PACIFIC FLYWAY COUNCIL, AUGUST 3-4, 1966, LAS VEGAS, NEV.

Bag limite

Ducke- Motion by Gravelle, seconded Schneider.) 6 and 12 or 7 and 7 for the long desann with the usual options. This is increase of 2 from 1964 and Recommended removal of restrictions on mallard, pintail, redhead and canvasback in the bag limit. Passed unanimous.

Geese- Motion by Kirch, seconded Salter.) Geese limits be the same as last year and including same season restrictions as last year on Great Basin Canada Geese. Passed unanimous.

Seasons, ducks

Morion by Glading, seconded Gravelle.) Regular waterfowl season be 93 days with the option of 79 with one more bird. Motion carried.

Geese (Motion by Gladings, seconded by Gravelle.) That the season framework on geese except all Canadas be extended to October 1 to February 1. Passed unanimons.

Ducka (Motion by Crouse, seconded by Gravelle.) To set general Duck season framework for the period of October 1 to January 15.

Hunting hours

(Motion by Gravelle, seconded by Bekins.) Hunting hours be hour before sunrise to sunset, urging member states to consider noon openings. Carried. Other species

Bronts—(Motion by Crouse, seconded Glading.) Brant season of 80 days with game limits and framework as last year. Carried.

Snipe.--(Motion by Glading, seconded Crouse.) Snipe season 45 days with limits & 18.

Columbia Basin (Motion Bekins, seconded by Salter.) Basin limits of 7 and 14 on ducks with same season length and closing as last year.

Ruby Valley (Motion by Kirch, seconded by Glading.) Ruby Valley, Nevada, closed to white geese to protect trumpeter swan. Carried.

Other actions

1. Passed resolution to support report of Harry Woodward of Colorado on Central Flyway Plan to establish two separate mallard management units. 2. Rejected proposal to increase duck stamp fee and establishment of dove and pigeon stamp. Rejected proposal to divert P.R. funds for dove research. 2. Supported resolution (presented by Martin Winton) in respect to San Joaquin Drain.

4. Passed resolution in favor of Congress providing 5 million dollars additional for waterfowl land acquisition during current year and that the extension of the time limit for acquisition of waterfowl lands be extended. Also in favor of accelerated program of land acquisition for waterfowl.

5. Passed motion commending Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife for information presented at this meeting.

6. Requested Chairman of Flyway or his delegate to appear before Congressional Subcommittee on Fish and Wildlife August 11, 1966.

7. Asked Secretary to write Tropicana thanking the manager for excellent accommodations.

SUMMARY OF 1966 67 REGULATIONS FRAMEWORKS FOR WATERFOWL AND COOTS In contemplation of further amendments to the seasonal provisions of the regulations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Secretary of the Interior has approved regulations frameworks which prescribe season lengths, bag limits, and shooting hours, and which fix the earliest opening and latest closing dates (hereafter referred to as "outside dates") within which the several State game departments may elect 1966 67 seasons for hunting waterfowl and coots, and for hunting gallinules and common snipe in Pacific Plyway States. Approved frameworks are summarized below for the guidance of State game departments in making their specific season selections.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

All States are offered the privilege of selecting split seasons for ducks within any option, subject to a 10 percent penalty in the total number of shooting days. All States are offered the privilege of selecting split seasons for geese without penalty in the total number of shooting days.

A concurrent open season for the taking of gallinules with coots is prescribed for the Pacific Flyway States.

The daily shooting hours for taking waterfowl and coots in all Flyways, little brown cranes in the Central Flyway, and gallinules and Wilson's snipe in the Pacific Flyway are from 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset, including opening days.

The outside dates within which the States may select specific open season dates; the length of the open season and bag limit options; and other special restrictions or provisions are listed below by Flyway.

ATLANTIC FLYWAY

Between the outside dates of Saturday, October 8, 1966, and Sunday, January 8, 1967, States in this Flyway may select concurrent open seasons on ducks and coots of (a) 55 consecutive days or a split season totaling 50 days with basic limits on ducks other than mergansers of 3 daily and 6 in possession, or (b) 45 consecutive days or a split season totaling 41 days with basic limits on ducks other than mergansers of 4 daily and 8 in possession. The limits on coots are 10 daily and 20 in possession under either option.

