[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53690-53713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-20713]



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Part IV





Department of the Interior





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Fish and Wildlife



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50 CFR Part 20



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

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 159 / Friday, August 16, 2002 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 53690]]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

RIN 1018-AI30


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

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; supplemental.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service or we) is 
proposing to establish the 2002-03 late-season hunting regulations for 
certain migratory game birds. We annually prescribe frameworks, or 
outer limits, for dates and times when hunting may occur and the number 
of birds that may be taken and possessed in late seasons. These 
frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of seasons and 
limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels compatible with 
population and habitat conditions.

DATES: You must submit comments on the proposed migratory bird hunting 
late-season frameworks by August 30, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on these proposals to the Chief, Division 
of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior, room 634-Arlington Square, 1849 C Street, 
NW, Washington, DC 20240. All comments received, including names and 
addresses, will become part of the public record. You may inspect 
comments during normal business hours in room 634, Arlington Square 
Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Blohm, Acting Chief, or Ron W. 
Kokel, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, (703) 358-1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulations Schedule for 2002

    On March 19, 2002, we published in the Federal Register (67 FR 
12501) a proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20. The proposal provided a 
background and overview of the migratory bird hunting regulations 
process, and dealt with the establishment of seasons, limits, the 
proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2002-03 duck hunting season, 
and other regulations for migratory game birds under Secs. 20.101 
through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. On June 11, 2002, we 
published in the Federal Register (67 FR 40128) a second document 
providing supplemental proposals for early- and late-season migratory 
bird hunting regulations frameworks and the proposed regulatory 
alternatives for the 2002-03 duck hunting season. The June 11 
supplement also provided detailed information on the 2002-03 regulatory 
schedule and announced the Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee 
(SRC) and Flyway Council meetings.
    On June 19-20, we held open meetings with the Flyway Council 
Consultants at which the participants reviewed information on the 
current status of migratory shore and upland game birds and developed 
recommendations for the 2002-03 regulations for these species plus 
regulations for migratory game birds in Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the 
Virgin Islands, special September waterfowl seasons in designated 
States, special sea duck seasons in the Atlantic Flyway, and extended 
falconry seasons. In addition, we reviewed and discussed preliminary 
information on the status of waterfowl as it relates to the development 
and selection of the regulatory packages for the 2002-03 regular 
waterfowl seasons. On July 17, we published in the Federal Register (67 
FR 47224) a third document specifically dealing with the proposed 
frameworks for early-season regulations and the final regulatory 
alternatives for the 2002-03 duck hunting season. We will publish a 
rulemaking establishing final frameworks for early-season migratory 
bird hunting regulations for the 2002-03 season in late August.
    On July 31 and August 1, 2002, we held open meetings with the 
Flyway Council Consultants at which the participants reviewed the 
status of waterfowl and developed recommendations for the 2002-03 
regulations for these species. This document deals specifically with 
proposed frameworks for the late-season migratory bird hunting 
regulations. It will lead to final frameworks from which States may 
select season dates, shooting hours, areas, and limits.
    We have considered all pertinent comments received through August 
1, 2002, in developing this document. In addition, new proposals for 
certain late-season regulations are provided for public comment. 
Comment periods are specified above under DATES. We will publish final 
regulatory frameworks for late-season migratory game bird hunting in 
the Federal Register on or about September 16, 2002.

Population Status and Harvest

    The following paragraphs provide a brief summary of information on 
the status and harvest of waterfowl excerpted from various reports. For 
more detailed information on methodologies and results, complete copies 
of the various reports are available at the address indicated under the 
caption ADDRESSES or from our website at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov.

Status of Ducks

    Federal, provincial, and State agencies conduct surveys each spring 
to estimate the size of breeding populations and to evaluate the 
conditions of the habitats. These surveys are conducted using fixed-
wing aircraft and encompass principal breeding areas of North America, 
and cover over 2.0 million square miles. The Traditional survey area is 
comprised of Alaska, Canada, and the northcentral U.S., and includes 
approximately 1.3 million square miles. The Eastern survey area 
includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, 
Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, New York, and Maine, an area of 
approximately 0.7 million square miles.
Breeding Ground Conditions
    In summary, below average winter and spring precipitation in the 
prairies and parklands and cold spring temperatures in eastern North 
America resulted in generally poorer habitat conditions for breeding 
waterfowl this year than in 2001. Dry conditions were reflected in the 
number of ponds counted this year. Total May ponds (U.S. prairies and 
Canadian prairies and parkland combined) were 2.7  0.1 
million, which is the second lowest count recorded since this estimate 
was first calculated in 1974, when this estimate was first recorded, 
41% below last year's estimate of 4.6  0.1 million, and 45% 
below the long-term average. This value was 41% below last year's 
estimate of 4.6  0.1 million, and 45% below the long-term 
average (4.9  0.1 million). May ponds in Canada (1.4 
 0.1 million) and the U.S. (1.3  0.1 million) 
were below 2001 estimates (-48% in Canada and -32% in the U.S) and 
their long-term averages (-58% in Canada and -16% in the U.S). Canadian 
May ponds were the lowest recorded since surveys began in 1961.
    In both the traditional (northcentral United States, western 
Ontario, prairie Provinces and States, Yukon, Northwest Territories, 
and Alaska) and eastern survey areas (the northeastern United States, 
eastern Ontario, Quebec, and the Canadian Maritimes), most regions 
entered into the spring of 2002 with a water deficit remaining from 
winter.

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Spring rains helped recharge wetlands in most of the Northeast, but 
conditions remained very dry in the West. Western Montana, southern 
Saskatchewan, and much of southern Manitoba and southern and central 
Alberta were hardest hit by drought. Fewer ponds available to nesting 
birds caused crowding on remaining ponds. Relative to other parts of 
the prairies, the Dakotas were fair. Permanent wetlands remained in 
good condition following the wet period of 1993-2001. However survey 
results suggest that many prairie-nesting species such as mallards, 
shovelers, pintails, and blue-winged teal, flew over the prairies and 
parklands to the boreal forest, where wetland conditions are more 
stable. Cold spring temperatures also negatively affected nesting 
waterfowl this year. Winter-like conditions hit the entire surveyed 
area in early May, when snowstorms and cold temperatures caused birds 
to halt migration for several weeks. Snow and cold may have caused some 
nest loss in the prairies and parklands. Spring ice break-up was 
several weeks late over many of the northern survey areas. Break-up was 
so late in parts of the Northeast that biologists predicted little 
nesting activity in these areas. Conditions in northern Canada were 
generally good, but cold temperatures likely had a negative impact on 
early nesting species such as mallards, green-winged teal, and 
pintails.
    The only region where habitat conditions for breeding waterfowl 
improved over last year was Alaska, due to warmer post-thaw 
temperatures than last year. However, rapid ice melt may have caused 
flooding of nests in parts of Alaska as well as Labrador.
    Weather and habitat conditions during the summer months can 
influence waterfowl production. Good wetland conditions increase 
renesting and brood survival. During late May and early June, many 
parts of the prairies, including Montana, the western Dakotas, and 
southern Saskatchewan and Alberta received substantial precipitation. 
Though this late rain and snow may have encouraged good reproductive 
effort by late-nesting species such as gadwall, many of the earlier 
nesting ducks likely bypassed the prairies altogether. For those ducks 
that did nest, this late water should improve brood-rearing conditions, 
as brood and duckling survival tends to increase with higher wetland 
densities. Results of the July Production Survey indicate that the 
number of ponds in Prairie Canada and the north-central U.S. combined 
was 1.8  0.1 million ponds. This was 36% below last year's 
estimate of 2.9  0.1 million ponds, and 33% below the long-
term average. July ponds in Prairie Canada were at 1.0  0.1 
million. This was 46% below last year's estimate of 1.8  
0.07 million and 43% below the long-term average. July ponds in the 
north-central U.S. were estimated at 0.84  0.04 million. 
This was 19% below last year's estimate of 1.0  0.06 
million, but similar to the long-term average.
    Breeding waterfowl habitat conditions in the eastern survey area 
were highly variable, but all areas experienced a warm, dry winter. In 
the New York, Eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec survey area the 
winter of 2001-2002 was warm and dry, and drought conditions persisted 
throughout much of this region. Waterfowl returned early to this 
region, but early spring habitat conditions were poor. However, several 
weeks before and during surveys, cooler temperatures and increased 
precipitation were the rule, and wetland habitat conditions greatly 
improved. A similar weather pattern was reported for western Ontario. 
Maine and the southern Maritimes experienced a warm, dry winter, and 
above normal temperatures and precipitation in early spring that 
produced good to excellent conditions for breeding ducks. By contrast, 
Newfoundland and Labrador experienced a late, cool spring. In 
Newfoundland, temperatures moderated and good waterfowl production was 
expected, but extended cold, stormy weather in Labrador made for poor 
nesting conditions.
Breeding Population Status
    In the traditional survey area, total duck abundance was 31.2 
 0.5 million birds. This was 14% below last year's estimate 
of 36.1  0.6 million birds, and 6% below the long-term 
(1955-2001) average. Mallard abundance was 7.5  0.2 
million, similar to the 2001 estimate of 7.9  0.2 million, 
and essentially identical to the long-term average. Blue-winged teal 
abundance was 4.2  0.2 million, which was 27% below last 
year's estimate of 5.8  0.3 million, but similar to the 
long-term average. Gadwall (2.2  0.1 million, -17%), 
shovelers (2.3  0.1 million, -30%), and pintails (1.8 
 0.1 million, -46%) were below 2001 estimates. Wigeon (2.3 
 0.1 million), green-winged teal (2.3  0.1 
million), redheads (0.6  0.1 million), canvasbacks (0.5 
 0.1 million), and scaup (3.5  0.2 million) 
were unchanged from 2001 estimates. Gadwall (+37%), green-winged teal 
(+28%), and shovelers (+10%) all remained above their long-term 
averages, whereas wigeon (-12%), pintail (-58%), canvasback (-14%), and 
scaup numbers (-34%) were below long-term averages. Northern pintails 
and scaup were the lowest and second lowest counts on record, 
respectively. The redhead estimate was similar to the long-term 
average.
    In the eastern survey area, the 2002 total duck population estimate 
for this area was 4.4  0.3 million birds, 32% higher than 
last year's (3.3  0.3 million), and 41% higher than the 
1996-2001 average. Numbers of most individual species were similar to 
those of last year, with the exception of mergansers (0.8  
0.1 million, +90%) and green-winged teal (0.7  0.1 million, 
+174%), which increased compared to last year. Mergansers (+68%) and 
green-winged teal (+102%) were also above their 1996-2001 averages, as 
were scoters (0.3  0.1 million, +178%). Estimates for all 
other species were similar to last year's estimates and to long-term 
averages.
Breeding Activity and Production
    The number of broods in the north-central U.S. and Prairie Canada 
combined was 352,600, 35% lower than last year's estimate, and 25% 
below the long-term average. The number of broods in Prairie Canada and 
the North-central U.S. were 54% and 37% below last year's estimates, 
respectively. Brood indices in Prairie Canada were 69% below the long-
term average, while brood counts were 12% above the long-term average 
in the north-central U.S. The brood index in the Canadian boreal forest 
was 21% higher than last year's, but 16% below the long-term average. 
The late-nesting index, the number of pairs and lone drakes without 
broods seen during July surveys, was 9% higher than last year, but 43% 
lower than the long-term average, for all areas combined. The late-
nesting index was down 12% and 33% relative to last year in boreal 
Canada and the north-central U.S., respectively, but up 32% in Prairie 
Canada, perhaps reflecting late rains there. However, the late nesting 
index was below the long-term average by more than 60% in boreal Canada 
and the north-central U.S., and by 24% in prairie Canada.
Fall Flight Estimate
    The size of the mid-continent mallard population, which is 
comprised of mallards from the traditional survey area, plus Michigan, 
Minnesota, and Wisconsin, was 8.5 million birds. This is similar to 
that of 2001 (8.7 million). The 2002 mid-continent mallard fall-flight 
estimate is 8.9 million birds, statistically similar to the 2001 
estimate of 9.7 million birds. These estimates were based on revised 
mid-continent mallard population models, and

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therefore, differ from those previously published.
    See section 1.B. Regulatory Alternatives for further discussion on 
the implications of this information for this year's selection of the 
appropriate hunting regulations.

