The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-09
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Duck Hunting
 Season of 1946 Cut to 45 Days

Washington, Aug. 8-(UP)-Presi- dent Truman today signed an exc cutive order reducing the 1946 duck hunting season from 30 to 45 days and drastically revised migratory bird hunting regulations.
 The order, covering the season that opens Oct. 5 in the northern zone, also slashed the daily duck limit from 10 to and cuts the possession limit from 20 to 14.
 The daily bag and possession lim- its for geese were reduced to two of any kind in any combination, and the length of the shooting day for water fowl, coots, rails and galli- mules was shortened by one half hour.
 Population Dangerously Low
 Secretary of Interior J. A. Krug said the revisions prepared by the Fish and Wild Life Service, were necessary because the U. S. duck population is now at dangerous low level"
 The population of most species of wild ducks has declined from a peak of 125 1850, 900 in 1914 to about eo00O,O0o today" Krug said. With a 36 percent decrease in ducks and 50 percent increase in the number of hunters, We would invite disaster If We were dig any deeper into our breeding stocks
 Krug said that drought conditions ln the north central and prairie states, together with "overshootingo last year, were the principal factors contributing to the 45,0OO,OOO bird decrease.
 Season Varies
 The order stipulates that the wa terfowl hunting season shall run from Oct. to Nov. 18 in the north ern zone; from Oct. 26 to Dec. g in the intermediate zone; and from Nov B to Jan. 6 in the southern zone
 The Presidents order established the following open seasons Gall dates are inclusive):
 Wild ducks, geese, brant and goot.
 Maine, New Hampshire and Yer mont-Oct. 5-Nov. IS.
 Connecticut, Massa and Rhode 1sland-Nov. 23-Jan. 6.
 SCOTERS OR SEA COOTS.
 May be taken in open coastal wa terS only, beyond outer harbor lines, ln Maine and New Hampshire from Sept. 15-Oct. 4; Connecticut. Mas Sachusetts, and Rhode Island. Sept. l5-Oct. 25, and thereafter from land or water during open seasons Tor other waterfowl in these states.
 RAILS AND GALLINULES (Ex- cept Coot).
 The open season will be Sept. l. Nov. 30 in all states except the fol- lowing:
 Massachusetts, Oct. 26-Dec. g.
 WOODCOCK
 Connecticut-Oct. 19-Nov 3.
 Maine In Aroostock, Penobscot, Piscataquis Somerset, Franklin and Oxford Counties, Oct. Ills; re- malnder of state, Oct l6-30.
 Massachusetts-Oct. 2O-Nov. 3.
 New Hamphire-In Coos, Carroll and Grafton Counties, Oct. 1-15. remainder fo state, Oct. 16-30.
 MasSachusetts-Oct 20-Nov. 3.
 New Hampshire-In Coos. Carroll and Grafton Counties, Oct. Ills: rmeainder of state, Oct. 16-30.
 Rhode Island-Nov. Ills.
 vermont - In Bennington and Wlnham Counties and those DOT tlonS of Rutland and Windsor coun- ties south of U. s. highway 4 from West Haven to White River Junc- tlon-Oct. 16-30; remainder of state Oct. lis.
 The order established the follow ing daily bag and possession limits:
 Rails and Gallinules (except Sora ana Coot)- total of Is in all kinds is the daily bag limit. (Pos- session limit is same).
 Coot and Sora-Daily limit 25 possession limit 25.
 Woodcock-Daily bag limit four. possession limit, eight.
 Ducks-Daily bag limit (except American and red breasted mer- gansers) seven of all kinds, includ- ing not more than one woodcock. Possession limit fl of all kinds in- cludlng not more than one wood duck.
 Geese and Brant-Daily bag limit. two of any combination including brant, plus two snow geese or two blue geese. Possession limit, same. c1,,,~oc 7c n