The daily bag limit on ducks other than mergansers may not include more of the following species than: (a) 2 wood ducks; and (b) 2 canvasbacks. The possession limit on ducks other than mergansers may not include more of the following species than: (a) 4 wood ducks; and (b) 4 canvasbacks.

The limits on American, red-breasted, and hooded mergansers, in the aggregate of these species, are 5 daily and 10 in possession, of which not more than 1 daily and 2 in possession may be hooded mergansers.

A bonus daily bag limit of 2 and a possession limit of 4 scaup and ringneck ducks, singly or in the aggregate of these species will be permitted during that portion of the regular open duck season that falls on or after November 15, 1966, in the entire States of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Applicable to the entire States of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont; and applicable only to mutually agreed upon restricted areas in the States of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, the respective States may select, at their option, either of the following:

1. A bonus daily bag limit of 2 and a possession limit of 4 scaup and ringneck ducks, singly or in the aggregate of these species, during that portion of the regular open duck season that falls on or after November 15. 1966; or

2. Following the close of their regular duck season and between December 15, 1966, and January 8, 1967, a special open season on scaup and ringneck ducks of not to exceed 15 consecutive days with daily shooting hours from 11⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset and a daily bag limit of 5 and a possession limit of 10 scaup and ringneck ducks, singly or in the aggregate of these species.

Under either of the above options, mutual agreement between the Bureau and the State concerned on the delineation of restricted areas must be reached not later than August 25, and the State must agree to describe, delineate and designate these areas as bonus or special season areas under the State hunting regulations adopted by the State concerned.

An experimental open season for taking black ducks under authority of a special Federal permit is prescribed from December 15, 1966, through January 8, 1967, in those lands and waters of the States of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire lying seaward from a line starting at Calais, Maine, and running southwesterly following U.S. Highway 1 to the intersection with Maine State Highway 101; thence northwesterly following State Highway 101 to its junction with State Highway 4 at Dover, New Hampshire; thence southwesterly following State Highway 4 to the junction with State Highway 108; thence southerly following State Highway 108 to its junction with State Highway 101; thence easterly following State Highway 101 to its intersection with U.S. Highway 1;

thence southwesterly following U.S. Highway 1 to the junction with State Highway 3 at Boston, Massachusetts; thence southeasterly following State Highway 3 to the intersection with U.S. Highway 6; thence westerly following U.S. Highway 6 to its intersection with the Massachusetts-Rhode Island State line, subject to the following conditions:

1. The regular duck season selected by the State has ended on or before December 14, 1966;

2. Every hunter must have been issued and carry on his person while hunting a special Federal black duck hunting permit to be furnished by the Bureau and issued without charge by the respective State game department; 3. Daily shooting hours are from 12 hour before sunrise until sunset; and 4. The daily bag limit is 4 and the possession limit is 8 black ducks. That portion of the State of New York (Lake Champlain Area) lying east and north of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad tracks running south from the Canadian line to Whitehall and east to the New York-Vermont State line wili take the waterfowl seasons and limits selected by Vermont; and the Long Island Area of New York will take the waterfowl seasons and limits selected by Connecticut.

Between the outside dates of Saturday, October 1, 1966, and Sunday, January 15, 1967, States in this Flyway may select concurrent open seasons on geese (except snow geese) and brant of 70 consecutive days or a split season totaling 70 days with a daily bag limit of 2 geese and a possession limit of 4 geese, and a daily bag and possession limit of 6 brant: Provided, That there shall be no open season for taking geese and brant in McIntosh and Liberty Counties of Georgia.

The shooting of crippled waterfowl from a motorboat under power will be permitted during regular and special seasons on those coastal waters and all waters of rivers and streams lying seaward from the first upstream bridge in the States of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut; and in those coastal waters of New York State lying in Long Island and Block Island Sounds and the waters of Gardiner's Bay lying east of a line from the Long Beach Bay lighthouse to the most easterly point of Ram Head on Shelter Island to the Cedar Point light; but not including any coastal waters of New York lying south of Long Island.

MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY

Between the outside dates of Saturday, October 8, 1966, and Sunday, January 8, 1967, States in this Flyway may select concurrent open seasons on ducks and coots of 45 consecutive days or a split season totaling 41 days with basic limits on ducks other than mergansers of 4 daily and 8 in possession. The daily bag limit on coots is 10 and the possession limit is 20.

