Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations — Early and Late Seasons

The online public comment period for early season species is 4 p.m. May 23, 2013, through 5 p.m. June 23, 2013.

The online public comment period for late season species is 4 p.m. May 23, 2013, through 5 p.m. August 21, 2013.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proposing changes to the rules governing migratory bird hunting. The proposed changes are part of the annual process of establishing season dates, season lengths, bag limits, and related regulations in cooperation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (Service).

The Service issues annual frameworks for the hunting of migratory game birds in the United States. Regulations adopted by individual states may be more restrictive than the federal frameworks, but may not be less restrictive. Responsibility for establishing seasons, bag limits, means, methods, and devices for harvesting migratory game birds within Service frameworks is delegated to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) under Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 64, Subchapter C. Parks and Wildlife Code, §64.022, authorizes the  Commission to delegate rulemaking authority to the Executive Director.  31 Texas Administrative Code §65.313(f) authorizes the Executive Director, after notification of the Chairman of the Commission, to engage in rulemaking.

As of this posting, the Service has not issued either of the annual regulatory frameworks for migratory game birds. Typically, the Service issues the preliminary early-season (dove, teal, snipe, woodcock, rails, gallinules) frameworks in late June and the preliminary late-season (ducks, geese, cranes) frameworks in early August. The Service typically issues the final early-season frameworks in early August and the final late-season frameworks in late September.

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Public Comment
Expansion of the Special White Winged Dove Area

The department is proposing to expand the Special White Winged Dove Area (SWWDA). For the last two decades, white-winged dove populations have steadily expanded both their numbers and their geographical extent. The department believes this expansion warrants enlargement of the SWWDA in South Texas to provide more hunting opportunity. The Service has determined that expansion of the SWWDA will not result in any negative impacts to dove populations in South Texas; however, in order to maintain the same level of mourning dove harvest, the bag limit for mourning dove must be reduced from four to two. The department has determined, based on scientific findings of fact, that the zone expansion will not result in either depletion or waste. The expansion would make Interstate Highway 37 between San Antonio and Corpus Christi the eastern boundary of the SWWDA.

Comment on Expansion of the Special White Winged Dove Area
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Public Comment
Dove Seasons

Except as noted for the Special White Winged Dove Area, the department proposes no substantive changes to season length or bag limits for dove in 2013-14; therefore, the proposal adjusts the season dates as necessary to allow for calendar shift (i.e., to ensure that seasons open on the desired day of the week, since dates from a previous year do not fall on the same days in following years).

         (1) North Zone: September 1 — October 23, 2013 and December 20, 2013 — January 5, 2014.

         (2) Central Zone: September 1 — October 23, 2013 and December 20, 2013 — January 5, 2014.

         (3) South Zone:

                                  (A) Dates: South Zone other than the SWWDA — September 20 — October 27, 2013 and December 20, 2013 — January 20, 2014.

                                  (B) Daily bag limit: 15 mourning doves, white-winged doves, and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the aggregate, including no more than two white-tipped doves per day.

                                  (C) Possession limit: 30 mourning doves, white-winged doves, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, including no more than four white-tipped doves in possession.

         (4) Special white-winged dove area.

                                  (A) Dates: September 1, 2, 7, and 8, 2013.

                                          (i) Daily bag limit: 15 white-winged doves, mourning doves, and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves, in the aggregate to include no more than two [four] mourning doves and two white-tipped doves per day.

                                          (ii) Possession limit: 30 white-winged doves, mourning doves, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate to include no more than four [eight] mourning doves and four white-tipped doves in possession.

                                  (B) Dates: September 20 — October 23, 2013 and December 20, 2013 — January 20, 2014.

                                          (i) Daily bag limit: 15 white-winged doves, mourning doves, and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves, in the aggregate to include no more than two white-tipped doves per day;

                                          (ii) Possession limit: 30 white-winged doves, mourning doves, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate to include no more than four white-tipped doves in possession.

Comment on Dove Seasons
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Public Comment
Early Teal Season

The department proposes a 16-day statewide teal season to run from September 14-29, 2013, which must be approved by the Service before it can be implemented. If the Service does not approve a 16-day season, the department would instead adopt a 9-day season to run from September 21-29, 2013. The department cautions that the federal frameworks could alter the total number of days for teal hunting if population data warrant. By federal rule, the number of days in the September teal season count against the 107 days of total hunting opportunity allowed for ducks, coots, and mergansers.

Comment on Early Teal Season
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Public Comment
Early Canada Goose Season

The department proposes a 16-day early Canada goose season in the Eastern Zone to run from September 14-29, 2013 (with the understanding that if a nine-day teal season is selected, the early Canada goose season would run concurrently).

Comment on Early Canada Goose Season
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Public Comment
Duck Seasons

The department’s proposal would lengthen the first segment in the North Zone to include an additional seven days after the week of Thanksgiving and open the second segment one week later than last year. The proposed amendment is intended to provide additional hunter opportunity because the split in the North Zone season will not be concurrent with the split in the South Zone season. The seasons in the High Plains Mallard Management and South Zone retain the season structure and bag limits from last year and adjust the season dates to account for calendar shift.

