[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50042-50067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-23995]




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Part IV





Department of the Interior





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Fish and Wildlife Service



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50 CFR Part 20



Migratory Bird Hunting; Final Frameworks for Late-Season Migratory Bird 
Hunting Regulations; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 27, 1995 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 50042]]


DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

RIN 1018-AC79


Migratory Bird Hunting; Final Frameworks for Late-Season 
Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule prescribes final late-season frameworks from which 
States may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 1995-
96 migratory bird hunting season. These late seasons include most 
waterfowl seasons, the earliest of which generally commence on or about 
October 1, 1995. The effects of this final rule are to facilitate the 
selection of hunting seasons by the States to further the annual 
establishment of the late-season migratory bird hunting regulations. 
State selections will be published in the Federal Register as 
amendments to Secs. 20.104 through 20.107 and Sec. 20.109 of title 50 
CFR part 20.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 27, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Season selections from States are to be mailed to: Chief, 
Office of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior, ms 634--ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20240. Comments received are available for public 
inspection during normal business hours in room 634, Arlington Square 
Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul R. Schmidt, Chief, Office of 
Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (703) 358-
1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulations Schedule for 1995

    On March 24, 1995, the Service published for public comment in the 
Federal Register (60 FR 15642) a proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20, with 
comment periods ending July 21 for early-season proposals and September 
4 for late-season proposals. Due to some unforeseen and uncontrollable 
publishing delays in the proposed early- and late-season regulations 
frameworks, the Service extended the public comment period to July 31 
for early seasons and September 7 for late seasons. These regulations 
were proposed for certain designated members of the avian families 
Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans); Columbidae (doves and pigeons), 
Gruidae (cranes); Rallidae (rails, coots, moorhens, and gallinules); 
and Scolopacidae (woodcock and snipe). These species are designated as 
``migratory game birds'' in conventions between the United States and 
several foreign nations for the protection and management of these 
birds. All other birds designated as migratory (under 10.13 of Subpart 
B of 50 CFR Part 10) in the aforementioned conventions may not be 
hunted. On June 16, 1995, the Service published for public comment a 
second document (60 FR 31890) which provided supplemental proposals for 
early- and late-season migratory bird hunting regulations frameworks. 
On June 22, 1995, a public hearing was held in Washington, DC, as 
announced in the March 24 and June 16 Federal Registers, to review the 
status of migratory shore and upland game birds. Proposed hunting 
regulations were discussed for these species and for other early 
seasons. On July 21, 1995, the Service published in the Federal 
Register (60 FR 37754) a third document in the series of proposed, 
supplemental, and final rulemaking documents which dealt specifically 
with proposed early-season frameworks for the 1995-96 season. On August 
3, 1995, a public hearing was held in Washington, DC, as announced in 
the March 24, June 16, and July 21 Federal Registers, to review the 
status of waterfowl. Proposed hunting regulations were discussed for 
these late seasons. On August 28, 1995, the Service published a fourth 
document (60 FR 44463) which dealt specifically with proposed 
frameworks for the 1995-96 late-season migratory bird hunting 
regulations. The fifth document in the series, published August 29, 
1995 (60 FR 45020), contained final frameworks for early migratory bird 
hunting seasons from which wildlife conservation agency officials from 
the States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands selected early-season 
hunting dates, hours, areas, and limits for 1995-96. On August 31, 
1995, the Service published in the Federal Register (60 FR 45628) a 
sixth document consisting of a final rule amending subpart K of title 
50 CFR part 20 to set hunting seasons, hours, areas, and limits for 
early seasons. This document, which establishes final frameworks for 
late-season migratory bird hunting regulations for the 1995-96 season, 
is the seventh in the series.

Review of Comments and the Service's Response

    Public-hearing and written comments received through September 7, 
1995, relating to proposed late-season frameworks are discussed and 
addressed here. Seven individuals presented statements at the August 3, 
1995, public hearing. Individuals and the organizations represented 
were: Lloyd Alexander, Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife; Bruce 
Barbour, National Audubon Society; Richard Elden, Michigan Department 
of Natural Resources; Mike Harris, Maryland Guide Association; Dr. 
Rollin Sparrowe, Wildlife Management Institute and The Trumpeter Swan 
Society; Scott Sutherland, Ducks Unlimited; and George Vandel, Central 
Flyway Council. The Service received 105 written comments that 
specifically addressed late-season issues. These late-season comments 
are summarized and discussed in the subject order used in the March 24, 
1995, Federal Register. Only the numbered items pertaining to late 
seasons for which comments were received are included. Flyway Council 
recommendations shown below include only those involving changes from 
the 1994-95 late-season frameworks. For those topics where a Council 
recommendation is not shown, the Council supported continuing the same 
frameworks as in 1994-95.

General

    Written Comments: The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and 
Bear Arms requested that the Service give greater consideration to the 
traditions and heritage of hunting when formulating the annual 
regulations. Specifically, the Committee cited the costs of hunting, 
the lack of standardized opening days, the lack of considerations for 
youth, education of the public, and the financial rewarding of 
landowners for their stewardship of public wildlife as areas where a 
lack of concern has contributed to the erosion of hunting.
    The Humane Society of the United States (Humane Society) expressed 
concern that the public was not well represented in the regulations-
establishment process and requested establishment of a system directly 
involving the non-hunting public. In addition, they recommended that 
the Service undertake efforts to obtain population estimates for all 
hunted species.
    An individual from Wisconsin expressed support for the existing 
shooting hours of one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. He also 
opposed the requirement for steel shot and urged the development of 
non-toxic alternatives. The Andover Sportsmen's Club and the Concerned 
Coastal Sportsmen's Association, both of Massachusetts, also expressed 
support for the existing 

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shooting hours. Further, the clubs requested that the Service initiate 
regulations for waterfowl guides and provide more educational 
information regarding safety, conservation, and regulations.
    Service Response: The regulations-development process is a well-
established system directly involving the Flyway Councils, the States, 
non-governmental organizations and the public. When the preliminary 
proposed rulemaking document was published in the Federal Register on 
March 24, 1995, the Service gave notice that the process of 
promulgating hunting regulations ``must, by its nature, operate under 
time constraints''. Ample time must be given to gather and interpret 
survey data, consider recommendations and develop proposals, and to 
receive public comment. Scheduled dates and meetings were set to give 
the greatest possible opportunity for public input to the process given 
the time constraints. The Service is obligated to, and does, give 
serious consideration to all information received as public comment. 
Further, the Service believes that any party that wishes to become 
directly involved in the current process can do so through any number 
of available opportunities.
    Regarding population estimates for hunted species, the long-term 
objectives of the Service include providing opportunities to harvest 
portions of certain migratory game bird populations and to limit 
harvests to levels compatible with each population's ability to 
maintain healthy, viable numbers. Annually, the status of populations 
are evaluated and the potential impacts of hunting are considered. 
While the Service recognizes that some population estimates are better 
than others, the Service has no reason to believe that the hunting 
seasons provided herein are inconsistent with the current status of 
waterfowl populations and long-term population goals.

1. Ducks

    The categories used to discuss issues related to duck harvest 
management are as follows: (A) General Harvest Strategy, (B) Framework 
Dates, (C) Season Length and Bag Limits, (D) Zones and Split Seasons, 
and (E) Special Seasons/Species Management. Only those categories 
containing substantial recommendations are included below.

A. General Harvest Strategy

    Public-Hearing Comments: Mr. Bruce Barbour supported the Adaptive 
Harvest Management (AHM) process used in selecting this year's liberal 
package and specified species restrictions. He indicated that increased 
hunting opportunity will occur on all species under the liberal option, 
and efforts should be initiated to cooperatively develop harvest 
approaches for each of these species.
    Dr. Rollin Sparrowe commended the Service and State cooperators for 
their commitment toward implementing the AHM approach to duck hunting 
and to distance the process from political influence. He supported 
partial adoption of the AHM approach this year which recognized goals 
established in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. He was 
pleased that after years of concern about the status of ducks, more 
liberal seasons could be offered.
    Mr. Scott Sutherland also expressed support for AHM and the 
regulatory matrix proposed by the Service this year which resulted in 
the liberal package recommendation. Under full implementation of AHM, 
however, Mr. Sutherland expressed a desire to modify the framework 
packages allowing a consideration of longer seasons with smaller daily 
bag limits.
    Mr. George Vandel supported the proposed use of flexible framework 
opening and closing dates for duck seasons in the Central Flyway, the 
liberal regulatory package, and the AHM process that was used in this 
interim year prior to its full implementation. He thanked the Service 
for the assistance with communication efforts on behalf of AHM, but 
pointed out that continuing efforts will be necessary for successful 
implementation in future years. He then strongly suggested that the 
Service work closely with the Flyway Councils in developing regulatory 
packages for next year. He believed that this cooperation will be 
especially crucial for further implementation by facilitating ownership 
and support for full implementation of AHM in 1996.
    Written Comments: The Pennsylvania Game Commission expressed 
support for the proposed regulations strategy as an interim approach 
for 1995 only. They continue to be concerned that the process relies on 
mid-continent mallards as a basis for regulatory changes in the 
Atlantic Flyway.
    Likewise, the Delaware Department of Fish and Wildlife generally 
endorsed the concept of regulatory packages but remained concerned that 
the process was linked to the mid-continent populations of mallards and 
prairie-wetland conditions.
    The Illinois Department of Conservation also expressed support for 
the AHM process but were concerned that there had been insufficient 
time to properly educate the public. They also felt that the set of 
regulatory options offered may be too limited, particularly with regard 
to bag limits.
    The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks expressed 
support for AHM and the interim steps proposed for the 1995-95 hunting 
season. Additionally, they supported the idea of expanding the status 
of duck breeding populations and habitat used in AHM from mallards and 
prairie-Canada ponds to include other duck species and ponds in the 
Dakotas and Montana.
    The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks expressed 
support for the development and implementation of AHM. They continued 
to stress, however, the need for additional communications efforts 
relative to the status of duck populations and the implementation of 
more liberal regulations. They also believed that failure to renew the 
1995 Farm Bill poses one of the greatest threats to continued recovery 
and maintenance of duck populations.
    The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources commended the Service for 
their efforts in the cooperative development of AHM and supported 
implementation of this strategy in 1995 to the extent possible. 
Although they see a need for further refinement of the regulatory 
options, particularly for pintails, they supported the proposed option 
for 1995.
    The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department supported 1995-96 as the 
transition year to full implementation of AHM for establishing duck 
seasons and bag limits in 1996-97. Texas believed that the Service 
Regulations Committee (SRC) must improve the input process for the four 
Flyway Councils if AHM is to gain the understanding and support needed 
to assure its longevity in setting duck seasons. In addition, Texas 
states that the SRC and the Service Director should utilize Flyway 
Consultants early in the 1996-97 regulations process to facilitate 
communications between the Flyway Councils and the Service with 
consultants functioning in a role similar to that played this year by 
the AHM Task Force in working with the AHM Technical Working Group to 
facilitate and strengthen Federal/Flyway communications in AHM 
regulation package development. Texas believed that early involvement 
by the Consultants would help assure improved coordination and 
explanation of the various regulation packages with the States and 
Flyway Councils before and during the March council meetings.
    The National Rifle Association agreed that the approach to setting 
duck hunting regulations is in need of 

[[Page 50044]]
improvement and applauded the adoption of AHM for the 1995-96 season. 
They are concerned, however, that management strategies for North 
American duck populations would be implemented without species-specific 
population information. In particular, they are concerned about how and 
when the AHM process will be implemented for species other than 
mallards.
    The California Waterfowl Association commended the Service for 
moving forward with AHM. They did express concern, however, for the 
potential of a season closure in California, the AHM terminology 
regarding regulations packages, and the use of only mid-continent 
mallards and prairie-habitat conditions in the AHM process.
    Individuals from Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee 
expressed support for the AHM process and the Service's proposed 
regulatory packages. However, one individual from Arkansas stated that 
future AHM criteria should be adjusted to be more conservative. Another 
individual from New York expressed dissatisfaction and strong concern 
over the AHM regulatory packages citing the North American Waterfowl 
Management Plan goal of 100 million birds in the fall flight, the use 
of mid-continent population data, the appearance of moving too far too 
fast, and the increased crippling rate associated with higher bag 
limits. An individual from Illinois expressed concern that the proposed 
liberalizations in duck hunting regulations were not consistent with 
the goal of 100 million ducks in the fall flight.
    Service Response: The Service appreciates the broad support 
expressed for the concept of AHM, which is designed to increase 
objectivity and efficiency in the setting of waterfowl hunting 
regulations. Often in the past, the regulations-setting process was 
characterized by a lack of agreement among managers on the best 
approach to regulating harvest. The Service believes that this lack of 
agreement was because: (1) harvest-management objectives were not 
always clearly stated or agreed upon; (2) a large number of regulatory 
options hindered assessment of their effects; and (3) there was 
disagreement among technical experts on the degree to which hunting 
affects duck populations. AHM improves upon the current approach using 
clearly defined harvest-management objectives, a limited set of 
regulatory options, and new data-assessment procedures to resolve 
disagreement about the effects of hunting.
    The decision criteria for the 1995-96 hunting season were based on 
the status of mid-continent mallards and their breeding habitat, the 
mallard population goal of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan 
(i.e., 8.1 million mallards in the surveyed area), and 4 potential 
regulatory options (i.e., closed, restrictive, moderate, and liberal). 
The harvest ``prescriptions'' call for liberal duck-hunting regulations 
if the mallard population is high (relative to the Plan goal), 
breeding-habitat conditions are exceptionally good, or both. 
Restrictive regulations or a closed season would be needed when 
population status and habitat conditions are relatively poor. Moderate 
regulations would be appropriate under intermediate population levels 
and pond numbers. This year's estimates of 8.3 million mallards and 3.9 
million ponds in Prairie Canada allow for the liberal option, which 
contains season lengths and bag limits similar to those last used 
during 1980-84. After information is available from population surveys 
next spring, managers will evaluate what they have learned about the 
effects of hunting. That information will then influence the harvest 
prescriptions next year. This annual process of feedback is repeated 
year after year, ensuring that managers improve their understanding of 
the effects of regulations on waterfowl populations and make 
adjustments to harvest strategies accordingly.
    The Service recognizes that 1995 represents a transition year with 
respect to implementation of AHM and that further refinement is needed. 
In particular, the set of potential regulatory options will be reviewed 
and necessary adjustments made based on the following criteria: (1) 
options should differ sufficiently so that differences in harvest 
levels and their impacts on duck populations can be detected with 
current monitoring programs; (2) the set of options should produce 
enough variation in harvest rates to permit identification of optimal 
harvest strategies; and (3) regulatory options should reflect the needs 
of law enforcement and the desires and abilities of hunters. The set of 
options can be reduced or expanded as the need arises, but it is 
important to use the same options long enough to identify patterns in 
harvest rates under each regulatory option.
    With respect to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan 
(Plan), the Service appreciates support for linking the objectives of 
harvest management with the population goals of the Plan. The Service 
recognizes, however, that further consideration is needed regarding how 
much emphasis to place on hunting opportunity when populations are 
below Plan goals and how to best incorporate goals for species other 
than mallards. There appears to be a misunderstanding about Plan goals. 
The 100 million fall flight includes areas in Canada and the USA that 
lie outside the annual survey area. If estimated duck abundance in 
unsurveyed areas is included, the continental fall flight of ducks this 
year should be well over 100 million.
    The Service recognizes the limitations imposed by relying solely on 
the status of mid-continent mallards for setting basic season lengths 
and bag limits. It is important to note, however, that duck regulations 
always have been based primarily on the status of mid-continent 
mallards. This is because they are the most abundant duck in the 
harvest and because mallards are good indicators of how many other 
species are doing. For this year, the Service continues to make special 
provisions within the basic frameworks for some species (e.g., 
pintails, black ducks, canvasbacks, wood ducks). During the next year, 
the Service, in cooperation with the Flyway Councils and others, 
intends to develop a conceptual framework and timetable for expanding 
AHM to other populations of mallards and to other duck species.
    The Service also recognizes that its prescription for closed 
seasons under some combinations of population and pond numbers is a 
source of concern. By law, however, the Service is mandated to consider 
closed seasons (in fact, seasons remain closed unless action is taken 
to open them). For the purpose of the 1995 regulations, only four 
options (closed, restrictive, moderate, and liberal) were considered in 
the assessment, with the recognition that closed or even restrictive 
seasons likely would not be needed this year. Even if resource 
conditions deteriorated dramatically, a closed season would not 
necessarily be needed; the Service would first determine if more 
restrictive regulations than those in the proposed restrictive option 
would be compatible with resource status.
    Though substantial progress has been made in communicating AHM to 
the professional community, many conservation groups and the public-at-
large remain uninformed about the approach. Because AHM represents a 
significant change in the approach to setting regulations, it is 
important that this change be communicated to the public in a timely 
fashion. Outreach efforts now are ongoing through the Service Public 
Affairs Office, and State conservation agencies continue to play an 
important role in educating non-governmental organizations and the 

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media. Successful implementation of AHM will require continued 
consensus building, not only among traditional decision-makers, but 
also among the broader group of stakeholders who are concerned about 
the conservation of waterfowl.

B. Framework Dates

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
framework dates of October 1 to January 20.
    The Upper-Region and Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the 
Mississippi Flyway Council recommended framework dates of September 28 
to January 23.
    The Central and Pacific Flyway Councils recommended framework dates 
of the Saturday nearest October 1 (September 30) to the Sunday nearest 
January 20 (January 21).
    Written Comments: The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and 
Parks opposed a fixed framework opening date, while an individual from 
Mississippi expressed support for a January 31 framework closing date.
    The Humane Society recommended that all seasons open at noon on 
Wednesdays in order to reduce the high level of harvest associated with 
traditional Saturday season openings. They further recommended that 
season openings be delayed by two weeks in all breeding areas in order 
to allow ducks time to leave natal marshes before being subjected to 
hunting pressure.
    Service Response: Traditional framework opening and closing dates 
have been oriented to the period October 1 - January 20, either as 
fixed calendar dates or ``floating'' dates, using as a guideline the 
Saturday nearest October 1 and the Sunday nearest January 20 to select 
opening and closing dates annually. In recent years, the Service has 
established fixed calendar dates of October 1 - January 20 for all 
Flyways. The fixed calendar dates of September 28 - January 23 
recommended for the Mississippi Flyway this year would provide 
consistently wider frameworks over the years than the fixed October 1 - 
January 20 dates recommended for the Atlantic Flyway and the floating 
dates recommended for the Central and Pacific Flyways. To maintain 
consistency among Flyways in the procedures for selecting framework 
dates, and because floating dates have been recommended annually for 
the Mississippi Flyway in recent years, the Service proposes to return 
to the traditional procedure using fixed calendar dates for the 
Atlantic Flyway and floating dates for the Mississippi, Central, and 
Pacific Flyways, all oriented to the October 1 - January 20 period. 
However, the Service reiterates its previously stated policy to retain 
the option of using framework dates as a harvest-management tool.
    Regarding the Humane Society's recommendation for Wednesday season 
openings, the Service notes that States have the option of adjusting 
season opening and closing dates and shooting hours within the 
framework limits to correspond with particular days and/or times.

