Migratory Bird Hunting; Final Frameworks for Late-Season Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations, 55654-55676 [06-8111]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55654-55676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8111]



[[Page 55653]]

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Part III





Department of the Interior





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Fish and Wildlife Service



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50 CFR Part 20



Migratory Bird Hunting; Late-Seasons Regulations and Hours, Areas, and 
Daily Bag and Possession Limits; Final Rule

Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / 
Rules and Regulations

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

RIN 1018-AU42


Migratory Bird Hunting; Final Frameworks for Late-Season 
Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) prescribes final 
late-season frameworks from which States may select season dates, 
limits, and other options for the 2006-07 migratory bird hunting 
seasons. These late seasons include most waterfowl seasons, the 
earliest of which commences on September 23, 2006. The effect of this 
final rule is to facilitate the States' selection of hunting seasons 
and to further the annual establishment of the late-season migratory 
bird hunting regulations.

DATES: This rule takes effect on September 22, 2006.

ADDRESSES: States should send their season selections to: Chief, 
Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior, ms MBSP-4107-ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20240. You may inspect comments during normal business 
hours at our office in room 4107, 4501 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, 
Virginia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Millsap, Chief, or Ron W. Kokel, 
Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
(703) 358-1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulations Schedule for 2006

    On April 11, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 FR 
18562) 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, proposed 
regulatory alternatives for the 2006-07 duck hunting season, and other 
regulations for hunting migratory game birds under Sec. Sec.  20.101 
through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. Major steps in the 
2006-07 regulatory cycle relating to open public meetings and Federal 
Register notifications were also identified in the April 11 proposed 
rule.
    On May 30, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 FR 30786) 
a second document providing supplemental proposals for early- and late-
season migratory bird hunting regulations and the regulatory 
alternatives for the 2006-07 duck hunting season. The May 30 supplement 
also provided detailed information on the 2006-07 regulatory schedule 
and announced the Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee (SRC) 
and Flyway Council meetings.
    On June 21 and 22, 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 2006-07 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 2006-07 regular 
waterfowl seasons.
    On July 28, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 FR 
43008) a third document specifically dealing with the proposed 
frameworks for early-season regulations. In the August 29, 2005, 
Federal Register (71 FR 51406), we published final frameworks for early 
migratory bird hunting seasons from which wildlife conservation agency 
officials from the States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands selected 
2006-07 early-season hunting dates, hours, areas, and limits. On August 
31, 2006, we published a final rule in the Federal Register (71 FR 
51930) amending subpart K of title 50 CFR part 20 to set hunting 
seasons, hours, areas, and limits for early seasons.
    On July 26-27, 2006, we held open meetings with the Flyway Council 
Consultants, at which the participants reviewed the status of waterfowl 
and developed recommendations for the 2006-07 regulations for these 
species. On August 24, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 
FR 50224) the proposed frameworks for the 2006-07 late-season migratory 
bird hunting regulations.
    This document establishes final frameworks for late-season 
migratory bird hunting regulations for the 2006-07 season. We will 
publish State selections in the Federal Register as amendments to 
Sec. Sec.  20.101 through 20.107, and 20.109 of title 50 CFR part 20.

Population Status and Harvest

    A brief summary of information on the status and harvest of 
waterfowl excerpted from various reports was included in the August 24 
supplemental proposed rule. For more detailed information on 
methodologies and results, complete copies of the various reports are 
available at the address indicated under ADDRESSES or from our Web site 
at https://migratorybirds.fws.gov.

Review of Public Comments and Flyway Council Recommendations

    The preliminary proposed rulemaking, which appeared in the April 
11, 2006, Federal Register, opened the public comment period for 
migratory game bird hunting regulations. The supplemental proposed 
rule, which appeared in the May 30, 2006, Federal Register, discussed 
the regulatory alternatives for the 2006-07 duck hunting season. Late-
season comments are summarized below and numbered in the order used in 
the April 11 Federal Register. We have included only the numbered items 
pertaining to late-season issues for which we received written 
comments. Consequently, the issues do not follow in direct numerical or 
alphabetical order.
    We received recommendations from all four Flyway Councils. Some 
recommendations supported continuation of last year's frameworks. Due 
to the comprehensive nature of the annual review of the frameworks 
performed by the Councils, support for continuation of last year's 
frameworks is assumed for items for which no recommendations were 
received. Council recommendations for changes in the frameworks are 
summarized below.

