2011 Regulation Changes

[jparrucci]

I have read in a number of places recently that the DNR is finally looking to take some common sense steps to increase duck hunter satisfaction. Moving the opener to 1/2 hour before sunrise, moving the opener a week earlier, a 3 wood duck limit, elimination of Youth Waterfowl Day, elimination of Early Season Goose over water, another increase in regular season goose limit, spliting the state into at least 3 zones, and spliting those zones into 2 season as well.

I am for each and every one of these proposals. I broke ice on the last day of the year and took a limit of late season mallards, but I have enough sense to know that most hunters only get out a few times a year, and miss out on the best wood duck and teal shooting, because it is already past the peak migration for both species once the season opens here. By opening earlier (especially up north) it increases the odds that those occasional hunters will have a more enjoyable hunt. This hopefully leads to keeping the season open even later in the Southern part of the state, where the Mallards pile up thick just as the season closes. We are long overdue for this type of season. Who on the Iron Range shot a duck up there in late November, or many teal around opener? I think it has finally stuck that to increase hunter participation, you have increase the odds the hunters have at taking a duck.

The 3 wood duck limit might be the biggest no brainer of them all, as the DNR Biologist and the USFW biologist said it would not impact the breeding population dramatically enough to have an effect, yet the Commissioner opted for 2 when every other state in the Mississippi opted for the 3. Thanks.

I know these are just things to keep us harvesting more ducks and not improvements to duck populations. This will better align MN with the other states around us. So before anyone jumps onto that bandwagon I understand that to make waterfowling better here, we need better habitat. But if we can increase hunter satisfaction why would we not do most if not all of these?

The YWD is going to be a hot topic again. I know we have beaten that horse to death around here and I stand by my convictions that it is not a needed, not helpful in keeping kids hunted, and I think we lose more established hunters than it brings in youth. But at the same time, we need to also stop the shooting of geese over the roost too in early goose season; they both have the same effect.

My .02

[magnum mike]

If the proposed changes are as you stated, the only problem I have is split seasons & zones. While the overall number of hunters is decreasing, I believe the hard core addicts (of which I am) have not diminished. What this is going to do is concentrate all the hunters of the state into smaller areas when their "home zone" is closed. There is great plenty of pressure on the better hunting areas. This is going to make a crowded situation worse. Since waterfowl is a federally regulated game, follow the federal guidelines as required. Minnesota has always been one of the most restrictive states as far as waterfowl regulations. I am all for smart management and protecting the resource. I am not for protecting the resource so our brothers to the south can exploit it. If you folks to the south of us don’t like this approach, move north. We could use help shoveling snow.

[Finlander]

About time they use common sense rather than the thinking of "thats the way it's always been here"!

[Stringerless!]

Keep in mind these are nothing more than " Proposals ". Last year I remember filling out a questionaire on the DNR site about some "proposed " changes. I wish they would have published the results !! I have a feeling they did not listen to the results of their survey. The only proposals in here that I am for are

1. Change opening day shooting hours to 1/2 hour before sunrise

2. 3 woodies

I need more details to make decisions about any of the zone/season changes. Not that it will matter.

[jparrucci]

I have a pretty good feeling that the season will open at half hour before sunrise and there will be a 3 wood duck limit. 5 Mallards should also be included as well. I can live with only one hen, but there is no reason we shouldn't be able to taken an extra drake. I also think the season will be openening a week earlier. I doubt the DNR is going to make a split state or season this year, but I think it is finally coming. I would hope we would at least split the state, I think it makes sense.

[Lunker]

I'll believe it when I see it, but they sound good to me.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

5 Mallards should also be included as well. I can live with only one hen, but there is no reason we shouldn't be able to taken an extra drake.

Better start lobbying the flyway commission then; the feds set the 4 mallard rule, not MN.

[B. Amish]

the legislature has the waterfowl opener as the saturday closest to the 1st of october. don't cry to the dnr about that, they can't change that.

if that gets changed by the legislature, i believe the dnr would do a split of some sort. they already have i believe two waterfowl zones in the state. the line is hwy 210.

[jparrucci]

You are correct, the flyaway limit for Mallards is 4. It is also the legislature that has current state statute to set the opening day. I think we have the best chance in years to change it, as many of the state reps and sentators that are in the committees that deal with natural resources are hunters themselves, and now in the majority party. The chief waterfowl expert at the DNR, Steve Cordts, has also made comments regarding season changes. Currently there is no split seasons or zones related to ducks in MN, just seperate goose zones.

[MaskedMallard]

Since the Southern States have a Teal season, why not give the Northern Season a "Winter Bird" season. Or something like a "Diver" season. This type of season would occur once normal season closes.

[Finlander]

Why in the world does the legislators have anything to do with waterfowl regulations?

Do all the legislator's go to school for wildlife managemaent?

Seems to me your asking a plummer to do a nurses job and they usually don't do a good job!

[SledNeck]

I hope they don't get rid of youth waterfowl day, that's my kids favorite hunt of the year.

[Stringerless!]

jparrucci where did you see all these proposals ?

[FishandFowl]

I support most of the proposals. 1/2 hour before sunrise is way overdue. I do not agree with splitting the state into zones as stated before it would cause too much conjestion in areas already overcrowded, I do support a split season but starting a week earlier. 3 woodies, great. The other proposals I have no opinion on.