C. Season Length and Bag Limits

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended a 
50-day season with a 5-bird daily bag limit, including no more than 1 
black duck, 1 hen mallard, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood ducks, 2 
redheads, and no harlequin ducks. Further, the Council recommended that 
States maintain a 40-percent reduction in the harvest of black ducks 
from the 1977-81 base period.
    The Upper-Region Regulations Committee of the Mississippi Flyway 
Council recommended a 50-day season with a 5-bird daily bag limit, 
including no more than 4 mallards (no more than 1 of which may be a 
hen), 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood ducks, and 2 
redheads.
    The Lower-Region Regulations Committee of the Mississippi Flyway 
Council recommended a 50-day season with a 5-bird daily bag limit, 
including no more than 4 mallards (no more than 1 of which may be a 
hen), 3 mottled ducks, 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood 
ducks, and 2 redheads.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended a 60-day season (83 days in 
the High Plains Mallard Management Unit with the last 23 days of the 
season taken no earlier than the Saturday closest to December 10) with 
a 5-bird daily bag limit, including no more than 1 hen mallard, 1 
mottled duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood ducks, and 1 redhead. 
Furthermore, the Council recommended reinstating the point-system 
option for establishing the daily bag limit for ducks in 1995. The 
Council also would like to work with the Service in another cooperative 
review of its point-system policy.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended a 93-day season (100 days in 
the Columbia Basin Management Unit) with a 6-bird daily bag limit, 
including no more than 1 hen mallard, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, and 2 
redheads.
    Written Comments: Two local organizations in Massachusetts and 
individuals from Arkansas and Georgia expressed support for the 
proposed 50-day season and 5-bird daily bag limit. Individuals from 
Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Iowa and two people from Minnesota 
expressed support for the proposed increase in season length but were 
against the proposed bag limit increase. An individual from Wisconsin 
expressed support for a 70-day season. Another individual from 
Wisconsin and two people from Illinois supported a 50-day season and a 
4-bird daily bag limit, while an individual from Tennessee supported a 
40-day season and a 4-bird daily bag limit. One person from Virginia 
requested a 73-day season.
    An individual from Illinois expressed general concern over the 
proposed regulatory package and a person from Michigan was against any 
increase in the daily bag limit. Individuals from Louisiana and 
Minnesota were opposed to a 50-day season and 5-bird daily bag limit 
and a person from Iowa was opposed to a 40- to 50-day season with the 
proposed 5-bird daily bag limit. Two people from Illinois and one 
person from Minnesota recommended maintaining last year's regulations 
of a 40-day season and a 3-bird daily bag limit, while another 
individual from California expressed support for a 4-bird daily bag 
limit. An individual from Illinois recommended a 30-day season and a 2-
bird daily bag limit. One individual from Kentucky expressed general 
support for low limits, and an individual from Georgia was against any 
lengthening of the season.
    An individual from Minnesota stated that increasing the season 
length and bag limits would encourage overharvest and wanton waste, 
while a person from Illinois suggested keeping the bag limits low until 
the populations were more secure and then gradually increasing both 
season length and bag limits.
    The National Wildlife Federation, in accordance with the 
significantly increased duck populations, concurred with the Service's 
proposal to expand duck hunting opportunities.
    The Humane Society opposed the proposed liberalization of season 
length and bag limits, believing that it was an unwarranted and unwise 
action on the basis of only 2 years of good duck production.
    Service Response: In reference to reinstating the point system, the 
Service, with input from the Flyway Councils, completed a comprehensive 
review of the point system in 1990, and established a policy that the 
point system should be restricted to a maximum daily bag limit no 
greater than that allowed under the conventional daily bag limit. In 
1994, 

[[Page 50046]]
the Flyway Councils asked the Service to review this policy. The 
Service's review was completed in July 1994 and sent to all Flyway 
Councils. The 1990 review indicated that (1) there was little evidence 
that the point system was more effective than the conventional bag 
limit at redirecting harvest, (2) major problems remained with 
determining appropriate species- and sex-specific point values, (3) 
species closures eliminated the bird-in-hand identification advantage 
of the point system, (4) reordering of point values in the field was an 
incentive under the point system and enforceability remained a major 
concern, and (5) most problems with the point system were in 
application and not concept.
    In the 1994 review, the Service considered additional information 
that had been gathered since the 1990 review, and concluded that the 
point-system alternative to the conventional bag limit should be 
discontinued. Over the years, the Flyway Councils and States have had 
substantial opportunity to provide input into the review of scientific 
studies and analysis of this information. The completion of the 1990 
and 1994 reviews and the decision to discontinue the point system have 
considered input from all entities.
    Regarding the recommendations for shorter seasons and smaller bag 
limits, the Service has reviewed the current status of populations and 
evaluated the potential impacts of the proposed frameworks. The Service 
believes that the frameworks provided herein are consistent with the 
improved status of ducks and long-term population goals.

D. Zones and Split Seasons

    Written Comments: The Central Flyway Council and the Nebraska Game 
and Parks Commission recommended that the Service eliminate its policy 
that States may not zone and/or use a 3-way split season simultaneously 
within a special management unit and the remainder of the State when 
establishing duck hunting zones.
    An individual from Virginia requested a continuous season with no 
splits, while the Humane Society urged the Service to discontinue all 
split and special seasons and recommended that any State establishing 
such seasons reduce the total number of hunting days by a minimum of 10 
days.
    Service Response: The Service will continue to utilize the 
guidelines that were established for the use of duck zone/split seasons 
published in the September 21, 1990, Federal Register (55 FR 38898). 
These guidelines contain specific limitations on special management 
units, including the High Plains Mallard Management Unit in Nebraska. 
The original justification and objectives established for the High 
Plains Mallard Management Unit provided for additional days of hunting 
opportunity at the end of the regular duck season. In order to maintain 
the integrity of the management unit, current guidelines prohibit 
simultaneous zoning and/or 3-way split seasons within a management unit 
and the remainder of the State. Removal of this limitation would allow 
additional proliferation of zone/split configurations and compromise 
the original objectives of the management unit.
    In regard to the recommendation that split and special seasons be 
discontinued, the Service notes that States always have the option of 
selecting a continuous season with no splits. Furthermore, the Service 
is not aware of any information that split seasons are causing 
detrimental impacts to populations.
    The Service also reminds the Central Flyway Council that the report 
on the High Plains Mallard Management Unit should be completed. The 
Service did not receive the report by the Central Flyway Council's 
target completion date of June 1995 and requests additional information 
as to its status, including an updated target completion date.

G. Special Seasons/Species Management

i. Canvasbacks
    Written Comments: An individual from Wisconsin supported the 
proposed opening of the canvasback season.
    Service Response: Results of the May Breeding Waterfowl and Habitat 
Survey this year indicate that habitat conditions and the size of the 
canvasback population are sufficient to open the season on canvasbacks. 
Therefore, the Service is offering a bag limit of 1 canvasback per day 
during the 1995-96 regular duck season.
ii. Redheads
    Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended 
a bag limit of 2 redheads per day, an increase from the bag limit of 1 
redhead per day proposed by the Service.
    Public-Hearing Comments: Mr. Richard Elden stated that, based on 
the status of redheads this year, liberalization of the daily bag limit 
for this species was warranted and biologically supported, and 
requested that the Service reconsider its proposal and increase the 
number of redheads in the daily bag limit from 1 to 2 birds in the 
Mississippi Flyway.
    Dr. Rollin Sparrowe questioned why the Service did not consider 
adding an additional redhead to the bag limit in the Mississippi and 
Central Flyways when populations seemed appropriate and urged the 
Service to reexamine this aspect before frameworks were finalized.
    Written Comments: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, in 
letters dated June 6 and September 6, 1995, requested a bag limit of 2 
redheads per day in the Central Flyway. They believe that a daily bag 
limit of 2 redheads per day should have been part of both the moderate 
and liberal packages for the 1995-96 hunting season based on the recent 
increases in the breeding population. Further, they state that the 
current population and harvest data substantiate the biological 
justification for a daily bag limit of 2 redheads in both the Central 
and Mississippi Flyways.
    Service Response: The Service prefers that proposals for changes in 
species- or population-specific regulations be based on more long-term 
strategies rather than in response to short-term changes in population 
estimates. The Service believes that such strategies should include the 
following: (1) an assessment of how the population responds to harvest 
and environmental conditions, (2) criteria that prescribe when 
regulations should be changed (i.e., become more restrictive or more 
liberal), (3) the range of regulatory options that will be considered 
(e.g., ranges of season lengths and bag limits), and (4) considerations 
for determining the efficacy of the harvest strategy. The proposals to 
permit a bag limit of 2 redheads per day were received in late July, 
and were based primarily in response to the estimated size of the 
redhead population during spring 1995. Due to the timing of the 
requests, analyses of biological data sufficient to address the four 
criteria above could not be conducted. Further, additional harvest 
opportunities on redheads in all Flyways will result from increases in 
season lengths proposed for this year. The Service recommends that MBMO 
and the Flyways cooperatively develop protocols and strategies for 
addressing species- and population-specific limits within the context 
of the AHM Initiative, and believes the AHM Working Group is the 
appropriate forum for this endeavor.

4. Canada Geese

B. Regular Seasons

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
that the regular season on the Atlantic 

[[Page 50047]]
Population of Canada geese be suspended; except for West Virginia, the 
Southern James Bay Population harvest areas of Pennsylvania, and a 
newly created New England Zone [Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, 
Vermont (excluding the Lake Champlain Zone), Massachusetts (excluding 
the Western Zone), and Connecticut (excluding Litchford and Hartford 
Counties)]. In the New England Zone, the Council recommended a 30-day 
season, with a framework of October 1 through November 30, with a 1-
bird daily bag limit. The Atlantic Flyway Council also recommended 
that, in light of the decision to suspend the regular season on migrant 
Canada geese flyway-wide, the Service should immediately begin a review 
of framework dates for resident Canada goose seasons to determine 
whether dates could be expanded to increase harvests.
    The Upper-Region and Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the 
Mississippi Flyway Council recommended several changes in Canada goose 
quotas, season lengths, etc., based on population status and population 
management plans and programs.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended several changes for west-
tier dark geese: (1) an increase in the aggregate bag limit from 3 to 4 
birds, (2) an extension of the framework closing date from January 31 
to the Sunday nearest February 15 (February 18) for the Western Goose 
Zone of Texas, and (3) an increase in the dark goose bag limit from 2 
to 4 birds in Sheridan County, Montana.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended that the bag limit for 
Canada geese in central Montana, western Wyoming, and southeastern 
Idaho be increased from 3 to 4 birds. The Council also recommended that 
the daily bag limit for cackling Canada geese in the quota zones of 
western Oregon and western Washington be increased from 1 to 2 birds.
    Public-Hearing Comments: Mr. Lloyd Alexander supported the 
Service's proposal to close the Canada goose season throughout the 
Atlantic Flyway. He stated that existing data do not support a limited 
season in the New England States and that survival rates on birds 
migrating through the Maritime Provinces of Canada are actually lower 
than those breeding in northern Quebec, to delineate this population, 
he suggested that better data was needed. He also encouraged the 
Service to contact the Canadian Wildlife Service and request that the 
sport harvest on Atlantic Population Canada Geese be suspended in 
Quebec and Ontario by emergency closure this year. Further, he asked 
the Service to work with representatives of the native communities to 
reduce subsistence harvest in northern Quebec and to ask the Canadian 
Wildlife Service to review the harvest and consider restrictions on 
Canada geese in the Maritime Provinces.
    Mr. Bruce Barbour recommended that further restrictions on the 
Atlantic and Southern James Bay Population of Canada geese and the 
dusky subspecies should be sought for their recovery.
    Mr. Mike Harris commented that Canada geese have changed their 
movement patterns in recent years and no longer migrate north in the 
spring, as they once did. Rather, he believes they remain as resident 
birds and breed locally. He maintains that although these geese are in 
good numbers, early seasons on these birds should not be allowed, 
because it reduces the overall numbers of geese available during the 
regular season. He claims that it is difficult to stay in business and 
suggests that if the hunting season is closed on Canada geese, the 
guides and outfitters should receive some financial assistance from the 
Federal Government. He recommended that a 30-day season with a 1-bird 
daily bag limit be offered until the changing patterns of resident 
geese could be reviewed.
    Dr. Rollin Sparrowe commended the Service and the Atlantic Flyway 
Council for proposing the closure on Canada goose hunting in the 
Atlantic Flyway, urged the Service to request the Canadian Wildlife 
Service take similar action in Canada, and expressed support for 
initiating research to better understand the problem.
    Written Comments: The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and 
Wildlife, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the 
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and the Rhode 
Island Division of Fish and Wildlife, expressed support for the 
suspension of the 1995-96 regular Canada goose season throughout most 
of the Atlantic Flyway, but opposed the Service's proposal to extend 
the season closure into several New England States. They strongly urged 
the Service to adopt the Atlantic Flyway Council's recommendation to 
provide a reduced 30-day season, between October 1 and November 30, 
with a 1-bird daily bag limit for States in the newly created New 
England Zone. They argued that migrant Canada geese harvested in this 
Zone are derived from Maritime Canada and believed that the status of 
this group of geese is better than that of geese breeding in Northern 
Quebec. Further, they believed a limited season is necessary to control 
the rapidly growing resident population of Canada geese and to reduce 
the number of nuisance complaints. The New York State Division of Fish 
and Wildlife also requested that the western half of Long Island be 
considered for inclusion into the New England Zone, based on band 
recovery data, and be permitted a limited season as outlined above.
    In Massachusetts, the Town of Yarmouth and two local sportsmen 
organizations urged the Service to reconsider the Atlantic Flyway 
Council's proposal for a 30-day season, 1-bird daily bag limit to 
control numbers of non-migratory geese. Several individuals from 
Massachusetts also complained about the growing public nuisance problem 
with resident geese and stressed the need for an open regular season to 
control their numbers. Special seasons on resident geese in September 
and late January have not been an effective population-control 
mechanism. Another individual from New York commented that resident 
geese will explode as a result of the season closure on migrant Canada 
geese and that farmers' fields will be eaten bare. He recommended a 30-
day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit, which would also increase the 
income from Duck Stamp sales.
    The Susquehanna River Waterfowler's Association of Pennsylvania 
also requested that the Service consider a greatly reduced season of 30 
days with a 1-bird daily bag limit rather than a complete closure. They 
believe that once the season is closed, it will be difficult to reopen 
because of opposition from anti-hunting groups. Another individual from 
Maryland also worried that the season may not reopen when the goose 
population rebuilds because of the strong anti-hunting forces. He 
further objected to the late notice of the closure and stated that 
hunting leases were, in many cases, already paid to the landowners.
    Individuals from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New 
York, and Pennsylvania expressed opposition to the season closure on 
Canada geese, suggesting that migrant geese have changed their 
migratory behavior and now breed locally. Thus, there are actually 
great numbers of geese available to hunters. Individuals from 
Pennsylvania and New York commented that local Cree Indians in Canada 
were responsible for taking too many eggs and killing the birds on the 
nests on the breeding ground in Canada. They suggested that the Service 
consider the economic impacts of a closed goose season on farmers and 
those sportsman who pay for leases. 

[[Page 50048]]
They further requested that the Service should reimburse them for their 
losses.
    Several individuals from Connecticut supported the season closure 
on Canada geese breeding in Northern Quebec, but commented that the 
Maritime Canada goose population was stable. They believed that a 
limited season in the New England area is justified because the hunting 
season on the Maritime population in Canada was not closed. In 
addition, five petitions containing 302 signatures were received from 
residents of New York and Connecticut opposed to the closing of the 
Canada goose season in New York and Connecticut. Another individual 
from Massachusetts was critical of the Service and State wildlife 
biologists for not making a bigger effort in previous years to reduce 
the season length and bag limits.
    Several individuals from Maine expressed their disappointment with 
the season closure on Canada goose hunting and asked the Service to 
reconsider a limited 26-day season with a 1-bird daily bag limit. This 
would allow Maine hunters to hunt resident geese while having a 
negligible effect on the migratory goose populations.
    In Maryland, the Queen Anne's County Chamber of Commerce requested 
that a moratorium on all Canada goose hunting be in effect during the 
1995-96 season rather than allowing some seasons to occur on resident 
geese. They added that these seasons have the potential of increasing 
the harvests of migratory geese as well. Because of the traditional and 
economic importance of goose hunting in their area, they maintain that 
a total ban on Canada goose hunting would be the quickest way to 
rebuild the population and reopen the hunting season.
    Two individuals from Massachusetts, complained that migratory geese 
have been declining for years due to over-harvesting, and as a result, 
many were remaining to breed locally as resident geese. They were glad 
that the Service finally recognized the problem, but felt that 
jeopardizing the non-consumptive user because of benefits to hunters 
was unconscionable.
    The National Wildlife Federation expressed support for the 
Service's proposal to suspend the Canada goose season throughout the 
Atlantic Flyway for the 1995-96 hunting season. Furthermore, they urged 
the Service to set goose hunting regulations that would increase the 
harvest of nonmigratory resident geese in those few Atlantic Flyway 
areas that would not be closed.
    An individual from the Eastern Shore of Maryland expressed support 
for the closure of the regular Canada goose season for as long as it 
takes to rebuild the population to the levels of the mid-1980s. Other 
individuals from Maine and New York supported the suspension of the 
Canada goose season on the East Coast and one person from Maryland 
requested a five-year moratorium on the hunting of migratory Canada 
geese.
    The Humane Society expressed support for the proposed closure on 
Canada geese and further urged that the Service close the season on 
Canada geese throughout the Atlantic Flyway with no exceptions.
    An individual from Minnesota recommended a season opening no 
earlier than October 7 and closing no earlier than November 20 for the 
Lac Qui Parle Zone in Minnesota. He further recommended that the quota 
be set at 7,500 Canada geese.
    In the Pacific Flyway, an individual from Washington urged 
additional protection for the dusky Canada goose population wintering 
along the Chehalis River.
    Service Response: Based on the continuing decline in the number of 
breeding pairs of Atlantic Population (AP) Canada geese, the Service 
endorses the Atlantic Flyway Council's recommendation to suspend the 
1995-96 regular Canada goose season in the Chesapeake and Mid-Atlantic 
regions of the Atlantic Flyway, with exceptions for West Virginia and a 
portion of Pennsylvania. The substantial drop in numbers of AP Canada 
geese (27 percent from 1994 and 75 percent from 1988) has continued 
despite harvest restrictions imposed in 1992. However, the Service does 
not support the recommendation to provide a 30-day season between 
October 1 and November 30, with a 1-bird daily bag limit, for States in 
the New England Zone. The AP Canada geese are currently managed under 
an approved Flyway Management Plan as a single population unit, 
including both Northern Quebec and Maritimes breeding areas. The 
Service will continue to manage geese on a population basis, guided by 
cooperatively developed management plans.
    The information available to separate these populations into two 
units, as the basis for the New England Zone, is currently very 
limited. Survival rates, based on limited bandings, are actually lower 
for the Maritimes component of the population than for geese in the 
area where the Flyway Council recommended a complete season closure. 
Also, productivity information, which would help assess the differences 
in survival rates, is very limited. In addition, only 2 years of 
population-survey data are available for Canada geese breeding in the 
Maritimes, and these are too inconclusive to indicate whether numbers 
of breeding pairs are stable or declining. The Service does not oppose 
the delineation of a Maritime unit of AP Canada geese, if warranted, 
but believes that more information is needed before beginning a harvest 
strategy different from that for the component breeding in Quebec. 
Therefore, the Service encourages the Flyway Council to work 
cooperatively with the Canadian Provinces during the coming year to 
gather more data, review the key population parameters involving the 
Maritime component of AP Canada geese, update its AP Canada goose 
management plan, and make recommendations regarding an appropriate 
harvest strategy for this group of geese.
    The Service recognizes the recreational and economic hardships to 
hunters and the non-hunting public that will result from suspending the 
regular hunting season on AP Canada geese this year in the Atlantic 
Flyway. However, recent breeding pair surveys indicates that this 
population has undergone a dramatic decline over the past few years and 
the Service agrees with the Atlantic Flyway Council that very stringent 
harvest control measures are needed to prevent further declines from 
occurring. Also, regulatory restrictions taken in 1992 to reduce the 
harvest were ineffectual and further declines in the population have 
continued. Canada, in response to these dramatic declines, has joined 
the Service in imposing season closures during the 1995-96 hunting 
season. Thus, the Service wishes to minimize further risk to the 
breeding population that would result from offering a limited hunting 
season and to focus attention towards rebuilding the population. The 
Service will continue to work closely with Canada, and the Atlantic 
Flyway Council to closely monitor and annually reevaluate the 
population status of AP Canada Geese.
    Regarding special early-season framework dates, the Service concurs 
with the Atlantic Flyway Council that the special circumstances 
associated with the Flyway-wide closure of the regular Canada goose 
season warrant a reevaluation of the special early Canada goose season 
framework dates throughout the Atlantic Flyway. The Service agrees to 
work with the Atlantic Flyway Council during the coming year to 
determine if further changes to the special early-season framework 
dates can be accommodated without adverse impacts to migratory Canada 
geese in the Atlantic Flyway.