Status of Geese and Swans

    We annually assess the population status and productivity of 30 
populations of North American Canada geese (Branta canadensis), brant 
(B. bernicla), snow geese (Chen caerulescens), Ross's geese (C. 
rossii), emperor geese (C. canagicus), white-fronted geese (Anser 
albifrons) and tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus). Reproductive 
performance of several goose populations likely were impacted by colder 
and dryer than average conditions during spring migration in 2002. The 
timing of snowmelt in most areas of the Arctic was near average, but 
arrival to nesting areas and initiation of nesting for many goose 
populations were delayed by adverse migration conditions. In the Hudson 
Bay Lowlands and northern Quebec, a cold and snowy May delayed nesting 
and reduced production for several populations. Throughout most of 
Alaska, Wrangel Island, and the northwestern Canadian mainland the 
timing of snowmelt was early and conditions for nesting geese and swans 
were very favorable. Of the 25 populations for which current primary 
population indices were available, 11 populations (Atlantic Population, 
Aleutian, and 4 resident populations of Canada geese; greater snow 
geese; Pacific and Mid-continent White-fronted Goose Populations; 
Atlantic brant; and Eastern Population tundra swans) displayed positive 
trends, and only Short Grass Prairie Population Canada geese displayed 
a significant negative trend over the most recent 10-year period. 
Forecasts for production of young across the Arctic and subarctic in 
2002 varied regionally, but generally will be improved in western areas 
and reduced in eastern areas compared to 2001.

Waterfowl Harvest and Hunter Activity

    During the 2001-02 hunting season, duck stamp sales in 2001 were 
slightly below sales in 2000. United States waterfowl hunters hunted 
about 8% more days and bagged about 9% fewer ducks, 5% more geese and 
27% fewer coots than in 2000. Duck stamp sales totaled 1,659,485 
(slight decrease) and 13,933,700 ducks (-9%), 3,225,300 geese (+5%), 
and 142,700 coots (-27%) were harvested during 14,999,000 hunter-days 
(+8%). Persons buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 8.8 days afield 
(+8%) and bagged an average of 8.4 ducks (-9%) and 2.0 geese (+6%) 
each. The five most commonly harvested duck species were mallard (37%), 
gadwall (11%), green-winged teal (10%), blue-winged/cinnamon teal (9%), 
and wood duck (8%).
    In the Atlantic Flyway, duck stamp sales totaled 310,092 (+1% from 
2000), and 1,626,300 ducks (-13%), 612,100 geese (+40%), and 12,100 
coots (-37%) were harvested during 2,269,600 hunter-days (+9%). Persons 
buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 7.5 days afield (+6%) and 
bagged an average of 6.0 ducks (-14%) and 2.1 geese (+34%) each. The 
three most commonly harvested duck species in 2001 were mallard (25%), 
wood duck (22%), and green-winged teal (9%).
    In the Mississippi Flyway, duck stamp sales totaled 739,387 (-1%), 
and 6,630,900 ducks (-16%), 1,060,000 geese (-13%), and 103,700 coots 
(-21%) were harvested during 7,647,300 hunter-days (+8%). Persons 
buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 10.0 days afield (+8%) and 
bagged an average of 9.4 ducks (-15%) and 1.6 geese (-10%) each. The 
three most commonly harvested duck species were mallard (38%), gadwall 
(13%), and blue-winged teal (12%).
    In the Central Flyway, duck stamp sales totaled 364,538 (+2%), and 
3,446,500 ducks (+6%), 1,189,800 geese (+19%), and 15,100 coots (-42%) 
were harvested during 3,043,000 hunter-days (+15%). Persons buying duck 
stamps for hunting averaged 8.0 days afield (+12) and bagged an average 
of 7.7 ducks (+6%) and 3.1 geese (+22%) each. The three most commonly 
harvested duck species were mallard (38%), gadwall (16%), and green-
winged teal (10%).
    In the Pacific Flyway, duck stamp sales totaled 287,138 (+2%), and 
2,168,200 ducks (-5%), 354,900 geese (-11%), and 11,800 coots (-35%) 
were harvested during 1,984,400 hunter-days (no change). Persons buying 
duck stamps for hunting averaged 8.1 days afield (+3%) and bagged an 
average of 9.3 ducks (-2%) and 1.5 geese (-9%) each. The three most 
commonly harvested duck species were mallard (44%), green-winged teal 
(14%) and wigeon (13%).
    In Alaska, duck stamp sales totaled 10,068 (-1%), and 61,900 ducks 
(-12%) and 8,600 geese (+30%) were taken during 54,700 hunter-days 
(+3%). Persons buying duck stamps for hunting averaged 5.0 days afield 
(+3%) and bagged an average of 6.3 ducks (-8%) and 0.9 geese (+35%) 
each. The three most commonly harvested duck species were mallard 
(38%), wigeon (23%), and northern pintail (15%).

Review of Public Comments and Flyway Council Recommendations

    The preliminary proposed rulemaking, which appeared in the March 19 
Federal Register, opened the public comment period for migratory game 
bird hunting regulations. The supplemental proposed rule, which 
appeared in the June 11 Federal Register, defined the public comment 
period for the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2002-03 duck 
hunting season. The public comment period for the proposed regulatory 
alternatives ended June 21, 2002. Late-season comments and comments 
pertaining to the proposed alternatives are summarized below and 
numbered in the order used in the March 19 Federal Register document. 
We have included only the numbered items pertaining to late-season 
issues and the proposed regulatory alternatives for which we received 
written comments. Consequently, the issues do not follow in direct 
numerical or alphabetical order.
    We received recommendations from all four Flyway Councils. Some 
recommendations supported continuation of last year's frameworks. Due 
to the comprehensive nature of the annual review of the frameworks 
performed by the Councils, support for continuation of last year's 
frameworks is assumed for items for which no recommendations were 
received. Council recommendations for changes in the frameworks are 
summarized below.
    We seek additional information and comments on the recommendations 
in this supplemental proposed rule. New proposals and modifications to 
previously described proposals are discussed below. Wherever possible, 
they are discussed under headings corresponding to the numbered items 
in the March 19, 2002, Federal Register document.

1. Ducks

    Categories used to discuss issues related to duck harvest 
management are: (A) Harvest Strategy Considerations, (B) Regulatory 
Alternatives, (C) Zones and Split Seasons, and (D) Special Seasons/
Species Management. The categories correspond to previously published 
issues/discussion, and only those containing substantial 
recommendations are discussed below.

B. Regulatory Alternatives

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council and the Lower-

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Region Regulations Committee of the Mississippi Flyway Council 
recommended adoption of the ``liberal'' regulations package for duck 
hunting seasons in 2002-03.
    The Upper-Region Regulations Committee of the Mississippi Flyway 
Council and the Pacific Flyway Council recommended adoption of the 
``moderate'' regulations package for duck hunting seasons in 2002-03.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended the adoption of the 
``liberal'' regulatory package with the exception of the framework 
closing date. The Council recommended a framework closing date of the 
Sunday nearest January 20.
    Service Response: Developing duck hunting regulations that are 
biologically sound and broadly supported by conservation professionals 
and the public is always a challenge. This year is especially 
challenging for a number of reasons:
    (1) Water conditions in the important prairie nesting area of mid-
continent North America have deteriorated dramatically from last year, 
and pond numbers in May in southern Canada were the lowest on record. 
However, duck breeding population estimates this spring declined only 
slightly, and remained near their long-term average.
    (2) Some important revisions have been made this year to the 
Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) protocols that are used to suggest 
the appropriate regulatory alternative. Most importantly, empirical 
corrections have been made for the positive bias in estimated growth 
rates of mid-continent and eastern mallards (for more details about 
these corrections, refer to the reports available on the AHM website at 
http://migratorybirds.fws.gov). Although there were initial indications 
of the bias in estimated growth rates of mid-continent mallards as 
early as the late 1970s, predictive population models were not used to 
help set hunting regulations. With the advent of AHM and the expanded 
use of population dynamic models to help recommend regulations, it has 
become necessary to correct these models for any source of bias. The 
bias-correction resulted in a slightly more conservative regulatory 
strategy (i.e., the regulations prescribed for a range of population 
and pond levels) than used in the past for mid-continent mallards. 
However, correction for the bias would not have changed the selection 
of hunting regulations since 1995 because population and pond numbers 
were so high. The bias correction has had little effect on the outlook 
for regulations in the Atlantic Flyway, which are based on the status 
of eastern mallards. The source of the bias in mallard growth rates 
remains unknown, but monitoring programs used to estimate survival and 
reproductive rates are being carefully scrutinized.
    (3) Earlier this year, we considered a number of possible changes 
to the set of regulatory alternatives (very restrictive, restrictive, 
moderate, and liberal) (see the July 17, 2002, Federal Register). The 
only change we adopted was an extension of opening and closing 
framework dates in the ``moderate'' and ``liberal'' regulatory 
alternatives. The initial prediction is that these extensions will 
cause harvest rates of mid-continent and eastern mallards to increase 
by 15% and 5%, respectively.
    Drought conditions in key breeding areas, the correction for the 
positive bias in estimated growth rates of mallards, and framework-date 
extensions all tend to lead to more conservatism in hunting regulations 
through the AHM process. To assist the Service and Flyway Councils in 
developing a regulatory proposal for the 2002-03 season, the AHM 
Working Group derived an optimal AHM regulatory strategy for the three 
western Flyways (Mississippi, Central and Pacific Flyways). The 
strategy used the revised population models and associated model 
weights for mid-continent mallards, harvest and population objectives, 
and the 2002 regulatory alternatives specified in the July 17, 2002, 
Federal Register. Based on a mid-continent population size of 8.5 
million mallards (traditional surveyed area plus the States of 
Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin) and 1.44 million ponds in Prairie 
Canada, the AHM prescription for the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi 
Flyways in 2002 is the ``liberal'' alternative.
    Similarly, the AHM Working Group calculated an optimal regulatory 
strategy for the Atlantic Flyway based on the revised population models 
and associated weights for eastern mallards, harvest objectives, and 
the regulatory alternatives specified in the July 17, 2002, Federal 
Register. Based on a breeding population size of 1.0 million eastern 
mallards, the AHM prescription for the Atlantic Flyway in 2002 is the 
``liberal'' alternative.
    Considering the low numbers of ponds in May, these results were 
somewhat unexpected. However, the weight of biological evidence 
suggests that mallards can support harvest rates associated with the 
2002 ``liberal'' regulatory alternative (the observed harvest rate on 
adult male mid-continent mallards during the 2001-02 ``liberal'' season 
was 11%, and with framework-date extensions it is expected to be 14%). 
We are comfortable that most other duck species can also support the 
hunting opportunity afforded by the ``liberal'' regulatory alternative. 
Generally, harvest rates of most duck species are lower than those for 
mallards. Therefore, we are proposing the ``liberal'' regulatory 
alternative for all four Flyways (the details of Flyway-specific season 
lengths, bag limits, and framework dates are provided later in this 
document).
    Nonetheless, it is increasingly apparent that the long-term success 
of AHM will depend heavily on our collective ability to account more 
rigorously for the harvest potentials of duck species other than 
mallards. This need is particularly evident in a year like this, when 
some species remain below objective levels and when production of most 
duck species is expected to be poor. Therefore, we believe that a 
general solution to this problem must be the highest priority of the 
AHM Working Group. In the meantime, we will not hesitate to take 
regulatory action to restrict hunting opportunities on species whose 
population status is of concern (e.g., pintails, canvasbacks, black 
ducks, scaup). Such restrictive actions are being proposed this year 
for some duck species (see section D. Special Seasons/Species 
Management below for details).
    With regard to the Central Flyway's recommendation to limit the 
framework-date extension to the earliest opening date, we note that the 
specifics of the regulatory alternatives were finalized in the July 17, 
2002, Federal Register. One of the primary goals of AHM has been to 
establish these alternatives early in the year, so that debate in the 
late-season process can be focused solely on selection of an 
alternative.