General

    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

[[Page 55655]]

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 recommendations are 
discussed below.
A. Harvest Strategy Considerations
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic and Pacific Flyway Councils 
and the Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the 
Mississippi Flyway Council recommended the adoption of the ``liberal'' 
regulatory alternative.
    The Central Flyway Council also recommended the ``liberal'' 
alternative. However, as part of their Hunter's Choice experiment, they 
recommended 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 Adaptive 
Harvest Management (AHM) protocol that would allow hunting regulations 
to vary among Flyways in a manner that recognizes each Flyway's unique 
breeding-ground derivation of mallards. For the 2006 hunting season, we 
believe that the prescribed regulatory choice for the Mississippi, 
Central, and Pacific Flyways should continue to depend on the status of 
midcontinent mallards. We also recommend that the regulatory choice for 
the Atlantic Flyway continue to depend on the status of eastern 
mallards. Investigations of the dynamics of western mallards (and their 
potential effect on regulations in the West) are continuing; therefore 
we are not yet prepared to recommend an AHM protocol for this mallard 
stock.
    For the 2006 hunting season, we are continuing to consider the same 
regulatory alternatives as those used last year. The nature of the 
restrictive, moderate, and liberal alternatives has remained 
essentially unchanged since 1997, except that extended framework dates 
have been offered in the moderate and liberal regulatory alternatives 
since 2002. Also, we agreed in 2003 to place a constraint on closed 
seasons in the western three Flyways whenever the midcontinent mallard 
breeding-population size (traditional survey area plus Minnesota, 
Michigan, and Wisconsin) is >=5.5 million.
    Optimal AHM strategies for the 2006 hunting season were calculated 
using: (1) Harvest-management objectives specific to each mallard 
stock; (2) the 2006 regulatory alternatives; and (3) current population 
models and associated weights for midcontinent and eastern mallards. 
Based on this year's survey results of 7.86 million midcontinent 
mallards (traditional survey area plus Michigan, Minnesota, and 
Wisconsin), 4.45 million ponds in Prairie Canada, and 899,000 eastern 
mallards, we believe the appropriate 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 May 30 Federal 
Register.
    Regarding Hunter's Choice, we support the Central Flyway Council's 
recommendation to initiate a 3-year evaluation of the Central Flyway's 
Hunter's Choice duck bag limit this year. The Central Flyway's Hunter's 
Choice regulations are intended to limit harvest on pintails and 
canvasbacks in a manner similar to the season-within-a-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) have been randomly assigned to Hunter's Choice regulations and 
the remaining five States (Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, and 
Oklahoma) will serve as controls (season-within-a-season regulations) 
as the evaluation proceeds. The overall duck daily bag limit will be 
reduced from six to five for the Hunter's Choice States.
    Finally, we believe that 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.
D. Special Seasons/Species Management
    iii. Black Ducks. Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway 
Council and the Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the 
Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that black duck harvest 
regulations remain unchanged for the 2006-07 season, while the Joint 
Atlantic Flyway--Mississippi Flyway Black Duck Committee continues to 
work with the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Fish and Wildlife 
Service to reach consensus on an interim black duck harvest strategy.
    Service Response: We are proposing no change in the current harvest 
strategy on black ducks this year until new analyses are completed and 
evaluated with the United States Geological Survey and the 
International Black Duck Harvest Strategy Committee. We encourage both 
the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway Councils to participate in this 
process. An important component of any new harvest strategy will be 
agreement on population objectives and regulatory strategies to inform 
future harvest-management decisions.
    iv. Canvasbacks. 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 
canvasbacks consisting of a 1-bird daily bag limit and a 60-day season 
in the