The daily bag limit of ducks other than mergansers may not include more of the following species than: (a) 2 wood ducks; (b) 2 canvasbacks; and (c) 2 mallards. The possession limit may not include more of the following species than: (a) 4 wood ducks; (b) 4 canvasbacks; and (c) 4 mallards.

The limits on American, red-breasted, and hooded mergansers, in the aggregate of these species, are 5 daily and 10 in possession, of which not more than 1 daily and 2 in possession may be hooded mergansers.

In that portion of the State of Louisiana lying south and east of a line starting at the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and the Louisiana-Texas State line; thence east following U.S. Highway 90 to its intersection with U.S. Highway 61; thence northwesterly following U.S. Highway 61 to the junction with U.S. Highway 51; thence north following U.S. Highway 51 to its intersection with U.S. Highway 190; thence easterly following U.S. Highway 190 to its intersection with the Louisiana-Mississippi State line, a daily bag limit of 2 and a possession limit of 4 scaup and ringneck ducks, singly or in the aggregate of these species, are allowed in addition to the basic limits on ducks other than mergansers.

During that portion of the regular open duck season falling on or after November 1, 1966, a daily bag limit of 2 and a possession limit of 4 scaup and ringneck ducks, singly or in the aggregate of these species, will be permitted in addition to the basic limits on ducks other than mergansers, in the following

areas:

1. Throughout the entire States of Minnesota and Wisconsin: and 2. In only those mutually agreed upon areas in the States of Missouri and Ohio designated as bonus seaup and ringneck areas under the State hunting regulations adopted by 1 State concerned.

During that portion of the regular open duck season falling on or after October 20, 1966, in the De Noc Bays area as described by Michigan; and during that portion of the regular open duck season falling on or after November 1, 1966, in any other mutually agreed upon areas in Michigan designated as bonus scaup and ringneck areas under the State hunting regulations adopted by Michigan, a daily bag limit of 2 and a possession limit of 4 scaup and ringneck ducks, singly or in the aggregate of these species, will be permitted in addition to the basic limits on ducks other than mergansers.

Between the outside dates of Saturday, October 1, 1966, and Sunday, January 15, 1967, all States in this Flyway may select an open season on geese of 70 consecutive days or a split season totaling 70 days with a daily bag and possession limit of 5 geese: Provided, That there shall be no open season for taking geese, in Issaquena, Sharkey, and Washington Counties of Mississippi and in Dyer, Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton Counties of Tennessee; and there shall be no open season on Canada geese in the States of Arkansas and Louisiana.

The daily bag and possession limits may not include, in the alternative, more of the following species than: (a) 2 Canada geese or subspecies; (b) 2 whitefronted geese, or (c) 1 Canada goose or subspecies and 1 white-fronted goose. In the State of Illinois, the kill of Canada geese will be limited to a total of 20,000 birds.

In the State of Wisconsin, the kill of Canada geese will be limited to a total of 14,000 birds. (See page 6 for additional special conditions and restrictions on the hunting of Canada geese in Wisconsin.)

In the Missouri Swan Lake Quota Area (same description as last year), the kill of Canada geese will be limited to 25,000 birds. Missouri may select separate open seasons of 70 days for each of the following areas: Swan Lake Area; Squaw Creek Area (same description as last year); and the remainder of the State. In the Squaw Creek Area of Missouri, Canada geese may be taken only during the first 30 days of the open season selected for this area and the daily bag limit in this area will be 1 Canada goose and the possession limit 2.

When it has been determined by the Director, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, that the quota of Canada geese allotted for any State or area will have been killed in that State or area, the season for taking Canada geese therein will be closed by the Director upon having given public notice thereof through local information media no less than 48 hours in advance of the time and day of closing of the season.

The hunting of Canada geese in Wisconsin will be subject to the following special conditions and restrictions:

1. In the Wisconsin Counties of Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Jefferson, Juneau, and Winnebago, Canada geese may be taken only on the same 3 named days during each 7 day period of the selected general open season for geese of all species. Wisconsin must select the 3 named days in consecutive order, as for example, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, or Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, etc.

2. When it has been determined by the Bureau that the State kill quota of Canada geese (14,000) will be reached, the season for hunting Canada geese in the Counties of Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Jefferson, Juneau, and Winnebago will be closed upon giving public notice thereof through local information media not less than 48 hours in advance of the time and day of closing, and the open season for hunting Canada geese in the remaining Wisconsin Counties will be closed at the end of the 20th consecutive day following the day of closing in the above 7 Counties.