D. Special Seasons/Species Management

iii. Black Ducks
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
allowing States to increase the daily bag limit on black ducks to 2 per 
day for up to 30 consecutive hunting days, provided the black duck 
season is closed for an equivalent number of days. During the remainder 
of the season, the black duck bag daily bag limit would be 1 bird per 
day. Both two-bird bag days and closed days could be split into no more 
than two segments.
    Service Response: We remain concerned about the status of black 
duck populations and believe the International Harvest strategy should 
be

[[Page 53694]]

completed before other regulatory alternatives are implemented. 
Further, we do not support allowing regulatory options because of the 
difficulty in assessing whether or not these options are in fact 
harvest-neutral. This proposal would allow States, or portions of 
States, several different combinations of bag limits from 2 to 1 bird 
daily, and include a period of season closure. We believe this option 
would add considerable complexity (zones within States, combinations of 
days and bags, etc.) and greater uncertainty during a time in which 
framework dates have been extended. The effects of framework-date 
extensions are expected to result in some additional harvest. We do not 
have the necessary harvest monitoring in place to assess all aspects of 
this proposal, including possible changes in the harvest distribution 
of black ducks within the Atlantic Flyway. We suggest that the Atlantic 
Flyway work within the guidelines being developed by the International 
Harvest Strategy Working Group.
iv. Canvasbacks
    Council Recommendations: All four Flyway Councils recommended that 
the Canvasback Harvest Management Strategy be changed so that hunting 
seasons would be open if the population model predicts a subsequent-
year breeding population of 400,000 or more. The objectives from the 
1994 strategy would be modified as follows:
    1. the goal for the size of the breeding population should be 
540,000 birds, consistent with the North American Waterfowl Management 
Plan,
    2. the strategy should permit a greater possibility for a sustained 
sport harvest than has occurred recently using a closure threshold of 
500,000, and
    3. the amount of harvest in any one year should not result in a 
predicted spring population lower than 400,000, allowing harvest 
opportunity on this prairie nesting species at reasonable levels above 
and below long-term population levels.
    4. full-length canvasback seasons with 1-bird limits should be 
offered to all flyways when the breeding population is predicted to be 
above the closure threshold; however, the option of abbreviated 
canvasback seasons within basic duck seasons should be considered when 
harvest reduction is likely to sustain the breeding population above 
400,000 birds.
    With the above changes in mind, the Atlantic Flyway Council 
recommended a limited canvasback hunting season of 20 days in the 
Atlantic Flyway, the Mississippi Flyway Council recommended a limited 
canvasback hunting season of 20 days in the Mississippi Flyway, the 
Central Flyway Council recommended a limited canvasback hunting season 
of 25 days in the Central Flyway, and the Pacific Flyway Council 
recommended a limited canvasback hunting season of 38 days in the 
Pacific Flyway during the 2002-03 season, with a daily bag limit of one 
bird per day.
    Service Response: For canvasbacks, we continue to support the 
harvest strategy adopted by the Service in 1994, and believe that it 
should be used to guide seasons this year. The 2002 spring breeding 
population estimate was 487,000, which was lower than the objective 
level of 500,000. The number of ponds in prairie Canada was 1.44 
million, the lowest recorded in the history of the survey. Because 
predicted production is directly proportional to the abundance of ponds 
in Canada in May, we expect recruitment to be among the lowest ever 
experienced. Even with no harvest during the 2002-03 season, the 
canvasback model predicts the spring population will be below 500,000 
in 2003. Thus, we believe that the season on canvasbacks should be 
closed.
    In review of canvasback management, it is clear that this species 
has some unique biological attributes that have resulted in a long 
history of special harvest-management considerations necessary to 
maintain the population at the desired level. Canvasbacks have low 
recruitment potential and are very sensitive to drought conditions.
    Further, the current population objective of 500,000 has a long 
history. This level was first established in a 1976 Environmental 
Assessment. This objective was then used in the National Species of 
Special Emphasis document, the National Waterfowl Management Plan, and 
the most recent 1983 Environmental Assessment. We believe that the 
current goal of 500,000 has served us well in managing this population 
over the past three decades.
    Last year, our objective was to allow some hunting opportunity 
while maintaining the 2002 spring population level above the 500,000 
objective level. That objective was not achieved with a breeding 
population already below 500,000 and with a very poor production 
outlook, we believe a season closure this year is warranted.
v. Pintails
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
that the pintail season be limited to 20 days with a bag limit of one 
bird per day in the states of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and 
South Carolina. States could select these days during any time period 
within their regular duck season.
    The Upper-Region Regulations Committee of the Mississippi Flyway 
Council recommended a 45-day season, while the Lower-Region Regulations 
Committee a 30-day season.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended a 1-bird daily bag limit for 
pintails for the entire duck season.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommends the Service adopt the 
``restrictive'' package season length (60 days) and allow States to 
split those seasons, consistent with existing zone and split 
regulations, for pintails in the Pacific Flyway in 2002-03.
    Service Response: We appreciate the time and careful attention by 
the Flyway Councils to the situation we currently face regarding 
appropriate pintail harvest regulations this year. The record low 
numbers, combined with the poor production forecast, have convinced us 
that a departure from the pintail harvest strategy is justified, as was 
evidenced by the majority of Council recommendations we received this 
year. Therefore, we propose that the restrictive season length be used 
for pintails in all four Flyways. Further, we support the 
recommendation that the restrictive pintail season may be split 
according to applicable zone/split configurations approved for each 
State during the last open season.
vi. Scaup
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central 
Flyway Councils recommended a daily bag limit of three scaup for the 
2002-03 hunting season.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended a daily bag limit of four 
scaup in the Pacific Flyway for the 2002-03 hunting season.
    Service Response: In 1999, the Service restricted the bag limit of 
scaup to 3 in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways and 4 in 
the Pacific Flyway. During the past 3 seasons, harvest has been 
210,700, 300,700, and 388,900, respectively. In addition, age ratios in 
the harvest over the last few years have suggested reduced productivity 
for scaup (the lowest on record in 2000).
    For the 2002-03 season, we recommend that these restrictions be 
maintained. We remain concerned about the status of this species, and 
will continue to support ongoing research efforts that are attempting 
to clarify those factors responsible for the decline in numbers and 
work with the technical committees of the Flyway Councils to improve 
our collective abilities to guide the harvest management of this 
species.

[[Page 53695]]

3. Mergansers

    Council Recommendations: The Central Flyway Council recommends that 
the season on mergansers run concurrently with the duck season, with a 
daily bag/possession limit of 5, of which no more than 1 may be a 
hooded merganser. The possession limit will be twice the daily bag 
limit. Shooting hours for mergansers will be one-half hour before 
sunrise to sunset.
    Service Response: We concur with the recommendation.