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Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, and 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 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.
    Service Response: This year's spring survey resulted in an estimate 
of 691,000 canvasbacks. This was 33 percent above the 2005 estimate of 
520,600 canvasbacks and 23 percent above the 1955-2005 average. The 
estimate of ponds in Prairie Canada was 4.4 million, which was 13 
percent above last year and 32 percent above the long-term average. 
According to the canvasback harvest strategy, the allowable harvest in 
the United States is 266,000 birds. Since allowable harvest is larger 
than the predicted harvest in the United States during a ``liberal'' 
duck season (118,900 canvasbacks), a canvasback season spanning the 
entire length of the 2006-07 regular duck season is supported.
    Furthermore, we agree with the Central Flyway Council's 
recommendation to adopt a 39-day ``season-within-a-season'' for 
canvasbacks in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. 
We understand that this departure from the canvasback strategy is a 
necessary part of the experimental ``Hunter's Choice'' season.
    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: During the spring of 2006, each Flyway Council 
endorsed the incorporation of several technical updates to the modeling 
framework used in the pintail harvest strategy. Based on these 
technical updates, along with an observed spring breeding population of 
3.39 million, an overflight-bias-corrected breeding population of 4.23 
million, and a projected fall flight of 5.34 million pintails, the 
interim pintail harvest strategy prescribes a full season and a 1-bird 
daily bag limit in all Flyways. Under the ``liberal'' season length, 
this regulation is expected to result in a harvest of 569,000 pintails 
and an observed breeding population estimate of 3.45 million in 2007.
    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, Central, and 
Pacific Flyway Councils and the Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations 
Committees of the Mississippi Flyway Council recommended no changes in 
scaup harvest regulations for 2006. All the Flyway Councils reiterated 
their support for the cooperative development of a comprehensive scaup 
harvest management strategy.
    Service Response: We are aware that the Flyway Councils and the 
Service have not made the progress anticipated in the development of a 
viable strategy to manage harvest that acknowledges the uncertainty 
about what factors are really influencing scaup numbers, but at the 
same time provides guidance on what changes in regulations are still 
appropriate.
    Although we remain very concerned about the continued decline in 
scaup numbers and other evidence that this species is not doing well, 
we are proposing no change in scaup regulations for the 2006-07 hunting 
season. This decision is made with the firm understanding that a 
harvest strategy will be available for review this fall. The Service 
will develop the draft in time for review by the Flyway Councils at 
their winter meetings. Recommendations regarding the strategy will be 
expected from the Council meetings next March for consideration during 
the early-season regulations process.
    We also are aware that much time and effort have been spent to date 
by researchers and managers to begin to help identify those factors 
during the scaup's annual cycle that are most important in influencing 
population change, and we want this momentum to continue. We also 
acknowledge that our database on scaup, compared to many other 
waterfowl species, is limited; any enhancement of our understanding of 
scaup population dynamics, which has a direct bearing on the utility of 
the harvest strategy, will require better information from the field. 
We encourage the Flyway Councils to work with us to help identify and 
support additional data-gathering activities for scaup and work with 
other groups and organizations to ensure that their programs, including 
existing or new habitat initiatives, can also be aligned to benefit 
scaup populations.
    vii. Mottled Ducks. We continue to be concerned about the status of 
the Western Gulf Coast Population of mottled ducks. We recognize that 
the mottled duck is an integral part of the Central Flyway's Hunter's 
Choice bag-limit experiment, and we support inclusion of the mottled 
duck among those species with bag-limit restrictions in the experiment 
as requested by the Central Flyway Council. However, we want to be 
clear that if it is determined that further reductions in harvest, or a 
different approach to harvest reduction, are warranted at any time over 
the next 3 years, we will make those changes. Thus, the implementation 
of this experiment will not preclude any future changes in hunting 
regulations that may be deemed necessary on an annual basis for mottled 
ducks.
    We are pleased to see that the Central and Mississippi Flyway 
Councils and Service staff have initiated the work we requested on an 
approach to accomplish harvest reductions if reductions are determined 
to be necessary. We encourage that work to continue.

3. Mergansers

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council and Upper- and 
Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the Mississippi Flyway Council 
recommended that the daily bag limit on hooded mergansers be increased 
from 1 to 2 birds.
    Service Response: We concur with the recommendations of the 
Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway Councils to increase the bag limit for 
hooded mergansers and note that the survey information suggests this 
species is increasing throughout its range. Based on this fact, we have 
provided a 2-bird daily bag limit for hooded mergansers in the 
Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways.

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 the framework opening date for the regular Canada 
goose season in the Lake Champlain

