Order 12866. OMB 

bases its determination upon the 

following four criteria: 

(a) Whether the rule will have an 

annual effect of $100 million or more on 

the economy or adversely affect an 

economic sector, productivity, jobs, the 

environment, or other units of the 

government. 

(b) Whether the rule will create 

inconsistencies with other Federal 

agencies’ actions. 

(c) Whether the rule will materially 

affect entitlements, grants, user fees, 

loan programs, or the rights and 

obligations of their recipients. 

(d) Whether the rule raises novel legal 

or policy issues. 

Clarity of the Rule 

We are required by Executive Orders 

12866 and 12988 and by the 

Presidential Memorandum of June 1, 

1998, to write all rules in plain 

language. This means that each rule we 

publish must: 

(a) Be logically organized; 

(b) Use the active voice to address 

readers directly; 

(c) Use clear language rather than 

jargon; 

(d) Be divided into short sections and 

sentences; and 

(e) Use lists and tables wherever 

possible. 

If you feel that we have not met these 

requirements, send us comments by one 

of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES

section. To better help us revise the 

rule, your comments should be as 

specific as possible. For example, you 

should tell us the numbers of the 

sections or paragraphs that are unclearly 

written, which sections or sentences are 

too long, the sections where you feel 

lists or tables would be useful, etc. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

The 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, 

2004, and 2008. 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 2008 Analysis was based on the 

2006 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 

approximately $1.2 billion at small 

businesses in 2008. Copies of the 

Analysis are available upon request 

from the address indicated under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or from 

our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/ 

migratorybirds/reports/reports.html or 

at http://www.regulations.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 

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 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 our Migratory Bird 

Surveys and assigned control number 

1018–0023 (expires 2/28/2011). This 

information is used to provide a 

sampling frame for voluntary national 

surveys to improve our harvest 

estimates for all migratory game birds in 

order to better manage these 

populations. OMB has also approved 

the information collection requirements 

of the Alaska Subsistence Household 

Survey, an associated voluntary annual 

household survey used to determine 

levels of subsistence take in Alaska, and 

assigned control number 1018–0124 

(expires 1/31/2010). 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 

proposed rule, has determined that this 

proposed rule 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 proposed rule, authorized by 

the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, does not 

have significant takings implications 

and does not affect any constitutionally 

protected property rights. This rule will 

not result in the physical occupancy of 

property, the physical invasion of 

property, or the regulatory taking of any 

property. In fact, these rules allow 

hunters to exercise otherwise 

unavailable privileges and, therefore, 

reduce restrictions on the use of private 

and public property. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSALS2
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 51133 

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 

proposed rule is a significant regulatory 

action under Executive Order 12866, it 

is not expected to adversely affect 

energy supplies, distribution, or use. 

Therefore, this action is not a significant 

energy action and no Statement of 

Energy Effects is required. 

Federalism Effects 

Due to the migratory nature of certain 

species of birds, the Federal 

Government has been given 

responsibility over these species by the 

Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We annually 

prescribe frameworks from which the 

States make selections regarding the 

hunting of migratory birds, and we 

employ guidelines to establish special 

regulations on Federal Indian 

reservations and ceded lands. This 

process preserves the ability of the 

States and tribes to determine which 

seasons meet their individual needs. 

Any State or 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. 

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 2008–09 hunting 

season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 

703–712 and 16 U.S.C. 742 a–j. 

Dated: August 25, 2008. 

David M. Verhey, 

Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and 

Wildlife and Parks. 

Proposed Regulations Frameworks for 

2008–09 Late Hunting Seasons on 

Certain Migratory Game Birds 

Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty 

Act and delegated authorities, the 

Department has approved 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, 2008, 

and March 10, 2009. 

General 

Dates: All outside dates noted below 

are inclusive. 

Shooting and Hawking (taking by 

falconry) Hours: Unless otherwise 

specified, from one-half hour before 

sunrise to sunset daily. 

Possession Limits: Unless otherwise 

specified, possession limits are twice 

the daily bag limit. 

Flyways and Management Units 

Waterfowl Flyways 

Atlantic Flyway—includes 

Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, 

Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New 

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode 

Island, South Carolina, Vermont, 

Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Mississippi Flyway—includes 

Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, 

Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, 

Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, 

Tennessee, and Wisconsin. 

Central Flyway—includes Colorado 

(east of the Continental Divide), Kansas, 

Montana (Counties of Blaine, Carbon, 

Fergus, Judith Basin, Stillwater, 

Sweetgrass, Wheatland, and all counties 

east thereof), Nebraska, New Mexico 

(east of the Continental Divide except 

the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation), 

North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, 

Texas, and Wyoming (east of the 

Continental Divide). 

Pacific Flyway—includes Alaska, 

Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, 

Oregon, Utah, Washington, and those 

portions of Colorado, Montana, New 

Mexico, and Wyoming not included in 

the Central Flyway. 

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 (except in 

California, Oregon, Washington, and the 

Atlantic Flyway), 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. 

Waterfowl Seasons in the Atlantic 

Flyway 

In the Atlantic Flyway States of 

Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, 

Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, 

North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and 

Virginia, where Sunday hunting is 

prohibited statewide by State law, all 

Sundays are closed to all take of 

migratory waterfowl (including 

mergansers and coots). 

Special Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days 

Outside Dates: States may select two 

consecutive days (hunting days in 

Atlantic Flyway States with 

compensatory days) per duck-hunting 

zone, designated as ‘‘Youth Waterfowl 

Hunting Days,’’ in addition to their 

regular duck seasons. The days must be 

held outside any regular duck season on 

a weekend, holiday, or other non-school 

day when youth hunters would have the 

maximum opportunity to participate. 