3. Other species of geese may be hunted on all days of the selected open season in all Counties of Wisconsin.

CENTRAL FLYWAY

Between the outside dates of Saturday, October 8, 1966, and Sunday, January 8, 1967, States in this Flyway may select concurrent open seasons on ducks and coots of (a) 60 consecutive days or a split season totaling 54 days with basic limits on ducks other than mergansers of 3 daily and 6 in possession, or (b) 50 consecutive days or a split season totaling 45 days with basic limits on ducks other than mergansers of 4 daily and 8 in possession. The limits on coots are 10 daily and 20 in possession under either option.

The daily bag limit of ducks other than mergansers may not include more of the following species than: (a) 2 wood ducks; (b) 2 canvasbacks; and (c) 2

mallards. The possession limit may not include more of the following species than: (a) 4 wood ducks; (b) 4 canvasbacks; and (c) 4 mallards.

The limits on American, red-breasted, and hooded mergansers, in the aggregate of these species, are 5 daily and 10 in possession, of which not more than 1 daily and 2 in possession may be hooded mergansers.

In the Colorado Counties of Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, and Rio Grande, and those portions of Sagauche, Hinsdale, and Mineral Counties lying east of the Continental Divide, an experimental open season on ducks and coots under authority of a special Federal permit is prescribed from October 1, 1966, through October 18, 1966, with a daily bag limit of 5 and a possession limit of 10 ducks and coots in the aggregate of both. The daily bag limit may not include more than 2 canvasbacks and the possession limit may not include more than 4 canvasbacks. Daily shooting hours are from 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until 12 o'clock noon standard time, including opening day.

Between the outside dates of Saturday, October 1, 1966, and Sunday, January 15, 1967, all States in this Flyway may select an open season on geese of 75 consecutive days or a split season totaling 75 days with a daily bag and possession, limit of 5 geese.

The daily bag and possession limit may not include more of the following species than: (a) 1 Ross's goose; and (b) in the alternative, 1 white-fronted goose; 1 white-fronted goose and 1 Canada goose or subspecies; or 2 Canada geese or subspecies.

No open season is prescribed for the taking of geese in portions of Conejos, Alamosa, Rio Grande, and Mineral Counties of Colorado (area description as recommended by Colorado).

The States of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming will be allowed to select open seasons on waterfowl, coots, and gallinules in accordance with the frameworks for the Pacific Flyway for portions of these States as follows: (a) those portions of the States of Colorado and Wyoming lying west of the Continental Divide; (b) that portion of New Mexico lying west of the Continental Divide plus the entire area of the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation; and (c) the Montana Counties of Hill, Chouteau, Cascade, Meager, and Park and all Counties west thereof.

An open season of 30 consecutive days on little brown cranes with a daily bag of 2 and possession limit of 4 cranes is prescribed between Saturday, October 29, 1966, and Sunday, November 27, 1966, in the New Mexico Counties of Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Quay, and Roosevelt, and in that portion of Texas lying west of a line from the International Toll Bridge at Del Rio, Val Verde County; thence northward following U.S. Highway 277 to its junction with U.S. Highway 87 at San Angelo, Tom Green County; thence northwesterly following Highway 87 to the junction with Highway 287 at Dumas, Moore County; thence northwesterly following Highway 287 to the point of intersection with TexasOklahoma State line in Dallam County.

PACIFIC FLYWAY

Except for those portions of the States of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho included in the Columbia Basin Area, States in this Flyway may, between the outside dates of Saturday, October 8, 1966, and Sunday, January 8, 1967, select concurrent open season on ducks, coots, and gallinules of (a) 90 consecutive days or a split season totaling 81 days with basic limits on ducks of all species except mergansers of 5 daily and 10 in possession or a daily bag and possession limit of 6 ducks; or (b) 75 consecutive days or a split season totaling 68 days with basic limits on ducks of all species except mergansers of 6 daily and 12 in possession or a daily bag and possession limit of 7 ducks.

The basic limits on ducks other than mergansers may not include more than 2 wood ducks daily and 4 wood ducks in possession.

In the Columbia Basin Areas of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho (same areas as last year), States may select concurrent open seasons for ducks, coots, and gallinules of 100 consecutive days between the dates of October 8, 1966, and January 22, 1967, with basic limits on ducks of all species except mergansers of 6 daily and 12 in possession. In these areas the daily shooting hours for ducks, coots, and gallinules are from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.