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Zones of Vermont and New York, the Interior Zone of Vermont, and the 
Western Zone of Massachusetts be fixed at October 20, beginning in 
2006. Regarding the experimental season in Back Bay, Virginia, the 
Council recommended that the Service allow 1,000 permits to be issued 
in North Carolina's Northeast Hunt Unit, that the daily bag limit in 
Virginia be increased from 1 bird to 2 birds, and that the experimental 
season in both North Carolina and Virginia be expanded from 15 days to 
30 days. Third, the Council recommended that the framework closing date 
for North Atlantic Population (NAP) geese in established Low Harvest 
Zones be extended from January 31 to February 15. Lastly, the Council 
recommended that the season frameworks for Southern James Bay 
Population (SJBP) Canada geese in the Pymatuning Zone of Pennsylvania 
be increased to a 50-day season with framework dates of October 1 to 
January 31 and a daily bag limit of 2 geese.
    The Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the 
Mississippi Flyway Council recommended a number of changes in Canada 
goose season lengths and bag limits for several States in the Flyway. 
These changes are an outgrowth of recent revisions made to Canada goose 
harvest and population management plans and an evolving Canada goose 
harvest-management philosophy in the Flyway. The changes in harvest 
strategies and philosophies are largely driven by the increasing 
numbers of giant Canada geese in the Flyway and the decreasing 
importance of interior Canada geese to goose harvest opportunities in 
the Flyway. It appears that the large numbers of giant Canada geese may 
be buffering, to some extent, hunting pressure on interior Canada goose 
populations. These changes will allow States to evaluate the potential 
of this buffering effect. In keeping with the change in harvest 
management philosophy for Canada geese in the Flyway, the Council is 
also recommending elimination of the requirement for Council and 
Service approval for States wanting to split their Canada goose seasons 
into 3 segments, including the requirement for a 3-year evaluation.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended increasing the season length 
for Canada geese from 95 to 107 days in the east-tier States of the 
Flyway.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended the following changes for 
geese in the Pacific Flyway:
    1. Modify the frameworks for Aleutian Canada geese in southwest 
Oregon and northwest California by:
    a. Changing season lengths to allow 107 days and changing outside 
dates to allow seasons until March 10 in Oregon and California in 
specified zones;
    b. Redefining Oregon's Southwest Zone and creating a new South 
Coast Zone, with same bag limits in both zones; and
    c. Authorizing a 3-way split season in Oregon's new South Coast 
Zone.
    2. Remove Grays Harbor County, Washington, from the Southwest 
Washington Quota Zone.
    3. Increase the dark goose daily bag limit in the Lincoln and Clark 
County Zone of Nevada from 2 to 3 per day.
    4. Eliminate Utah's Washington County Canada Goose Zone and create 
a Northern Utah Goose Zone.
    Service Response: We concur with the Atlantic Flyway Council's 
recommendation to change the opening framework date to a fixed date of 
October 20 in a portion of the Atlantic Population (AP) harvest area 
provided these changes are consistent with the objectives of the 
pending AP Management Plan. In addition, we concur with the recommended 
changes in the number of permits, season length, and bag limits for 
Back Bay, Virginia, and North Carolina's Northeast Hunt Unit as allowed 
in the Memorandum of Understanding's during the 3-year evaluation. 
Further, we concur with the season framework closing-date extension to 
February 15 in the Low Harvest Zones for the North Atlantic Population. 
Finally, we concur with framework changes recommended for the 
Pymatuning Zone of Pennsylvania to harvest SJBP Canada geese.
    With reference to three-way split seasons for Canada geese in the 
Mississippi Flyway, we concur that the move toward redirection of 
harvest management from one of managing specific populations of Canada 
geese toward a more general approach of managing the collective harvest 
of Canada geese in the Flyway, together with the experience gained to 
date with three-way splits, eliminates the need for State-by-State 
approval by the Flyway Council and the Service and a 3-year evaluation.
    We concur with the Central Flyway's recommendation to increase the 
season length from 95 to 107 days for Canada geese in the east tier 
States. The Tall Grass Prairie and Western Prairie/Great Plains 
Populations of Canada geese that migrate through and winter in this 
portion of the Flyway are above population objective levels; therefore 
the proposed increase in season length will provide additional hunting 
opportunity on these populations.
    We also concur with all of the recommendations forwarded by the 
Pacific Flyway Council. The Service supports the changes proposed and 
recognizes that the changes in California and Oregon are intended to 
address increasing depredation problems associated with Aleutian Canada 
geese. Aleutian Canada geese continue to increase rapidly and currently 
are above the population objective levels identified in the Flyway 
management plan. The increased harvest opportunity will help address 
these depredation concerns in northwest California and southwest 
Oregon. The other changes proposed for Canada geese in Washington, 
Utah, and Nevada, are relatively minor boundary changes in harvest 
zones or bag limit increases that will help address depredation 
concerns in these States and will not impact the harvest of other 
Canada goose populations of management concern in the Flyway.

5. White-fronted Geese

    Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommended 
modification of frameworks for white-fronted geese in the Klamath Basin 
of Oregon and California by:
    1. Increasing the white-fronted goose daily bag limit from 2 to 4 
in California's Northeastern Zone;
    2. Increasing the white-fronted goose daily bag limit from 3 to 4 
in California's Balance of State Zone (except in the Sacramento Valley 
Special Management Area);
    3. Redefine Oregon's Harney, Klamath, Lake and Malheur County Zone 
and create a new zone comprised of just Klamath County;
    4. Change the outside dates in the new Klamath County Zone only to 
extend to March 10;
    5. In the Klamath County Zone, late seasons would be for white-
fronted geese only with a daily bag limit of 2;
    6. Create a 3-way split in Oregon's new Klamath County Zone.
    Service Response: We support the recommendations of the Pacific 
Flyway Council. Pacific white-fronted geese are currently well above 
population objective levels with this year's index totaling more than 
500,000, well above the population objective of 300,000. Increasing 
numbers of this population are now staging in the Klamath Basin region 
of Oregon and California in the spring. These increasing numbers of 
geese are causing agricultural depredation problems that can be 
partially addressed by this proposed change in season structure for 
these

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geese. We support the use of sport harvest to address these concerns 
when possible. We are requiring monitoring and evaluation of these 
season changes to ensure that no adverse impacts occur on other goose 
populations of management concern.

