Wildlife Commission Sets Waterfowl Season Dates and Bag Limits

RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 25, 2004) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has set season dates, bag limits and other restrictions for the 2004-2005 waterfowl hunting season.

As in past years, the regular season for ducks, mergansers and coots occurs in three segments: Sept. 29-Oct. 2, Nov. 13-Dec. 4 and Dec. 18-Jan. 29. The daily bag limit is six ducks with the following restricitons: a) no more than one black or one mottled duck (can only be taken after Nov. 30); b) four mallards with no more than two hens, two wood ducks, two redheads, three scaup, four scoters, one fulvous whistling duck, one pintail and one canvasback. However the season for canvasbacks and pintails is Dec. 27-Jan. 29 only. The bag limit is 15 for coots and five for mergansers (only one of which can be a hooded merganser).

Poor conditions on the Canadian breeding grounds for brant resulted in lower nest success this year. Therefore the brant season is shorter this year, Dec. 4-Jan. 31 with a bag limit of only two.

The bag limit is 15 for snow and blue geese during their two season segments: Oct. 20-Oct. 30 and Nov. 13 to Mar. 5.

Hunters can pursue sea ducks Oct. 1-Jan. 29 in the special sea duck area, only, and their bag limit is seven sea ducks (with a limit of four scoters). This area is limited to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the coastal waters south of U.S. 64 that are separated by a distance of at least 800 yards of open water from any shore, island or marsh. Outside the special sea duck area, regular duck season dates and bag limits apply.

Tundra swans are limited to one per person during their Nov. 6 to Jan. 31 season. Hunters need a permit to hunt these birds. The deadline for permit applications is Oct. 1.

Youth Waterfowl Day is Feb. 5, 2005. On this day young people age 15 or younger may hunt ducks, mergansers, coots and Canada geese (except in the Northeast Hunt zone) if accompanied by an adult age 21 or older. Regular bag season limits apply. Adults may not hunt on Youth Waterfowl Day.

During the early season for Canada goose, Sept. 1-Sept. 30, the bag limit is five birds, except in Dare and Currituck counties where the limit is two birds. For the regular Canada goose season, North Carolina has two Canada goose hunt zones each with two season segments. Hunting in the Resident Population Zone is allowed from Nov. 13-Dec. 4 and Dec. 18- Jan. 29 with a daily bag of five birds.

Regular season hunting in the Southern James Bay Population (SJBP) Zone is Oct. 6-Oct.16 and Nov. 6-Dec. 31 with a daily bag of two birds. The Northeast Hunt Zone is closed after the September season ends. A map outlining the three zones is posted here.

Possession limits for all birds are twice the daily bag limits.

Hunting hours for waterfowl are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Some important numbers for hunters to know are: 1-800-675-0263 for a recording of waterfowl information, 1-800-327-2263 to report neck or leg bands and 1-800-662-7137 to report wildlife violations.

See the Waterfowl Season Dates listed here.

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