The days may be held up to 14 days 

before or after any regular duck-season 

frameworks or within any split of a 

regular duck season, or within any other 

open season on migratory birds. 

Daily Bag Limits: The daily bag limits 

may include ducks, geese, tundra 

swans, mergansers, coots, moorhens, 

and gallinules and would be the same 

as those allowed in the regular season. 

Flyway species and area restrictions 

would remain in effect. 

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before 

sunrise to sunset. 

Participation Restrictions: Youth 

hunters must be 15 years of age or 

younger. In addition, an adult at least 18 

years of age must accompany the youth 

hunter into the field. This adult may not 

duck hunt but may participate in other 

seasons that are open on the special 

youth day. Tundra swans may only be 

taken by participants possessing 

applicable tundra swan permits. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSALS2
51134 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 

Atlantic Flyway 

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots 

Outside Dates: Between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 27) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

25). 

Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 60 

days. The daily bag limit is 6 ducks, 

including no more than 4 mallards (2 

hens), 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 1 mottled 

duck, 1 fulvous whistling duck, 3 wood 

ducks, 2 redheads, and 4 scoters. For 

scaup, the daily bag limit may be 2 for 

up to 20 consecutive hunting days, 

which may be split according to 

applicable zones/split duck hunting 

configurations approved for each State, 

and 1 for the remainder of the season. 

A daily bag limit of 2 scaup may also 

be included in the 6-bird daily bag limit 

for designated youth-hunt days. 

Closures: The season on canvasbacks 

and 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 2 of which may 

be hooded mergansers. In States that 

include mergansers in the duck bag 

limit, the daily limit is the same as the 

duck bag limit, only 2 of which may be 

hooded mergansers. 

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. 

Atlantic Population (AP) Zone: A 45- 

day season may be held between the 

fourth Saturday in October (October 25) 

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. 

Resident Population (RP) Zone: An 

80-day season may be held between 

October 1 and February 15, with a 5- 

bird daily bag limit. The season may be 

split into 3 segments. 

Delaware: A 45-day season may be 

held between November 15 and January 

31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. 

Florida: An 80-day season may be 

held between November 15 and 

February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag 

limit. The season may be split into 3 

segments. 

Georgia: In specific areas, an 80-day 

season may be held between November 

15 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily 

bag limit. The season may be split into 

3 segments. 

Maine: A 60-day season may be held 

statewide between October 1 and 

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

Maryland: 

RP Zone: An 80-day season may be 

held between November 15 and March 

10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The 

season may be split into 3 segments. 

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 October 20 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 25) and January 31, 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit. 

Special Late Goose Season Area: An 

experimental season may be held in 

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 between 

October 1 and February 15, 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 25), except in the Lake 

Champlain Area where the opening date 

is October 20, and January 31, with a 3- 

bird daily bag limit. 

Western Long Island RP Zone: An 80- 

day season may be held between 

October 1 and February 15, with a 5- 

bird daily bag limit. The season may be 

split into 3 segments. 

Rest of State RP Zone: An 80-day 

season may be held between the fourth 

Saturday in October (October 25) and 

March 10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 

The season may be split into 3 

segments. 

North Carolina: 

SJBP Zone: A 70-day season may be 

held between October 1 and December 

31, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 

RP Zone: An 80-day season may be 

held between October 1 and March 10, 

with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season 

may be split into 3 segments. 

Northeast Hunt Unit: A 30-day 

experimental season (1,000 permits) 

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 11) and February 15. 

RP Zone: An 80-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 25) and March 10, 

with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season 

may be split into 3 segments. 

AP Zone: A 45-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 25) and January 31, 

with a 3-bird daily bag limit. 

Rhode Island: A 60-day season may 

be held between October 1 and January 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSALS2
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 51135 

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, 

an 80-day season may be held during 

November 15 to February 15, with a 5- 

bird daily bag limit. The season may be 

split into 3 segments. 

Vermont: A 45-day season may be 

held between the fourth Saturday in 

October (October 25), except in the Lake 

Champlain Zone and Interior Zone 

where the opening date is October 20, 

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 3-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: An 80-day season may be 

held between November 15 and March 

10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The 

season may be split into 3 segments. 

Back Bay Area: A 30-day 

experimental season may be held 

between December 22 and January 24 in 

the AP Zone, with a 2-bird daily bag 

limit. 

West Virginia: An 80-day season may 

be held between October 1 and January 

31, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The 

season may be split into 2 segments in 

each zone. 

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 3 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 60-day 

season between the Saturday nearest 

September 24 (September 27) and 

January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag limit. 

States may split their seasons into 2 

segments. 

Mississippi Flyway 

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots 

Outside Dates: Between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 27) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

25). 

Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 

The season may not exceed 60 days, 

with a daily bag limit of 6 ducks, 

including no more than 4 mallards (no 

more than 2 of which may be females), 

3 mottled ducks, 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 

3 wood ducks, and 2 redheads. For 

scaup, the daily bag limit may be 2 for 

up to 20 consecutive hunting days, 

which may be split according to 

applicable zones/split duck hunting 

configurations approved for each State, 

and 1 for the remainder of the season. 

The season for canvasbacks is closed. A 

daily bag limit of 2 scaup 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 2 of which may be hooded 

mergansers. In States that include 

mergansers in the duck bag limit, the 

daily limit is the same as the duck bag 

limit, only 2 of which may be hooded 

mergansers. 

Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 

coots. 

Zoning and Split Seasons: Alabama, 

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, 

Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and 

Wisconsin may select hunting seasons 

by zones. 

In Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, 

Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, 

Tennessee, and Wisconsin, the season 

may be split into 2 segments in each 

zone. 

In Arkansas and Mississippi, the 

season may be split into 3 segments. 

Geese 

Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may 

be split into 3 segments. 

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 27) 

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 27) and the Sunday nearest 

February 15 (February 15); 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 27) 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 27) 

and January 31. 

Alabama: In the SJBP Goose Zone, the 

season for Canada geese may not exceed 

70 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 

50 days. In the remainder of the State, 

the season may not exceed 40 days. The 

season may extend to February 15. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

Illinois: The season for Canada geese 

may extend for 85 days in the North and 

Central Zones and 66 days in the South 

Zone. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

Indiana: The season for Canada geese 

may extend for 74 days. The daily bag 

limit is 2 Canada geese. 

Late Canada Goose Season Zone—an 

experimental special Canada goose 

season of up to 15 days may be held 

during February 1–15. During this 

special season the daily bag limit cannot 

exceed 5 Canada geese. 

Iowa: The season for Canada geese 

may extend for 90 days. The daily bag 

limit is 2 Canada geese. 

Kentucky: 

(a) Western Zone—The season for 

Canada geese may extend for 70 days 

(85 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 70 days. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(c) Remainder of the State—The 

season may extend for 70 days. The 

daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

Louisiana: The season for Canada 

geese may extend for 16 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 white-fronted goose with an 

86-day season. Hunters participating in 

the Canada goose season must possess a 

special permit issued by the State. 

Michigan: 

(a) North Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16 and the season for Canada geese may 

extend for 45 days. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(b) Middle Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16 and the season for Canada geese may 

extend for 45 days. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(c) South Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16 and the season for Canada geese may 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSALS2
51136 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 

extend for 45 days. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(1) Allegan County and Muskegon 

Wastewater GMU—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16 and the season for Canada geese may 

extend for 45 days. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(3) Saginaw County and Tuscola/ 

Huron GMUs—The framework opening 

date for all geese is September 16 and 

the season for Canada geese may extend 

for 45 days through December 30 and an 

additional 30 days may be held between 

December 31 and February 7. The daily 

bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(d) Southern Michigan Late Season 

Canada Goose Zone—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 41 days. 

The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(2) Remainder of West Zone—The 

season for Canada geese may extend for 

60 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

(b) Remainder of the State—The 

season for Canada geese may extend for 

70 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

(c) 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: The season for Canada geese 

may extend for 79 days and may be split 

into 3 segments provided that at least 1 

segment of at least 9 days occurs prior 

to October 16. The daily bag limit is 3 

Canada geese through October 15 and 2 

Canada geese thereafter. 

Ohio: 

(a) Lake Erie Zone—The season may 

extend for 70 days with no more than 

one split and must close no later than 

December 28, 2008. The daily bag limit 

is 2 Canada geese. 

(b) North Zone—The season may 

extend for 70 days with no more than 

one split and must close no later than 

January 11, 2009. The daily bag limit is 

2 Canada geese. 

(c) South Zone—The season may 

extend for 70 days with no more than 

one split and must close no later than 

January 25, 2009. 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 72 days. 

The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

(c) Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Zone—

The season for Canada geese may extend 

for 72 days. The daily bag limit is 2 

Canada geese. 

(d) Remainder of the State—The 

season for Canada geese may extend for 

72 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 

geese. 

Wisconsin: 

(a) Horicon Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16. The season may not exceed 92 days. 

All Canada geese harvested must be 

tagged. The season limit will be 6 

Canada geese per permittee. 

(b) Collins Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16. The season may not exceed 70 days. 

All Canada geese harvested must be 

tagged. The season limit will be 6 

Canada geese per permittee. 

(c) Exterior Zone—The framework 

opening date for all geese is September 

16. The season may not exceed 85 days. 

The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. 

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. 

Central Flyway 

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots 

Outside Dates: Between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 27) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

25). 

Hunting Seasons: 

(1) High Plains Mallard Management 

Unit (roughly defined as that portion of 

the Central Flyway which lies west of 

the 100th meridian): 97 days. The last 

23 days may start no earlier than the 

Saturday nearest December 10 

(December 13). 

(2) Remainder of the Central Flyway: 

74 days. 

Bag Limits: 

(1) Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, 

New Mexico, and Oklahoma: The daily 

bag limit is 6 ducks, with species and 

sex restrictions as follows: 5 mallards 

(no more than 2 of which may be 

females), 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 wood 

ducks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, and 1 

canvasback. For pintails and 

canvasbacks, the season length would 

be 39 days, which may be split 

according to applicable zones/split duck 

hunting configurations approved for 

each State. A single canvasback and 

pintail may also be included in the 6- 

bird daily bag limit for designated 

youth-hunt days. 

(2) Kansas, North Dakota, South 

Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming: The daily 

bag limit is 5 ducks, with species and 

sex restrictions as follows: 2 scaup, 2 

redheads, and 2 wood ducks, and only 

1 duck from the following group—hen 

mallard, mottled duck, pintail, 

canvasback. 

Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit 

is 5 mergansers, only 2 of which may be 

hooded mergansers. In States that 

include mergansers in the duck daily 

bag limit, the daily limit may be the 

same as the duck bag limit, only two of 

which may be hooded mergansers. 

