Waterfowl season set, second youth day added

Youth can hunt mid season and after regular-season closure, NCWRC says.

Todd Masson

Waterfowl dates, including the goose season, have been set by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission added a second day of youth hunting to the calendar when it announced waterfowl dates and bag limits for the 2011-2012 season.

The Commission will have its usual Youth Waterfowl Day at the end of the season on Feb. 4, but it also will offer one on Dec. 10.

Youths must be 15 years or younger and accompanied by a properly licensed adult, who cannot hunt.

Youths can shoot ducks, geese, brant, mergansesr, coots and tundra swan during the appropriate seasons, although they must have valid permits to harvest tundra swan or Canada geese (in the NE hunt zone only).

As usual, duck season will be divided into three segments: Oct. 5-8, Nov. 12-Dec. 3 and Dec. 17-Jan .28.

However, black ducks and mottled ducks cannot be hunted until Nov. 19.

Daily bag limits are six ducks, including four scoters, four mallards (only two hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, two scaup, two pintails and one black or mottled duck.

Legal hunting hours will be 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.

Mergansers and coots are included in the same dates as ducks, with daily bag limits of five (only two hooded mergansers) and 15, respectively.

Hunting for sea ducks will be Oct. 1-Jan. 31.The daily bag limit is seven, including no more than four scoters.

Canada and white-fronted geese can be hunted in the resident population zone (see map in the hunting regulations) on Oct. 5-15, Nov. 12-Dec. 3 and Dec. 17-Feb. 4. The daily limit is five.

Seasons in the James Bay Hunt Zone are Oct. 5-Nov. 4 and Nov. 12-Dec. 31, with a 5-goose daily limit. Hunting in the Northeast Hunt Zone will be Jan. 21-28 by permit only. The daily bag limit is one goose.

Snow and blue geese can be hunted Oct. 19-22, and Nov. 12-March 10. Electronic calls and unplugged guns are allowed from Feb.6-March 10. The daily bag limit is 25 birds.

Brant season will be Nov. 19-Dec. 3 and Dec. 17-Jan. 28. The daily bag limit is two. 

The season for tundra swan is Nov. 12-Jan. 31, by permit only.