[[Page 50049]]

    Regarding the Lac Qui Parle Zone in Minnesota, the Service only 
establishes the frameworks, or outer limits, for dates and times when 
hunting may occur and the number of birds that may be taken and 
possessed. The State of Minnesota selects the actual season dates. This 
year, Federal frameworks allow for a 30-day season, or when 16,000 
birds have been harvested (whichever occurs first), between the 
Saturday nearest October 1 and January 31. In addition, the State may 
split the seasons into two segments.
    Regarding the Central Flyway Council's request to increase the 
dark-goose aggregate bag limit from 3 to 4 for the west-tier States, 
the Service concurs with the requested increase for Canada geese. 
Additionally, the Service is encouraged by the efforts of the Central 
Flyway Council to begin the process of revising dark-goose management 
plans with a target completion date in 1997. In the interim, current 
Cooperative Management Plans would allow for the proposed increase in 
Canada goose bag limits in the West-Tier States. Comments specific to 
white-fronted geese are addressed under Item 5. White-fronted Geese.
    Regarding the Pacific Flyway Council's request to increase bag 
limits on Canada geese in portions of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and 
limits on cackling Canada geese in portions of Oregon and Washington, 
the Service concurs.

C. Special Late Seasons

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended a 
new experimental late season for resident Canada geese in New York, and 
additional days and area modifications for existing seasons in New 
Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia. In addition, because of the high 
harvest of migrant Canada geese, the Council recommended suspension of 
the special late season in the Coastal Zone of Massachusetts.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended revision of the Canada goose 
season framework in Cowlitz County south of the Kalama River and Clark 
County, Washington, to allow a special late season. The season would be 
subject to the following conditions: (1) season dates would be February 
5 through March 10, (2) bag limits and checking requirements would be 
the same as the regular season, except that the season on cackling 
Canada geese would be closed, (3) the season would end upon the 
attainment of a quota of 5 dusky Canada geese (this quota would be 
taken from the total of 90 allocated under the regular season), and (4) 
fields selected for the season would not have more than 10 percent 
duskys in the flocks using the fields. Additionally, the season would 
be contingent upon an operational hazing program in place in the hunt 
area, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Damage 
Control (ADC) in Washington. ADC would identify fields receiving 
depredation and contact hunters from a list supplied by the Washington 
Department of Fish and Game (WDFG). WDFG would evaluate season 
effectiveness and estimate harvest, subspecies composition, hunter 
participation, and report band recoveries.
    Service Response: The Service concurs with the above 
recommendations.

5. White-fronted Geese

    Council Recommendations: The Central Flyway Council recommendations 
regarding dark geese involve white-fronted geese. See item 4. Canada 
Geese. Specifically pertaining to white-fronted geese, the Council 
recommended an increase in the season length in the Eastern Goose Zone 
of Texas from 72 to 86 days.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended several changes to white-
fronted goose frameworks. The Council recommended that special bag-
limit restrictions on whitefronts be removed by placing them within the 
overall dark goose limits except in the primary whitefront harvest 
areas in Alaska; the Counties of Lake, Klamath, and Harney in Oregon; 
and in the Northeastern and Balance-of-State Zones in California. In 
Oregon, the Council recommended that all whitefront seasons be 
concurrent with dark goose seasons. In California, the Council 
recommended that the whitefront season be extended by two weeks in the 
Sacramento Valley special goose closure portion of the Balance-of-State 
Zone.
    Written Comments: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 
recommended that the Service's proposed bag limit of 5 dark geese, 
which could contain no more than 1 white-fronted and 4 Canada geese, be 
modified to allow no more than 2 white-fronted geese within a 4-dark 
goose aggregate bag in the Western Goose Zone of Texas. Texas indicated 
that a 2-bird daily bag limit on whitefronts would maintain harvests at 
about current levels (3,500) in the Western Goose Zone of Texas.
    An individual from Texas recommended maintaining the existing 
white-fronted goose daily bag limit in the Western Goose Zone of Texas 
at 3 birds. He further questioned the Service's mid-winter survey data 
and argued that if the Service wanted to limit the harvest of 
whitefronts until better data was available then the Service should 
increase the dark-goose aggregate daily bag limit to 4 birds, of which 
no more than 3 could be whitefronts.
    Service Response: While the Service concurs with the Central Flyway 
Council's request to increase the daily bag limit from 3 to 4 Canada 
geese in the dark-goose aggregate bag limit for the West-Tier States 
(see Item 4. Canada Geese), the Service believes that it is not 
appropriate for white-fronted geese. Limits for white-fronted geese in 
the aggregate bag limit have in the past been more liberal in the 
western portion of the Central Flyway, which includes the West-Tier 
States and the Western Goose Zone in Texas, because whitefronts were 
relatively scarce and occurred almost incidentally in the harvest. 
However, biologists have recently identified a large group of wintering 
whitefronts in the Western Goose Zone in Texas, which are believed to 
be part of the Western Segment of the Mid-Continent Population of 
greater white-fronted geese. Further, the annual harvest of whitefronts 
in the Western Goose Zone of Texas has averaged over 3,500 during the 
past 3 years, which is substantially higher than that occurring in the 
rest of the western portion of the Flyway. Because of the large number 
of whitefronts now known to winter in the Western Goose Zone in Texas, 
the Service believes that the whitefront limits should be more in line 
with the remainder of those areas in the range of the Western Segment 
Population of Mid-continent Population of greater white-fronted geese. 
The Service also believes that the limits should be similar throughout 
the western portion of the Flyway. Therefore, the frameworks that 
follow include a daily bag limit of no more than 1 white-fronted goose 
in the aggregate bag limit for the West-Tier States, including the 
Western Goose Zone in Texas. The Service is encouraged by progress 
initiated by the Central Flyway Council to revise dark-goose management 
plans, including those for the Mid-Continent white-fronted goose 
population. The target completion date, during 1997, should allow for 
additional data-collection efforts on this group of whitefronts 
wintering in the Western Goose Zone in Texas.
    Regarding the Pacific Flyway Council's recommended changes in 
frameworks governing the hunting of white-fronted geese, the Service 
concurs and notes that the changes are in accordance with the harvest 
strategy 

[[Page 50050]]
developed by the Council, Native groups in Alaska, and the Service.

7. Snow and Ross's Geese

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
extending the framework closing date for snow geese to March 10.
    The Upper-Region and Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the 
Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that the framework closing date 
for light geese be extended to March 10 and the daily bag limit be 
increased to 10 birds.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended that the framework closing 
date for east- and west-tier light geese be extended to March 10.
    Public-Hearing Comment: Mr. Lloyd Alexander commended the Service 
for extending the framework closing date on greater snow geese to March 
10, but asked the Service to consider the option of allowing states to 
split their seasons into 3 segments. He believed that the requested 
option is needed to allow more flexibility in helping farmers deal with 
crop-depredation problems.
    Written Comments: The Pennsylvania Game Commission recommended that 
the State of Pennsylvania be included in those wintering States offered 
an extended framework closing date of March 10. They stated that 
increasing the framework would allow farmers to deal with depredation 
problems and provide additional hunting opportunity to Pennsylvania 
hunters.
    The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission requested that the 17 
Rainwater-Basin counties proposed by the Service to be excluded from 
the area where the framework closing date for snow goose hunting would 
be extended to March 10 be included in the March 10 framework-closing-
date area. Further, they request that Burt, Washington, and Douglas 
Counties north of Interstate 80 be added to the March 10 framework-
closing-date area. They also request that in lieu of Interstate 80, the 
Platte and North Platte Rivers be the boundary separating the two areas 
with different framework closing dates. They state that the reasons for 
these recommendations are to increase the harvest of snow geese and the 
primary concentration of late-winter snow geese in Nebraska is in the 
Rainwater-Basin counties and along the Missouri River.
    Service Response: The Service concurs with the requests to extend 
the framework closing date for light geese to March 10 in the Atlantic, 
Mississippi, and Central Flyways, but believes that this extension 
should be limited to the primary wintering range of light geese in each 
Flyway. For the 1995-96 hunting season, Interstate Highway 80 will be 
the northern boundary of this extension in the Central and Mississippi 
Flyways, with the exception of Nebraska. In Nebraska, the Platte River 
will serve as the boundary. In the Atlantic Flyway, the extension will 
be limited to the States of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New 
Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
    Regarding Nebraska's recommendation to include the Rainwater-Basin 
Counties and three counties north of the Platte River in the late-hunt 
area, the Service does not agree with the recommendation. The Counties 
north of the Platte River were not considered primary wintering areas 
for light geese. The Rainwater Basin is an important spring staging 
area for many species of migratory birds, and biologists believe that 
hunting activities in March could be disruptive, increase potential for 
disease outbreaks, and be incompatible with other uses.
    The Service concurs with the recommendation to use the Platte River 
as the boundary for the March 10 extension of the framework closing 
date in Nebraska. If there is a need to refine this boundary, the 
Service requests input from the two Flyway Councils to establish 
biological criteria for such a refinement. These criteria should 
include at a minimum the number of geese using an area and the 
frequency among years an area is used for wintering. In the absence of 
defined criteria, the Service will continue to use Interstate 80 and 
the Platte River in Nebraska as the boundary in the Central and 
Mississippi Flyways. The Service also reminds States that additional 
areas proposed for inclusion in the late-hunt region should be 
submitted to their respective Flyway Council for consideration. The 
Service will work with the Flyway Councils to develop specific criteria 
for use in the 1996-97 hunting season.

8. Swans

    Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council reiterated its 
recommendations for a swan season in portions of Montana, Utah, and 
Nevada (see the June 16, 1995, Federal Register), except that the 
period should be 3 years instead of 5 years and the trumpeter swan 
quota allocation was made. Features of the Council's recommendation 
include: (1) changing ending framework dates in all three States from 
the Sunday closest to January 20 to December 1 for Montana, Sunday 
closest to December 15 for Utah, and the Sunday following January 1 for 
Nevada; (2) changing the hunt area in Montana by deleting those 
portions of Pondera and Teton Counties west of U.S. Highways 287-89 but 
including all of Chouteau County; (3) reduce Utah's statewide season to 
just the Great Salt Lake Basin, defined as those portions of Box Elder, 
Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Tooele counties lying south of State 
Highway 30 and Interstate 80/84, west of Interstate 15, and north of 
Interstate 80. Number of swan permits would remain unchanged for 
Montana (500) and Nevada (650) but would be increased from 2,500 to 
2,750 for Utah. A trumpeter swan quota of 20 birds would be allocated, 
with 15 to Utah and 5 to Nevada, with the season being closed either by 
the framework date or attainment of the quota, whichever occurs first. 
All hunters in Utah and Nevada would be required to participate in a 
mandatory parts check at designated sites within 72 hours of harvest 
for species determination; and hunters in Montana would continue to 
participate in a voluntary bill-measurement card program. The States 
would continue to monitor harvest composition, swan population during 
the hunt, and collect related harvest data. This information would be 
reported to the Service in a preliminary report by March 31 and a final 
report by June 30, 1996.
    The Council offered the proposed frameworks in an attempt to 
forward trumpeter swan range expansion efforts throughout the western 
states and to cooperate with the Trumpeter Swan Society in their 
efforts with this species. The quota on trumpeter swans is believed to 
be biologically insignificant and estimated to be less than 1 percent 
of the population. The combined sport and subsistence harvest of 
Western Population tundra swans has averaged about 10 percent of the 
midwinter index during the past 10 years without negative impact to 
population status. In Utah, 26 percent of the swan harvest has occurred 
after December 1 and 15 percent after December 15, with December 
harvests as high as 57 percent in 1993. The Council believed that until 
December hunts can be demonstrated to threaten trumpeter swans they 
should be allowed to continue. Between 1962-94, upwards of 98 percent 
of the Utah harvest occurred in the Great Salt Lake area; therefore, 
closing of other areas will mainly remove local opportunity but not 
have a great effect on the overall harvest. The 250 (10 percent) 
increase in permits for Utah is requested to replace opportunity and 
harvest lost through area and season closures. Nevada biologists have 
no data suggesting that State's season is having any impact on 

[[Page 50051]]
trumpeter migration between the Tristate area and wintering areas in 
California. The Council offered these recommendations in an effort to 
integrate Western Population tundra swan and Rocky Mountain Population 
trumpeter swan management programs and to move ahead and evaluate 
various aspects of both programs.
    Public-Hearing Comment: Mr. Bruce Barbour indicated that both the 
Eastern and Western Populations of tundra swans are stable and of no 
management concern. The National Audubon Society supports efforts to 
restore trumpeter swans throughout their former range, and believes 
that issues related to the incidental take of trumpeter swans during 
tundra swan seasons have been adequately addressed in this year's 
proposal.
    Dr. Rollin Sparrowe was supportive of the ongoing efforts to 
restore and redistribute the Rocky Mountain Population of trumpeter 
swans within the Tristate Area. He spoke of the conflict between range 
expansion efforts and waterfowl hunting programs in the Pacific Flyway, 
including tundra swan seasons in Montana, Utah, and Nevada. However, 
The Trumpeter Swan Society was satisfied with the Service's proposal to 
allow significantly modified swan seasons in those three States, which 
should enhance the likelihood for successful range expansion by 
trumpeter swans. He thanked the Pacific Flyway Council, the States of 
Montana, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon, and the Service for successfully 
developing a compromise that meets everyone's needs.
    Written Comments: Ms. Ruth E. Shea, a wildlife biologist associated 
with research and management of Rocky Mountain Population trumpeter 
swans since 1976, by letter of July 29, 1995, described a proposal by 
her and Dr. Rod Drewien which was the foundation of recommendations 
from The Trumpeter Swan Society and the Pacific Flyway Council included 
herein. The Shea-Drewien proposal incorporated two primary strategies: 
(1) increasing protection of migrant trumpeter swans by tightly 
focusing tundra swan hunts in time and place; and (2) authorizing a 
small quota of trumpeter swans within each tundra swan hunt area in 
order to eliminate the liability of the otherwise legitimate tundra 
swan hunters who accidently shoot a trumpeter swan, with mandatory 
check of birds to adequately implement a quota system. She attributes 
the vulnerable status of this population to a diminished tendency to 
migrate and to a winter distribution that is largely in overcrowded, 
less favorable sites. She believes building a migration southward from 
eastern Idaho, to the fall staging area of the Bear River Delta in Utah 
would be an important step in restoring a secure winter distribution. 
To enhance survival of those few trumpeters that currently migrate into 
Utah and Nevada, Shea and Drewein proposed focusing tundra swan hunting 
only in areas and at times where tundra swans are abundant and 
trumpeters are less likely to be present or have access to suitable 
security areas. She deemed an ending date of ``plus or minus'' December 
1, in Utah to be the single most important feature of their proposal. 
Rationale for using this date included: (1) in most years security 
areas on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge freeze around 
Thanksgiving, potentially forcing swans to use non-secure habitats; and 
(2) Service and Pacific Flyway efforts to assist in winter distribution 
includes hazing swans from overcrowded areas, as early as practical in 
November, which when coupled with shrinking habitat with the onset of 
winter has potential for pushing swans into the Great Salt Lake Basin 
by late November. She said that a December 1 closure would still give 
Utah swan hunters about 45 days of opportunity and would provide future 
opportunity to translocated trumpeters from Idaho to the Bear River 
Migratory Bird Refuge vicinity during December. She believes trumpeter 
swan restoration efforts have been stymied by real or perceived 
conflicts with the swan hunt, but believes their recommended approach 
would meet the very different management needs for two species of 
swans.
    The Trumpeter Swan Society (TTSS), again urged the Service to adopt 
a closing date of December 1 (see the June 16, 1995, Federal Register) 
or the first Sunday in December, if there is a tradition of ending 
seasons on a Sunday, for the tundra swan hunting season in Utah to 
provide additional protection for migrating Rocky Mountain Population 
trumpeter swans. With the exception of the closing date in Utah, TTSS 
is in agreement with the Pacific Flyway Council's recommendations as 
reported in the Federal Register of June 16, 1995. Because these 
trumpeter swans winter in marginal habitat in the Tristate region of 
Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, and have a poor tradition for migrating 
elsewhere, they will suffer a die-off in a severe winter. TTSS believes 
a rapid redistribution to better winter habitat is critical to the 
population's survival. TTSS had previously endorsed a 5-year 
experimental plan proposed by Drewien and Shea [see comments from TTSS 
and Shea elsewhere in this document]. Of the numerous recommended 
changes, the most critical feature of the plan was modification of 
hunting seasons in Utah to increase survival of migrating swans. The 
Great Salt Lake Basin is in the most likely migration path for 
trumpeters from the Tristate area. The December 1 date is favored 
because: (1) it coincides with the average date for freezeup of many 
lakes in the Tristate area which could force trumpeters south, (2) it 
is about the time that many wetlands within Bear River Migratory Bird 
Refuge would also freeze which could increase the vulnerability of 
trumpeters that have migrated to the refuge, and (3) it anticipates 
increased trumpeter migrations and not past accidental shootings. TTSS 
does not object to a quota system that would allow a take of trumpeter 
swans if other conditions of their proposal are met, including 
modification of seasons and boundaries for swan hunting and of 
management on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. The quota system is 
not intended to protect trumpeters but to protect hunters from 
liability if they accidentally shoot a trumpeter. TTSS regrets the 
potential loss of hunting opportunity that the December 1 closing date 
would have on tundra swan hunters but believes it may be the only way 
to provided adequate protection to migrating trumpeters.
    The Humane Society requests that the Service close all swan hunting 
seasons and contends that tundra swan hunting impedes, if not prevents, 
winter range expansion and recovery of trumpeter swans. The Humane 
Society says the Pacific Flyway Council's recommendation for increased 
permits in Utah and a quota on trumpeter swans in exchange for season 
modifications should be denied.
    The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, did not support the 
proposed frameworks for tundra swan hunting in Utah. They believed that 
the proposed closing date of the first Sunday in December was 
arbitrary, overly restrictive, likely without benefits to trumpeter 
swans, and will inhibit the ability to learn and make informed 
management decisions in the future. They contended that changing the 
ending date from December 15 was a breach in understanding that changes 
in frameworks would be driven by data gathered by the mandated State-
monitoring programs. Because no trumpeters were detected by Utah's 
monitoring program, they questioned the validity of the proposed 
changes and the utility of costly and burdensome monitoring programs if 
the resulting information was not used. Additionally, 