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 27) and the Sunday 

nearest February 15 (February 15). For 

light geese, outside dates for seasons 

may be selected between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 27) 

and March 10. In the Rainwater Basin 

Light Goose Area (East and West) of 

Nebraska, temporal and spatial 

restrictions that are consistent with the 

late-winter snow goose hunting strategy 

cooperatively developed by the Central 

Flyway Council and the Service 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, 


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States may select a season for Canada 

geese (or any other dark goose species 

except white-fronted geese) not to 

exceed 107 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 

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 an 86-day season with 

a bag limit of 1. 

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 107 days. The daily bag limit is 

4 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 4. 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. The daily bag 

limit is 7 ducks and mergansers, 

including no more than 2 female 

mallards, 1 pintail, 2 scaup, and 2 

redheads. For scaup, the season length 

would be 86 days, which may be split 

according to applicable zones/split duck 

hunting configurations approved for 

each State. The season on canvasbacks 

is closed. A daily bag limit of 2 scaup 

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 27) 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

25). 

Zoning and Split Seasons: Arizona, 

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, 

Washington, and Wyoming may select 

hunting seasons by zones. Arizona, 

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, 

Washington, and Wyoming may split 

their seasons into two segments. 

Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico 

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: 

Dark geese: Except as subsequently 

noted, 100-day seasons may be selected, 

with outside dates between the Saturday 

nearest October 1 (October 4), and the 

last Sunday in January (January 25). The 

basic daily bag limit is 4 dark geese, 

except the dark goose bag limit does not 

include brant. 

Light geese: Except as subsequently 

noted, 107-day seasons may be selected, 

with outside dates between the Saturday 

nearest October 1 (October 4), and 

March 10. The daily bag limit is 6 light 

geese. 

Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, 

Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 

Wyoming: 

Dark geese: Except as subsequently 

noted, 107-day seasons may be selected, 

with outside dates between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 27), 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

25). The basic daily bag limit is 4 dark 

geese. 

Light geese: Except as subsequently 

noted, 107-day seasons may be selected, 

with outside dates between the Saturday 

nearest September 24 (September 27), 

and March 10. The basic daily bag limit 

is 10 light 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 a 16-day season, and 

California a 30-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 6 dark geese and may include no 

more than 1 cackling Canada goose or 1 

Aleutian Canada goose. 

Balance-of-the-State Zone: Limits may 

not include more than 6 dark geese per 

day. 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 white-fronted geese. In the North 

Coast Special Management Area, 107- 

day seasons may be selected, with 

outside dates between the Saturday 

nearest October 1 (October 4) and March 

10. Hunting days that occur after the last 

Sunday in January shall be concurrent 

with Oregon’s South Coast Zone. 

Colorado: The daily bag limit for dark 

geese is 3 geese. 

Nevada: The daily bag limit for dark 

geese is 3. 

New Mexico: The daily bag limit for 

dark geese is 3. 

Oregon: Except as subsequently 

noted, the dark goose daily bag limit is 

4, including not more than 1 cackling or 

Aleutian goose. 

Harney, Lake, and Malheur County 

Zone: For Lake County only, the daily 

dark goose bag limit may not include 

more than 1 white-fronted goose. 

Klamath County Zone: A 107-day 

season may be selected, with outside 

dates between the Saturday nearest 

October 1 (October 4), and March 10. A 

3-way split season may be selected. The 

daily goose bag limit is 4 dark geese and 

4 white geese except for hunting days 

that occur after the last Sunday in 

January when only light geese and 

white-fronted geese may be taken. The 

daily bag limit of geese is 4 of which 

only 3 may be light geese and only 1 

may be a white-fronted goose. 

Northwest Special Permit Zone: 

Outside dates are between the Saturday 

nearest October 1 (October 4), and the 

Sunday closest to March 1 (March 1). 

The daily bag limit of dark geese is 4 

including not more than 2 cackling or 

Aleutian geese and daily bag limit of 

light geese is 4. In those designated 

areas of Tillamook County open to 

hunting, the daily bag limit of dark 

geese is 2. 

South Coast Zone: The daily dark 

goose bag limit is 4 including cackling 

and Aleutian geese. In Oregon’s South 

Coast Zone 107-day seasons may be 

selected, with outside dates between the 

Saturday nearest October 1 (October 4) 

and March 10. Hunting days that occur 

after the last Sunday in January shall be 

concurrent with California’s North Coast 

Special Management Area. A 3-way 

split season may be selected. 

Southwest Zone: The daily dark goose 

bag limit is 4 including cackling and 

Aleutian geese. 

Utah: The daily bag limit for dark 

geese is 3. 

Washington: The daily bag limit is 4 

geese. 


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Area 1: Outside dates are between the 

Saturday nearest October 1 (October 4), 

and the last Sunday in January (January 

25). 

Areas 2A and 2B (Southwest Quota 

Zone): Except for designated areas, there 

will be no open season on Canada 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 County), the daily 

bag limit may include 1 Aleutian goose. 

Areas 4 and 5: A 107 day season may 

be selected for dark geese. 

Wyoming: The daily bag limit for dark 

geese is 3. 

Quota Zones 

Seasons on geese must end upon 

attainment of individual quotas of 

dusky geese allotted to the designated 

areas of Oregon (165) and Washington 

(85). 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 geese in 

those designated areas will only be by 

hunters possessing a State-issued permit 

authorizing them to do so. In a Service 

approved 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 

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 (March 1). Regular 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 with each permit. 

Nevada may issue up to 2 permits per 

hunter. Montana and Utah may only 

issue 1 permit per hunter. Each State’s 

season may open no earlier than the 

Saturday nearest October 1 (October 4). 