What I do know for sure is that Duck hunting in minnesota needs something to get it going. I hunt in a part of the state that used to be the go to destination in Minnesota for ducks. In my time from the 70's to about 1996/1997 duck hunting was always good. Then it just started to decline. The last 2 years have been the worst I have ever seen. Empty skies. I agree it is about experiencing nature and I am not about filling my freezer, but I do like to shoot a duck once in a while. Fnf

[mixxedbagg]

Quote:

Why in the world does the legislators have anything to do with waterfowl regulations?

Do all the legislator's go to school for wildlife managemaent?

Seems to me your asking a plummer to do a nurses job and they usually don't do a good job!

I think this is a good point. I actually would have no problem with some of those changes if they wouldn't significantly harm duck populations, but I'm not interested in seeing a process where the legislature micromanages or stomps on the DNR. Natural resource professionals should be the go-to guys for managing natural resources. I think in general, politicians have a poor understanding of the factors affecting wildlife populations and typically take a short-term approach to just about every issue instead of the long view.

Now, last season was my first season of waterfowl hunting and I didn't find the current regs to be too restrictive to enjoy the hunt. The proposed changes themselves don't bother me, but it is troublesome that the legislature would propose a number of changes that would likely increase harvest without including any proposals to improve habitat or increase numbers. Not making those kinds of investments simultaneously to the regs changes sure appears to be a recipe for long-term decline.

One reg I would question, whether it was being proposed by the legislature or the DNR, is the elimination of early goose season over water that jparrucci mentioned. In northeast Minnesota, the options for hunting geese during that early season over land are pretty limited--probably nonexistant in some areas since many of those fields have people hunting over them already.

If the legislature begins passing a number of natural resource micromanaging regulations changes, my hope is that the governor would consult with the DNR's new commissioner on whether to sign or veto each of those changes.

[jblabsnduck]

I see the "proposals" are doing what the DNR wants them to do.

You guys are all talking about how happy you are going to be if they make these changes and everything is all good and danndy. Would I like to see some of those changes? Sure.

BUT the big picture is that the DNR needs to work on our wetlands we have left.

These "proposed" changes are nothing but a smoke screen to the big problem.

What good is it to give us better chances at shooting ducks if the are none left in the state to shoot?

Can I and do I shoot ducks in MN? Sure do BUT some of the places I used to hunt and have very good hunts at are bone dry or full of minnows now.

DNR's plan, lets give these people what they really want and what makes sense so maybe they will forget about us doing nothing to improve the wetlands in the state.

good plan, looks like it would work also from reading some replies.

[B. Amish]

Currently there is no split seasons or zones related to ducks in MN, just seperate goose zones.

there are no split seasons, but there are two duck zones. a north and south zone and the line is hwy 210. they just happen to have the same season lengths and limits, so nobody even knows they exist.

[Stringerless!]

I have not seen anything about getting rid of YWD or closing early geese over water.

[Roosterslayer05]

All the proposed changes would be fine with me except two. Moving the opener to a half hour before sunrise and doing away with youth waterfowl day. Moving the opener to a half hour before sunrise would make sunday morning a worse hunt. I do fine on openeing day and good that sunday. I believe that moving the time on opening day would hinder sunday morning success. I dont care if youth waterfowl day doesent recruit hunters like some claim. Its a day when kids can go out and shoot ducks period. Its good hunting for them and they have a blast. The guys that complain about YWD chasing away ducks are selfish. If a kid can go out, shoot ducks, and have a good time doing it in exchange for myslef not shooting as many birds opening day, so be it. I dont care. He/She is a kid making good memories waterfowl hunting and spending quality time outdoors. Thats something we need more of.

jblabs hit the nail right on the head. Habitat is the problem, not YWD and opener times.

[Stringerless!]

Do you only hunt opening weekend ?

[dan z]

No early goose over water would not be good for me or the state IMO, Geese are getting very thick because they always find a place to rest. The city ponds pile up when the hunting starts.... I think there should be a way to get them outta town not sure how it would be done... if you think hunting over water hurts the populationthink again the goose population is way over the avg or atleasst thats what I see. take over the water shooting out and the geese will even be thicker.

starting the season earlier is also a no go. unless they strectch the season past thanksgiving. I shot ducks on the last day of the season and if you take the late season hunting outta the equation my take numbers would be half. I LOVE LATE SEASON!

3 wood ducks would freakin rock

youth waterfowl day is good but I have heard of to many dads/brothers helping out...

just my 03 cents

[Stringerless!]

I agree Dan. If they want us to be sucessful and sell stamps it would be stupid to change anything about early goose. At some point I read that early goose was the fastest growing area of our sport.

[Vexipro]

Really? Allowing hunting on or near water was the worst mistake they ever made for early goose! Instead of having geese we can pattern they all get hammered off their roost opening day and move on. Now someone shot this pond and shot 6 when we coulda hunted the field they were using half a mile away and shot 20. And then followed them to the next field and shot 20 more. They need a safe place to loaf/roost or they will totally leave the area!!!!

[Stringerless!]

It scared all the ducks away too.

[Vexipro]

I sense a hint of sarcasm. But ya, it messes with the ducks too. I know this year was all messed up during the whole early season because people set up on the sewer lagoon where they roost and pass shot opening day. It sent the geese into a tizzy. Took TWO WEEKS for normal feeding patterns to start going on again and they never did go back to roosting there until the migrators started showing up. So those pass shooters probably got what 3? How did that help control the resident population?