To help hunters plan ahead, staff are asking commissioners to adopt opening dates at the August 21 commission meeting so the dates can be printed in this year's bird hunting regulations to be published in September. As proposed, the upland game bird falconry season begins Sept. 1 and continues through March 31, 1999. Possession limit is double the daily bag limit, and the sage grouse season limit is two. The falconry season for migratory game birds begins Oct. 3 and continues through Jan. 17, 1999. Daily bag limit is three ducks, coots or snipe.
Possession is double the daily bag limit.
Migratory Game Bird Seasons Hunters can look forward to another good year of waterfowling, with most duck and goose species at high population levels. Duck populations are about 8 percent below last year's record levels, but 20 percent above the long-term average. Pintails populations continue to be depressed, which is reflected in the proposed bag limit. Geese and swan populations remain similar to last year at healthy levels with slight increases expected in the fall flights. Of special interest in Oregon are dusky Canada geese.