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 14) 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 4) 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, 2009, 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 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 

4) 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 


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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 

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 west from the 

Indiana border along Peotone-Beecher 

Road to Illinois Route 50, south along 

Illinois Route 50 to Wilmington-Peotone 

Road, west along Wilmington-Peotone 

Road to Illinois Route 53, north along 

Illinois Route 53 to New River Road, 

northwest along New River Road to 

Interstate Highway 55, south along I–55 

to Pine Bluff-Lorenzo Road, west along 

Pine Bluff-Lorenzo Road to Illinois 

Route 47, north along Illinois Route 47 

to I–80, west along I–80 to I–39, south 

along I–39 to Illinois Route 18, west 

along Illinois Route 18 to Illinois Route 

29, south along Illinois Route 29 to 

Illinois Route 17, west along Illinois 

Route 17 to the Mississippi River, and 

due south across the Mississippi River 

to the Iowa border. 

Central Zone: That portion of the 

State south of the North Zone to a line 

extending west from the Indiana border 

along Interstate Highway 70 to Illinois 

Route 4, south along Illinois Route 4 to 

Illinois Route 161, west along Illinois 

Route 161 to Illinois Route 158, south 

and west along Illinois Route 158 to 

Illinois Route 159, south along Illinois 

Route 159 to Illinois Route 156, west 

along Illinois Route 156 to A Road, 

north and west on A Road to Levee 

Road, north on Levee Road to the south 

shore of New Fountain Creek, west 

along the south shore of New Fountain 

Creek to the Mississippi River, and due 

west across the Mississippi River to the 

Missouri border. 

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 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSALS2
51140 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 169 / Friday, August 29, 2008 / Proposed Rules 

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 border along State Highway 

175 to State Highway 37, southeast 

along State Highway 37 to State 

Highway 183, northeast along State 

Highway 183 to State Highway 141, east 

along State Highway 141 to U.S. 

Highway 30, then east along U.S. 

Highway 30 to the Illinois border. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Minnesota 

North Duck Zone: That portion of the 

State north of a line extending east from 

the North Dakota State line along State 

Highway 210 to State Highway 23, east 

along State Highway 23 to State 

Highway 39, then east along State 

Highway 39 to the Wisconsin State line 

at the Oliver Bridge. 

South Duck Zone: The remainder of 

Minnesota. 

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 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 

33 to State Route 127, south along SR 

127 to SR 703, south along SR 703 to SR 

219, east along SR 219 to SR 364, north 

along SR 364 to SR 703, east along SR 

703 to SR 66, north along SR 66 to U.S. 

33, east along U.S. 33 to SR 385, east 

along SR 385 to SR 117, south along SR 

117 to SR 273, east along SR 273 to SR 

31, south along SR 31 to SR 739, east 

along SR 739 to SR 4, north along SR 

4 to SR 95, east along SR 95 to SR 13, 

southeast along SR 13 to SR 3, northeast 

along SR 3 to SR 60, north along SR 60 

to U.S. 30, east along U.S. 30 to SR 3, 

south along SR 3 to SR 226, south along 

SR 226 to SR 514, southwest along SR 

514 to SR 754, south along SR 754 to SR 

39/60, east along SR 39/60 to SR 241, 

north along SR 241 to U.S. 30, east along 

U.S.30 to SR 39, east along SR 39 to the 

Pennsylvania 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 U.S. 

Highway 10 to U.S. Highway 41, then 

north on U.S. Highway 41 to the 

Michigan State line. 

South Zone: The remainder of 

Wisconsin. 

Central Flyway 

Colorado (Central Flyway Portion) 

Eastern Plains Zone: That portion of 

the State east of Interstate 25, and all of 

El Paso, Pueblo, Heurfano, and Las 

Animas Counties. 

Mountain/Foothills Zone: That 

portion of the State west of Interstate 25 

and east of the Continental Divide, 

except El Paso, Pueblo, Heurfano, and 

Las Animas Counties. 

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 border 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; 

southwest on U.S. 56 to KS 19; east on 

KS 19 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; southwest 

on U.S. 56 to Ford Co. Road 126; south 

on Ford Co. Road 126 to U.S. 400; 

northwest on U.S. 400 to U.S. 283. 

Low Plains Late Zone: The remainder 

of Kansas. 


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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 

Nebraska lying west of a line beginning 

at the South Dakota-Nebraska border on 

U.S. 183, south on U.S. 183 to U.S. 20, 

west on U.S. 20 to NE 7, south on NE 

7 to NE 91, southwest on NE 91 to NE 

2, southeast on NE 2 to NE 92, west on 

NE 92 to NE 40, south on NE 40 to NE 

47, south on NE 47 to NE 23, east on NE 

23 to U.S. 283 and south on U.S. 283 to 

the Kansas-Nebraska border. 

Low Plains Zone 1: That portion of 

Dixon County west of NE 26E Spur and 

north of NE 12; those portions of Cedar 

County north of NE 12; those portions 

of Knox counties north of NE 12 to 

intersection of Niobrara River; all of 

Boyd County; Keya Paha County east of 

U.S. 183. Both banks of the Niobrara 

River in Keya Paha, Boyd, and Knox 

counties east of U.S. 183 shall be 

included in Zone 1. 