[[Page 50052]]
Utah believes that state-support for trumpeter range expansion within 
the Pacific Flyway and other Flyways may wane if the tundra swan season 
was not as recommended by the Pacific Flyway Council.
    Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, was generally 
supportive of the changes in swan hunting to further range expansion of 
trumpeter swans but believed that the earlier season ending dates would 
preclude learning of the effects, if any, of tundra swan hunting on 
trumpeter swans. Montana supported continuation of Utah's season ending 
date to December 15 and suggested that the 15-trumpeter quota allocated 
to Utah be partitioned for the December period, with the season being 
closed should more than 5 trumpeters be taken during the first 2 weeks 
of December and the ending date adjusted the following year. Montana 
questioned why the Service objects to Utah's use of ``collection 
barrels'' as a means of obtaining parts for species classification of 
the harvest.
    Mr. William A. Molini, Chairman of the Pacific Flyway Council, said 
that the Service's decision to further reduce season lengths was 
contrary to the commitment toward AHM, that the Council's two swan 
subcommittees and Study Committee had addressed identifiable 
conflicting strategies, and that there was unanimous agreement among 
biologists within those groups that further restrictions on tundra swan 
hunting could not be justified. He recognized the Service's obligation 
to consider concerns of non-hunting groups but that obligation should 
be tempered by the best data available. Then, on behalf of the State of 
Nevada, he supported Utah's request for a December 15 season closure, 
as initially recommended by the Council, and asked that various 
information be considered before finalizing the frameworks. He notes 
that: of the more than 850 swans checked in Montana, Utah, and Nevada, 
during the 1994 season, only 1 was a trumpeter and that was taken in 
Montana during November; 50 percent of Utah swan hunters reported 
hunting during that portion of the season that is proposed to be 
closed; that RMP has displayed an average annual growth rate of 7 
percent, notwithstanding 33 years of hunting tundra swans; the early 
closure precludes data collection to determine if seasons dates are a 
factor contributing to the incidental take of trumpeters; data review 
is currently provided to adjust seasons as appropriate to afford extra 
protection to trumpeter swans; the quota of less than 1 percent was 
designed to provide adequate protection to migrating trumpeters; and in 
certain years as much as 57 percent of Utah's harvest occurs after the 
first of December.
    Ms. Ruth E. Shea, letter of August 26, 1995, responding to comments 
from Robert G. Valentine (above), said the rationale for the 
recommended December 1 closure related to the average annual date of 
freezing of security areas on Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and of 
habitats in the Yellowstone region, and the resulting reduction of 
secure habitat options for trumpeters. She reported that in the winter 
of 1994-95 at least 46 trumpeters were in Utah, with 20 in the Bear 
River Refuge. She also believed that some successful hunters observed 
hunting at Bear River Refuge did not report their take, and observed 2 
swans illegally taken. She believed those changes in management to 
resolve the hunter liability issue while protecting migrant trumpeters 
and increasing their numbers before the population experiences 
significant winter losses was prudent. While she finds no merit in an 
open season on trumpeter swans, she believes the trumpeter swan quota 
was necessary to protect tundra swan hunters so that the Council's 
subcommittee would then begin to take effective action to solve the 
trumpeter swan range problems. She believes that the proposed changes 
will result in public acceptance of swan hunting for more years than 
otherwise would have been possible and that the proposed frameworks 
both resolve a legal dilemma and provide a proactive stance toward 
managing a rare look-a-like species while providing swan hunting 
opportunity. Lastly, she urges the Pacific Flyway Council to 
demonstrate its leadership and commitment to restoring RMP trumpeters 
to a secure distribution.
    The Fund for Animals Inc., objected to allowing tundra swan hunting 
in Utah and Nevada because it adversely impacts trumpeter swans. They 
referenced comments made to the Service by D. J. Schubert in 1994 
regarding this same issue. The quota of 20 trumpeter swans, less than 1 
percent of the population, is without analysis, unacceptable, 
arbitrary, and capricious. They believe that use of a ``quota'' with a 
potential loss of 20 or more trumpeter swans would cause severe adverse 
impacts to range expansion and recovery efforts and provide no 
additional protection to those swans that could die during the 
experimental period. They noted that the proposed rule neither 
distinguishes between accidental and incidental take nor limits the 
take to incidental shooting. In Utah, it would have been more 
appropriate to close counties in the Salt Lake City area than the areas 
proposed for closure. An earlier season closing date is required to 
allow necessary range expansion of trumpeters and protection in the 
event of an early freeze in the Tristate area. They said that 
authorizing the take of trumpeter swans is inconsistent with Migratory 
Bird Treaty Act responsibilities to conserve that species.
    The Arizona Game and Fish Department supported a later closing date 
for Utah's swan season and believed that the Service's proposed earlier 
date was contradictory to efforts related to implementing adaptive 
harvest management and the Harvest Information Program. They believed 
that the Council's overall proposal, including season closure should 
the quota be attained, was reasonable and that the harvest monitoring 
program would provide definitive data on trumpeter harvest during the 
tundra swan season.
    Service Response: The Service commends all parties, particularly 
the Pacific Flyway Council, The Trumpeter Swan Society, and Ruth E. 
Shea for seeking common ground for ways to enhance RMP trumpeter swan 
range expansion while retaining most aspects of tundra swan hunting. 
The various recommendations were not made without obvious sacrifices. 
These recommendations and various reports by the affected states 
provided the basis for the Service's Environmental Assessment (EA) 
``Proposal to establish general swan hunting seasons in parts of the 
Pacific Flyway for the 1995-99 seasons'' (August 1995) which compares 
various alternative strategies for reconciling conflicting swan 
management strategies.
    With the exceptions of The Humane Society's and The Fund for 
Animals Inc.'s recommendations for no swan hunting and the various 
recommendations for the season closing date in Utah, the Service 
believes most recommendations are similar. The Council, Utah, Nevada, 
Montana, and Arizona recommend a closing date for Utah that would be 
the Sunday closest to December 15, which would range between December 
12 and 18; TTSS recommends a closing date of December 1, but believes 
there could be latitude to accommodate Sunday closing as is traditional 
in most Western states; Shea recommends a date of about December 1; and 
The Fund for Animals Inc. recommended, should a season be allowed, some 
unspecified earlier date than that proposed by the Service.
    The Service supports the basic recommendations from both the 
Council 

[[Page 50053]]
and the TTSS regarding number of permits, areas open to hunting, and a 
quota on trumpeter swans and these are reflected in the frameworks. 
However, considering the significance of the general swan season, the 
Service will establish a season ending date of the first Sunday in 
December. This would allow the ending date to range between December 1 
and 7, with the season ending on December 3 this year and, if changes 
are not deemed essential, December 1 in 1997, etc.
    There is nothing biologically or phenologically precise about a 
swan season ending date of the ``first Sunday in December''; but the 
same can be said for ending dates of ``Sunday closest to December 15'', 
``the Saturday closest to January 20'', or ``the first Sunday in 
January'' as Utah typically selected prior to 1994. The earlier closing 
date is intended to minimize, not prevent, the likelihood of trumpeter 
swans that might be forced because of freezing to move from closed 
areas in Utah or from the Tristate area into areas where they could be 
shot. Considering the vagaries of weather and habitat, it would be 
impossible to pick a date that would for each year either optimize 
hunting or avoid trumpeters moving into hunt areas. Rather than either 
some earlier or later ending dates, the Service believes the ``first 
Sunday in December'' provides a reasonable balance between safeguards 
for the population of trumpeter swans and opportunity for hunters.
    The changes in frameworks are not intended to keep swan hunting 
opportunity and harvest success unchanged from that which occurred 
prior to 1994. Opportunity as measured by ``hunter days'' may be 
reduced, but some hunters will undoubtedly redirect their activity to 
earlier in the season and, therefore, offset that reduction to some 
unknown extent. Opportunity as measured by ``number of hunters'' will 
increase in Utah with the 250 additional permits. Average success may 
also increase over previous years because hunter effort will be focused 
in the area and at the time of peak tundra swan abundance.
    The potential loss of hunting opportunity resulting from the 
changes in frameworks may not be as great as suggested by data on 
harvest and effort occurring after November 30. For example, in Utah, 
during the 1994 season when the season ended on December 15, which was 
19 days earlier than the 1969-93 average ending date of January 3, when 
4 counties had been closed to swan hunting, and when there was no 
increase in number of permits issued, hunters killed an estimated 888 
swans. This harvest was more than twice that of the preceding year, the 
third highest harvest in 11 years, and only 7 percent below the average 
harvest during 1969-93 when also only 2,500 permits were authorized. 
Utah's hunter-days were unchanged between 1994 (9,948) and the 1969-93 
average (9,958).
    The Service believes the use of a season ending date and a quota 
that limits potential take of trumpeter swans are complementary means 
of providing adequate protection to the trumpeter population during 
this trial period. Regarding the biological appropriateness of a ``1 
percent'' quota on RMP trumpeter swans, experience with Arctic-nesting 
tundra swans suggests that a harvest rate upwards of 10 percent for the 
Western Population allows for a stable to slightly increasing 
population while a harvest rate of about 3 percent for the Eastern 
Population allows a growth averaging about 2-3 percent per year.
    Timely classification of swans and a high degree of hunter 
compliance are important if the trumpeter quota is to be used 
effectively. Because in 1994, only about 63 and 87 percent, 
respectively, of the estimated number of successful Utah and Nevada 
swan hunters submitted birds for classification, the Service must 
insist upon assurances from Utah and Nevada that swans or determinant 
swan parts will be examined by biologists and that maximum compliance 
with reporting be sought. Because each State differs in administering 
controlled hunts and obtaining hunter compliance of hunt requirements, 
the Service does not specify how this should be done. However, it seems 
reasonable that speciation could be accomplished within 3 working days 
of a swan being taken and the rate of compliance be at least as high as 
that for controlled big-game hunts.
    The need or lack of need for Montana to have a season without a 
quota or to use a different method of reporting harvest will be 
reviewed annually. Departure from the requirements in Utah and Nevada 
will likely be contingent upon the continued healthy status of that 
segment of the trumpeter swan population that has the most potential 
for be impacted by the Montana season.
    The ``adaptive management process'' was suggested as a means of 
determining the effects of swan hunting, if any, on range expansion of 
trumpeter swans within the traditionally longer and later-closing 
tundra swan season. Those involved with the process for duck hunting 
know that it has taken 3 years to get to where we are today, with 
concerns remaining about managing various stocks of mallards much less 
other species. Evaluation of a management action or ``data driven'' 
management is indeed a key aspect of the adaptive management process, 
but the process entails more than simply ``learning by doing.'' The 
adaptive management process among many things requires an explicit 
statement of the objective, an effective means of measuring results of 
the action, and consideration being given to ``risks'' and 
``constraints.'' Adaptive management could include reducing risk of an 
action on one resource while forgoing opportunity with another or 
making self-imposed restrictions in order to limit fiscal costs to 
monitoring programs. The States' comments suggest a strategy that 
places a lopsided emphasis at minimizing the risk to swan hunting 
rather than reducing the risk to trumpeter range expansion. The 
frameworks reflect constraints that reduce the risk to late-winter, 
pioneering swans which are valuable because of their potentially 
learned trait of moving out of problem sites in the Tristate area and 
the costs incurred by the Service and the States of Idaho, Wyoming, and 
Oregon in the restoration efforts. If monitoring costs are prohibitive, 
consideration should be given to either increasing permit fees or 
having fewer hunt days in a week so as to reduce costs of operating 
check stations as is commonly done in several States that conduct 
controlled goose or crane hunts.
    The Service acknowledges and appreciates the efforts of the 
Council's Study Committee and several swan subcommittees in developing 
species and population management plans and annually collecting, 
reporting, and analyzing information on the status and harvest of swans 
and commends them for it. Information that they and others provide will 
be considered by the Service each year, with the possibility of season 
modifications should circumstance warrant; however, the intent would be 
to make few if any changes during the 5-year trial period.
    Lastly, the Service encourages the Pacific Flyway Council and all 
member States to actively participate in the cooperative efforts to 
enhance the status and distribution of RMP trumpeter swans.

23. Other

    Written Comments: The Andover Sportsmen's Club and the Concerned 
Coastal Sportsmen's Association, both local organizations in 
Massachusetts, requested compensatory days for those States that 
prohibit Sunday hunting. 

[[Page 50054]]
The Humane Society expressed support for Sunday hunting closures.
    Service Response: As the Service has stated numerous times, there 
is no biological basis for prohibiting hunting on Sundays; therefore, 
the Service neither promotes nor condones prohibition of Sunday 
hunting. Sunday-hunting closures are established by State or local law. 
While the Service has previously stated in the September 24, 1993, 
Federal Register (58 FR 50188) that it believes this problem is an 
individual State issue and can best be resolved by each State removing 
its self-imposed restrictions, the Service has recently committed to 
work with the Atlantic Flyway Council to review and better clarify the 
issue of compensatory days for those States prohibiting Sunday hunting.

NEPA Consideration

    NEPA considerations are covered by the programmatic document, 
``Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Issuance of Annual 
Regulations Permitting the Sport Hunting of Migratory Birds (FSES 88-
14),'' filed with EPA on June 9, 1988. Notice of Availability was 
published in the Federal Register on June 16, 1988 (53 FR 22582). The 
Service's Record of Decision was published on August 18, 1988 (53 FR 
31341). However, this programmatic document does not prescribe year-
specific regulations; those are developed annually. The annual 
regulations and options were considered in the Environmental 
Assessment, ``Waterfowl Hunting Regulations for 1995,'' which is 
available upon request. In addition, the Service prepared an 
Environmental Assessment, ``Proposal to Establish General Swan Hunting 
Seasons in Parts of the Pacific Flyway'' to reconcile conflicting 
strategies for managing two swan species in the Pacific Flyway by 
establishing for a trial period a general swan season in portions of 
Montana, Nevada, and Utah. The Environmental Assessment is available 
upon request.

Endangered Species Act Consideration

    In August 1995, the Division of Endangered Species concluded that 
the proposed action is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence 
of listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification 
of their critical habitats. Hunting regulations are designed, among 
other things, to remove or alleviate chances of conflict between 
seasons for migratory game birds and the protection and conservation of 
endangered and threatened species and their habitats. The Service's 
biological opinions resulting from its consultation under Section 7 are 
considered public documents and are available for inspection in the 
Division of Endangered Species (room 432) and the Office of Migratory 
Bird Management (room 634), Arlington Square Building, 4401 N. Fairfax 
Drive, Arlington, Virginia.

Regulatory Flexibility Act; Executive Order 12866; and the 
Paperwork Reduction Act

    In the Federal Register dated March 24, 1995 (60 FR 15642), the 
Service reported measures it had undertaken to comply with requirements 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and the Executive Order. These 
included preparing an Analysis of Regulatory Effects and an updated 
Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (FRIA), and publication of a summary 
of the latter. Although a FRIA is no longer required, the economic 
analysis contained in the FRIA was reviewed and the Service determined 
that it met the requirements of E.O. 12866. In addition, the Service 
prepared a Small Entity Flexibility Analysis, under the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq), which further documented the 
significant beneficial economic effect on a substantial number of small 
entities. This rule was reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under E.O. 12866.
    These final regulations contain no information collections subject 
to OMB review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.). However, the Service does utilize information acquired 
through other various information collections in the formulation of 
migratory game bird hunting regulations. These information collection 
requirements have been approved by OMB and assigned clearance numbers 
1018-0005, 1018-0006, 1018-0008, 1018-0009, 1018-0010, 1018-0015, 1018-
0019, and 1018-0023.

Authorship

    The primary author of this final rule is Ron W. Kokel, Office of 
Migratory Bird Management.

Regulations Promulgation

    The rulemaking process for migratory game bird hunting must, by its 
nature, operate under severe time constraints. However, the Service 
intends that the public be given the greatest possible opportunity to 
comment on the regulations. Thus, when the preliminary proposed 
rulemaking was published, the Service established what it believed were 
the longest periods possible for public comment. In doing this, the 
Service recognized that when the comment period closed, time would be 
of the essence. That is, if there were a delay in the effective date of 
these regulations after this final rulemaking, the States would have 
insufficient time to select season dates and limits; to communicate 
those selections to the Service; and to establish and publicize the 
necessary regulations and procedures to implement their decisions.
    Therefore, the Service, under authority of the Migratory Bird 
Treaty Act (July 3, 1918), as amended, (16 U.S.C. 703-711), prescribes 
final frameworks setting forth the species to be hunted, the daily bag 
and possession limits, the shooting hours, the season lengths, the 
earliest opening and latest closing season dates, and hunting areas, 
from which State conservation agency officials may select hunting 
season dates and other options. Upon receipt of season and option 
selections from these officials, the Service will publish in the 
Federal Register a final rulemaking amending 50 CFR part 20 to reflect 
seasons, limits, and shooting hours for the conterminous United States 
for the 1995-96 season.
    The Service therefore finds that ``good cause'' exists, within the 
terms of 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedure Act, and 
these frameworks will, therefore, take effect immediately upon 
publication.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20

    Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.
    The rules that eventually will be promulgated for the 1995-96 
hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-711, 16 U.S.C. 712, 
and 16 U.S.C. 742 a--j.

    Dated: September 20, 1995.
George T. Frampton, Jr.,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

Final Regulations Frameworks for 1995-96 Late Hunting Seasons on 
Certain Migratory Game Birds

    Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and delegated 
authorities, the Director has approved frameworks for season lengths, 
shooting hours, bag and possession limits, and outside dates within 
which States may select seasons for hunting waterfowl and coots between 
the dates of September 1, 1995, and March 10, 1996.

General

    Dates: All outside dates noted below are inclusive.

[[Page 50055]]

    Shooting and Hawking (taking by falconry) Hours: Unless otherwise 
specified, from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily.
    Possession Limits: Unless otherwise specified, possession limits 
are twice the daily bag limit.
    Definitions: For the purpose of hunting regulations listed below, 
the collective terms ``dark'' and ``light'' geese include the following 
species:
    Dark geese - Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant, and all 
other goose species except light geese.
    Light geese - snow (including blue) geese and Ross' geese.
    Area, Zone, and Unit Descriptions: Geographic descriptions related 
to late-season regulations are contained in a later portion of this 
document.
    Area-Specific Provisions: Frameworks for open seasons, season 
lengths, bag and possession limits, and other special provisions are 
listed below by flyway.

Atlantic Flyway

    The Atlantic Flyway includes Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, 
Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New 
York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, 
Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

    Outside Dates: Between October 1 and January 20.
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 50 days and daily bag limit of 5 
ducks, including no more than 1 hen mallard, 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 1 
mottled duck, 1 fulvous whistling duck, 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, and 1 
canvasback.
    Closures: The season on harlequin ducks is closed.
    Sea Ducks: In all areas outside of special sea duck areas, sea 
ducks are included in the regular duck daily bag and possession limits. 
However, during the regular duck season within the special sea duck 
areas, the sea duck daily bag and possession limits may be in addition 
to the regular duck daily bag and possession limits.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit of mergansers is 5, only 1 of 
which may be a hooded merganser.
    Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 coots.
    Lake Champlain Zone, New York: The waterfowl seasons, limits, and 
shooting hours shall be the same as those selected for the Lake 
Champlain Zone of Vermont.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Rhode 
Island, and Virginia may split their seasons into three segments; 
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia may select hunting seasons by 
zones and may split their seasons into two segments in each zone; while 
Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina may split their Statewide seasons 
into two segments.

Canada Geese

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: The canada goose season 
is suspended throughout the Flyway except as noted below. Unless 
specified otherwise, seasons may be split into two segments.
    Connecticut: A special experimental season may be held in the South 
Zone between January 15 and February 15, with 5 geese per day.
    Georgia: In specific areas, a 15-day experimental season may be 
held between November 15 and February 5, with a limit of 5 Canada geese 
per day.
    Massachusetts: In the Central Zone, a 16-day season for resident 
Canada geese may be held during January 21 to February 5, with 5 geese 
per day.
    New Jersey: An experimental special season may be held in 
designated areas of Northeast, Northwest, and Southeast New Jersey from 
January 27 to February 10, with 5 geese per day.
    New York: A special experimental season may be held between January 
21 and February 15, with 5 geese daily in Westchester County and 
portions of Nassau, Orange, Putnam, and Rockland Counties.
    Pennsylvania: Erie, Mercer, and Butler Counties - 70 days between 
October 1 and January 31, with 1 goose per day through October 15; 2 
geese per day thereafter; 1 goose per day for the first 8 days after 
the opening.
    Crawford County - 35 days between October 1 and January 20; with 1 
goose per day.
    An experimental season may be held in the Susquehanna/Juniata Zones 
from January 20 to February 5 with 5 geese per day.
    South Carolina: A 12-day special season may be held in the Central 
Piedmont, Western Piedmont, and Mountain Hunt Units during November 15 
to February 15, with a daily bag limit of 5 Canada geese per day.
    West Virginia: 70 days between October 1 and January 20, with 3 
geese per day.

