Article Library
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
DEC Invites Hunter Input on Fall 2007 Waterfowl Seasons
Task Forces to Help Set Season Dates for Waterfowl Hunting in New York
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) today invited waterfowl hunters to submit recommendations to
regional Waterfowl Hunter Task Forces for the dates of the Fall 2007
duck hunting seasons.
New York State is divided into five waterfowl hunting zones:
Western, Southeastern, Northeastern, Lake Champlain, and Long Island.
DEC recently appointed task forces for each zone (except Lake Champlain,
see below) to make recommendations for the Fall 2007 hunting seasons.
Each task force includes representatives from the New York State
Conservation Council, established waterfowl hunting organizations, and
individual waterfowl hunters who were chosen to provide a broad range of
input.
Task force members act as representatives of all duck hunters in
each zone, and collectively recommend opening and closing dates (and
split seasons if desired) and a Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend that
best satisfy the diverse interests in their zone. The recommended dates
must be within federal guidelines established by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. For Fall 2007, DEC biologists expect the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to allow a 60-day duck season, split into no more
than two segments per zone, and opening no earlier than September 22 and
closing no later than January 27.
DEC established hunter task forces in 1997 to help set duck
hunting season dates for areas of the State where hunter preferences
vary widely. Federal regulations limit the number of days that duck
seasons can be open, and these Waterfowl Hunter Task Forces have helped
DEC establish season dates that provide balanced opportunities for
waterfowl hunting in each region of the state.
Waterfowl hunters can participate in the season-setting process
by providing duck season suggestions to any task force member on or
before April 6. Names and contact information for all task force
members are attached. Comments can be provided by mail, telephone, or
e-mail. The comment due date is important because the task forces will
meet in April and DEC plans to announce tentative duck hunting season
dates in June, allowing hunters time to make vacation plans.
Input on hunting seasons for other migratory game birds,
including Canada geese, snow geese, brant, woodcock, snipe, rails and
crows should be submitted by April 30 to any member of DEC*s
season-setting team. Names and contact information for those staff are
also attached.
Fall 2007 waterfowl seasons will be based largely on task force
recommendations. However, seasons in the Lake Champlain Zone will
continue to be set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Management Board,
with consultation from DEC and input from hunters in New York and
Vermont. Although there is no formal task force for this zone, sportsmen
and women can send their input to any DEC season-setting team member on
the attached list.
Descriptions of New York State's waterfowl hunting zones can be
found on the DEC website at www.dec.state.ny.us and are listed in DEC's
Waterfowl Hunting Guide. The tentative waterfowl hunting season dates
will be posted on the DEC website and announced by news release in June.
2007 WATERFOWL SEASON TASK FORCES
(in alphabetical order, contact anyone on the list)
2007
NORTHEASTERN ZONE TASK FORCE
NAME ADDRESS TELEPHONE & E-MAIL
PETE BARNEY
(Northern Inland Marshes) 64 OLD STATE RD
POTSDAM NY 13676 pmb10@cornell.edu
NICK MCNAMARA
(Northern WMAs) 1125 CO RT 14
RENSSELAER FALLS NY 13680 315-344-6580
JEFF REYELL
(Central Adirondacks) PO BOX 1300
SARANAC LAKE NY 12983 518-891-2711
jreyell@centralny.twcbc.com
BILL SAIFF III
(Ontario-St Lawrence) PO BOX 111
BROWNVILLE NY 13615 315-782-4665
saiff@gisco.net