4. Canada Geese

B. Regular Seasons

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council had several 
recommendations concerning Canada goose populations in the Atlantic 
Flyway. For the North Atlantic Population (NAP), the Council 
recommended the establishment of high and low harvest areas within the 
existing NAP goose zone. They recommended the NAP season frameworks 
would be October 1 to January 31 with a 60-day season and a 2-bird 
daily bag limit in high harvest zones, and a 70-day, 3-bird daily bag 
limit in low harvest zones.
    For Atlantic Population (AP) hunting regulations, the Council 
recommended liberalization of season frameworks in 2002-03 to include a 
45-day season with a daily bag limit of 2 geese in the New England and 
Mid-Atlantic regions, with a framework opening date of the last 
Saturday in October and a closing date of January 31. In the Chesapeake 
region, the season length would be 45 days with a daily bag limit of 1 
goose and a framework opening date of November 15 and a closing date of 
January 31. Remaining AP harvest areas (Northeast Hunt Unit in North 
Carolina and Back Bay, Virginia) would remain closed.
    The Atlantic Flyway Council also recommended allowing regular 
seasons designed to maximize harvest of Resident Population (RP) Canada 
geese in designated areas of the Atlantic Flyway beginning in 2002. 
Regular seasons in designated RP harvest areas of Maryland, 
Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, and Virginia, 
should be 70 days with a 5-bird daily bag limit. In Maryland, 
Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the framework opening and closing dates 
would be November 15 to February 15. In New York and Connecticut, the 
framework dates would be the last Saturday in October to February 15. 
In North Carolina, the framework dates would be October 1 to February 
15. The season would be subject to annual evaluation of band-recovery 
and harvest data.
    The Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations Committees of the 
Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that the opening date for 
regular goose seasons in all States, except Michigan and Wisconsin, be 
as early as the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21, 2002) if 
the duck hunting season framework dates are extended to the Saturday 
nearest September 24 (September 21, 2002). The Committees also 
recommended a number of changes in season lengths, bag limits, zones, 
and quotas for Canada geese. All of these changes are based on improved 
population status and current management plans.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended that the regular seasons for 
all species of geese in all Central Flyway States be as early as the 
Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21, 2002) if the duck hunting 
season framework dates are extended to that date.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended extension of the late goose 
season framework closing date for the Pacific Flyway to the last Sunday 
in January. In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, 
Utah, and Wyoming, the Council also recommended extension of the late 
goose season framework opening date to the Saturday nearest September 
24, and an increase of the season-length to 107 days. In addition, the 
Council proposed several minor area and/or season length changes. The 
specific changes are summarized as follow:
    1. For all States, extend the regular goose season framework ending 
date to the last Sunday in January;
    2. For Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, 
and Wyoming, extend the regular goose season framework opening date to 
the Saturday nearest September 24, and increase the length of goose 
seasons to 107 days;
    3. In California's Northeastern Zone, increase the white-fronted 
and cackling Canada goose season length from 44 days to 100 days;
    4. In California's Southern California Zone, establish the Imperial 
County Special Management Area and extend the white goose season ending 
date to the first Sunday in February in this area;.
    5. In California's Balance-of-State Zone, increase the goose season 
length from 79 to 86 days;
    6. In California's Balance-of-State Zone, allow a 9-day Canada 
goose season in Del Norte and Humboldt counties;
    7. In southeast Oregon, clarify wording of the Harney, Klamath, 
Lake, and Malheur goose zone (no change in regulations); and
    8. In western Oregon, modify closed zones in Lincoln and Coos 
Counties to allow general fall goose hunting, and modify the zone 
description for the Northwest Permit Goose Zone.
    Service Response: We concur with the above recommendations.

C. Special Late Seasons

    Council Recommendations: The Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations 
Committees of the Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that Minnesota 
be allowed to continue their special December experimental Canada goose 
season in 2002 to gather additional information. The Committees also 
recommended that Ohio's special late Canada goose season be granted 
operational status in 8 counties beginning the first Saturday after 
January 10th, for a maximum of 22 days, with a daily bag of 2 Canada 
geese.
    Service Response: We concur with the recommendations.

6. Brant

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
that the 2002-03 season for Atlantic brant be 60 days in length with a 
3 bird daily bag limit and with a framework opening date of the 
Saturday closest to September 24, and a closing date of January 31.
    Service Response: We concur with the recommended change.

8. Swans

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
the Service propose a season, or some other measure, to allow hunters 
participating in tundra swan seasons to substitute mute swan for tundra 
swan in the seasonal bag limit.
    For the 2002-03 season, the Pacific Flyway Council accepts the swan 
frameworks outlined in the Service's Environmental Assessment (dated 
June 15, 2001) entitled ``Proposal to establish operational/
experimental general swan hunting seasons in the Pacific Flyway.''
    Service Response: Given the action of the Court of Appeals for the 
District of Columbia Circuit in December 2001, the provisions of the 
Migratory Bird Treaty Act now apply to mute swans. Management of this 
species could involve a number of options, including hunting (others 
include issuance of depredation permits, establishment of a depredation 
order, etc.). Consideration of hunting, however, will require the 
development of proper NEPA

[[Page 53696]]

documentation, including the development of an Environmental 
Assessment, and Section 7 (endangered species) consultations.
    This is comparable with those steps we follow for all other hunted 
species. We recognize the efforts of the Atlantic Flyway to prepare a 
Flyway management plan for mute swans and encourage the development of 
other Flyway plans that would help the Service and the Councils to 
establish effective hunting season frameworks.

10. Coots

    Council Recommendations: The Central Flyway Council recommends that 
the season on coots run concurrently with the duck season, with daily 
bag/possession limits of 15 and 30, respectively. Shooting hours for 
coots will be one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended outside dates, season 
length, and zones be the same as duck season frameworks.
    Service Response: We concur with the recommendations.

Public Comment Invited

    The Department of the Interior's policy is, whenever practicable, 
to afford the public an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking 
process. We intend that adopted final rules be as responsive as 
possible to all concerned interests and, therefore, seek the comments 
and suggestions of the public, other concerned governmental agencies, 
nongovernmental organizations, and other private interests on these 
proposals. Accordingly, we invite interested persons to submit written 
comments, suggestions, or recommendations regarding the proposed 
regulations to the address indicated under the caption ADDRESSES.
    Special circumstances involved in the establishment of these 
regulations limit the amount of time that we can allow for public 
comment. Specifically, two considerations compress the time in which 
the rulemaking process must operate: (1) The need to establish final 
rules at a point early enough in the summer to allow affected State 
agencies to adjust their licensing and regulatory mechanisms; and (2) 
the unavailability, before mid-June, of specific, reliable data on this 
year's status of some waterfowl and migratory shore and upland game 
bird populations. Therefore, we believe that to allow comment periods 
past the dates specified is contrary to the public interest.
    Before promulgation of final migratory game bird hunting 
regulations, we will take into consideration all comments received. 
Such comments, and any additional information received, may lead to 
final regulations that differ from these proposals. You may inspect 
comments received on the proposed annual regulations during normal 
business hours at the Service's office in room 634, 4401 North Fairfax 
Drive, Arlington, Virginia. For each series of proposed rulemakings, we 
will establish specific comment periods. We will consider, but possibly 
may not respond in detail to, each comment. However, as in the past, we 
will summarize all comments received during the comment period and 
respond to them in the final rule.

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 the Environmental Protection Agency on June 9, 1988. 
We published a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on June 
16, 1988 (53 FR 22582). We published our Record of Decision on August 
18, 1988 (53 FR 31341). Copies are available from the address indicated 
under the caption ADDRESSES.
    Additionally, issues pertaining to swan hunting in the Pacific 
Flyway were covered under a separate NEPA document, ``Swan Hunting in 
the Pacific Flyway,'' issued June 14, 2001, with a Finding of No 
Significant Impact issued June 14, 2001. Copies are available from the 
address indicated under the caption ADDRESSES.

Endangered Species Act Consideration

    Prior to issuance of the 2002-03 migratory game bird hunting 
regulations, we will consider provisions of the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543; hereinafter the Act) to 
ensure that hunting is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence 
of any species designated as endangered or threatened or modify or 
destroy its critical habitat and that the proposed action is consistent 
with conservation programs for those species. Consultations under 
Section 7 of this Act may cause us to change proposals in this and 
future supplemental proposed rulemakings.

Executive Order 12866

    While this individual supplemental rule was not reviewed by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the migratory bird hunting 
regulations are economically significant and are annually reviewed by 
OMB under Executive Order 12866.
    Executive Order 12866 requires each agency to write regulations 
that are easy to understand. We invite comments on how to make this 
rule easier to understand, including answers to questions such as the 
following: (1) Are the requirements in the rule clearly stated? (2) 
Does the rule contain technical language or jargon that interferes with 
its clarity? (3) Does the format of the rule (grouping and order of 
sections, use of headings, paragraphing, etc.) aid or reduce its 
clarity? (4) Would the rule be easier to understand if it were divided 
into more (but shorter) sections? (5) Is the description of the rule in 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the preamble helpful in 
understanding the rule? What else could we do to make the rule easier 
to understand?
    Send a copy of any written comments about how we could make this 
rule easier to understand to: Office of Regulatory Affairs, Department 
of the Interior, Room 7229, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. 
You may also email comments to: [email protected].

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    These regulations have a significant economic impact on substantial 
numbers of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.). We analyzed the economic impacts of the annual 
hunting regulations on small business entities in detail and issued a 
Small Entity Flexibility Analysis (Analysis) in 1998. The Analysis 
documented the significant beneficial economic effect on a substantial 
number of small entities. The primary source of information about 
hunter expenditures for migratory game bird hunting is the National 
Hunting and Fishing Survey, which is conducted at 5-year intervals. The 
Analysis was based on the 1996 National Hunting and Fishing Survey and 
the U.S. Department of Commerce's County Business Patterns, from which 
it was estimated that migratory bird hunters would spend between $429 
million and $1.084 billion at small businesses in 1998. Copies of the 
Analysis are available upon request from the address indicated under 
the caption ADDRESSES.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This rule is a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. For the reasons outlined above, 
this rule

[[Page 53697]]

has an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more. However, 
because this rule establishes hunting seasons, we do not plan to defer 
the effective date under the exemption contained in 5 U.S.C. 808(1) .

Paperwork Reduction Act

    We examined these regulations under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995. The various recordkeeping and reporting requirements imposed 
under regulations established in 50 CFR part 20, Subpart K, are 
utilized in the formulation of migratory game bird hunting regulations. 
Specifically, OMB has approved the information collection requirements 
of the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program and assigned control 
number 1018-0015 (expires 10/31/2004). This information is used to 
provide a sampling frame for voluntary national surveys to improve our 
harvest estimates for all migratory game birds in order to better 
manage these populations. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, 
and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    We have determined and certify, in compliance with the requirements 
of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, 2 U.S.C. 1502 et seq., that this 
rulemaking will not ``significantly or uniquely'' affect small 
governments, and will not produce a Federal mandate of $100 million or 
more in any given year on local or State government or private 
entities. Therefore, this proposed rule is not a ``significant 
regulatory action'' under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

Civil Justice Reform--Executive Order 12988

    The Department, in promulgating this proposed rule, has determined 
that this rule will not unduly burden the judicial system and meets the 
requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988.

Energy Effects--Executive Order 13211

    On May 18, 2001, the President issued an Executive Order 13211 on 
regulations that significantly affect energy supply, distribution, and 
use. Executive Order 13211 requires agencies to prepare Statements of 
Energy Effects when undertaking certain actions. While this 
supplemental proposed rule is a significant regulatory action under 
Executive Order 12866, it is not expected to adversely affect energy 
supplies, distribution, or use. Therefore, this proposed action is not 
a significant energy action and no Statement of Energy Effects is 
required.

Takings Implication Assessment

    In accordance with Executive Order 12630, this proposed rule does 
not have significant takings implications and does not affect any 
constitutionally protected property rights. This rule will not result 
in the physical occupancy of property, the physical invasion of 
property, or the regulatory taking of any property. In fact, this rule 
will allow hunters to exercise otherwise unavailable privileges, and, 
therefore, reduces restrictions on the use of private and public 
property.