Light Geese

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 107-
day season between October 1 and February 10, with 5 geese per day, 
except closing dates may be extended to March 10 in New Jersey, 
Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and 
Virginia. States may split their seasons into two segments.

Brant

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 50-
day season between October 1 and January 20, with 2 brant per day. 
States may split their seasons into two segments.

Mississippi Flyway

    The Mississippi Flyway includes Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, 
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, 
Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest October 1 (September 
30) and the Sunday nearest January 20 (January 21).
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 50 days with a daily bag limit of 
5 ducks, including no more than 4 mallards (no more than 1 of which may 
be a female), 3 mottled ducks, 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 2 wood ducks, 1 
canvasback, and 1 redhead.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit is 5, only 1 of which may be 
a hooded merganser.
    Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 coots.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 
Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin 
may select hunting seasons by zones.
    In Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, 
Tennessee, and Wisconsin, the season may be split into two segments in 
each zone.
    In Minnesota and Mississippi, the season may be split into two 
segments.
    In Arkansas, the season may be split into three segments.
    Pymatuning Reservoir Area, Ohio: The seasons, limits, and shooting 
hours shall be the same as those selected in the adjacent portion of 
Pennsylvania (Northwest Zone).

Geese

    Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may be split into two segments.
    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select 
seasons for geese not to exceed 70 days for dark geese between the 
Saturday nearest October 1 (September 30) and January 31, and 107 days 
for light geese between the Saturday nearest October 1 (September 30) 
and February 14, except in those States and portions of States south of 
Interstate Highway 80 in Iowa, 

[[Page 50056]]
Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, where seasons for light geese may extend 
until March 10. The daily bag limit is 10 geese, to include no more 
than 3 Canada geese, 2 white-fronted geese, and 2 brant. Specific 
regulations for Canada geese and exceptions to the above general 
provisions are shown below by State.
    Alabama: In the SJBP Goose Zone, the season for Canada geese may 
not exceed 35 days. Elsewhere, the season for Canada geese may extend 
for 70 days in the respective duck-hunting zones. The daily bag limit 
is 2 Canada geese.
    Arkansas: The season for Canada geese may extend for 23 days in the 
East Zone and 14 days in the West Zone. In both zones, the season may 
extend to February 15. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. In the 
remainder of the State, the season for Canada geese is closed.
    Illinois: The total harvest of Canada geese in the State will be 
limited to 172,600 birds. Limits are 3 Canada geese daily and 10 in 
possession.
    (a) North Goose Zone - The season for Canada geese will close after 
93 days or when 22,014 birds have been harvested in the Northern 
Illinois Quota Zone, whichever occurs first.
    (b) Central Goose Zone - The season for Canada geese will close 
after 93 days or when 35,168 birds have been harvested in the Central 
Illinois Quota Zone, whichever occurs first.
    (c) South Goose Zone - The harvest of Canada geese in the Southern 
Illinois and Rend Lake Quota Zones will be limited to 62,691 and 17,830 
birds, respectively. The season for Canada geese in each zone will 
close after 89 days or when the harvest limit has been reached, 
whichever occurs first. In the Southern Illinois Quota Zone, if any of 
the following conditions exist after December 20, the State, after 
consultation with the Service, will close the season by emergency order 
with 48 hours notice:
    1. 10 consecutive days of snow cover, 3 inches or more in depth.
    2. 10 consecutive days of daily high temperatures less than 20 
degrees F.
    3. Average body weights of adult female geese less than 3,200 
grams as measured from a weekly sample of a minimum of 50 geese.
    4. Starvation or a major disease outbreak resulting in observed 
mortality exceeding 5,000 birds in 10 days, or a total mortality 
exceeding 10,000 birds.
    In the remainder of the South Goose Zone, the season may extend for 
89 days or until both the Southern Illinois and Rend Lake Quota Zones 
have been closed, whichever occurs first.
    Indiana: The total harvest of Canada geese in the State will be 
limited to 98,000 birds.
    (a) Posey County - The season for Canada geese will close after 
65 days or when 7,200 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (b) Remainder of the State - The season for Canada geese may 
extend for 70 days in the respective duck-hunting zones, except in 
the SJBP Zone, where the season may not exceed 35 days. The daily 
bag limit is 3 Canada geese, except in the SJBP Zone, where the 
daily bag limit is 2.
    Iowa: The season may extend for 70 days. The daily bag limit is 2 
Canada geese.
    Kentucky:
    (a) Western Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 65 
days (80 days in Fulton County), and the harvest will be limited to 
34,500 birds. Of the 34,500-bird quota, 22,425 birds will be allocated 
to the Ballard Reporting Area and 6,555 birds will be allocated to the 
Henderson/Union Reporting Area. If the quota in either reporting area 
is reached prior to completion of the 65-day season, the season in that 
reporting area will be closed. If this occurs, the season in those 
counties and portions of counties outside of, but associated with, the 
respective subzone (listed in State regulations) may continue for an 
additional 7 days, not to exceed a total of 65 days (80 days in Fulton 
County). The season in Fulton County may extend to February 15. The 
daily bag limit is 3 Canada geese.
    (b) Pennyroyal/Coalfield Zone - The season may extend for 35 days. 
The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (c) Remainder of the State - The season may extend for 50 days. The 
daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Louisiana: The season for Canada geese may extend for 9 days. 
During the season, the daily bag limit for Canada and white-fronted 
geese is 2, no more than 1 of which may be a Canada goose. Hunters 
participating in the Canada goose season must possess a special permit 
issued by the State.
    Michigan: The total harvest of Canada geese in the State will be 
limited to 99,500 birds.
    (a) North Zone - The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 23 and the season for Canada geese may extend for 40 days. 
The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (b) Middle Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 40 
days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (c) South Zone
    (1) Allegan County GMU - The season for Canada geese will close 
after 51 days or when 2,500 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (2) Muskegon Wastewater GMU - The season for Canada geese will 
close after 54 days or when 700 birds have been harvested, whichever 
occurs first. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (3) Saginaw County GMU - The season for Canada geese will close 
after 51 days or when 2,000 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (4) Tuscola/Huron GMU - The season for Canada geese will close 
after 51 days or when 750 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (5) Remainder of South Zone -
    (i) East of U.S. Highway 27/127 - The season for Canada geese 
may extend for 30 days. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (ii) West of U.S. Highway 27/127 - The Season for Canada geese 
may extend for 40 days. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose during 
the first 30 days, and 2 Canada geese during the remaining 10 days, 
which may begin no earlier than November 23.
    (d) Southern Michigan GMU - An experimental special Canada goose 
season may be held between January 6 and February 4. The daily bag 
limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Minnesota:
    (a) West Zone
    (1) West Central Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 
30 days. In the Lac Qui Parle Zone, the season will close after 30 days 
or when 16,000 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs first. 
Throughout the West Central Zone, the daily bag limit is 1 Canada 
goose.
    (2) Remainder of West Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend 
for 40 days. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (b) Northwest Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 40 
days. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (c) Southeast Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 70 
days, except in the Twin Cities Metro Zone and Olmsted County, where 
the season may not exceed 80 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 
geese.
    (d) Remainder of the State - The season for Canada geese may extend 
for 50 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (e) Fergus Falls/Alexandria Zone - An experimental special Canada 
goose season of up to 10 days may be held in December. During the 
special season, the daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Mississippi: The season for Canada geese may extend for 70 days. 
The daily bag limit is 3 Canada geese.
    Missouri:
    (a) Swan Lake Zone - The season for Canada geese will close after 
40 days or when 5,000 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (b) Schell-Osage Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 
40 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.

[[Page 50057]]

    (c) Central Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 70 
days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. An experimental special 
season of up to 10 consecutive days prior to October 15 may be selected 
in addition to the regular season. During the special season, the daily 
bag limit is 3 Canada geese.
    (d) Remainder of the State - The season for Canada geese may extend 
for 70 days in the respective duck-hunting zones. The daily bag limit 
is 2 Canada geese.
    Ohio: The season may extend for 70 days in the respective duck-
hunting zones, with a daily bag limit of 2 Canada geese, except in the 
Lake Erie SJBP Zone, where the season may not exceed 30 days and the 
daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose. In the Pymatuming Reservoir Area, 
the seasons, limits, and shooting hours for all geese shall be the same 
as those selected in the adjacent portion of Pennsylvania.
    Tennessee:
    (a) Northwest Zone - The season for Canada geese will close after 
76 days or when 12,900 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The season may extend to February 15. All geese harvested must 
be tagged. The daily bag limit is 3 Canada geese.
    (b) Southwest Zone - The season for Canada geese may extend for 61 
days, and the harvest will be limited to 1,500 birds. The daily bag 
limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (c) Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Zone - The season for Canada geese will 
close after 50 days or when 1,800 birds have been harvested, whichever 
occurs first. All geese harvested must be tagged. The daily bag limit 
is 2 Canada geese.
    (d) Remainder of the State - The season for Canada geese may extend 
for 70 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Wisconsin: The total harvest of Canada geese in the State will be 
limited to 118,400 birds.
    (a) Horicon Zone - The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 23. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 71,700 birds. 
The season may not exceed 80 days. All Canada geese harvested must be 
tagged. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese and the season limit will 
be the number of tags issued to each permittee.
    (b) Collins Zone - The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 23. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 1,900 birds. 
The season may not exceed 65 days. All Canada geese harvested must be 
tagged. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese and the season limit will 
be the number of tags issued to each permittee.
    (c) Exterior Zone - The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 23. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 40,300 birds, 
with 500 birds allocated to the Mississippi River Subzone. The season 
may not exceed 86 days and the daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. In 
that portion of the Exterior Zone outside the Mississippi River 
Subzone, the progress of the harvest must be monitored, and the season 
closed, if necessary, to ensure that the harvest does not exceed 39,800 
birds.
    Additional Limits: In addition to the harvest limits stated for the 
respective zones above, an additional 4,500 Canada geese may be taken 
in the Horicon Zone under special agricultural permits.
    Quota Zone Closures: When it has been determined that the quota of 
Canada geese allotted to the Northern Illinois, Central Illinois, 
Southern Illinois, and Rend Lake Quota Zones in Illinois, Posey County 
in Indiana, the Ballard and Henderson-Union Subzones in Kentucky, the 
Allegan County, Muskegon Wastewater, Saginaw County, and Tuscola/Huron 
Goose Management Units in Michigan, the Lac Qui Parle Zone in 
Minnesota, the Swan Lake Zone in Missouri, the Northwest and Kentucky/
Barkley Lakes Zones in Tennessee, and the Exterior Zone in Wisconsin 
will have been filled, the season for taking Canada geese in the 
respective zone (and associated area, if applicable) will be closed by 
either the Director upon giving public notice through local information 
media at least 48 hours in advance of the time and date of closing, or 
by the State through State regulations with such notice and time (not 
less than 48 hours) as they deem necessary.

Central Flyway

    The Central Flyway includes Colorado (east of the Continental 
Divide), Kansas, Montana (Counties of Blaine, Carbon, Fergus, Judith 
Basin, Stillwater, Sweetgrass, Wheatland, and all counties east 
thereof), Nebraska, New Mexico (east of the Continental Divide except 
the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation), North Dakota, Oklahoma, South 
Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming (east of the Continental Divide).

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

    Outside Dates: Between September 30 through January 21.
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits:
    (1) High Plains Mallard Management Unit (roughly defined as that 
portion of the Central Flyway which lies west of the 100th meridian): 
83 days and a daily bag limit of 5 ducks, including no more than 1 
female mallard, 1 mottled duck, 1 pintail, 1 redhead, 1 canvasback and 
2 wood ducks. The last 23 days may start no earlier than the Saturday 
nearest December 10 (December 9).
    (2) Remainder of the Central Flyway: 60 days and a daily bag limit 
of 5 ducks, including no more than 1 female mallard, 1 mottled duck, 1 
pintail, 1 redhead, 1 canvasback, and 2 wood ducks.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit of 5 mergansers may be taken, 
only 1 of which may be a hooded merganser.
    Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 coots.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Montana, Nebraska (Low Plains portion), 
New Mexico, Oklahoma (Low Plains portion), and South Dakota (Low Plains 
portion) may select hunting seasons by zones.
    In Montana, Nebraska (Low and High Plains portions), New Mexico, 
North Dakota (Low Plains portion), Oklahoma (Low and High Plains 
portions), South Dakota (High Plains portion), and Texas (Low Plains 
portion), the season may be split into two segments.
    In Colorado, Kansas (Low and High Plains portions), North Dakota 
(High Plains portion), and Wyoming, the season may be split into three 
segments.

Geese

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select 
seasons not to exceed 107 days; except for dark geese, which may not 
exceed 86 days in Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South 
Dakota, and the Eastern Goose Zone of Texas. For dark geese, outside 
dates for seasons may be selected between the Saturday nearest October 
1 (September 30) and January 31, except in the Western Goose Zone of 
Texas, where the closing date is the Sunday nearest February 15 
(February 18). For light geese, outside dates for seasons may be 
selected between the Saturday nearest October 1 (September 30) and the 
Sunday nearest February 15 (February 18), except in Colorado, Kansas, 
Nebraska (south of, and including, the North Platte and Platte Rivers, 
except for Adams, Butler, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, Gosper, Hall, 
Hamilton, Harland, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps, Polk, Saline, Seward, 
Thayer, and York Counties) New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, and Wyoming 
(south of I-80) where the closing date is March 10. Seasons may be 
split into two segments.
    Daily bag limits in States in goose management zones within States, 
may be as follows:
    Colorado: The daily bag limit is 5 light and 5 dark geese, 
including no more than 1 white-fronted and 4 Canada geese.

[[Page 50058]]

    Kansas: The daily bag limit is 10 light and 2 dark geese, including 
no more than 1 white-fronted goose.
    Montana: The daily bag limit is 5 light and 5 dark geese, including 
no more than 1 white-fronted and 4 Canada geese.
    Nebraska: The daily bag limit is 10 light and 2 dark geese, 
including no more than 1 white-fronted goose.
    New Mexico: For the Middle Rio Grande Valley Zone, the daily bag 
limit is 10 light and 5 dark, including no more than 1 white-fronted 
and 4 Canada geese.
    For the remainder of the State, the daily bag limit is 5 light and 
5 dark geese, including no more than 1 white-fronted and 4 Canada 
geese.
    North Dakota: The daily bag limit is 10 light and 2 dark geese.
    Oklahoma: The daily bag limit is 10 light and 2 dark geese, 
including no more than 1 white-fronted goose.
    South Dakota: The daily bag limit is 10 light and 2 dark geese, 
including no more than 1 white-fronted goose.
    Texas: For the Western Goose Zone, the daily bag limit is 5 light 
and 5 dark geese, including no more than 1 white-fronted and 4 Canada 
geese.
    For the Eastern Goose Zone, the daily bag limit is 10 light and 2 
dark geese, including no more than 1 white-fronted goose.
    Wyoming: The daily bag limit is 5 light and 5 dark, with no more 
than 1 white-fronted and 4 Canada geese.

Pacific Flyway

Ducks, Mergansers, Coots, and Common Moorhens

    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: Concurrent 93 days and daily bag 
limit of 6 ducks, including no more than 1 female mallard, 2 pintails, 
2 redheads and 1 canvasback.
    In the Columbia Basin Mallard Management Unit, the seasons may be 
an additional 7 days. The season on coots and common moorhens may be 
between the outside dates for the season on ducks, but not to exceed 93 
days.
    Coot and Common Moorhen Limits: The daily bag and possession limits 
of coots and common moorhens are 25, singly or in the aggregate.
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest October 1 (September 
30) and the Sunday nearest January 20 (January 21).
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, 
Oregon, Utah, and Washington may select hunting seasons by zones.
    Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington 
may split their seasons into two segments either Statewide or in each 
zone.
    Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming may split their duck 
seasons into three segments.
    Colorado River Zone, California: Seasons and limits shall be the 
same as seasons and limits selected in the adjacent portion of Arizona 
(South Zone).

Geese

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: Except as subsequently 
noted, 100-day seasons may be selected, with outside dates between the 
Saturday nearest October 1 (October 1), and the Sunday nearest January 
20 (January 21), and the basic daily bag limits are 3 light geese and 3 
dark geese.
    Brant Season - A 16-consecutive-day season may be selected in 
Oregon and Washington, and a 30-consecutive day season may be selected 
in California. In only California, Oregon, and Washington, the daily 
bag limit is 2 brant and is additional to dark goose limits, and the 
open season on brant in those States may differ from that for other 
geese.
    Closures: There will be no open season on Aleutian Canada geese in 
the Pacific Flyway. The States of California, Oregon, and Washington 
must include a statement on the closure for that subspecies in their 
respective regulations leaflet. Emergency closures may be invoked for 
all Canada geese should Aleutian Canada goose distribution patterns or 
other circumstances justify such actions.
    Arizona: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 2 geese.
    California:
    Northeastern Zone - White-fronted geese and cackling Canada geese 
may be taken only during the first 23 days of the goose season. The 
daily bag limit is 3 geese and may include no more than 2 dark geese; 
including not more than 1 cackling Canada goose.
    Colorado River Zone - The seasons and limits must be the same as 
those selected in the adjacent portion of Arizona (South Zone).
    Southern Zone - The daily bag and possession limits for dark geese 
is 2 geese, including not more than 1 cackling Canada goose.
    Balance-of-the-State Zone - A 79-day season may be selected, except 
that white-fronted geese and cackling Canada geese may be taken during 
only the first 65 days of such season. Limits may not include more than 
3 geese per day and in possession, of which not more than 1 may be a 
dark goose. The dark goose limits may be expanded to 2, provided that 
they are Canada geese other than cackling Canada geese for which the 
daily limit is 1.
    Three areas in the Balance-of-the-State Zone are restricted in the 
hunting of certain geese:
    (1) In the Counties of Del Norte and Humboldt, there will be no 
open season for Canada geese.
    (2) In the Sacramento Valley Area, the season on white-fronted 
geese must end on or before December 14, and, except in the Western 
Canada Goose Hunt Area, there will be no open season for Canada geese.
    (3) In the San Joaquin Valley Area, the hunting season for Canada 
geese will close no later than November 23.
    Colorado: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 2 geese.
    Idaho:
    Northern Unit - The daily bag limit is 4 geese, including 4 dark 
geese, but not more than 3 light geese.
    Southwest Unit and Southeastern Unit - The daily bag limit on dark 
geese is 4.
    Montana:
    West of Divide Zone and East of Divide Zone - The daily bag limit 
on dark geese is 4.
    Nevada:
    Clark County Zone - The daily bag limit of dark geese is 2 geese.
    New Mexico: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 2 geese.
    Oregon: Except as subsequently noted, the dark goose limit is 4, 
including not more than 1 cackling Canada goose.
    Harney, Lake, Klamath, and Malheur Counties Zone - The season 
length may be 100 days. The dark goose limit is 4, including not more 
than 2 white-fronted geese and 1 cackling Canada goose.
    Western Zone - In the Special Canada Goose Management Area, except 
for designated areas, there shall be no open season on Canada geese. In 
the designated areas, individual quotas shall be established which 
collectively shall not exceed 210 dusky Canada geese. See section on 
quota zones. In those designated areas, the daily bag limit of dark 
geese is 3, including not more than 2 cackling Canada goose.
    Utah: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 2 geese.
    Washington: The daily bag limit is 4 geese, including 4 dark geese 
but not more than 3 light geese.
    West Zone - In the Lower Columbia River Special Goose Management 
Area, except for designated areas, there shall be no open season on 
Canada geese. In the designated areas, individual quotas shall be 
established which collectively shall not exceed 90 dusky Canada geese. 
See section on quota zones.
    Wyoming: The daily bag limit is 4 dark geese. In Lincoln, 
Sweetwater, and Sublette Counties, the combined special 

[[Page 50059]]
September Canada goose seasons and the regular goose season shall not 
exceed 100 days.
    Quota Zones: Seasons on Canada geese must end upon attainment of 
individual quotas of dusky Canada geese allotted to the designated 
areas of Oregon and Washington. The September Canada goose season, the 
regular goose season, any special late Canada goose season, and any 
extended falconry season, combined, must not exceed 107 days and the 
established quota of dusky Canada geese must not be exceeded. Hunting 
of Canada geese in those designated areas shall only be by hunters 
possessing a State-issued permit authorizing them to do so. In a 
Service-approved investigation, the State must obtain quantitative 
information on hunter compliance of those regulations aimed at reducing 
the take of dusky Canada geese and eliminating the take of Aleutian 
Canada geese. The daily bag limit of Canada geese may not include more 
than 2 cackling Canada goose.
    In the designated areas of the Washington Quota Zone, a special 
late Canada goose may be held between February 5 and March 10. The 
daily bag limit may not include either Aleutian or cackling Canada 
geese.

Swans

    In designated areas of Utah, Nevada, and the Pacific Flyway portion 
of Montana, an open season for taking a limited number of swans may be 
selected. Permits will be issued by States and will authorize each 
permittee to take no more than 1 swan per season. The season may open 
no earlier than the Saturday nearest October 1 (September 30). The 
States must implement a harvest-monitoring program to measure the 
species composition of the swan harvest. In Utah and Nevada, the 
harvest-monitoring program must require that all harvested swans or 
their specie-determinant parts be examined by either State or Federal 
biologists for the purpose of species classification. All States should 
use appropriate measures to maximize hunter compliance in providing 
bagged swans for examination or, in the case of Montana, reporting 
bill-measurement and color information. All States must provide to the 
Service by June 30, 1996, a report covering harvest, hunter 
participation, reporting compliance, and monitoring of swan populations 
in the designated hunt areas. These seasons will be subject to the 
following conditions:
    In Utah, no more than 2,750 permits may be issued. The season must 
end no later than the first Sunday in December (December 3) or upon 
attainment of 15 trumpeter swans in the harvest, whichever occurs 
earliest.
    In Nevada, no more than 650 permits may be issued. The season must 
end no later than the Sunday following January 1 (January 7) or upon 
attainment of 5 trumpeter swans in the harvest, whichever occurs 
earliest.
    In Montana, no more than 500 permits may be issued. The season must 
end no later than December 1.

Tundra Swans

    In Central Flyway portion of Montana, and in New Jersey, North 
Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia, an open season for 
taking a limited number of tundra swans may be selected. Permits will 
be issued by the States and will authorize each permittee to take no 
more than 1 tundra swan per season. The States must obtain harvest and 
hunter participation data. These seasons will be subject to the 
following conditions:
    In the Atlantic Flyway
    --The season will be experimental.
    --The season may be 90 days, must occur during the light goose 
season, but may not extend beyond January 31.
    --In New Jersey, no more than 200 permits may be issued.
    --In North Carolina, no more than 6,000 permits may be issued.
    --In Virginia, no more than 600 permits may be issued.
    In the Central Flyway
    --The season may be 107 days and must occur during the light goose 
season.
    --In the Central-Flyway portion of Montana, no more than 500 
permits may be issued.
    --In North Dakota, no more than 2,000 permits may be issued.
    --In South Dakota, no more than 1,500 permits may be issued.

Area, Unit and Zone Descriptions

Ducks (Including Mergansers) and Coots

Atlantic Flyway
    Connecticut
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of I-95.
    South Zone: That portion of the State south of I-95.
    Maine
    North Zone: Game Management Zones 1 through 5.
    South Zone: Game Management Zones 6 through 8.
    Massachusetts
    Western Zone: That portion of the State west of a line extending 
south from the Vermont border on I-91 to MA 9, west on MA 9 to MA 10, 
south on MA 10 to U.S. 202, south on U.S. 202 to the Connecticut 
border.
    Central Zone: That portion of the State east of the Berkshire Zone 
and west of a line extending south from the New Hampshire border on I-
95 to U.S. 1, south on U.S. 1 to I-93, south on I-93 to MA 3, south on 
MA 3 to U.S. 6, west on U.S. 6 to MA 28, west on MA 28 to I-195, west 
to the Rhode Island border; except the waters, and the lands 150 yards 
inland from the high-water mark, of the Assonet River upstream to the 
MA 24 bridge, and the Taunton River upstream to the Center St.-Elm St. 
bridge shall be in the Coastal Zone.
    Coastal Zone: That portion of Massachusetts east and south of the 
Central Zone.
    New Hampshire
    Coastal Zone: That portion of the State east of a line extending 
west from Maine border in Rollinsford on NH 4 to the city of Dover, 
south to NH 108, south along NH 108 through Madbury, Durham, and 
Newmarket to NH 85 in Newfields, south to NH 101 in Exeter, east to NH 
51 (Exeter-Hampton Expressway), east to I-95 (New Hampshire Turnpike) 
in Hampton, and south along I-95 to the Massachusetts border.
    Inland Zone: That portion of the State north and west of the above 
boundary.
    New Jersey
    Coastal Zone: That portion of the State seaward of a line beginning 
at the New York border in Raritan Bay and extending west along the New 
York border to NJ 440 at Perth Amboy; west on NJ 440 to the Garden 
State Parkway; south on the Garden State Parkway to the shoreline at 
Cape May and continuing to the Delaware border in Delaware Bay.
    North Zone: That portion of the State west of the Coastal Zone and 
north of a line extending west from the Garden State Parkway on NJ 70 
to the New Jersey Turnpike, north on the turnpike to U.S. 206, north on 
U.S. 206 to U.S. 1 at Trenton, west on U.S. 1 to the Pennsylvania 
border in the Delaware River.
    South Zone: That portion of the State not within the North Zone or 
the Coastal Zone.
    New York
    Lake Champlain Zone: The U.S. portion of Lake Champlain and that 
area east and north of a line extending along NY 9B from the Canadian 
border to U.S. 9, south along U.S. 9 to NY 22 south of Keesville; south 
along NY 22 to the west shore of South Bay, along and around the 
shoreline of South Bay to NY 22 on the east shore of South Bay; 
southeast along NY 22 to U.S. 4, northeast along U.S. 4 to the Vermont 
border.
    Long Island Zone: That area consisting of Nassau County, Suffolk 

[[Page 50060]]
    County, that area of Westchester County southeast of I-95, and their 
tidal waters.
    Western Zone: That area west of a line extending from Lake Ontario 
east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-81, and south along 
I-81 to the Pennsylvania border.
    Northeastern Zone: That area north of a line extending from Lake 
Ontario east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-81, south 
along I-81 to NY 49, east along NY 49 to NY 365, east along NY 365 to 
NY 28, east along NY 28 to NY 29, east along NY 29 to I-87, north along 
I-87 to U.S. 9 (at Exit 20), north along U.S. 9 to NY 149, east along 
NY 149 to U.S. 4, north along U.S. 4 to the Vermont border, exclusive 
of the Lake Champlain Zone.
    Southeastern Zone: The remaining portion of New York.
    Pennsylvania
    Lake Erie Zone: The Lake Erie waters of Pennsylvania and a 
shoreline margin along Lake Erie from New York on the east to Ohio on 
the west extending 150 yards inland, but including all of Presque Isle 
Peninsula.
    Northwest Zone: The area bounded on the north by the Lake Erie Zone 
and including all of Erie and Crawford Counties and those portions of 
Mercer and Venango Counties north of I-80.
    North Zone: That portion of the State east of the Northwest Zone 
and north of a line extending east on I-80 to U.S. 220, Route 220 to I-
180, I-180 to I-80, and I-80 to the Delaware River.
    South Zone: The remaining portion of Pennsylvania.
    Vermont
    Lake Champlain Zone: The U.S. portion of Lake Champlain and that 
area north and west of the line extending from the New York border 
along U.S. 4 to VT 22A at Fair Haven; VT 22A to U.S. 7 at Vergennes; 
U.S. 7 to the Canadian border.
    Interior Zone: The remaining portion of Vermont.
    West Virginia
    Zone 1 : That portion outside the boundaries in Zone 2.
    Zone 2 (Allegheny Mountain Upland): That area bounded by a line 
extending south along U.S. 220 through Keyser to U.S. 50; U.S. 50 to WV 
93; WV 93 south to WV 42; WV 42 south to Petersburg; WV 28 south to 
Minnehaha Springs; WV 39 west to U.S. 219; U.S. 219 south to I-64; I-64 
west to U.S. 60; U.S. 60 west to U.S. 19; U.S. 19 north to I-79, I-79 
north to U.S. 48; U.S. 48 east to the Maryland border; and along the 
border to the point of beginning.
Mississippi Flyway
    Alabama
    South Zone: Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
    North Zone: The remainder of Alabama.
    Illinois
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Iowa border along Illinois Highway 92 to Interstate 
Highway 280, east along I-280 to I-80, then east along I-80 to the 
Indiana border.
    Central Zone: That portion of the State between the North and South 
Zone boundaries.
    South Zone: That portion of the State south of a line extending 
east from the Missouri border along the Modoc Ferry route to Randolph 
County Highway 12, north along County 12 to Illinois Highway 3, north 
along Illinois 3 to Illinois 159, north along Illinois 159 to Illinois 
161, east along Illinois 161 to Illinois 4, north along Illinois 4 to 
Interstate Highway 70, then east along I-70 to the Indiana border.
    Indiana
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Illinois border along State Road 18 to U.S. Highway 31, 
north along U.S. 31 to U.S. 24, east along U.S. 24 to Huntington, then 
southeast along U.S. 224 to the Ohio border.
    Ohio River Zone: That portion of the State south of a line 
extending east from the Illinois border along Interstate Highway 64 to 
New Albany, east along State Road 62 to State 56, east along State 56 
to Vevay, east and north on State 156 along the Ohio River to North 
Landing, north along State 56 to U.S. Highway 50, then northeast along 
U.S. 50 to the Ohio border.
    South Zone: That portion of the State between the North and Ohio 
River Zone boundaries.
    Southern Illinois Quota Zone: Alexander, Jackson, Union, and 
Williamson Counties.
    Rend Lake Quota Zone: Franklin and Jefferson Counties.
    Iowa
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Nebraska border along State Highway 175 to State 37, 
southeast along State 37 to U.S. Highway 59, south along U.S. 59 to 
Interstate Highway 80, then east along I-80 to the Illinois border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Iowa.
    Kentucky
    West Zone: That portion of the State west of a line extending north 
from the Tennessee border along Interstate Highway 65 to Bowling Green, 
northwest along the Green River Parkway to Owensboro, southwest along 
U.S. Bypass 60 to U.S. Highway 231, then north along U.S. 231 to the 
Indiana border.
    East Zone: The remainder of Kentucky.
    Louisiana
    West Zone: That portion of the State west of a line extending south 
from the Arkansas border along Louisiana Highway 3 to Bossier City, 
east along Interstate Highway 20 to Minden, south along Louisiana 7 to 
Ringgold, east along Louisiana 4 to Jonesboro, south along U.S. Highway 
167 to Lafayette, southeast along U.S. 90 to Houma, then south along 
the Houma Navigation Channel to the Gulf of Mexico through Cat Island 
Pass.
    East Zone: The remainder of Louisiana.
    Catahoula Lake Area: All of Catahoula Lake, including those 
portions known locally as Round Prairie, Catfish Prairie, and Frazier's 
Arm. See State regulations for additional information.
    Michigan
    North Zone: The Upper Peninsula.
    South Zone: That portion of the State south of a line beginning at 
the Wisconsin border in Lake Michigan due west of the mouth of Stony 
Creek in Oceana County; then due east to, and east and south along the 
south shore of, Stony Creek to Webster Road, east and south on Webster 
Road to Stony Lake Road, east on Stony Lake and Garfield Roads to 
Michigan Highway 20, east on Michigan 20 to U.S. Highway 10B.R. in the 
city of Midland, east on U.S. 10B.R. to U.S. 10, east on U.S. 10 and 
Michigan 25 to the Saginaw River, downstream along the thread of the 
Saginaw River to Saginaw Bay, then on a northeasterly line, passing 
one-half mile north of the Corps of Engineers confined disposal island 
offshore of the Carn Power Plant, to a point one mile north of the 
Charity islands, then continuing northeasterly to the Ontario border in 
Lake Huron.
    Middle Zone: The remainder of Michigan.
    Missouri
    North Zone: That portion of Missouri north of a line running west 
from the Illinois border along Interstate Highway 70 to U.S. Highway 
54, south along U.S. 54 to U.S. 50, then west along U.S. 50 to the 
Kansas border.
    South Zone: That portion of Missouri south of a line running west 
from the Illinois border along Missouri Highway 34 to Interstate 
Highway 55; south along I-55 to U.S. Highway 62, west along U.S. 62 to 
Missouri 53, north along Missouri 53 to Missouri 51, north along 
Missouri 51 to U.S. 60, west along U.S. 60 to Missouri 21, north along 
Missouri 21 to Missouri 72, west along Missouri 72 to Missouri 32, west 
along Missouri 32 to U.S. 65, north along U.S. 65 to U.S. 54, west 
along U.S. 54 to Missouri 32, south along Missouri 32 to Missouri 97, 
south along Missouri 97 to Dade County NN, west along Dade County NN to 
Missouri 

[[Page 50061]]
37, west along Missouri 37 to Jasper County N, west along Jasper County 
N to Jasper County M, west along Jasper County M to the Kansas border.
    Middle Zone: The remainder of Missouri.
    Ohio
    North Zone: The Counties of Darke, Miami, Clark, Champaign, Union, 
Delaware, Licking (excluding the Buckeye Lake Area), Muskingum, 
Guernsey, Harrison and Jefferson and all counties north thereof.
    Pymatuning Area: Pymatuning Reservoir and that part of Ohio bounded 
on the north by County Road 306 (known as Woodward Road), on the west 
by Pymatuning Lake Road, and on the south by U.S. Highway 322.
    Ohio River Zone: The Counties of Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Adams, 
Scioto, Lawrence, Gallia and Meigs.
    South Zone: That portion of the State between the North and Ohio 
River Zone boundaries, including the Buckeye Lake Area in Licking 
County bounded on the west by State Highway 37, on the north by U.S. 
Highway 40, and on the east by State 13.
    Tennessee
    Reelfoot Zone: All or portions of Lake and Obion Counties.
    State Zone: The remainder of Tennessee.
    Wisconsin
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
northerly from the Minnesota border along the center line of the 
Chippewa River to State Highway 35, east along State 35 to State 25, 
north along State 25 to U.S. Highway 10, east along U.S. 10 to its 
junction with the Manitowoc Harbor in the city of Manitowoc, then 
easterly to the eastern State boundary in Lake Michigan.
    South Zone: The remainder of Wisconsin.
Central Flyway
    Kansas
    High Plains: That area west of U.S. 283.
    Low Plains: That area east of U.S. 283.
    Montana (Central Flyway Portion)
    Zone 1: The Counties of Blaine, Carbon, Daniels, Fergus, Garfield, 
Golden Valley, Judith Basin, McCone, Musselshell, Petroleum, Phillips, 
Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Stillwater, Sweetgrass, Valley, 
Wheatland, and Yellowstone.
    Zone 2: The Counties of Big Horn, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, 
Powder River, Prairie, Rosebud, Treasure, and Wibaux.
    Nebraska
    High Plains: West of Highways U.S. 183 and U.S. 20 from the 
northern State line to Ainsworth, NE 7 and NE 91 to Dunning, NE 2 to 
Merna, NE 92 to Arnold, NE 40 and NE 47 through Gothenburg to NE 23, NE 
23 to Elwood, and U.S. 283 to the southern State line.
    Low Plains: East of the High Plains boundary.
    Zone 1: Those portions of Burt, Dakota, and Thurston Counties north 
and east of a line starting on NE 51 on the Iowa border to U.S. 75, 
north on U.S. 75 to U.S. 20, west on U.S. 20 to NE 12; west on NE 12 to 
the Boyd County line; to include those portions of Cedar, Dakota, 
Dixon, and Knox Counties north of NE 12; all of Boyd County; Keya Paha 
County east of U.S. 183. Where the Niobrara River forms the southern 
boundary of Keya Paha and Boyd Counties, both banks of the river shall 
be included in Zone 1.
    Zone 2: The area bounded by designated highways and political 
boundaries starting on NE 2 at the State line near Nebraska City; west 
to U.S. 75; north to U.S. 34; west to NE 63; north and west to U.S. 77; 
north to NE 92; west to U.S. 81; south to NE 66; west to NE 14; south 
to U.S. 34; west to NE 2; south to I-80; west to U.S. 34; west to U.S. 
136; east on U.S. 136 to NE 10; south to the State line; west to U.S. 
283; north to NE 23; west to NE 47; north to U.S. 30; east to NE 14; 
north to NE 52; northwesterly to NE 91; west to U.S. 281, north to NE 
91 in Wheeler County; west to U.S. 183; north to northerly boundary of 
Loup County; east along the north boundaries of Loup, Garfield, and 
Wheeler Counties; south along the east Wheeler County line to NE 70; 
east on NE 70 from Wheeler County to NE 14; south to NE 39; southeast 
to NE 22; east to U.S. 81; southeast to U.S. 30; east to the State 
line; and south and west along the State line to the point of 
beginning.
    Zone 3: The area, excluding Zone 1, north of Zone 2.
    Zone 4: The area south of Zone 2.
    New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion)
    North Zone: The Central-Flyway portion of New Mexico north of I-40 
and U.S. 54.
    South Zone: The remainder of the Central-Flyway portion of New 
Mexico.
    North Dakota
    High Plains: That portion of North Dakota west of a line extending 
north from the South Dakota border on U.S. 83 and I-94 to ND 41, north 
to ND 53, west to U.S. 83, north to ND 23, west to ND 8, north to U.S. 
2, west to U.S. 85, north to the Canadian border.
    Low Plains: The remainder of North Dakota.
    Oklahoma
    High Plains: Beaver, Cimarron, and Texas Counties.
    Low Plains
    Zone 1: That portion of northwestern Oklahoma, except the 
Panhandle, bounded by the following highways: starting at the Texas 
border, OK 33 to OK 47, OK 47 to U.S. 183, U.S. 183 to I-40, I-40 to 
U.S. 177, U.S. 177 to OK 33, OK 33 to I-35, I-35 to U.S. 60, U.S. 60 to 
U.S. 64, U.S. 64 to OK 132, and OK 132 to the Kansas border.
    Zone 2: The remainder of the Low Plains portion of Oklahoma.
    South Dakota
    High Plains: West of highways and political boundaries starting at 
the State line north of Herreid; U.S. 83 and U.S. 14 to Blunt, Blunt-
Canning Road to SD 34, a line across the Missouri River to the 
northwestern corner of the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, the 
Reservation Boundary and Lyman County Road through Presho to I-90, and 
U.S. 183 to the southern State line.
    Low Plains
    North Zone: That portion of northeastern South Dakota bounded by 
the following highways: starting at the North Dakota border, U.S. 83 
south to U.S. 212, U.S. 212 east to I-29, I-29 north to SD 15, SD 15 
east to Hartford Beach, due east of Hartford Beach to the Minnesota 
border.
    South Zone: Charles Mix County south of SD 44 to the Douglas County 
line, south on SD 50 to Geddes, East on Geddes Highway to U.S. 281, 
south on U.S. 281 and U.S. 18 to SD 50, south and east on SD 50 to the 
Bon Homme County line, the Counties of Bon Homme, Yankton, and Clay 
south of SD 50, and Union County south and west of SD 50 and I-29.
    Middle Zone: The remainder of the Low Plains portion of South 
Dakota.
    Texas
    High Plains: West of highways U.S. 183 from the northern State line 
to Vernon, U.S. 283 to Albany, TX 6 and TX 351 to Abilene, U.S. 277 to 
Del Rio, and the Del Rio International Toll Bridge access road.
    Low Plains: The remainder of Texas.
Pacific Flyway
    Arizona--Game Management Units (GMU) as follows:
    South Zone: Those portions of GMUs 6 and 8 in Yavapai County, and 
GMUs 11, 12B, 13B, and 14-45.
    North Zone: GMUs 1-5, those portions of GMUs 6 and 8 within 
Coconino County, and GMUs 7, 9, 10, 12A, and 13A.
    California
    Northeastern Zone: That portion of the State east and north of a 
line beginning at the Oregon border; south and west along the Klamath 
River to the mouth of Shovel Creek; south along Shovel Creek to Forest 
Service Road 

[[Page 50062]]
46N10; south and east along FS 46N10 to FS 45N22; west and south along 
FS 45N22 to U.S. 97 at Grass Lake Summit; south and west along U.S. 97 
to I-5 at the town of Weed; south along I-5 to CA 89; east and south 
along CA 89 to the junction with CA 49; east and north on CA 49 to CA 
70; east on CA 70 to U.S. 395; south and east on U.S. 395 to the Nevada 
border.
    Colorado River Zone: Those portions of San Bernardino, Riverside, 
and Imperial Counties east of a line extending from the Nevada border 
south along U.S. 95 to Vidal Junction; south on a road known as 
``Aqueduct Road'' in San Bernardino County through the town of Rice to 
the San Bernardino-Riverside County line; south on a road known in 
Riverside County as the ``Desert Center to Rice Road'' to the town of 
Desert Center; east 31 miles on I-10 to the Wiley Well Road; south on 
this road to Wiley Well; southeast along the Army-Milpitas Road to the 
Blythe, Brawley, Davis Lake intersections; south on the Blythe-Brawley 
paved road to the Ogilby and Tumco Mine Road; south on this road to 
U.S. 80; east seven miles on U.S. 80 to the Andrade-Algodones Road; 
south on this paved road to the Mexican border at Algodones, Mexico.
    Southern Zone: That portion of southern California (but excluding 
the Colorado River Zone) south and east of a line extending from the 
Pacific Ocean east along the Santa Maria River to CA 166 near the City 
of Santa Maria; east on CA 166 to CA 99; south on CA 99 to the crest of 
the Tehachapi Mountains at Tejon Pass; east and north along the crest 
of the Tehachapi Mountains to CA 178 at Walker Pass; east on CA 178 to 
U.S. 395 at the town of Inyokern; south on U.S. 395 to CA 58; east on 
CA 58 to I-15; east on I-15 to CA 127; north on CA 127 to the Nevada 
border.
    Southern San Joaquin Valley Temporary Zone: All of Kings and Tulare 
Counties and that portion of Kern County north of the Southern Zone.
    Balance-of-the-State Zone: The remainder of California not included 
in the Northeastern, Southern, and Colorado River Zones, and the 
Southern San Joaquin Valley Temporary Zone.
    Idaho
    Zone 1: Includes all lands and waters within the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation, including private inholdings; Bannock County; Bingham 
County, except that portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage; 
and Power County east of ID 37 and ID 39.
    Zone 2: Includes the following counties or portions of counties: 
Adams; Bear Lake; Benewah; Bingham within the Blackfoot Reservoir 
drainage; those portions of Blaine west of ID 75, south and east of 
U.S. 93, and between ID 75 and U.S. 93 north of U.S. 20 outside the 
Silver Creek drainage; Bonner; Bonneville; Boundary; Butte; Camas; 
Caribou except the Fort Hall Indian Reservation; Cassia within the 
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; Clark; Clearwater; Custer; Elmore 
within the Camas Creek drainage; Franklin; Fremont; Idaho; Jefferson; 
Kootenai; Latah; Lemhi; Lewis; Madison; Nez Perce; Oneida; Power within 
the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; Shoshone; Teton; and Valley 
Counties.
    Zone 3: Ada, those portions of Blaine between ID 75 and U.S. 93 
south of U.S. 20 and that additional area between ID 75 and U.S. 93 
north of U.S. 20 within the Silver Creek drainage; Boise; Canyon; 
Cassia except that portion within the Minidoka National Wildlife 
Refuge; Elmore except the Camas Creek drainage; Gem; Gooding; Jerome; 
Lincoln; Minidoka; Owyhee; Payette; Power west of ID 37 and ID 39 
except that portion within the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; Twin 
Falls; and Washington Counties.
    Nevada
    Clark County Zone: All of Clark County.
    Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The remainder of Nevada.
    Oregon
    Zone 1: Statewide, except Deschutes, Klamath, and Lake Counties.
    Columbia Basin Mallard Management Unit: Gilliam, Morrow, and 
Umatilla Counties.
    Zone 2: Deschutes, Klamath, and Lake Counties.
    Utah
    Zone 1: All of Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, 
Summit, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber Counties and that part of Toole County 
north of I-80.
    Zone 2: The remainder of Utah.
    Washington
    East Zone: All areas east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of 
the Big White Salmon River in Klickitat County.
    Columbia Basin Mallard Management Unit: Same as East Zone.
    West Zone: All areas to the west of the East Zone.

Geese

Atlantic Flyway
    Connecticut
    Same zones as for ducks.
    Georgia
    Special Area for Canada Geese: Statewide.
    Massachusetts
    Same zones as for ducks.
    New Hampshire
    Same zones as for ducks.
    New Jersey
    Special Area for Canada Geese
    Northeast - that portion of the State within a continuous line that 
runs east along the New York State boundary line to the Hudson River; 
then south along the New York State boundary to its intersection with 
Route 440 at Perth Amboy; then west on Route 440 to its intersection 
with Route 287; then west along Route 287 to its intersection with 
Route 206 in Bedminster (Exit 18); then north along Route 206 to its 
intersection with the Pennsylvania State boundary; then north along the 
Pennsylvania boundary in the Delaware River to its intersection with 
the New York State boundary.
    Northwest - that portion of the State within a continuous line that 
runs east from the Pennsylvania State boundary at the toll bridge in 
Columbia to Route 94; then north along Route 94 to Route 206; then 
north along Route 206 to the Pennsylvania State boundary in the 
Delaware River to the beginning point. Hereafter this proposed 
expansion of the hunt area will be referenced to as the northwestern 
area.
    Southeast - that portion of the State within a continuous line that 
runs east from the Atlantic Ocean at Ship Bottom along Route 72 to the 
Garden State Parkway; then south along the Garden State Parkway to 
Route 9; then south along Route 9 to Route 542; then west along Rout 
542 to the Mullica River; then north (upstream) on the Mullica River to 
Route 206; then south on Route 206 to Route 536; then west on route 536 
to Route 55; then south on Route 55 to Route 40; then east on Route 40 
to Route 557; then south on Route 557 to Route 666; then south on Route 
666 to Route 49; then east on Route 49 to route 50; then south on Route 
50 to Route 631; then east on Route 631 to Route 623; then east on 
Route 623 to the Atlantic Ocean, then north to the beginning point.
    New York
    Special Area for Canada Geese: Westchester County and portions of 
Nassau, Orange, Putnam and Rockland Counties--See State regulations for 
detailed description.
    Pennsylvania
    Erie, Mercer, and Butler Counties: All of Erie, Mercer, and Butler 
Counties.
    Susquehanna/Juniata--See State regulations for detailed 
description.
    South Carolina
    Canada Goose Area: The Central Piedmont, Western Piedmont, and 
Mountain Hunt Units. These designated areas include: Counties of 
Abbeville, Anderson, Berkeley (south of Highway 45 and east of State 
Road 831), Cherokee, Chester, Dorchester, 

[[Page 50063]]
Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Kershaw, Lancaster, 
Laurens, Lee, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangebird (south 
of Highway 6), Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumten, Union, 
and York.
    Virginia
    Back Bay Area--Defined for white geese as the waters of Back Bay 
and its tributaries and the marshes adjacent thereto, and on the land 
and marshes between Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean from Sandbridge to 
the North Carolina line, and on and along the shore of North Landing 
River and the marshes adjacent thereto, and on and along the shores of 
Binson Inlet Lake (formerly known as Lake Tecumseh) and Red Wing Lake 
and the marshes adjacent thereto.
    West Virginia
    Same zones as for ducks.
Mississippi Flyway
    Alabama
    Same zones as for ducks, but in addition:
    SJBP Zone: That portion of Morgan County east of U.S. Highway 31, 
north of State Highway 36, and west of U.S. 231; that portion of 
Limestone County south of U.S. 72; and that portion of Madison County 
south of Swancott Road and west of Triana Road.
    Arkansas
    East Zone: Arkansas, Ashley, Chicot, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, 
Cross, Desha, Drew, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, 
Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, 
Pulaski, Randolph, St. Francis, White, and Woodruff Counties.
    West Zone: Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Cleburne, Conway, 
Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Izard, Johnson, Madison, Marion, 
Newton, Pope, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren, and Washington Counties, 
and those portions of Logan, Perry, Sebastian, and Yell Counties lying 
north of a line extending east from the Oklahoma border along State 
Highway 10 to Perry, south on State 9 to State 60, then east on State 
60 to the Faulkner County line.
    Illinois
    North Goose Zone: Same as for ducks.
    Northern Illinois Quota Zone: The Counties of McHenry, Lake, Kane, 
DuPage, and those portions of LaSalle and Will Counties north of 
Interstate Highway 80.
    Central Goose Zone: That portion of the State between the North and 
South Goose Zone boundaries.
    Central Illinois Quota Zone: The Counties of Grundy, Woodford, 
Peoria, Knox, Fulton, Tazewell, Mason, Cass, Morgan, Pike, Calhoun, and 
Jersey, and those portions of LaSalle and Will Counties south of 
Interstate Highway 80.
    South Goose Zone: That portion of the State south of a line 
extending east from the Missouri border along the Modoc Ferry route to 
Randolph County Highway 12, north along County 12 to Illinois Highway 
3, north along Illinois 3 to Illinois 159, north along Illinois 159 to 
Illinois 161, east along Illinois 161 to Illinois 4, north along 
Illinois 4 to Interstate Highway 70, east along I-70 to the Bond County 
line, north and east along the Bond County line to Fayette County, 
north and east along the Fayette County line to Effingham County, east 
and south along the Effingham County line to I-70, then east along I-70 
to the Indiana border.
    Southern Illinois Quota Zone: Alexander, Jackson, Union, and 
Williamson Counties.
    Rend Lake Quota Zone: Franklin and Jefferson Counties.
    Indiana
    Same zones as for ducks, but in addition:
    SJBP Zone: Jasper, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, 
Pulaski, Starke, and Steuben Counties.
    Iowa
    Same zones as for ducks.
    Kentucky
    Western Zone: That portion of the state west of a line beginning at 
the Tennessee border at Fulton and extending north along the Purchase 
Parkway to Interstate Highway 24, east along I-24 to U.S. Highway 641, 
north along U.S. 641 to U.S. 60, northeast along U.S. 60 to the 
Henderson County line, then south, east, and northerly along the 
Henderson County line to the Indiana border.
    Ballard Reporting Area: That area encompassed by a line beginning 
at the northwest city limits of Wickliffe in Ballard County and 
extending westward to the middle of the Mississippi River, north along 
the Mississippi River and along the low-water mark of the Ohio River on 
the Illinois shore to the Ballard-McCracken County line, south along 
the county line to Kentucky Highway 358, south along Kentucky 358 to 
U.S. Highway 60 at LaCenter; then southwest along U.S. 60 to the 
northeast city limits of Wickliffe.
    Henderson-Union Reporting Area: Henderson County and that portion 
of Union County within the Western Zone.
    Pennyroyal/Coalfield Zone: That portion of the state between the 
Western Zone and a line described as follows: From the Indiana border 
south along U.S. Highway 231 to the Green River Parkway, southeast 
along the Green River Parkway to Interstate Highway 65, then south 
along I-65 to the Tennessee border.
    Michigan
    Same zones as for ducks, but in addition:
    South Zone
    Tuscola/Huron Goose Management Unit (GMU): Those portions of 
Tuscola and Huron Counties bounded on the south by Michigan Highway 138 
and Bay City Road, on the east by Colwood and Bayport Roads, on the 
north by Kilmanagh Road and a line extending directly west off the end 
of Kilmanagh Road into Saginaw Bay to the west boundary, and on the 
west by the Tuscola-Bay County line and a line extending directly north 
off the end of the Tuscola-Bay County line into Saginaw Bay to the 
north boundary.
    Allegan County GMU: That area encompassed by a line beginning at 
the junction of 136th Avenue and Interstate Highway 196 in Lake Town 
Township and extending easterly along 136th Avenue to Michigan Highway 
40, southerly along Michigan 40 through the city of Allegan to 108th 
Avenue in Trowbridge Township, westerly along 108th Avenue to 46th 
Street, northerly 1/2 mile along 46th Street to 109th Avenue, westerly 
along 109th Avenue to I-196 in Casco Township, then northerly along I-
196 to the point of beginning.
    Saginaw County GMU: That portion of Saginaw County bounded by 
Michigan Highway 46 on the north; Michigan 52 on the west; Michigan 57 
on the south; and Michigan 13 on the east.
    Muskegon Wastewater GMU: That portion of Muskegon County within the 
boundaries of the Muskegon County wastewater system, east of the 
Muskegon State Game Area, in sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 
30, and 32, T10N R14W, and sections 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24, and 
25, T10N R15W, as posted.
    Special Canada Goose Seasons:
    Southern Michigan GMU: That portion of the State, including the 
Great Lakes and interconnecting waterways and excluding the Allegan 
County GMU, south of a line beginning at the Ontario border at the 
Bluewater Bridge in the city of Port Huron and extending westerly and 
southerly along Interstate Highway 94 to I-69, westerly along I-69 to 
Michigan Highway 21, westerly along Michigan 21 to I-96, northerly 
along I-96 to I-196, westerly along I-196 to Lake Michigan Drive (M-45) 
in Grand Rapids, westerly along Lake Michigan Drive to the Lake 
Michigan shore, then directly west from the end of Lake Michigan Drive 
to the Wisconsin border.
    Minnesota

[[Page 50064]]

    West Zone: That portion of the state encompassed by a line 
beginning at the junction of U.S. Highway 71 and the Iowa border, then 
north along U.S. 71 to Interstate Highway 94, then north and west along 
I-94 to the North Dakota border.
    West Central Zone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at the 
intersection of State Trunk Highway (STH) 29 and U.S. Highway 212 and 
extending west along U.S. 212 to U.S. 59, south along U.S. 59 to STH 
67, west along STH 67 to U.S. 75, north along U.S. 75 to County State 
Aid Highway (CSAH) 30 in Lac qui Parle County, west along CSAH 30 to 
County Road 70 in Lac qui Parle County, west along County 70 to the 
western boundary of the State, north along the western boundary of the 
State to a point due south of the intersection of STH 7 and CSAH 7 in 
Big Stone County, and continuing due north to said intersection, then 
north along CSAH 7 to CSAH 6 in Big Stone County, east along CSAH 6 to 
CSAH 21 in Big Stone County, south along CSAH 21 to CSAH 10 in Big 
Stone County, east along CSAH 10 to CSAH 22 in Swift County, east along 
CSAH 22 to CSAH 5 in Swift County, south along CSAH 5 to U.S. 12, east 
along U.S. 12 to CSAH 17 in Swift County, south along CSAH 17 to CSAH 9 
in Chippewa County, south along CSAH 9 to STH 40, east along STH 40 to 
STH 29, then south along STH 29 to the point of beginning.
    Lac qui Parle Zone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at 
the intersection of U.S. Highway 212 and County State Aid Highway 
(CSAH) 27 in Lac qui Parle County and extending north along CSAH 27 to 
CSAH 20 in Lac qui Parle County, west along CSAH 20 to State Trunk 
Highway (STH) 40, north along STH 40 to STH 119, north along STH 119 to 
CSAH 34 in Lac qui Parle County, west along CSAH 34 to CSAH 19 in Lac 
qui Parle County, north and west along CSAH 19 to CSAH 38 in Lac qui 
Parle County, west along CSAH 38 to U.S. 75, north along U.S. 75 to STH 
7, east along STH 7 to CSAH 6 in Swift County, east along CSAH 6 to 
County Road 65 in Swift County, south along County 65 to County 34 in 
Chippewa County, south along County 34 to CSAH 12 in Chippewa County, 
east along CSAH 12 to CSAH 9 in Chippewa County, south along CSAH 9 to 
STH 7, southeast along STH 7 to Montevideo and along the municipal 
boundary of Montevideo to U.S. 212; then west along U.S. 212 to the 
point of beginning.
    Northwest Zone: That portion of the state encompassed by a line 
extending east from the North Dakota border along U.S. Highway 2 to 
State Trunk Highway (STH) 32, north along STH 32 to STH 92, east along 
STH 92 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 in Polk County, north along 
CSAH 2 to CSAH 27 in Pennington County, north along CSAH 27 to STH 1, 
east along STH 1 to CSAH 28 in Pennington County, north along CSAH 28 
to CSAH 54 in Marshall County, north along CSAH 54 to CSAH 9 in Roseau 
County, north along CSAH 9 to STH 11, west along STH 11 to STH 310, and 
north along STH 310 to the Manitoba border.
    Southeast Zone: The Counties of Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, 
Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Mower, 
Olmsted, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Steele, Wabasha, Washington, and Winona.
    Special Canada Goose Seasons
    Fergus Falls/Alexandria Zone: That area encompassed by a line 
beginning at the intersection of State Trunk Highway (STH) 55 and STH 
28 and extending east along STH 28 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 
33 in Pope County, north along CSAH 33 to CSAH 3 in Douglas County, 
north along CSAH 3 to CSAH 69 in Otter Tail County, north along CSAH 69 
to CSAH 46 in Otter Tail County, east along CSAH 46 to the eastern 
boundary of Otter Tail County, north along the east boundary of Otter 
Tail County to CSAH 40 in Otter Tail County, west along CSAH 40 to CSAH 
75 in Otter Tail County, north along CSAH 75 to STH 210, west along STH 
210 to STH 108, north along STH 108 to CSAH 1 in Otter Tail County, 
west along CSAH 1 to CSAH 14 in Otter Tail County, north along CSAH 14 
to CSAH 44 in Otter Tail County, west along CSAH 44 to CSAH 35 in Otter 
Tail County, north along CSAH 35 to STH 108, west along STH 108 to CSAH 
19 in Wilkin County, south along CSAH 19 to STH 55, then southeast 
along STH 55 to the point of beginning.
    Missouri
    Same zones as for ducks but in addition:
    North Zone
    Swan Lake Zone: That area bounded by U.S. Highway 36 on the north, 
Missouri Highway 5 on the east, Missouri 240 and U.S. 65 on the south, 
and U.S. 65 on the west.
    Central Zone: Boone County and that portion of Callaway County west 
of U.S. Highway 54.
    Middle Zone
    Schell-Osage Zone: That portion of the State encompassed by a line 
extending east from the Kansas border along U.S. Highway 54 to Missouri 
Highway 13, north along Missouri 13 to Missouri 7, west along Missouri 
7 to U.S. 71, north along U.S. 71 to Missouri 2, then west along 
Missouri 2 to the Kansas border.
    Ohio
    Same zones as for ducks but in addition:
    North Zone
    Pymatuning Area: Pymatuning Reservoir and that part of Ohio bounded 
on the north by County Road 306 (known as Woodward Road), on the west 
by Pymatuning Lake Road, and on the south by U.S. Highway 322.
    Lake Erie SJBP Zone: That portion of the state encompassed by a 
line extending south from the Michigan border along Interstate Highway 
75 to I-280, south along I-280 to I-80, and east along I-80 to the 
Pennsylvania border.
    Tennessee
    Southwest Zone: That portion of the State south of State Highways 
20 and 104, and west of U.S. Highways 45 and 45W.
    Northwest Zone: Lake, Obion and Weakley Counties and those portions 
of Gibson and Dyer Counties not included in the Southwest Tennessee 
Zone.
    Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Zone: That portion of the State bounded on 
the west by the eastern boundaries of the Northwest and Southwest Zones 
and on the east by State Highway 13 from the Alabama border to 
Clarksville and U.S. Highway 79 from Clarksville to the Kentucky 
border.
    Wisconsin
    Horicon Zone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at the 
intersection of State Highway 21 and the Fox River in Winnebago County 
and extending westerly along State 21 to the west boundary of Winnebago 
County, southerly along the west boundary of Winnebago County to the 
north boundary of Green Lake County, westerly along the north 
boundaries of Green Lake and Marquette Counties to State 22, southerly 
along State 22 to State 33, westerly along State 33 to U.S. Highway 16, 
westerly along U.S. 16 to Weyh Road, southerly along Weyh Road to 
County Highway O, southerly along County O to the west boundary of 
Section 31, southerly along the west boundary of Section 31 to the 
Sauk/Columbia County boundary, southerly along the Sauk/Columbia County 
boundary to State 33, easterly along State 33 to Interstate Highway 90/
94, southerly along I-90/94 to State 60, easterly along State 60 to 
State 83, northerly along State 83 to State 175, northerly along State 
175 to State 33, easterly along State 33 to U.S. Highway 45, northerly 
along U.S. 45 to the east shore of the Fond Du Lac River, northerly 
along the east shore of the Fond Du Lac River to Lake Winnebago, 
northerly along the western shoreline of Lake Winnebago to the Fox 
River, then westerly along the Fox River to State 21.

[[Page 50065]]

    Collins Zone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at the 
intersection of Hilltop Road and Collins Marsh Road in Manitowoc County 
and extending westerly along Hilltop Road to Humpty Dumpty Road, 
southerly along Humpty Dumpty Road to Poplar Grove Road, easterly and 
southerly along Poplar Grove Road to County Highway JJ, southeasterly 
along County JJ to Collins Road, southerly along Collins Road to the 
Manitowoc River, southeasterly along the Manitowoc River to Quarry 
Road, northerly along Quarry Road to Einberger Road, northerly along 
Einberger Road to Moschel Road, westerly along Moschel Road to Collins 
Marsh Road, northerly along Collins Marsh Road to Hilltop Road.
    Exterior Zone: That portion of the State not included in the 
Horicon or Collins Zones.
    Mississippi River Subzone: That area encompassed by a line 
beginning at the intersection of the Burlington Northern Railway and 
the Illinois border in Grant County and extending northerly along the 
Burlington Northern Railway to the city limit of Prescott in Pierce 
County, then west along the Prescott city limit to the Minnesota 
border.
    Rock Prairie Subzone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at 
the intersection of the Illinois border and Interstate Highway 90 and 
extending north along I-90 to County Highway A, east along County A to 
U.S. Highway 12, southeast along U.S. 12 to State Highway 50, west 
along State 50 to State 120, then south along 120 to the Illinois 
border.
Central Flyway
    Colorado (Central Flyway Portion)
    Northern Front Range Area: All lands in Adams, Boulder, Clear 
Creek, Denver, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld Counties west of I-
25 from the Wyoming border south to I-70; west on I-70 to the 
Continental Divide; north along the Continental Divide to the Jackson-
Larimer County Line to the Wyoming border.
    South Park Area: Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park, and Teller 
Counties.
    San Luis Valley Area: Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, and Rio Grande 
Counties and the portion of Saguache County east of the Continental 
Divide.
    North Park Area: Jackson County.
    Arkansas Valley Area: Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Otero, and 
Prowers Counties.
    Remainder: Remainder of the Central-Flyway portion of Colorado.
    Kansas
    Light Geese
    Unit 1: That portion of Kansas east of KS 99.
    Unit 2: The remainder of Kansas.
    Dark Geese
    Marais des Cygne Valley Unit: The area is bounded by the Missouri 
border to KS 68, KS 68 to U.S-169, U.S. 169 to KS 7, KS 7 to KS 31, KS 
31 to U.S. 69, U.S. 69 to KS 239, KS 239 to the Missouri border.
    South Flint Hills Unit: The area is bounded by Highways U.S. 50 to 
KS 57, KS 57 to U.S. 75, U.S. 75 to KS 39, KS 39 to KS 96, KS 96 to 
U.S. 77, U.S. 77 to U.S. 50.
    Central Flint Hills Unit: That area southwest of Topeka bounded by 
Highways U.S. 75 to I-35, I-35 to U.S. 50, U.S. 50 to U.S. 77, U.S. 77 
to I-70, I-70 to U.S. 75.
    Southeast Unit: That area of southeast Kansas bounded by the 
Missouri border to U.S. 160, U.S. 160 to U.S. 69, U.S. 69 to KS 39, KS 
39 to U.S. 169, U.S. 169 to the Oklahoma border, and the Oklahoma 
border to the Missouri border.
    Montana (Central Flyway Portion)
    Sheridan County: Includes all of Sheridan County.
    Remainder: Includes the remainder of the Central-Flyway portion of 
Montana.
    Nebraska
    Dark Geese
    North Unit: Keya Paha County east of U.S. 183 and all of Boyd 
County, including the boundary waters of the Niobrara River, all of 
Knox County and that portion of Cedar County west of U.S. 81.
    East Unit: The area east of a line beginning at U.S. 183 at the 
northern State line; south to NE 2; east to U.S. 281; south to the 
southern State line, excluding the North Unit.
    West Unit: All of Nebraska west of the East Unit.
    Light Geese
    North Unit: The area north of the waters of the North Platte River 
from the Wyoming line to the confluence of the South Platte River near 
North Platte, then eastward along the Platte River to the Iowa border.
    South Unit: The area south of the North Unit, excluding the 
Rainwater Basin Counties of Adams, Butler, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, 
Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Harland, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps, Polk, 
Saline, Seward, Thayer, and York Counties.
    New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion)
    Light Geese
    Middle Rio Grande Valley Unit: The Central-Flyway portions of 
Socorro and Valencia Counties.
    Remainder: The remainder of the Central-Flyway portion of New 
Mexico.
    North Dakota
    Dark Geese
    Missouri River Zone: That area encompassed by a line extending from 
the South Dakota border north on U.S. 83 and I-94 to ND 41, north to ND 
53, west to U.S. 83, north to ND 23, west to ND 37, south to ND 1804, 
south approximately 9 miles to Elbowoods Bay on Lake Sakakawea, south 
and west across the lake to ND 8, south to ND 200, east to ND 31, south 
to ND 25, south to I-94, east to ND 6, south to the South Dakota 
border, and east to the point of origin.
    Statewide: All of North Dakota.
    Texas
    West Unit: That portion of the State lying west of a line from the 
international toll bridge at Laredo; north along I-35 and I-35W to Fort 
Worth; northwest along US 81 and US 287 to Bowie; and north along US 81 
to the Oklahoma border.
    East Unit: Remainder of State.
    Wyoming (Central Flyway Portion)
    Area 1: Albany, Campbell, Converse, Crook, Johnson, Laramie, 
Natrona, Niobrara, Sheridan, and Weston Counties, and Carbon County 
east of the Continental Divide.
    Area 2: Platte County.
    Area 3: Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie 
Counties.
    Area 4: Goshen County.
Pacific Flyway
    Arizona
    GMU 22 and 23: Game Management Units 22 and 23.
    Remainder of State: The remainder of Arizona.
    California
    Northeastern Zone: That portion of the State east and north of a 
line beginning at the Oregon border; south and west along the Klamath 
River to the mouth of Shovel Creek; south along Shovel Creek to Forest 
Service Road 46N10; south and east along FS 46N10 to FS 45N22; west and 
south along FS 45N22 to U.S. 97 at Grass Lake Summit; south and west 
along U.S. 97 to I-5 at the town of Weed; south along I-5 to CA 89; 
east and south along CA 89 to the junction with CA 49; east and north 
on CA 49 to CA 70; east on CA 70 to U.S. 395; south and east on U.S. 
395 to the Nevada border.
    Colorado River Zone: Those portions of San Bernardino, Riverside, 
and Imperial Counties east of a line extending from the Nevada border 
south along U.S. 95 to Vidal Junction; south on a road known as 
``Aqueduct Road'' in San Bernardino County through the town of Rice to 
the San Bernardino-Riverside County line; south on a road known in 
Riverside County as the ``Desert Center to Rice Road'' to the 

[[Page 50066]]
town of Desert Center; east 31 miles on I-10 to the Wiley Well Road; 
south on this road to Wiley Well; southeast along the Army-Milpitas 
Road to the Blythe, Brawley, Davis Lake intersections; south on the 
Blythe-Brawley paved road to the Ogilby and Tumco Mine Road; south on 
this road to U.S. 80; east seven miles on U.S. 80 to the Andrade-
Algodones Road; south on this paved road to the Mexican border at 
Algodones, Mexico.
    Southern Zone: That portion of southern California (but excluding 
the Colorado River Zone) south and east of a line extending from the 
Pacific Ocean east along the Santa Maria River to CA 166 near the City 
of Santa Maria; east on CA 166 to CA 99; south on CA 99 to the crest of 
the Tehachapi Mountains at Tejon Pass; east and north along the crest 
of the Tehachapi Mountains to CA 178 at Walker Pass; east on CA 178 to 
U.S. 395 at the town of Inyokern; south on U.S. 395 to CA 58; east on 
CA 58 to I-15; east on I-15 to CA 127; north on CA 127 to the Nevada 
border.
    Balance-of-the-State Zone: The remainder of California not included 
in the Northeastern, Southern, and the Colorado River Zones.
    Del Norte and Humboldt Area: The Counties of Del Norte and 
Humboldt.
    Sacramento Valley Area: That area bounded by a line beginning at 
Willows in Glenn County proceeding south on I-5 to Hahn Road north of 
Arbuckle in Colusa County; easterly on Hahn Road and the Grimes 
Arbuckle Road to Grimes on the Sacramento River; southerly on the 
Sacramento River to the Tisdale Bypass to O'Banion Road; easterly on 
O'Banion Road to CA 99; northerly on CA 99 to the Gridley-Colusa 
Highway in Gridley in Butte County; westerly on the Gridley-Colusa 
Highway to the River Road; northerly on the River Road to the Princeton 
Ferry; westerly across the Sacramento River to CA 45; northerly on CA 
45 to CA 162; northerly on CA 45-162 to Glenn; westerly on CA 162 to 
the point of beginning in Willows.
    Western Canada Goose Hunt Area: That portion of the above described 
Sacramento Valley Area lying east of a line formed by Butte Creek from 
the Gridley-Colusa Highway south to the Cherokee Canal; easterly along 
the Cherokee Canal and North Butte Road to West Butte Road; southerly 
on West Butte Road to Pass Road; easterly on Pass Road to West Butte 
Road; southerly on West Butte Road to CA 20; and westerly along CA 20 
to the Sacramento River.
    San Joaquin Valley Area: That area bounded by a line beginning at 
Modesto in Stanislaus County proceeding west on CA 132 to I-5; 
southerly on I-5 to CA 152 in Merced County; easterly on CA 152 to CA 
165; northerly on CA 165 to CA 99 at Merced; northerly and westerly on 
CA 99 to the point of beginning.
    Colorado (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    Browns Park Area: The Browns Park portion of Moffatt County.
    Delta/Montrose Area: All of Delta and Montrose Counties.
    Gunnison/Saguache Area: Gunnison County and that portion of 
Saguache County west of the Continental Divide.
    Dolores/Montezuma Area: All of Dolores and Montezuma Counties.
    State Area: The remainder of the Pacific-Flyway Portion of 
Colorado.
    Idaho
    Zone 1: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, 
Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone Counties.
    Zone 2: The Counties of Ada; Adams; Boise; Canyon; those portions 
of Elmore north and east of I-84, and south and west of I-84, west of 
ID 51, except the Camas Creek drainage; Gem; Owyhee west of ID 51; 
Payette; Valley; and Washington.
    Zone 3: The Counties of Blaine; Camas; Cassia; those portions of 
Elmore south of I-84 east of ID 51, and within the Camas Creek 
drainage; Gooding; Jerome; Lincoln; Minidoka; Owyhee east of ID 51; 
Power within the Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge; and Twin Falls.
    Zone 4: The Counties of Bear Lake; Bingham within the Blackfoot 
Reservoir drainage; Bonneville, Butte; Caribou except the Fort Hall 
Indian Reservation; Clark; Custer; Franklin; Fremont; Jefferson; Lemhi; 
Madison; Oneida; Power west of ID 37 and ID 39 except the Minidoka 
National Wildlife Refuge; and Teton.
    Zone 5: All lands and waters within the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation, including private inholdings; Bannock County; Bingham 
County, except that portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage; 
and Power County east of ID 37 and ID 39.
    In addition, goose frameworks are set by the following geographical 
areas:
    Northern Unit: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, 
Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone Counties.
    Southwestern Unit: That area west of the line formed by U.S. 93 
north from the Nevada border to Shoshone, northerly on ID 75 (formerly 
U.S. 93) to Challis, northerly on U.S. 93 to the Montana border (except 
the Northern Unit and except Custer and Lemhi Counties).
    Southeastern Unit: That area east of the line formed by U.S. 93 
north from the Nevada border to Shoshone, northerly on ID 75 (formerly 
U.S. 93) to Challis, northerly on U.S. 93 to the Montana border, 
including all of Custer and Lemhi Counties.
    Montana (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    East of the Divide Zone: The Pacific-Flyway portion of the State 
located east of the Continental Divide.
    West of the Divide Zone: The remainder of the Pacific-Flyway 
portion of Montana.
    Nevada
    Clark County Zone: Clark County.
    Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The remainder of Nevada.
    New Mexico (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    North Zone: The Pacific-Flyway portion of New Mexico located north 
of I-40.
    South Zone: The Pacific-Flyway portion of New Mexico located south 
of I-40.
    Oregon
    Western Oregon: All counties west of the summit of the Cascades, 
excluding Klamath and Hood River Counties.
    Northwest Oregon General Zone: Those portions of Multnomah, 
Clackamas, Marion, Linn, and Lane Counties outside the Northwest Oregon 
Special Permit Zone; except that, that portion of Lane County west of 
Highway 101 is closed to all Canada goose hunting.
    Northwest Oregon Special Permit Zone: That portion of western 
Oregon west and north of a line starting at the Columbia River at 
Portland, south on I-5 to OR 22 at Salem, east on OR 22 to the Stayton 
Cutoff, south on the Stayton Cutoff to Stayton and straight south to 
the Santiam River, west (downstream) along the north shore of the 
Santiam River to I-5, south on I-5 to OR 126 at Eugene, west on OR 126 
to Greenhill Rd, south on Greenhill Rd to Crow Rd, west on Crow Rd to 
Territorial Hwy, north on Territorial Hwy to OR 126, west on OR 126 to 
OR 36, north on OR 36 to Forest Road 5070 at Brickerville, west and 
south on Forest Road 5070 to OR 126, west on OR 126 to the Pacific 
Coast.
    Northwest Oregon Early-Season Canada Goose Zone: All of Benton, 
Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, 
Multnomah, Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill Counties.
    Southwest Oregon General Zone: Coos, Curry, Douglas, Joephine, and 
Jackson Counties, except that those portions of Coos, Curr, and Douglas 
Counties west of US 101 are closed to all Canada goose hunting.
    Eastern Oregon: All counties east of the summit of the Cascades, 
including all of Klamath and Hood River Counties. 

[[Page 50067]]

    Harney, Klamath, Lake and Malheur Counties Zone: All of Harney, 
Klamath, Lake, and Malheur Counties.
    Remainder of Eastern Oregon Counties Zone: Eastern Oregon, 
excluding Harney, Klamath, Lake and Malheur Counties.
    Utah
    Washington County Zone: All of Washington County.
    Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The remainder of Utah.
    Washington
    Eastern Washington: All areas east of the Pacific Crest Trail and 
east of the Big White Salmon River in Klickitat County.
    Area 1: Lincoln, Spokane, and Walla Walla Counties; that part of 
Grant County east of a line beginning at the Douglas-Lincoln County 
Line on WA 174, southwest on WA 174 to WA 155, south on WA 155 to US 2, 
southwest on US 2 to Pinto Ridge Rd, south on Pinto Ridge Rd to WA 28, 
east on WA 28 to the Stratford Rd, south on the Stratford Rd to WA 17, 
south on WA 17 to the Grant-Adams county line; those parts of Adams 
County east of State Highway 17; those parts of Franklin County east 
and south of a line beginning at the Adams-Franklin County line on WA 
17, south on WA 17 to US 395, south on US 395 to I-182, west o I-182 to 
the Franklin-Benton county line; those parts of Benton County south of 
I-182 and I-82; and those parts of Klickitat County east of U.S. 
Highway 97.
    Area 2: All of Okanongan, Douglas, and Kittitas counties and those 
parts of Grant, Adams, Franklin, and Benton counties not included in 
Eastern Washington Goose Management Area 1.
    Area 3: All other parts of eastern Washington not included in 
Eastern Washington Goose Management Areas 1 and 2.
    Western Washington: All areas west of the East Zone.
    Area 1: Skagit, Island, and Snohomish Counties.
    Area 2: Clark, Cowlitz, Pacific, and Wahkiakum Counties.
    Area 3: All parts of western Washington not included in Western 
Washington Goose Management Areas 1 and 2.
    Lower Columbia River Early-Season Canada Goose Zone: Beginning at 
the Washington-Oregon border on the I-5 Bridge near Vancouver, 
Washington; north on I-5 to Kelso; west on Highway 4 from Kelso to 
Highway 401; south and west on Highway 401 to Highway 101 at the 
Astoria-Megler Bridge; west on Highway 101 to Gray Drive in the City of 
Ilwaco; west on Gray Drive to Canby Road; southwest on Canby Road to 
the North Jetty; southwest on the North Jetty to its end; southeast to 
the Washington-Oregon border; upstream along the Washington-Oregon 
border to the point of origin.
    Wyoming (Pacific Flyway Portion): See State Regulations.
    Bear River Area: That portion of Lincoln County described in State 
regulations.
    Salt River Area: That portion of Lincoln County described in State 
regulations.
    Eden-Farson Area: Those portions of Sweetwater and Sublette 
Counties described in State regulations.

Swans

Central Flyway
    South Dakota: Brown, Campbell, Clark, Codington, Deuel, Day, 
Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Hamlin, Marshall, McPherson, Potter, Roberts, 
Spink, and Walworth.
Pacific Flyway
    Montana (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    Open Area: Cascade, Chouteau, Hill, Liberty, and Toole Counties and 
those portions of Pondera and Teton Counties lying east of U.S. 287-89.
    Nevada
    Open Area: Churchill, Lyon, and Pershing Counties.
    Utah
    Open Area: Those portions of Box, Elder, Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, 
and Toole Counties lying south of State Hwy 30, I-80/84, west of I-15, 
and north of I-80.
[FR Doc. 95-23995 Filed 9-26-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-F