Low Plains Zone 2: Area bounded by 

designated Federal and State highways 

and political boundaries beginning at 

the Kansas-Nebraska border on U.S. 75 

to U.S. 136; east to the intersection of 

U.S. 136 and the Steamboat Trace 

(Trace); north along the Trace to the 

intersection with Federal Levee R–562; 

north along Federal Levee R–562 to the 

intersection with the Trace; north along 

the Trace/Burlington Northern Railroad 

right-of-way to NE 2; west to U.S. 75; 

north to NE 2; west to NE 43; north to 

U.S. 34; east to NE 63; north and west 

to U.S. 77; north to NE 92; west to U.S. 

81; south to NE 66; west to NE 14; south 

to County Road 22 (Hamilton County); 

west to County Road M, south to County 

Road 21; west to County Road K; south 

U.S. 34; west to NE 2; south to U.S. I–

80; west to Gunbarrel Road. (Hall/ 

Hamilton county line); south to Giltner 

Road.; west to U.S. 281; south to U.S. 

34; west to NE 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. 34; 

south and west to U.S. 136; east to NE 

14; south to the Kansas-Nebraska 

border, west to U.S. 283; north to NE 23; 

west to NE 47; north to U.S. 30; east to 

NE 14; north to NE 52; west and north 

to NE 91 to U.S. 281; south to NE 22; 

west to NE 11; northwest to NE 91; west 

to Loup County Line, north to LoupBrown county line; east along northern 

boundaries of Loup, Garfield and 

Wheeler counties; south on the 

Wheeler-Antelope county line to NE 70; 

east to NE 14; south to NE 39; southeast 

to NE 22; east to U.S. 81; southeast to 

U.S. 30; east to U.S. 75, north to the 

Washington County line; east to the 

Iowa-Nebraska border; south along the 

Iowa-Nebraska border; to the beginning 

at U.S. 75 and the Kansas-Nebraska 

border. 

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 Unit: 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, east along OK 33 to OK 18, north 

along OK 18 to OK 51, west along OK 

51 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 Zone: 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 on 

U.S.14 to Blunt, south on the BluntCanning road to SD 34, east and south 

on SD 34 to SD 50 at Lee’s Corner, south 

on SD 50 to I–90, east on I–90 to SD 50, 

south on SD 50 to SD 44, west on SD 

44 across the Platte-Winner bridge to SD 

47, south on SD 47 to U.S.18, east on 

U.S. 18 to SD 47, south on SD 47 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 and south of SD 

44; Charles Mix County south of SD 44 

to the Douglas County line; south on SD 

50 to Geddes; east on the Geddes 

Highway to U.S. 281; south on U.S. 281 

and U.S. 18 to SD 50; south and east on 

SD 50 to the 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. 


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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 

Interstate 5 with the California-Oregon 

line; south along Interstate 5 to its 

junction with Walters Lane south of the 

town or Yreka; west along Walters Lane 

to its junction with Easy Street; south 

along Easy Street to the junction with 

Old Highway 99: south along Old 

Highway 99 to the point of intersection 

with Interstate 5 north of the town of 

Weed; south along Interstate 5 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 California-Nevada State 

line to the junction of the CaliforniaNevada-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 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 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; 

Blaine; 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; 

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. 

Wyoming 

Snake River Zone: Beginning at the 

south boundary of Yellowstone National 

Park and the Continental Divide; south 

along the Continental Divide to Union 

Pass and the Union Pass Road (U.S.F.S. 

Road 600); west and south along the 

Union Pass Road to U.S.F.S. Road 605; 

south along U.S.F.S. Road 605 to the 

Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; 

along the national forest boundary to the 

Idaho State line; north along the Idaho 

State line to the south boundary of 

Yellowstone National Park; east along 

the Yellowstone National Park boundary 

to the Continental Divide. 

Balance of Flyway Zone: Balance of 

the Pacific Flyway in Wyoming outside 

the Snake River Zone. 

Geese 

Atlantic Flyway 

Connecticut 

AP Unit: Litchfield County and the 

portion of Hartford County west of a 

line beginning at the Massachusetts 

border 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. 

AFRP Unit: Starting at the intersection 

of I–95 and the Quinnipiac River, north 

on the Quinnipiac River to its 

intersection with I–91, north on I–91 to 

I–691, west on I–691 to the Hartford 

County line, and encompassing the rest 


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of New Haven County and Fairfield 

County in its entirety. 

NAP H-Unit: All of the rest of the 

State not included in the AP or AFRP 

descriptions above. 

South Zone: Same as for ducks. 

North Zone: Same as for ducks. 

Maryland 

Resident Population (RP) Zone: 

Garrett, Allegany, Washington, 

Frederick, and Montgomery Counties; 

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 west of Route 

31 to the intersection of Route 97, and 

west of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania 

line. 

AP Zone: Remainder of the State. 

Massachusetts 

NAP Zone: Central and Coastal Zones 

(see duck zones). 

AP Zone: The Western Zone (see duck 

zones). 

Special Late Season Area: The Central 

Zone and that portion of the Coastal 

Zone (see duck zones) that lies north of 

the Cape Cod Canal, 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. 

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 International 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. 

Northeast Goose Area: The same as 

the Northeastern Waterfowl Hunting 

Zone, which is that area of New York 

State lying north of a continuous line 

extending from Lake Ontario east along 

the north shore of the Salmon River to 

Interstate 81, south along Interstate 

Route 81 to Route 31, east along Route 

31 to Route 13, north along Route 13 to 

Route 49, east along Route 49 to Route 

365, east along Route 365 to Route 28, 

east along Route 28 to Route 29, east 

along Route 29 to Interstate Route 87, 

north along Interstate Route 87 to Route 

9 (at Exit 20), north along Route 9 to 

Route 149, east along Route 149 to 

Route 4, north along Route 4 to the New 

York-Vermont boundary, exclusive of 

the Lake Champlain Zone. 