6. Brant

    Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommends 
increasing the season length for brant in California from 15 to 30 days 
and increasing the season length in Washington from 8 to 16 days.
    The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended no change in the 30-day 
season with a 2-bird daily bag limit for Atlantic brant.
    Written Comments: An individual from Massachusetts recommended 
allowing a 60-day season with a one-bird daily bag limit for Atlantic 
brant.
    Service Response: We concur with the Pacific Flyway Council 
recommendation to return to the Pacific Brant season frameworks that 
were in place prior to last year based on the midwinter survey index 
from last year and consistency with the Flyway Management Plan. 
However, we reiterate the concern expressed previously about provisions 
in the management plan that allow frequent changes among the three 
harvest levels. We request that the Flyway Council review these 
provisions and consider methods that might reduce the potential 
frequency of annual changes, such as those we have experienced in the 
last 2 years.
    Regarding the season for Atlantic brant, we concur with the 
Atlantic Flyway Council's continuation of last year's regulations of a 
30-day season and a 2-bird daily bag limit.

7. Swans

    Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommended 
allowing hunters in Nevada two swan permits per year.
    Service Response: We concur with the Pacific Flyway Council's 
recommendation concerning Nevada. We continue to support the carefully 
controlled harvest of tundra swans in the Pacific Flyway States and 
continue to require careful monitoring of this harvest to insure that 
only small numbers of trumpeter swans are taken during this season. 
During the past 10 years, Nevada has only harvested one trumpeter swan 
in this season. Further, Nevada's permit allocation would not be 
increased from that offered in previous years (650). The proposed 
change that would allow hunters a second permit is consistent with the 
existing harvest strategy in the Flyway management plan, and no 
increase in trumpeter swan harvest is expected. Monitoring programs 
will ensure that the season is closed if the assigned quota of five 
trumpeter swans is harvested in the season.
    Regarding the Eastern Population (EP) of tundra swans, the mid-
winter index in 2006 was 74,500 and below the population objective of 
80,000 for the second consecutive year. As a result, the 3-year average 
population index from the mid-winter has declined to 78,100. In 
accordance with the 1998 Hunt Plan, whenever the 3-year average drops 
below the population objective for more than one year, permit 
reductions should be considered. Therefore, we encourage the Flyway 
Councils to review the current status of EP tundra swans and determine 
appropriate permit changes prior to the development of the 2007-08 
hunting regulations.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Consideration

    NEPA considerations are covered by the programmatic document, 
``Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Issuance of Annual 
Regulations Permitting the Sport Hunting of Migratory Birds (FSES 88-
14),'' filed with the Environmental Protection Agency on June 9, 1988. 
We published Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on June 16, 
1988 (53 FR 22582), and our Record of Decision on August 18, 1988 (53 
FR 31341). Annual NEPA considerations are covered under a separate 
Environmental Assessment (EA), ``Duck Hunting Regulations for 2006-
07,'' and an August 24, 2006, Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). 
Copies of the EA and FONSI are available upon request from the address 
indicated under ADDRESSES.
    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 we 
announced in a March 9, 2006, Federal Register notice (71 FR 12216).

Endangered Species Act Consideration

    Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531-1543; 87 Stat. 884), provides that, ``The Secretary shall review 
other programs administered by him and utilize such programs in 
furtherance of the purposes of this Act'' and shall ``insure that any 
action authorized, funded, or carried out * * * is not likely to 
jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered species or 
threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification 
of [critical] habitat. * * *'' Consequently, we conducted formal 
consultations to ensure that actions resulting from these regulations 
would not likely jeopardize the continued existence of endangered or 
threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification 
of their critical habitat. Findings from these consultations are 
included in a biological opinion, which concluded that the regulations 
are not likely to adversely affect any endangered or threatened 
species. Additionally, these findings may have caused modification of 
some regulatory measures previously proposed, and the final frameworks 
reflect any such modifications. Our biological opinions resulting from 
this Section 7 consultation are public documents available for public 
inspection at the address indicated under ADDRESSES.

Executive Order 12866

    The migratory bird hunting regulations are economically significant 
and were reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 
Executive Order 12866. As such, a cost-benefit analysis was initially 
prepared in 1981. This analysis was subsequently revised annually from 
1990-96, updated in 1998, and updated again in 2004. It is further 
discussed below, under the heading Regulatory Flexibility Act. Results 
from the 2004 analysis indicate that the expected welfare benefit of 
the annual migratory bird hunting frameworks is on the order of $734 
million to $1.064 billion, with a midpoint estimate of $899 million. 
Copies of the cost-benefit analysis are available upon request from the 
address indicated under ADDRESSES or from our Web site at https://
www.migratorybirds.gov.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    These regulations have a significant economic impact on substantial 
numbers of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.). We analyzed the economic impacts of the annual 
hunting regulations on small business entities in detail as part of the 
1981 cost-benefit analysis discussed under Executive Order 12866. This 
analysis was revised annually from 1990-95. In 1995, the Service issued 
a Small Entity Flexibility Analysis (Analysis), which was subsequently 
updated in 1996, 1998, and 2004. The primary source of information 
about hunter expenditures for migratory game bird hunting is the