Federalism Effects

    Due to the migratory nature of certain species of birds, the 
Federal Government has been given responsibility over these species by 
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We annually prescribe frameworks from 
which the States make selections and employ guidelines to establish 
special regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands. 
This process preserves the ability of the States and Tribes to 
determine which seasons meet their individual needs. Any State or Tribe 
may be more restrictive than the Federal frameworks at any time. The 
frameworks are developed in a cooperative process with the States and 
the Flyway Councils. This allows States to participate in the 
development of frameworks from which they will make selections, thereby 
having an influence on their own regulations. These rules do not have a 
substantial direct effect on fiscal capacity, change the roles or 
responsibilities of Federal or State governments, or intrude on State 
policy or administration. Therefore, in accordance with Executive Order 
13132, these regulations do not have significant federalism effects and 
do not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the 
preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

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 2002-03 
hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-712 and 16 U.S.C. 742 
a-j.

    Dated: August 8, 2002.
David P. Smith,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

Proposed Regulations Frameworks for 2002-03 Late Hunting Seasons on 
Certain Migratory Game Birds

    Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and delegated 
authorities, the Department 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, 2002, and March 10, 2003.

General

    Dates: All outside dates noted below are inclusive.
    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.

Flyways and Management Units

Waterfowl Flyways

    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.
    Mississippi Flyway--includes Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, 
Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, 
Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
    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).
    Pacific Flyway--includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, 
Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and those portions of Colorado, 
Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming not included in the Central Flyway.

Management Units

    High Plains Mallard Management Unit--roughly defined as that 
portion of the Central Flyway which lies west of the 100th meridian.
    Definitions: For the purpose of hunting regulations listed below, 
the

[[Page 53698]]

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.
    Compensatory Days in the Atlantic Flyway: In the Atlantic Flyway 
States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New 
Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, where Sunday 
hunting is prohibited statewide by State law, all Sundays are closed to 
all take of migratory waterfowl (including mergansers and coots).

Atlantic Flyway

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and the last Sunday in January (January 26).
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 60 days, except pintails which may 
not exceed 30 days, and daily bag limit of 6 ducks, including no more 
than 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 scaup, 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 1 mottled 
duck, 1 fulvous whistling duck, 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, and 4 
scoters.
    Closures: The season on canvasbacks and harlequin ducks is closed.
    Sea Ducks: Within the special sea duck areas, during the regular 
duck season in the Atlantic Flyway, States may choose to allow the 
above sea duck limits in addition to the limits applying to other ducks 
during the regular duck season. In all other areas, sea ducks may be 
taken only during the regular open season for ducks and are part of the 
regular duck season daily bag (not to exceed 4 scoters) 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.
    Connecticut River Zone, Vermont: The waterfowl seasons, limits, and 
shooting hours shall be the same as those selected for the Inland Zone 
of New Hampshire.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, 
North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, 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.

Canada Geese

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: Specific regulations for 
Canada geese are shown below by State. Unless specified otherwise, 
seasons may be split into two segments. In areas within States where 
the framework closing date for Atlantic Population (AP) goose seasons 
overlaps with special late season frameworks for resident geese, the 
framework closing date for AP goose seasons is January 14.
    Connecticut:
    North Atlantic Population (NAP) Zone: Between October 1 and January 
31, a 60-day season may be held with a 2-bird daily bag limit in the H 
Unit and a 70-day season with a 3-bird daily bag in the L Unit.
    Atlantic Population (AP) Zone: A 45-day season may be held between 
the last Saturday in October (October 26) and January 31 with a 2-bird 
daily bag limit.
    South Zone: A special experimental season may be held between 
January 15 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Delaware: A 45-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 31 with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
    Florida: A 70-day season may be held between November 15 and 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Georgia: In specific areas, a 70-day season may be held between 
November 15 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Maine: A 60-day season may be held Statewide between October 1 and 
January 31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Maryland:
    Resident Population (RP) Zone: A 70-day season may be held between 
November 15 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season 
may be split 3-ways.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 31 with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
    Massachusetts:
    NAP Zone: A 60-day season may be held between October 1 and January 
31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit. Additionally, a special season may be 
held from January 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between last Saturday in 
October (October 26) and January 31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    New Hampshire: A 60-day season may be held statewide between 
October 1 and January 31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    New Jersey:
    Statewide: A 45-day season may be held between the last Saturday in 
October (October 26) and January 31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Special Late Goose Season Area: An experimental season may be held 
in designated areas of North and South New Jersey from January 15 to 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    New York:
    Southern James Bay Population (SJBP) Zone: A 70-day season may be 
held between the last Saturday in October (October 26) and January 31, 
with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    NAP Zone: Between October 1 and January 31, a 60-day season may be 
held with a 2-bird daily bag limit in the High Harvest areas and a 70-
day season with a 3-bird daily bag limit in the Low Harvest areas.
    Special Late Goose Season Area: An experimental season may be held 
between January 15 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit in 
designated areas of Chemung, Delaware, Tioga, Broome, Sullivan, 
Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Dutchess, Putnam, and Rockland 
Counties.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between the last Saturday in 
October (October 26) and January 31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between the last Saturday in 
October (October 26) and January 31 with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    North Carolina: SJBP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between 
October 1 and December 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit, except for 
the Northeast Hunt Unit and Northampton County, which is closed.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between October 1 and February 
15 with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Pennsylvania:
    SJBP Zone: A 40-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 14, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Pymatuning Zone: A 35-day season may be held between October 1 and 
January 31, with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 31, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between the last Saturday in 
October (October 26) and January 31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Special Late Goose Season Area: An experimental season may be held 
from

[[Page 53699]]

January 15 to February 15 with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Rhode Island: A 60-day season may be held between October 1 and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. An experimental season may 
be held in designated areas from January 15 to February 15, with a 5-
bird daily bag limit.
    South Carolina: In designated areas, a 70-day season may be held 
during November 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Vermont: A 45-day season may be held between the last Saturday in 
October (October 26) and January 31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Virginia:
    SJBP Zone: A 40-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 14, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. Additionally, an 
experimental season may be held between January 15 and February 15, 
with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 45-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 31 with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: A 70-day season may be held between November 15 and 
February 15 with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Back Bay Area: Season is closed.
    West Virginia: A 70-day season may be held between October 1 and 
January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag limit.

Light Geese

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 107-
day season between October 1 and March 10, with a 15-bird daily bag 
limit and no possession limit. States may split their seasons into 
three segments, except in Delaware and Maryland, where, following the 
completion of their duck season, and until March 10, Delaware and 
Maryland may split the remaining portion of the season to hunt on 
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only.

Brant

    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 60-
day season between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) and 
January 31, with a 3-bird daily bag limit. States may split their 
seasons into two segments.

Mississippi Flyway

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and the last Sunday in January 20 (January 26).
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 60 days, except that the season 
for pintails may not exceed 30 days and the season for canvasbacks is 
closed. The daily bag limit is 6 ducks, including no more than 4 
mallards (no more than 2 of which may be females), 3 mottled ducks, 3 
scaup, 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 2 wood ducks, and 2 redheads.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit is 5, only 1 of which may be 
a hooded merganser. In States that include mergansers in the duck bag 
limit, the daily limit is the same as the duck bag limit, only one 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 Arkansas, Minnesota, and Mississippi, the season may be split 
into three segments.

Geese

    Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may be split into three segments. 
Three-way split seasons for Canada geese require Mississippi Flyway 
Council and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval and a 3-year 
evaluation by each participating State.
    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select 
seasons for light geese not to exceed 107 days with 20 geese daily 
between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) and March 10; 
for white-fronted geese not to exceed 86 days with 2 geese daily or 107 
days with 1 goose daily between the Saturday nearest September 24 
(September 21) and the Sunday nearest February 15 (February 16); and 
for brant not to exceed 70 days with 2 brant daily or 107 days with 1 
brant daily between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) 
and January 31. There is no possession limit for light geese. Specific 
regulations for Canada geese and exceptions to the above general 
provisions are shown below by State. Except as noted below, the outside 
dates for Canada geese are the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and January 31.
    Alabama: In the SJBP Goose Zone, the season for Canada geese may 
not exceed 50 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: In the Northwest Zone, the season for Canada geese may 
extend for 33 days, provided that one segment of at least nine days 
occurs prior to October 15. In the remainder of the State, the season 
may not exceed 23 days. The season may extend to February 15, and may 
be split into two segments. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    Illinois: The total harvest of Canada geese in the State will be 
limited to 64,100 birds. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese. The 
possession limit is 10 Canada geese.
    (a) North Zone--The season for Canada geese will close after 80 
days or when 9,300 birds have been harvested in the Northern Illinois 
Quota Zone, whichever occurs first.
    (a) Central Zone--The season for Canada geese will close after 80 
days or when 12,800 birds have been harvested in the Central Illinois 
Quota Zone, whichever occurs first.
    (c) South Zone--The season for Canada geese will close after 80 
days or when 16,100 birds have been harvested in the Southern Illinois 
Quota Zone, whichever occurs first.
    Indiana: The season for Canada geese may extend for 60 days, except 
in the SJBP Zone, where the season may not exceed 50 days. The daily 
bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    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 56 days (71 days in Fulton County), and the harvest will be limited 
to 10,300 birds. Of the 10,300-bird quota, 6,700 birds will be 
allocated to the Ballard Reporting Area and 2,575 birds will be 
allocated to the Henderson/Union Reporting Area. If the quota in either 
reporting area is reached prior to completion of the 56-day season, the 
season in that reporting area will be closed. If the quotas in both the 
Ballard and Henderson/Union reporting areas are reached prior to 
completion of the 56-day season, the season in the counties and 
portions of counties that comprise the Western Goose Zone (listed in 
State regulations) may continue for an additional 7 days, not to exceed 
a total of 56 days (71 days in Fulton County). The season in Fulton 
County may extend to February 15. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 
geese.
    (b) Pennyroyal/Coalfield Zone--The season may extend for 50 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 is 1 Canada goose and 2 white-
fronted geese with an

[[Page 53700]]

86-day white-fronted goose season or 1 white-fronted goose with a 107-
day season. Hunters participating in the Canada goose season must 
possess a special permit issued by the State.
    Michigan: (a) Mississippi Valley Population (MVP) Zone--The total 
harvest of Canada geese will be limited to 46,400 birds. The framework 
opening date for all geese is September 16 and the season for Canada 
geese may extend for 21 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (1) Allegan County GMU--The Canada goose season will close after 25 
days or when 1,400 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs first. 
The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (2) Muskegon Wastewater GMU--The Canada goose season will close 
after 25 days or when 450 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs 
first. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (b) SJBP Zone--The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 16 and the season for Canada geese may extend for 30 days. 
The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (1) Saginaw County GMU--The Canada goose season will close after 50 
days or when 2,000 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs first. 
The daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (2) Tuscola/Huron GMU--The Canada goose season will close after 50 
days or when 750 birds have been harvested, whichever occurs first. The 
daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose.
    (c) Southern Michigan GMU--A special Canada goose season may be 
held between January 4 and February 2. The daily bag limit is 5 Canada 
geese.
    (d) Central Michigan GMU--A special Canada goose season may be held 
between January 4 and February 2. The daily bag limit is 5 Canada 
geese.
    Minnesota: (a) West Zone--(1) West Central Zone--The season for 
Canada geese may extend for 40 days. In the Lac Qui Parle Zone, the 
season will close after 40 days or when 12,000 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) Remainder of the State--The season for Canada geese may extend 
for 70 days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (d) Special Late Canada Goose Season--An experimental special 
Canada goose season of up to 10 days may be held in December, except in 
the West Central and Lac qui Parle Goose zones. During the special 
season, the daily bag limit is 5 Canada geese, except in the Southeast 
Goose Zone, where the daily bag limit is 2.
    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 may 
extend for 77 days, with no more than 30 days occurring after November 
30. The season may be split into 3 segments. The daily bag limit is 2 
Canada geese.
    (b) Southeast Zone--The season for Canada geese may extend for 77 
days. The season may be split into 3 segments, provided that at least 1 
segment occurs prior to December 1. The daily bag limit is 3 Canada 
geese through October 31, and 2 Canada geese thereafter.
    (c) Remainder of the State--
    (1) North Zone--The season for Canada geese may extend for 77 days, 
with no more than 30 days occurring after November 30. The season may 
be split into 3 segments, provided that 1 segment of at least 9 days 
occurs prior to October 15. The daily bag limit is 3 Canada geese 
through October 31, and 2 Canada geese thereafter.
    (2) Middle Zone--The season for Canada geese may extend for 77 
days, with no more than 30 days occurring after November 30. The season 
may be split into 3 segments, provided that 1 segment of at least 9 
days occurs prior to October 15. The daily bag limit is 3 Canada geese 
through October 31, and 2 Canada geese thereafter.
    (3) South Zone--The season for Canada geese may extend for 77 days. 
The season may be split into 3 segments, provided that at least 1 
segment occurs prior to December 1. The daily bag limit is 3 Canada 
geese through October 31, and 2 Canada geese thereafter.
    Ohio: The season for Canada geese 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 35 days and the daily bag limit is 1 Canada goose. A special 
Canada goose season of up to 22 days, beginning the first Saturday 
after January 10, may be held in the following counties: Allen (north 
of U.S. Highway 30), Fulton, Geauga (north of Route 6), Henry, Huron, 
Lucas (Lake Erie Zone closed), Seneca, and Summit (Lake Erie Zone 
closed). During the special season, the daily bag limit is 2 Canada 
geese.
    Tennessee:
    (a) Northwest Zone--The season for Canada geese may not exceed 71 
days, and may extend to February 15. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada 
geese.
    (b) Southwest Zone--The season for Canada geese may extend for 50 
days. The daily bag limit is 2 Canada geese.
    (c) Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Zone--The season for Canada geese may 
extend for 50 days. 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 48,500 birds.
    (a) Horicon Zone--The framework opening date for all geese is 
September 16. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 18,000 birds. 
The season may not exceed 94 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 16. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 600 birds. The 
season may not exceed 68 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 21. The harvest of Canada geese is limited to 25,400 birds, 
with 500 birds allocated to the Mississippi River Subzone. The season 
may not exceed 94 days, except in the Mississippi River Subzone, where 
the season may not exceed 71 days. The daily bag limit is 1 Canada 
goose. 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 
25,400 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, and 
Southern Illinois Quota Zones in Illinois; 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; and the Exterior Zone in Wisconsin 
will have been filled, the season for taking Canada geese in the 
respective zone (and associated area,

[[Page 53701]]

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

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and the last Sunday in January (January 26).
    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): 
97 days, except pintails which may not exceed 39 days, and a daily bag 
limit of 6 ducks, including no more than 5 mallards (no more than 2 of 
which may be hens), 1 mottled duck, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 3 scaup, and 
2 wood ducks. The last 23 days may start no earlier than the Saturday 
nearest December 10 (December 7). The season on canvasbacks is closed.
    (2) Remainder of the Central Flyway: 74 days, except pintails which 
may not exceed 39 consecutive days, and a daily bag limit of 6 ducks, 
including no more than 5 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be 
hens), 1 mottled duck, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 3 scaup, and 2 wood 
ducks. The season on canvasbacks is closed.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit is 5 mergansers, only 1 of 
which may be a hooded merganser. In States that include mergansers in 
the duck daily bag limit, the daily limit may be the same as the duck 
bag limit, only one of which may be a hooded merganser.
    Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 coots.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Kansas (Low Plains portion), Montana, 
Nebraska (Low Plains portion), New Mexico, Oklahoma (Low Plains 
portion), South Dakota (Low Plains portion), Texas (Low Plains 
portion), and Wyoming may select hunting seasons by zones.
    In Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, 
South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, the regular season may be split into 
two segments.
    In Colorado, the season may be split into three segments.

Geese

    Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may be split into three segments. 
Three-way split seasons for Canada geese require Central Flyway Council 
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval, and a 3-year evaluation by 
each participating State.
    Outside Dates: For dark geese, seasons may be selected between the 
outside dates of the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) and 
the Sunday nearest February 15 (February 17). For light geese, outside 
dates for seasons may be selected between the Saturday nearest 
September 24 (September 21) and March 10. In the Rainwater Basin Light 
Goose Area (East and West) of Nebraska, temporal and spatial 
restrictions consistent with the experimental late-winter snow goose 
hunting strategy endorsed by the Central Flyway Council in July 1999, 
are required.
    Season Lengths and Limits:
    Light Geese: States may select a light goose season not to exceed 
107 days. The daily bag limit for light geese is 20 with no possession 
limit.
    Dark Geese: In Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South 
Dakota, and the Eastern Goose Zone of Texas, States may select a season 
for Canada geese (or any other dark goose species except white-fronted 
geese) not to exceed 95 days with a daily bag limit of 3. Additionally, 
in the Eastern Goose Zone of Texas, an alternative season of 107 days 
with a daily bag limit of 1 Canada goose may be selected. For white-
fronted geese, these States may select either a season of 86 days with 
a bag limit of 2 or a 107-day season with a bag limit of 1.
    In South Dakota, for Canada geese in the Big Stone Power Plant Area 
of Canada Goose Unit 3, the daily bag limit is 3 until November 30 and 
2 thereafter.
    In Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming, States may select 
seasons not to exceed 107 days. The daily bag limit for dark geese is 5 
in the aggregate.
    In the Western Goose Zone of Texas, the season may not exceed 107 
days. The daily bag limit for Canada geese (or any other dark goose 
species except white-fronted geese) is 5. The daily bag limit for 
white-fronted geese is 1.

Pacific Flyway

Ducks, Mergansers, Coots, Common Moorhens, and Purple Gallinules

    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: Concurrent 107 days and daily bag 
limit of 7 ducks and mergansers, including no more than 2 female 
mallards, 1 pintail, 4 scaup, 2 redheads. The season on pintails is 
closed, except one pintail may be included in the daily bag limit for 
60 days within the Pacific Flyway duck season. A single pintail may 
also be included in the 7-bird daily bag limit for designated youth-
hunt days. The season on canvasbacks is closed.
    The season on coots and common moorhens may be between the outside 
dates for the season on ducks, but not to exceed 107 days.
    Coot, Common Moorhen, and Purple Gallinule Limits: The daily bag 
and possession limits of coots, common moorhens, and purple gallinules 
are 25, singly or in the aggregate.
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and the last Sunday in January (January 26).
    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.
    Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming may split their 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: California, Oregon, and 
Washington: Except as subsequently noted, 100-day seasons may be 
selected, with outside dates between the Saturday nearest October 1 
(September 28), and the last Sunday in January (January 26). Basic 
daily bag limits are 3 light geese and 4 dark geese, except in 
California, Oregon, and Washington, where the dark goose bag limit does 
not include brant.
    Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 
Wyoming: Except as subsequently noted, 107-day seasons may be selected, 
with outside dates between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21), and the last Sunday in January (January 26). Basic daily bag 
limits are 3 light geese and 4 dark geese.
    Split Seasons: Unless otherwise specified, seasons for geese may be 
split into up to 3 segments. Three-way split seasons for Canada geese 
and white-fronted geese require Pacific Flyway Council and U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service approval and a 3-year evaluation by each 
participating State.
    Brant Season--A 16-consecutive-day season may be selected in 
Oregon. A 16-day season may be selected in Washington, and this season 
may be split into 2-segments. A 30-consecutive-day season may be 
selected in California. In these States, the daily bag

[[Page 53702]]

limit is 2 brant and is in addition to dark goose limits.
    Arizona: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 3.
    California:
    Northeastern--The daily bag limit is 3 geese and may include no 
more than 2 dark geese; including not more than 1 cackling Canada goose 
or 1 Aleutian Canada goose.
    Southern California Zone--In the Imperial County Special Management 
Area, light geese only may be taken from the end of the general goose 
hunting season through the first Sunday in February (February 2).
    Balance-of-the-State Zone--An 86-day season may be selected. Limits 
may not include more than 3 geese per day, of which not more than 2 may 
be white-fronted geese and not more than 1 may be a cackling Canada 
goose or Aleutian Canada goose. 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, the open season for 
Canada geese may be 9 days. The daily bag limit shall contain no more 
than 1 Canada goose, cackling Canada goose or Aleutian Canada goose.
    (2) In the Sacramento Valley Special Management Area (West), the 
season on white-fronted geese must end on or before December 14, and, 
in the Sacramento Valley Special Management Area (East), there will be 
no open season for Canada geese.
    (3) In the San Joaquin Valley Special Management Area, there will 
be no open season for Canada geese.
    Oregon: Except as subsequently noted, the dark goose daily bag 
limit is 4, including not more than 1 cackling Canada goose or Aleutian 
Canada goose.
    Harney, Klamath, Lake, and Malheur County Zone--For Lake County 
only, the daily dark goose bag limit may not include more than 2 white-
fronted geese.
    Western Zone--Special Canada Goose Management Area, except for 
designated areas, there will be no open season on Canada geese. In the 
designated areas, individual quotas will be established that 
collectively will not exceed 165 dusky Canada geese. See section on 
quota zones. In those designated areas, the daily bag limit of dark 
geese is 4 and may include no more than 1 Aleutian Canada goose.
    Closed Zone: Those portions of Coos and Curry Counties south of 
Bandon and west of US 101 and all of Tillamook County.
    Washington: The daily bag limit is 4 geese, including 4 dark geese 
but not more than 3 light geese.
    Southwest Quota Zone--In the Special Goose Management Area, except 
for designated areas, there will be no open season on Canada geese. In 
the designated areas, individual quotas will be established that 
collectively will not exceed 85 dusky Canada geese. See section on 
quota zones. In this area, the daily bag limit of dark geese is 4 and 
may include 4 cackling Canada geese. In Southwest Quota Zone Area 2B 
(Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties) the dark goose bag limit may 
include 1 Aleutian Canada goose.
    Colorado: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 3 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 of 
dark geese is 4.
    Nevada: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 3 except in the 
Lincoln and Clark County Zone, where the daily bag limit of dark geese 
is 2.
    New Mexico: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 3.
    Utah: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 3.
    Wyoming: The daily bag limit for dark geese is 4.
    Quota Zones: Seasons on dark 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 dark 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 dark geese in those designated areas will 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. If the monitoring program cannot be 
conducted, for any reason, the season must immediately close. In the 
designated areas of the Washington Quota Zone, a special late dark 
goose season may be held between the Saturday following the close of 
the general goose season and March 10. In the Special Canada Goose 
Management Area of Oregon, the framework closing date is extended to 
the Sunday closest to March 1 (March 3). Regular dark goose seasons may 
be split into 3 segments within the Oregon and Washington quota zones.