East Central Goose Area: That area of 

New York State lying inside of a 

continuous line extending from 

Interstate Route 81 in Cicero, east along 

Route 31 to Route 13, north along Route 

13 to Route 49, east along Route 49 to 

Route 365, east along Route 365 to 

Route 28, east along Route 28 to Route 

29, east 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 

point of beginning. 

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 Route 5, east 

along Route 5 to Crittenden-Murrays 

Corners Road, south on CrittendenMurrays Corners Road 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, northeast along Route 

39 to Route 20A, northeast along Route 

20A to Route 20, east along Route 20 to 

Route 364 (near Canandaigua), south 

and east along Route 364 to Yates 

County Route 18 (Italy Valley Road), 

southwest along Route 18 to Yates 

County Route 34, east along Route 34 to 

Yates County Route 32, south along 

Route 32 to Steuben County Route 122, 

south along Route 122 to Route 53, 

south along Route 53 to Steuben County 


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Route 74, east along Route 74 to Route 

54A (near Pulteney), south along Route 

54A to Steuben County Route 87, east 

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 

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 Dutchess-Putnam County 

boundary, east along the county 

boundary 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. 

Eastern Long Island Goose Area (NAP 

High Harvest Area): That area of Suffolk 

County lying east of a continuous line 

extending due south from the New 

York-Connecticut boundary to the 

northernmost end of Roanoke Avenue in 

the Town of Riverhead; then south on 

Roanoke Avenue (which becomes 

County Route 73) to State Route 25; then 

west on Route 25 to Peconic Avenue; 

then south on Peconic Avenue to 

County Route (CR) 104 (Riverleigh 

Avenue); then south on CR 104 to CR 31 

(Old Riverhead Road); then south on CR 

31 to Oak Street; then south on Oak 

Street to Potunk Lane; then west on 

Stevens Lane; then south on Jessup 

Avenue (in Westhampton Beach) to 

Dune Road (CR 89); then due south to 

international waters. 

Western Long Island Goose Area (RP 

Area): That area of Westchester County 

and its tidal waters 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 northernmost end of the 

Sunken Meadow State Parkway; then 

south on the Sunken Meadow Parkway 

to the Sagtikos State Parkway; then 

south on the Sagtikos Parkway to the 

Robert Moses State Parkway; then south 

on the Robert Moses Parkway to its 

southernmost end; then due south to 

international waters. 

Central Long Island Goose Area (NAP 

Low Harvest Area): That area of Suffolk 

County lying between the Western and 

Eastern Long Island Goose Areas, as 

defined above. 

South Goose Area: The remainder of 

New York State, excluding New York 

City. 

Special Late Canada Goose Area: That 

area of the Central Long Island Goose 

Area 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, 

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, 


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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, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, 

and Washington. 

Pennsylvania 

Resident Canada Goose Zone: All of 

Pennsylvania except for SJBP Zone and 

the area east of route SR 97 from the 

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, and south 

of I–80 to the New Jersey State line. 

SJBP Zone: The area north of I–80 and 

west of I–79 including in the city of Erie 

west of Bay Front Parkway to and 

including the Lake Erie Duck zone (Lake 

Erie, Presque Isle, and the area within 

150 yards of the Lake Erie Shoreline). 

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, that portion of 

Orangeburg County north of SC 

Highway 6, and that portion of Berkeley 

County north of SC Highway 45 from 

the Orangeburg County line to the 

junction of SC Highway 45 and State 

Road S–8–31 and that portion west of 

the Santee Dam. 

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. 

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: Baxter, Benton, 

Boone, Carroll, Conway, Crawford, 

Faulkner, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, 

Madison, Marion, Newton, Perry, Pope, 

Pulaski, Searcy, Sebastian, Scott, Van 

Buren, Washington, and Yell Counties. 

Illinois 

Same zones as for ducks. 

Indiana 

Same zones as for ducks but in 

addition: 

Special Canada Goose Seasons 

Indiana Late Canada Goose Season 

Zone: That part of the state 

encompassed by the following counties: 

Steuben, Lagrange, Elkhart, St. Joseph, 

La Porte, Starke, Marshall, Kosciusko, 

Noble, De Kalb, Allen, Whitley, 

Huntington, Wells, Adams, Boone, 

Hamilton, Madison, Hendricks, Marion, 

Hancock, Morgan, Johnson, Shelby, 

Vermillion, Parke, Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, 

and Greene. 

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 

(a) North Zone—Same as North duck 

zone. 

(b) Middle Zone—Same as Middle 

duck zone. 

(c) South Zone—Same as South duck 

zone 

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 


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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 

( 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 Late Season 

Canada Goose Zone: Same as the South 

Duck Zone excluding Tuscola/Huron 

Goose Management Unit (GMU), 

Allegan County 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. 

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 Zone: That portion of the 

North Duck Zone encompassed by and 

north and east of 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, and 

east along I–80 to the Pennsylvania 

State line in Trumbull County. 

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 

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 


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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 areas 

in Boulder, Larimer and Weld Counties 

from the Continental Divide east along 

the Wyoming border to U.S. 85, south 

on U.S. 85 to the Adams County line, 

and all lands in Adams, Arapahoe, 

Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, 

Douglas, Gilpin, and Jefferson Counties. 

North Park Area: Jackson County. 