[[Page 55659]]

National Hunting and Fishing Survey, which is conducted at 5-year 
intervals. The 2004 Analysis was based on the 2001 National Hunting and 
Fishing Survey and the U.S. Department of Commerce's County Business 
Patterns, from which it was estimated that migratory bird hunters would 
spend between $481 million and $1.2 billion at small businesses in 
2004. Copies of the Analysis are available upon request from the 
address indicated under ADDRESSES or from our Web site at https://
www.migratorybirds.gov.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This rule is a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. For the reasons outlined above, 
this rule has an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more. 
However, because this rule establishes hunting seasons, we do not plan 
to defer the effective date under the exemption contained in 5 U.S.C. 
808(1).

Paperwork Reduction Act

    We examined these regulations under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (PRA). There are no new information 
collections in this rule that would require OMB approval under the PRA. 
The existing various recordkeeping and reporting requirements imposed 
under regulations established in 50 CFR part 20, subpart K, are 
utilized in the formulation of migratory game bird hunting regulations. 
Specifically, OMB has approved the information collection requirements 
of the surveys associated with the Migratory Bird Harvest Information 
Program and assigned clearance number 1018-0015 (expires 2/29/2008). 
This information is used to provide a sampling frame for voluntary 
national surveys to improve our harvest estimates for all migratory 
game birds in order to better manage these populations. A Federal 
agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    We have determined and certify, in compliance with the requirements 
of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, 2 U.S.C. 1502 et seq., that this 
rulemaking will not impose a cost of $100 million or more in any given 
year on local or State government or private entities. Therefore, this 
rule is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act.

Civil Justice Reform--Executive Order 12988

    The Department, in promulgating this rule, has determined that this 
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 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, this rule allow hunters to exercise otherwise 
unavailable privileges and, therefore, reduce restrictions on the use 
of private and public property.

Energy Effects--Executive Order 13211

    On May 18, 2001, the President issued Executive Order 13211 on 
regulations that significantly affect energy supply, distribution, and 
use. Executive Order 13211 requires agencies to prepare Statements of 
Energy Effects when undertaking certain actions. While this rule is a 
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, it is not 
expected to adversely affect energy supplies, distribution, or use. 
Therefore, this action is not a significant energy action and no 
Statement of Energy Effects is required.

Government-to-Government Relationship with Tribes

    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. Thus, in accordance with the President's 
memorandum of April 29, 1994, ``Government-to-Government Relations with 
Native American Tribal Governments'' (59 FR 22951), Executive Order 
13175, and 512 DM 2, we have evaluated possible effects on Federally 
recognized Indian tribes and have determined that there are no effects 
on Indian trust resources. However, in the April 11 proposed rule we 
solicited proposals for special migratory bird hunting regulations for 
certain Tribes on Federal Indian reservations, off-reservation trust 
lands, and ceded lands for the 2006-07 migratory bird hunting season. 
The resulting proposals were contained in a separate rulemaking (August 
17, 2006, Federal Register (71 FR 47461)). By virtue of these actions, 
we have consulted with all the Tribes affected by this rule.

Federalism Effects

    Due to the migratory nature of certain species of birds, the 
Federal Government has been given responsibility over these species by 
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We annually prescribe frameworks from 
which the States make selections regarding the hunting of migratory 
birds, and we employ guidelines to establish special regulations on 
Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands. This process preserves the 
ability of the States and tribes to determine which seasons meet their 
individual needs. Any State or Indian tribe may be more restrictive 
than the Federal frameworks at any time. The frameworks are developed 
in a cooperative process with the States and the Flyway Councils. This 
process allows States to participate in the development of frameworks 
from which they will make selections, thereby having an influence on 
their own regulations. These rules do not have a substantial direct 
effect on fiscal capacity, change the roles or responsibilities of 
Federal or State governments, or intrude on State policy or 
administration. Therefore, in accordance with Executive Order 13132, 
these regulations do not have significant federalism effects and do not 
have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a 
federalism assessment.

Regulations Promulgation

    The rulemaking process for migratory game bird hunting must, by its 
nature, operate under severe time constraints. However, we intend that 
the public be given the greatest possible opportunity to comment. Thus, 
when the preliminary proposed rulemaking was published, we established 
what we believed were the longest periods possible for public comment. 
In doing this, we recognized that when the comment period closed, time 
would be of the essence. That is, if there were a delay in the 
effective date of these regulations after this final rulemaking, States 
would have insufficient time to select season dates and limits; to 
communicate those selections to us; and to establish and publicize the 
necessary regulations and procedures to implement their decisions. We 
therefore find that ``good cause'' exists, within the terms of 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedure Act, and these frameworks 
will, therefore, take effect immediately upon publication.
    Therefore, under authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (July 
3, 1918),

[[Page 55660]]

as amended (16 U.S.C. 703-711), we prescribe final frameworks setting 
forth the species to be hunted, the daily bag and possession limits, 
the shooting hours, the season lengths, the earliest opening and latest 
closing season dates, and hunting areas, from which State conservation 
agency officials will select hunting season dates and other options. 
Upon receipt of selections, we will publish in the Federal Register a 
final rulemaking amending 50 CFR part 20 to reflect seasons, limits, 
and shooting hours for the conterminous United States for the 2006-07 
hunting season.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20

    Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.

    The rules that eventually will be promulgated for the 2006-07 
hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-712 and 16 U.S.C. 742 
a-j.

    Dated: September 13, 2006.
David M. Verhey,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

Final Regulations Frameworks for 2006-07 Late Hunting Seasons on 
Certain Migratory Game Birds

    Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and delegated 
authorities, the Department has approved the following frameworks for 
season lengths, shooting hours, bag and possession limits, and outside 
dates within which States may select seasons for hunting waterfowl and 
coots between the dates of September 1, 2006, and March 10, 2007.

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, white-fronted 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 late-season regulations are contained in a later portion of this 
document.
    Area-Specific Provisions: Frameworks for open seasons, season 
lengths, bag and possession limits, and other special provisions are 
listed below by Flyway.
    Compensatory Days in the Atlantic Flyway: In the Atlantic Flyway 
States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New 
Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, where Sunday 
hunting is prohibited statewide by State law, all Sundays are closed to 
all take of migratory waterfowl (including mergansers and coots).

Atlantic Flyway

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
23) and the last Sunday in January (January 28).
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 60 days. The daily bag limit is 6 
ducks, including no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 2 scaup, 1 black 
duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 1 mottled duck, 1 fulvous whistling 
duck, 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, and 4 scoters.
    Closures: The season on harlequin ducks is closed.
    Sea Ducks: Within the special sea duck areas, during the regular 
duck season in the Atlantic Flyway, States may choose to allow the 
above sea duck limits in addition to the limits applying to other ducks 
during the regular duck season. In all other areas, sea ducks may be 
taken only during the regular open season for ducks and are part of the 
regular duck season daily bag (not to exceed 4 scoters) and possession 
limits.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit of mergansers is 5, only 2 of 
which may be a hooded merganser. In States that include mergansers in 
the duck bag limit, the daily limit is the same as the duck bag limit, 
only two 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 in the H Unit; and between October 1 and February 15, a 70-day 
season with a 3-bird daily bag in the L Unit.
    Atlantic Population (AP) Zone: A 45-day season may be held between 
the fourth Saturday in October (October 28)

[[Page 55661]]

and January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag limit.
    South Zone: A special season may be held between January 15 and 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Delaware: A 45-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Florida: A 70-day season may be held between November 15 and 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Georgia: In specific areas, a 70-day season may be held between 
November 15 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Maine: A 60-day season may be held Statewide between October 1 and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Maryland: Resident Population (RP) Zone: A 70-day season may be 
held between November 15 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag 
limit.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Massachusetts: NAP Zone: A 60-day season may be held between 
October 1 and January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. Additionally, 
a special season may be held from January 15 to February 15, with a 5-
bird daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between 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 28) 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 28), except in the Lake Champlain Area where the 
opening date is October 20, and January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag 
limit.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between the fourth Saturday in 
October (October 28) and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    North Carolina: SJBP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between 
October 1 and December 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between October 1 and February 
15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Northeast Hunt Unit: A 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 14) and February 15, with a 2-bird 
daily bag limit until January 14 and a 5-bird daily bag limit between 
January 15 and February 15.
    Pymatuning Zone: A 50-day season may be held between October 1 and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between November 15 and 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between the fourth Saturday in 
October (October 28) and January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag limit.
    Special Late Goose Season Area: An experimental season may be held 
from January 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Rhode Island: A 60-day season may be held between October 1 and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. An experimental season may 
be held in designated areas from January 15 to February 15, with a 5-
bird daily bag limit.
    South Carolina: In designated areas, a 70-day season may be held 
during November 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Vermont: A 45-day season may be held between the fourth Saturday in 
October (October 28), 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 2-bird daily bag limit. Additionally, an 
experimental season may be held between January 15 and February 15, 
with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between November 15 and 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Back Bay Area: A 30-day experimental season may be held between 
December 25 and January 28 in the AP Zone with a 2-bird daily bag 
limit.
    West Virginia: A 70-day season may be held between October 1 and 
January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag limit.
Light Geese
    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 107-
day season between October 1 and March 10, with a 15-bird daily bag 
limit and no possession limit. States may split their seasons into 
three segments, except in Delaware and Maryland, where, following the 
completion of their duck season, and until March 10, Delaware and 
Maryland may split the remaining portion of the season to allow hunting 
on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only.
Brant
    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 30-
day season between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 23) and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. States may split their 
seasons into two segments.