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 28). 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 species-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 achieve at 
least an 80-percent compliance rate, or subsequent permits will be 
reduced by 10 percent. All States must provide to the Service by June 
30, 2003, 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 2,000 permits may be issued. The season must 
end no later than the second Sunday in December (December 8) or upon 
attainment of 10 trumpeter swans in the harvest, whichever occurs 
earliest. Utah must enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the 
Service regarding harvest monitoring, season closure procedures, and 
education requirements for swan seasons in Utah.
    In Nevada, no more than 650 permits may be issued. The season must 
end no later than the Sunday following January 1 (January 5) 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 the Central Flyway portion of Montana, and in North Carolina, 
North Dakota, South Dakota (east of the Missouri River), and Virginia, 
an open season for taking a limited number of tundra swans may be 
selected. Permits will be issued by States that authorize the take of 
no more than 1 tundra swan per permit. A second permit may be issued to 
hunters from unused permits

[[Page 53703]]

remaining after the first drawing. 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, from October 1 to January 31.
--In North Carolina, no more than 5,000 permits may be issued.
--In Virginia, no more than 600 permits may be issued.

In the Central Flyway

--The season may be 107 days, from the Saturday nearest October 1 
(September 28) to January 31.
--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: Remainder of the State.
    Maine:
    North Zone: That portion north of the line extending east along 
Maine State Highway 110 from the New Hampshire and Maine border to the 
intersection of Maine State Highway 11 in Newfield; then north and east 
along Route 11 to the intersection of U.S. Route 202 in Auburn; then 
north and east on Route 202 to the intersection of Interstate Highway 
95 in Augusta; then north and east along I-95 to Route 15 in Bangor; 
then east along Route 15 to Route 9; then east along Route 9 to Stony 
Brook in Baileyville; then east along Stony Brook to the United States 
border.
    South Zone: Remainder of the State.
    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 the 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 and along the Massachusetts border crossing the Connecticut 
River to Interstate 91 and northward in Vermont to Route 2, east to 
102, northward to the Canadian border.
    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 
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 to NY 
31, east along NY 31 to NY 13, north along NY 13 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: That portion of Vermont west of the Lake Champlain 
Zone and eastward of a line extending from the Massachusetts border at 
Interstate 91; north along Interstate 91 to U.S. 2; east along U.S. 2 
to VT 102; north along VT 102 to VT 253; north along VT 253 to the 
Canadian border.
    Connecticut River Zone: The remaining portion of Vermont east of 
the Interior Zone.
    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 I-68; I-68 east to the Maryland

[[Page 53704]]

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 south of the North Zone to 
a line extending east from the Missouri border along the Modoc Ferry 
route to Modoc Ferry Road, east along Modoc Ferry Road to Modoc Road, 
northeasterly along Modoc Road and St. Leo's Road 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.
    South Zone: The remainder of Illinois.
    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 Road 56, east along State 
Road 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.
    Iowa:
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Nebraska border along State Highway 175 to State Highway 
37, southeast along State Highway 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: All counties west of and including Butler, Daviess, 
Ohio, Simpson, and Warren Counties.
    East Zone: The remainder of Kentucky.
    Louisiana:
    West Zone: That portion of the State west and south 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 the 
Mississippi State line.
    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.
    Middle Zone: That portion of the Lower Peninsula north 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 easterly 
and southerly along the south shore of Stony Creek to Scenic Drive, 
easterly and southerly along Scenic Drive to Stony Lake Road, easterly 
along Stony Lake and Garfield Roads to Michigan Highway 20, east along 
Michigan 20 to U.S. Highway 10 Business Route (BR) in the city of 
Midland, easterly along U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 10, easterly along U.S. 10 
to Interstate Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, northerly along I-75/U.S. 23 
to the U.S. 23 exit at Standish, easterly along U.S. 23 to the 
centerline of the Au Gres River, then southerly along the centerline of 
the Au Gres River to Saginaw Bay, then on a line directly east 10 miles 
into Saginaw Bay, and from that point on a line directly northeast to 
the Canadian border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Michigan.
    Missouri:
    North Zone: That portion of Missouri north of a line running west 
from the Illinois border (Lock and Dam 25) on Lincoln County Highway N 
to Missouri Highway 79; south on Missouri Highway 79 to Missouri 
Highway 47; west on Missouri Highway 47 to Interstate 70; west on 
Interstate 70 to U.S. Highway 54; south on U.S. Highway 54 to U.S. 
Highway 50; west on U.S. Highway 50 to the Kansas border.
    South Zone: That portion of Missouri south of a line running west 
from the Illinois border on Missouri Highway 34 to Interstate 55; south 
on Interstate 55 to U.S. Highway 62; west on U.S. Highway 62 to 
Missouri Highway 53; north on Missouri Highway 53 to Missouri Highway 
51; north on Missouri Highway 51 to U.S. Highway 60; west on U.S. 
Highway 60 to Missouri Highway 21; north on Missouri Highway 21 to 
Missouri Highway 72; west on Missouri Highway 72 to Missouri Highway 
32; west on Missouri Highway 32 to U.S. Highway 65; north on U.S. 
Highway 65 to U.S. Highway 54; west on U.S. Highway 54 to the Kansas 
border.
    Middle Zone: The remainder of Missouri.
    Ohio:
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Indiana border along U.S. Highway 30 to State Route 37, 
south along SR 37 to SR 95, east along SR 95 to LaRue-Prospect Road, 
east along LaRue-Prospect Road to SR 203, south along SR 203 to SR 739, 
east along SR 739 to SR 4, north along SR 4 to SR 309, east along SR 
309 to U.S. 23, north along U.S. 23 to SR 231, north along SR 231 to 
U.S. 30, east along U.S. 30 to SR 42, north along SR 42 to SR 603, 
south along SR 603 to U.S. 30, east along U.S. 30 to SR 60, south along 
SR 60 to SR 39/60, east along SR 39/60 to SR 39, east along SR 39 to SR 
241, east along SR 241 to U.S. 30, then east along U.S. 30 to the West 
Virginia border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Ohio.
    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 
east from the Minnesota border along State Highway 77 to State 27, 
south along State 27 and 77 to U.S. Highway 63, and continuing south 
along State 27 to Sawyer County Road B, south and east along County B 
to State 70, southwest along State 70 to State 27, south along State 27 
to State 64, west along State 64/27 and south along State 27 to U.S. 
12, south and east on State 27/U.S. 12 to U.S. 10, east on U.S. 10 to 
State 310, east along State 310 to State 42, north along State 42 to 
State 147, north along State 147 to State 163, north along State 163 to 
Kewaunee County Trunk A, north along County Trunk A to State 57, north 
along State 57 to the Kewaunee/Door County Line, west along the 
Kewaunee/Door County Line to the Door/Brown County Line, west along the 
Door/Brown County Line to the Door/Oconto/Brown County Line, northeast 
along the Door/Oconto County Line to the Marinette/Door County Line,

[[Page 53705]]