South Park and San Luis Valley Area: 

All of Alamosa, Chaffee, Conejos, 

Costilla, Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park, 

Rio Grande and Teller Counties, and 

those portions of Saguache, Mineral and 

Hinsdale Counties east of the 

Continental Divide. 

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 State line 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 

State line. Where the Niobrara River 

forms the boundary, both banks of the 

river are included 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 intersection of the 

Interstate Canal, west to 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 14, 

south to NE 66, east to U.S. 81, north 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. 

North Dakota 

Missouri River Canada Goose Zone: 

The area within and bounded by a line 

starting where ND Hwy 6 crosses the 

South Dakota border; thence north on 

ND Hwy 6 to I–94; thence west on I–94 

to ND Hwy 49; thence north on ND Hwy 

49 to ND Hwy 200; thence north on 

Mercer County Rd. 21 to the section line 

between sections 8 and 9 (T146N–

R87W); thence north on that section line 

to the southern shoreline to Lake 

Sakakawea; thence east along the 

southern shoreline (including Mallard 

Island) of Lake Sakakawea to U.S. Hwy 

83; thence south on U.S. Hwy 83 to ND 

Hwy 200; thence east on ND Hwy 200 

to ND Hwy 41; thence south on ND Hwy 

41 to U.S. Hwy 83; thence south on U.S. 

Hwy 83 to I–94; thence east on I–94 to 

U.S. Hwy 83; thence south on U.S. Hwy 

83 to the South Dakota border; thence 

west along the South Dakota border to 

ND Hwy 6. 

Rest of State: Remainder of North 

Dakota. 

South Dakota 

Canada Geese 

Unit 1: Remainder of South Dakota. 

Unit 2: Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, 

Charles Mix, Custer east of SD Hwy 79 

and south of French Creek, Dewey south 

of U.S. Hwy 212, Fall River east of SD 

Hwy 71 and U.S. Hwy 385, Gregory, 

Hughes, Hyde south of U.S. Hwy 14, 

Lyman, Potter west of U.S. Hwy 83, 

Stanley, and Sully Counties. 

Unit 3: 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 

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. 


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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 

Interstate 5 with the California-Oregon 

line; south along Interstate 5 to its 

junction with Walters Lane south of the 

town of Yreka; west along Walters Lane 

to its junction with Easy Street; south 

along Easy Street to the junction with 

Old Highway 99; south along Old 

Highway 99 to the point of intersection 

with Interstate 5 north of the town of 

Weed; south along Interstate 5 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 California-Nevada State 

line to the junction of the CaliforniaNevada-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. 

North Coast Special Management 

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: Adams, Benewah, Bonner, 

Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, 

Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, Shoshone, and 

Valley Counties. 

Zone 2: The Counties of Ada; 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; and Washington. 

Zone 3: The Counties of Cassia except 

the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; 

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; and Twin Falls. 

Zone 4: The Counties of Bear Lake; 

Bingham within the Blackfoot Reservoir 

drainage; Blaine; Camas; Bonneville; 

Butte; Caribou except the Fort Hall 

Indian Reservation; Cassia within the 

Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; 

Clark; Custer; Franklin; Fremont; 

Jefferson; Lemhi; Madison; Oneida; 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 

drainage; and Power County. 

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. 


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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: Those portions of 

Douglas, Coos, and Curry Counties east 

of Highway 101, and Josephine and 

Jackson Counties. 

South Coast Zone: Those portions of 

Douglas, Coos, and Curry Counties west 

of Highway 101. 

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 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. 

Tillamook County Management Area: 

All of Tillamook County is open to 

goose hunting except for the following 

area—beginning in Cloverdale at Hwy 

101, west on Old Woods Rd to Sand 

Lake Rd at Woods, north on Sand Lake 

Rd to the intersection with McPhillips 

Dr, due west (∼200 yards) from the 

intersection to the Pacific coastline, 

south on the Pacific coastline to 

Neskowin Creek, east along the north 

shores of Neskowin Creek and then 

Hawk Creek to Salem Ave, east on 

Salem Ave in Neskowin to Hawk Ave, 

east on Hawk Ave to Hwy 101, north on 

Hwy 101 at Cloverdale, point of 

beginning. 

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. 

Eastern Zone: Hood River, Wasco, 

Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, 

Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Wheeler, 

Grant, Baker, Union, and Wallowa 

Counties. 

Harney, Lake, and Malheur County 

Zone: All of Harney, Lake, and Malheur 

Counties. 

Klamath County Zone: All of Klamath 

County. 

Utah 

Northern Utah Zone: All of Cache and 

Rich Counties, and that portion of Box 

Elder County beginning at I–15 and the 

Weber-Box Elder County line; east and 

north along this line to the Weber-Cache 

County line; east along this line to the 

Cache-Rich County line; east and south 

along the Rich County line to the UtahWyoming State line; north along this 

line to the Utah-Idaho State line; west 

on this line to Stone, Idaho-Snowville, 

Utah road; southwest on this road to 

Locomotive Springs Wildlife 

Management Area; east on the county 

road, past Monument Point and across 

Salt Wells Flat, to the intersection with 

Promontory Road; south on Promontory 

Road to a point directly west of the 

northwest corner of the Bear River 

Migratory Bird Refuge boundary; east 

along an imaginary line to the northwest 

corner of the Refuge boundary; south 

and east along the Refuge boundary to 

the southeast corner of the boundary; 

northeast along the boundary to the 

Perry access road; east on the Perry 

access road to I–15; south on I–15 to the 

Weber-Box Elder County line. 

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 

County. 

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. E8–20100 Filed 8–28–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSALS2