COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio hunters will again enjoy a 60-day duck hunting season and a six-duck bag limit this year. The 2006-2007 waterfowl hunting season dates have been approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council and are the most liberal regulations allowed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
“Ohio hunters should have another good duck and goose season,” said Steven A. Gray, chief of the Division of Wildlife. “Waterfowl production in the prime nesting areas of Canada and the northern United States has been good this year.”
The waterfowl hunting seasons are set to open October 21 in both Ohio’s North and South zones. Hunters 15 years of age and younger will have the opportunity to enjoy special statewide season October 7-8. The youth season will be two weeks prior to the regular season.
The duck-hunting season in the North Zone is October 21 through December 10, with a second season opening December 23 through December 31.
In the South Zone, duck season is open October 21 through November 5, with a second season opening December 16 through January 28, 2007.
The daily bag limit for ducks is six, which may not include more than four mallards (only one of which may be female), one black duck, one pintail, two wood ducks, two redheads, one canvasback, three mottled ducks, or two scaup. Possession limits after the first day are twice the daily bag limit.
In the Lake Erie Canada Goose Zone, the goose season is October 21 through November 5, with a second season opening December 9 and running through January 1, 2007. The goose season for the remainder of the North Zone is October 21 through December 3, with a second season December 23 through January 7, 2007. In the South Zone, goose season is October 21 through November 5 with a second season December 16 through January 28, 2007.
The daily bag limit for Canada geese is two. Light geese (snows, blues, Ross’) have a daily bag limit of 10, and white-fronted geese and brant have a daily bag limit of two. The possession limit for brant and geese is twice the daily bag limit after the first day.
The Special Late Canada Goose Season is January 13 through February 3, 2007. No special late season permits are required. The Special Late Canada Goose zone map can be obtained at ohiodnr.com/wildlife or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.
“Waterfowl hunters have proven to be great contributors to conservation. Every year these hunters pay an additional $30 for their state and federal hunting stamps, and that revenue is significant to acquiring and improving Ohio wetlands,” added Gray.
People planning to hunt waterfowl are required to answer several questions for the Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey when purchasing their hunting licenses. A state wetland habitat stamp endorsement and a valid and signed federal duck stamp are required when hunting waterfowl, in addition to an Ohio hunting license. The 2006-2007 hunting licenses and wetland stamps are on sale now and remain valid through February 28, 2007.
Copies of this season’s waterfowl hunting regulations which includes maps of the zones (Publication 295, Waterfowl Hunting Regulations) will be available to hunters at all license vendors, online at ohiodnr.com/wildlife, and at Division of Wildlife district offices in Akron, Athens, Columbus, Findlay, and Xenia, or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.