Mississippi Flyway

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
23) and the last Sunday in January (January 28).
    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, 2 scaup, 1 
black duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood ducks, and 2 redheads.
    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,

[[Page 55662]]

Tennessee, and Wisconsin, the season may be split into two segments in 
each zone.
    In Arkansas and Mississippi, the season may be split into three 
segments.
Geese
    Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may be split into three 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 23) 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 23) and the Sunday nearest February 15 (February 18); 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 23) 
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 
23) and January 31.
    Alabama: In the SJBP Goose Zone, the season for Canada geese may 
not exceed 50 days. Elsewhere, the season for Canada geese may extend 
for 70 days in the respective duck-hunting zones. The daily bag limit 
is 2 Canada geese.
    Arkansas: In the Northwest Zone, the season for Canada geese may 
extend for 33 days, provided that one segment of at least 9 days occurs 
prior to October 15. In the remainder of the State, the season may not 
exceed 23 days. The season may extend to February 15, and may be split 
into 2 segments. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Illinois: The season for Canada geese may extend for 79 days in the 
North and Central Zones and 57 days in the South Zone. The daily bag 
limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Indiana: The season for Canada geese may extend for 70 days, except 
in the SJBP Zone, where the season may not exceed 50 days. The daily 
bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Iowa: The season 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 67 
days (82 days in Fulton County). The season in Fulton County may extend 
to February 15. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (b) Pennyroyal/Coalfield Zone--The season may extend for 50 days. 
The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (c) Remainder of the State--The season may extend for 50 days. The 
daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Louisiana: The season for Canada geese may extend for 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) MVP--Upper and Lower Peninsula Zones--The total harvest of 
Canada geese will be limited to 82,600 birds for these zones combined. 
The framework opening date for all geese is September 16 and the season 
for Canada geese may extend for 50 days. The daily bag limit is 2 
Canada geese.
    (1) Allegan County GMU--The Canada goose season will close after 50 
days or when 3,000 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs first. 
The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (2) Muskegon Wastewater GMU--The Canada goose season will close 
after 50 days or when 1,000 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (b) SJBP Zone--The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 16 and the season for Canada geese may extend for 30 days. 
The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (1) Saginaw County GMU--The Canada goose season will close after 50 
days or when 2,000 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs first. 
The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (2) Tuscola/Huron GMU--The Canada goose season will close after 50 
days or when 750 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs first. The 
daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (c) Southern Michigan GMU--A 30-day special Canada goose season may 
be held between December 31 and February 7. The daily bag limit may not 
exceed 5 Canada geese.
    (d) Central Michigan GMU--A 30-day special Canada goose season may 
be held between December 31 and February 7. The daily bag limit may not 
exceed 5 Canada geese.
    Minnesota:
    (a) West Zone.
    (1) West Central Zone--The season for Canada geese may extend for 
40 days. The daily bag limit is 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: The season for Canada geese may extend for 60 days in the 
respective duck-hunting zones, with a daily bag limit of 2 Canada 
geese, except in the Lake Erie SJBP Zone, where the season may not 
exceed 40 days and the daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. A special 
Canada goose season of up to 22 days, beginning the first Saturday 
after January 10, may be held in the following Counties: Allen (north 
of U.S. Highway 30), Fulton, Geauga (north of Route 6), Henry, Huron, 
Lucas (Lake Erie Zone closed), Seneca, and Summit (Lake Erie Zone 
closed). During the special season, the daily bag limit is 2 Canada 
geese.
    Tennessee:
    (a) Northwest Zone--The season for Canada geese may not exceed 72 
days, and may extend to February 15. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 
geese.
    (b) Southwest Zone--The season for Canada geese may extend for 59 
days, at least 9 of which must occur before Oct. 16. The daily bag 
limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (c) Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Zone--The season for Canada geese may 
extend for 59 days, at least 9 of which must occur before Oct. 16. The 
daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (d) Remainder of the State--The season for Canada geese may extend 
for 70 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Wisconsin: The total harvest of Canada geese in the State will be 
limited to 131,100 birds.
    (a) Horicon Zone--The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 16. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 27,000 birds. 
The season may not exceed 92 days. All Canada geese harvested must be 
tagged. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese, and the season limit 
will be the number of tags issued to each permittee.
    (b) Collins Zone--The framework opening date for all geese is 
September

[[Page 55663]]

16. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 1,500 birds. The season 
may not exceed 65 days. All Canada geese harvested must be tagged. The 
daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese, and the season limi