The state Fish and Wildlife Commission has adopted 2010-11 migratory waterfowl hunting seasons. The statewide duck hunting season will be open from Oct. 16-20 and Oct. 23-Jan. 30.
A special youth hunting weekend also is scheduled for Sept. 25-26.
As part of the hunting package approved Aug. 6-7, the commission also reduced the daily limit in western Washington for scoters and long-tailed ducks from four to two, and for goldeneye from seven to two. The changes were made to address population declines for scoters and to reduce potential impacts to long-tailed ducks and goldeneye, said a news release from the department. Special limits for hen mallard, pintail, redhead, canvasback, harlequin and scaup were not changed.
Goose hunting seasons will vary by management areas, but most will open Oct. 16 and run into January. Those seasons will be similar to last year in most areas.
The commission did approve restrictions on the use of decoys while hunting snow geese on Fir Island in Skagit County. Another new rule prohibits hunting snow geese within 100 feet of paved public roads in Skagit County. Those changes were made to address hunter conduct issues and safety concerns.
Goose and duck hunting seasons approved by the commission are based on state and federal waterfowl population estimates and guidelines. For the Pacific flyway, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service had recommended a duck season of 107 days, plus 107-day seasons for geese.
Details on the state’s waterfowl seasons will be available later this month on the department’s website at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regs_seasons.html.
To see the “Status of Waterfowl” report as well as last year’s national harvest figures, go to www.fws.gov/ migratorybirds.
In other related moves:
• The commission banned the possession of lead shot on two properties in the Chehalis River Valley in Grays Harbor County to reduce the risk of wildlife health issues associated with lead shot ingestion. In addition, the commission banned the use of lead shot at the new Hoehn Road pheasant release site in Skagit County.
• The commission repealed the game reserve status for the Bayview Game Reserve in Skagit County, in order to increase hunter access to the shoreline. The game reserve was established in 1983 for brant geese that no longer frequent the site.
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