Ducks, mergansers, and coots. The daily bag limit for ducks is six, which may include no more than five mallards (only two of which may be hens); three wood ducks;  six scaup (lesser scaup and greater scaup in the aggregate); two redheads; two pintail; one canvasback; and one "dusky" duck (mottled duck, Mexican like duck, black duck and their hybrids) during the seasons established in subparagraphs (A)(ii), (B)(ii), and (C)(ii) of this paragraph. For all other species not listed, the bag limit shall be six. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, which may include no more than two hooded mergansers.

                         (A) High Plains Mallard Management Unit:

                                  (i) all species other than "dusky ducks": October 26 — 27, 2013 and November 1, 2013 — January 26, 2014.

                                  (ii) "dusky ducks": November 4, 2013 — January 26, 2014.

                         (B) North Zone:

                                  (i) all species other than "dusky ducks": November 2 – December 8, 2013 and December 21, 2013 — January 26, 2014 .

                                  (ii) "dusky ducks": November 7 – December 8, 2013 and December 21, 2013 — January 26, 2014.

                         (C) South Zone:

                                  (i) all species other than "dusky ducks": November 2 – December 1, 2013 and December 14, 2013 — January 26, 2014.

                                  (ii) "dusky ducks": November 7 – December 1, 2013 and December 14, 2013 — January 26, 2014.

Comment on Duck Seasons
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Public Comment
Goose Seasons

The department’s proposal for goose seasons would open the season for white-fronted geese two weeks later than last year in the Eastern Zone and run it for the maximum number of days allowed under the federal frameworks. Department survey data indicate that hunter preference is for a later opener that closes concurrent with both the duck and other goose seasons in the Eastern Zone. The proposed dates for the Western Goose Zone retain the season structure and bag limits from last year and adjust for calendar shift.

Geese.

                          (A) Western Zone.

                                  (i) Light geese: November 2, 2013 — February 2, 2014. The daily bag limit for light geese is 20, and there is no possession limit.

                                  (ii) Dark geese: November 2, 2013 — February 2, 2014. The daily bag limit for dark geese is five, to include no more than one white-fronted goose.

                         (B) Eastern Zone.

                                  (i) Light geese: November 2, 2013 — January 26, 2014. The daily bag limit for light geese is 20, and there is no possession limit.

                                  (ii) Dark geese:

                                          (I) White-fronted geese: November 16, 2013 — January 26, 2014 . The daily bag limit for white-fronted geese is two.

                                          (II) Canada geese: November 2, 2013 — January 26, 2014. The daily bag limit for Canada geese is three.

Comment on Goose Seasons
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Public Comment
Youth-Only Waterfowl Season

The department proposes only to adjust the season dates to account for calendar shift.

Special Youth-Only Season.

                         (A) High Plains Mallard Management Unit: October 19 — 20, 2013 ;

                         (B) North Zone: October 26 — 27, 2013; and

                         (C) South Zone: October 26 — 27, 2013.

Comment on Youth-Only Waterfowl Season
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Public Comment
Sandhill Crane Seasons

The department proposes only to adjust the season dates to account for calendar shift.

Sandhill cranes.

                         (A) Zone A: November 2, 2013 — February 2, 2014. The daily bag limit is three. The possession limit is six.

                         (B) Zone B: November 22, 2013 — February 2, 2014. The daily bag limit is three. The possession limit is six.

                         (C) Zone C: December 21, 2013 — January 26, 2014. The daily bag limit is two. The possession limit is four.

Comment on Sandhill Crane Seasons
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Public Comment
Light Goose Conservation Season

The department proposes only to adjust the season dates to account for calendar shift.

                 (A) Eastern Zone: January 27 — March 23, 2014.

                      (B) Western Zone: February 3 – March 23, 2014.

Comment on Light Goose Conservation Season
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Public Comment
Rail, Gallinule, Woodcock, and Snipe Season Dates

The department proposes only to adjust season dates to reflect calendar shift.

                Rails: September 14 — 29, 2013 and November 2 — December 25, 2013

                Gallinule:September 14 — 29, 2013 and November 2 — December 25, 2013.

                Woodcock: December 18, 2013 – January 31, 2014.

                Wilson’s snipe (Common snipe): November 2, 2013 — February 16, 2014 .

Comment on Rail, Gallinule, Woodcock, and Snipe Season Dates
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Public Comment
Falconry Seasons

The department proposes only to adjust season dates to reflect calendar shift.

        Mourning doves, white-winged doves and white-tipped doves: November 9 — December 15, 2013.

        Rails and gallinules: January 27 — February 10, 2014.

        Woodcock: January 27 — February 10, 2014.

        Ducks, coots, and mergansers:

                         (A) High Plains Mallard Management Unit: no extended season;

                         (B) North Duck Zone: January 27 — February 10, 2014;

                         (C) South Duck Zone: January 27 — February 10, 2014.

Comment on Falconry Seasons
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