NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2010
Waterfowl Hunting Season Dates Approved by Wildlife Council for 2010-11
COLUMBUS, OH - The 2010-2011 waterfowl hunting season dates have been approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council and are the most liberal regulations allowed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
The waterfowl hunting seasons are set to open October 16 in both Ohio's north and south zones. Hunters 15 years of age and younger will have the opportunity to enjoy a special statewide season October 2-3.
The duck hunting season in the North Zone is October 16 through November 14, followed by a late portion that opens November 20 through December 19. In the South Zone, duck season is open October 16 - 31, followed by a late portion that opens December 11 and runs through January 23, 2011.
The daily bag limit for ducks is six, which may not include more than four mallards (no more than one may be female), three wood ducks, one black duck, two redheads, two scaup, one canvasback, two pintail, and one mottled duck. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, of which no more than two may be hooded. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. Possession limits after the first day are twice the daily bag limit.
In the Lake Erie Canada Goose Zone, the goose season is October 16 through November 14 followed by a second segment that opens November 20 and runs through January 2, 2011. The goose season for the remainder of the North Zone is October 16 through November 28, with a second segment that runs from December 18 through January 16, 2011. In the South Zone, goose season is October 16 through November 7 followed by a second segment that opens December 11 and runs through January 30, 2011.
The daily bag limit for Canada geese is two. Light geese (snows, blues, Ross') have a daily bag limit of 10, and white-fronted geese and brant have a daily bag limit of one. The possession limit for brant and geese is twice the daily bag limit after the first day.
Licensed falconers may hunt in the north, south and Lake Erie Canada Goose zones whenever these zones are open to waterfowl hunting; in addition properly licensed falconers may hunt ducks and coots statewide from February 5, 2011 through March 4, 2011 and geese from February 5 - 18, 2011.
People planning to hunt waterfowl are required to answer several questions for the Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey when purchasing their hunting licenses. A state wetland habitat stamp endorsement and a valid and signed federal duck stamp are required when hunting waterfowl, in addition to an Ohio hunting license. The 2010-11 hunting licenses and wetland stamps are on sale now and remain valid through February 28, 2011.
Copies of this season's waterfowl hunting regulations, which include maps of the zones (Publication 295, Waterfowl Hunting Seasons), is available online and at all license agent outlets.
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