northeast along the Marinette/Door County Line to the Michigan border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Wisconsin.
Central Flyway
    Kansas:
    High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of U.S. 283.
    Low Plains Early Zone: That area of Kansas east of U.S. 283, and 
generally west of a line beginning at the Junction of the Nebraska 
border and KS 28; south on KS 28 to U.S. 36; east on U.S. 36 to KS 199; 
south on KS 199 to Republic Co. Road 563; south on Republic Co. Road 
563 to KS 148; east on KS 148 to Republic Co. Road 138; south on 
Republic Co. Road 138 to Cloud Co. Road 765; south on Cloud Co. Road 
765 to KS 9; west on KS 9 to U.S. 24; west on U.S. 24 to U.S. 281; 
north on U.S. 281 to U.S. 36; west on U.S. 36 to U.S. 183; south on 
U.S. 183 to U.S. 24; west on U.S. 24 to KS 18; southeast on KS 18 to 
U.S. 183; south on U.S. 183 to KS 4; east on KS 4 to I-135; south on I-
135 to KS 61; southwest on KS 61 to KS 96; northwest on KS 96 to U.S. 
56; west on U.S. 56 to U.S. 281; south on U.S. 281 to U.S. 54; and west 
on U.S. 54 to U.S. 183; north on U.S. 183 to U.S. 56; southwest on U.S. 
56 to U.S. 283.
    Low Plains Late Zone: The remainder of Kansas.
    Montana (Central Flyway Portion):
    Zone 1: The Counties of Blaine, Carbon, Carter, Daniels, Dawson, 
Fallon, Fergus, Garfield, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, McCone, 
Musselshell, Petroleum, Phillips, Powder River, Richland, Roosevelt, 
Sheridan, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux, and 
Yellowstone.
    Zone 2: The remainder of Montana.
    Nebraska:
    High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of highways U.S. 
183 and U.S. 20 from the South Dakota border 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 Kansas 
border.
    Low Plains Zone 1: That portion of the State east of the High 
Plains Zone and north and west of a line extending from the South 
Dakota border along NE 26E Spur to NE 12, west on NE 12 to the Knox/
Boyd County line, south along the county line to the Niobrara River and 
along the Niobrara River to U.S. 183 (the High Plains Zone line). Where 
the Niobrara River forms the boundary, both banks will be in Zone 1.
    Low Plains Zone 2: Area bounded by designated Federal and State 
highway's and political boundaries beginning at the Kansas-Nebraska 
border on U.S. Hwy. 73; north to NE Hwy. 67 north to U.S. Hwy 136; east 
to the Steamboat Trace (Trace); north to Federal Levee R-562; north and 
west to the Trace/Burlington Northern Railroad right-of-way; north to 
NE Hwy 2; west to U.S. Hwy 75; north to NE Hwy. 2; west to NE Hwy. 43; 
north to U.S. Hwy. 34; east to NE Hwy. 63; north and west to U.S. Hwy. 
77; north to NE Hwy. 92; west to U.S. Hwy. 81; south to NE Hwy. 66; 
west to NE Hwy. 14; south to U.S. Hwy 34; west to NE Hwy. 2; south to 
U.S. Hwy. I-80; west to Gunbarrrel Rd. (Hall/Hamilton county line); 
south to Giltner Rd.; west to U.S. Hwy. 281; south to U.S. Hwy. 34; 
west to NE Hwy 10; north to County Road ``R'' (Kearney County) and 
County Road 742 (Phelps County); west to County Road 
438 (Gosper County line); south along County Road 438 
(Gosper County line) to County Road 726 (Furnas County Line); 
east to County Road 438 (Harlan County Line); south to U. S. 
Hwy 34; south and west to U.S. Hwy. 136; east to NE Hwy. 10; south to 
the Kansas-Nebraska border.
    Low Plains Zone 3: The area east of the High Plains Zone, excluding 
Low Plains Zone 1, north of Low Plains Zone 2.
    Low Plains Zone 4: The area east of the High Plains Zone and south 
of Zone 2.
    New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion):
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of I-40 and U.S. 54.
    South Zone: The remainder of New Mexico.
    North Dakota:
    High Plains Unit: That portion of the State south and west of a 
line from the South Dakota border along U.S. 83 and I-94 to ND 41, 
north to U.S. 2, west to the Williams/Divide County line, then north 
along the County line to the Canadian border.
    Low Plains: The remainder of North Dakota.
    Oklahoma:
    High Plains Zone: The Counties of Beaver, Cimarron, and Texas.
    Low Plains Zone 1: That portion of the State east of the High 
Plains Zone and north of a line extending east from the Texas border 
along OK 33 to OK 47, east along OK 47 to U.S. 183, south along U.S. 
183 to I-40, east along I-40 to U.S. 177, north along U.S. 177 to OK 
33, west along OK 33 to I-35, north along I-35 to U.S. 412, west along 
U.S. 412 to OK 132, then north along OK 132 to the Kansas border.
    Low Plains Zone 2: The remainder of Oklahoma.
    South Dakota:
    High Plains Unit: That portion of the State west of a line 
beginning at the North Dakota border and extending south along U.S. 83 
to U.S. 14, east along U.S. 14 to Blunt-Canning Road in Blunt, south 
along Blunt-Canning Road to SD 34, east to SD 47, south to I-90, east 
to SD 47, south to SD 49, south to Colome and then continuing south on 
U.S. 183 to the Nebraska border.
    North Zone: That portion of northeastern South Dakota east of the 
High Plains Unit and north of a line extending east along US 212 to the 
Minnesota border.
    South Zone: That portion of Gregory County east of SD 47, Charles 
Mix County south of SD 44 to the Douglas County line, south on SD 50 to 
Geddes, east on the Geddes Hwy. to U.S. 281, south on U.S. 281 and U.S. 
18 to SD 50, south and east on SD 50 to 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 South Dakota.
    Texas:
    High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of a line 
extending south from the Oklahoma border along U.S. 183 to Vernon, 
south along U.S. 283 to Albany, south along TX 6 to TX 351 to Abilene, 
south along U.S. 277 to Del Rio, then south along the Del Rio 
International Toll Bridge access road to the Mexico border.
    Low Plains North Zone: That portion of northeastern Texas east of 
the High Plains Zone and north of a line beginning at the International 
Toll Bridge south of Del Rio, then extending east on U.S. 90 to San 
Antonio, then continuing east on I-10 to the Louisiana border at 
Orange, Texas.
    Low Plains South Zone: The remainder of Texas.
    Wyoming (Central Flyway portion):
    Zone 1: The Counties of Converse, Goshen, Hot Springs, Natrona, 
Platte, and Washakie Counties; and the portion of Park County east of 
the Shoshone National Forest boundary and south of a line beginning 
where the Shoshone National Forest boundary meets Park County Road 8VC, 
east along Park County Road 8VC to Park County Road 1AB, continuing 
east along Park County Road 1AB to Wyoming Highway 120, north along WY 
Highway 120 to WY Highway 294, south along WY Highway 294 to Lane 9, 
east along Lane 9 to Powel and WY Highway 14A, and finally east along 
WY Highway 14A to the Park County and Big Horn County line.
    Zone 2: The reminder of Wyoming.

[[Page 53706]]

Pacific Flyway
    Arizona--Game Management Units (GMU) as follows:
    South Zone: Those portions of GMUs 6 and 8 in Yavapai County, and 
GMUs 10 and 12B-45.
    North Zone: GMUs 1-5, those portions of GMUs 6 and 8 within 
Coconino County, and GMUs 7, 9, 12A.
    California:
    Northeastern Zone: In that portion of California lying east and 
north of a line beginning at the intersection of the Klamath River with 
the California-Oregon line; south and west along the Klamath River to 
the mouth of Shovel Creek; along Shovel Creek to its intersection with 
Forest Service Road 46N05 at Burnt Camp; west to its junction with 
Forest Service Road 46N10; south and east to its Junction with County 
Road 7K007; south and west to its junction with Forest Service Road 
45N22; south and west to its junction with Highway 97 and Grass Lake 
Summit; south along to its junction with Interstate 5 at the town of 
Weed; south to its junction with Highway 89; east and south along 
Highway 89 to main street Greenville; north and east to its junction 
with North Valley Road; south to its junction of Diamond Mountain Road; 
north and east to its junction with North Arm Road; south and west to 
the junction of North Valley Road; south to the junction with Arlington 
Road (A22); west to the junction of Highway 89; south and west to the 
junction of Highway 70; east on Highway 70 to Highway 395; south and 
east on Highway 395 to the point of intersection with the California-
Nevada state line; north along the California-Nevada state line to the 
junction of the California-Nevada-Oregon state lines west along the 
California-Oregon state line to the point of origin
    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: Includes the following Counties or portions of Counties: 
Ada; 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 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:
    Lincoln and Clark County Zone: All of Clark and Lincoln Counties.
    Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The remainder of Nevada.
    Oregon:
    Zone 1: Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas, Coos, Curry, 
Josephine, Jackson, Linn, Benton, Polk, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, 
Columbia, Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, 
Morrow and Umatilla Counties.
    Columbia Basin Mallard Management Unit: Gilliam, Morrow, and 
Umatilla Counties.
    Zone 2: The remainder of the State.
    Utah:
    Zone 1: All of Box Elder, Cache, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Morgan, 
Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Unitah, 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:
    NAP L-Unit: That portion of Fairfield County north of Interstate 95 
and that portion of New Haven County: starting at I-95 bridge on 
Housatonic River; north of Interstate 95; west of Route 10 to the 
intersection of Interstate 691; west along Interstate 691 to Interstate 
84; west and south on Interstate 84 to Route 67; north along Route 67 
to the Litchfield County line, then extending west along the Litchfield 
County line to the Shepaug River, then south to the intersection of the 
Litchfield and Fairfield County lines.
    NAP H-Unit: All of the rest of the State not included in the AP or 
NAP-L descriptions.
    AP Unit: Litchfield County and the portion of Hartford County, west 
of a line beginning at the Massachusetts border in Suffield and 
extending south along Route 159 to its intersection with Route 91 in 
Hartford, and then extending south along Route 91 to its intersection 
with the Hartford/Middlesex County line.
    South Zone: Same as for ducks.
    North Zone: Same as for ducks.
    Maryland:
    SJBP Zone: Allegheny, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Washington 
counties and the portion of Montgomery County

[[Page 53707]]

south of Interstate 270 and west of Interstate 495 to the Potomac 
River.
    AP Zone: Remainder of the State.
    Massachusetts:
    NAP Zone: Central Zone (same as for ducks) and that portion of the 
Coastal Zone that lies north of route 139 from Green Harbor.
    AP Zone: Remainder of the State.
    Special Late Season Area: That portion of the Coastal Zone (see 
duck zones) that lies north of Route 14, east of St. George Road, and 
east of the Powder Point Bridge.
    New Hampshire:
    Same zones as for ducks.
    New Jersey:
    North--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 Route 94: then west along Route 94 to the tollbridge in Columbia; 
then north along the Pennsylvania State boundary in the Delaware River 
to the beginning point.
    South--that portion of the State within a continuous line that runs 
west from the Atlantic Ocean at Ship Bottom along Route 72 to Route 70; 
then west along Route 70 to Route 206; then south along Route 206 to 
Route 536; then west along Route 536 to Route 322; then west along 
Route 322 to Route 55; then south along Route 55 to Route 553 (Buck 
Road); then south along Route 553 to Route 40; then east along Route 40 
to Route 55; then south along Route 55 to Route 552 (Sherman Avenue); 
then west along Route 552 to Carmel Road; then south along Carmel Road 
to Route 49; then east along Route 49 to Route 555; then south along 
Route 555 to Route 553; then east along Route 553 to Route 649; then 
north along Route 649 to Route 670; then east along Route 670 to Route 
47; then north along Route 47 to Route 548; then east along Route 548 
to Route 49; then east along Route 49 to Route 50; then south along 
Route 50 to Route 9; then south along Route 9 to Route 625 (Sea Isle 
City Boulevard); then east along Route 625 to the Atlantic Ocean; then 
north to the beginning point.
    New York:
    Special Late Season Area for Canada Geese: All of Tioga and Broome 
Counties; and that area of Chemung County lying east of a continuous 
line extending southeast along Route 224 from the Schuyler County line 
to Route 34, then south along Route 34 to the New York-Pennsylvania 
boundary; and that area of Delaware, Sullivan, and Orange Counties 
lying southwest of a continuous line extending east along State Route 
17 from the Broome County line to U.S. Route 209 at Wurtsboro and then 
south along Route 209 to the New York-Pennsylvania boundary at Port 
Jervis, excluding areas on or within 50 yards of the Delaware River 
between the confluence of the West Branch and East Branch below Hancock 
and the mouth of the Shingle Kill (3 miles upstream from Port Jervis); 
and that area of Orange, Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester 
Counties lying southeast of a continuous line extending north along 
State Route 17 from the New York-New Jersey boundary at Suffern to 
Interstate Route 87, then north along Route 87 to Interstate Route 84, 
then east along Route 84 to the northern boundary of Putnam County, 
then east along that boundary to the New York-Connecticut boundary; and 
that area of Nassau and Suffolk Counties lying north of State Route 25A 
and west of a continuous line extending northward from State Route 25A 
along Randall Road (near Shoreham) to North Country Road, then east to 
Sound Road and then north to Long Island Sound and then due north to 
the New York-Connecticut boundary.
    Long Island (NAP) Zone: Same as Long Island Duck Zone.
    Southwest (SJBP) Zone: All of Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua 
Counties; and that area of Niagara, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, 
Yates, Steuben, Schuyler, Chemung and Tioga Counties lying south and 
west of a continuous line extending from the New York-Ontario boundary 
near Lewiston east along Interstate Route 190 to Route 31, then east 
along Route 31 to Route 78 in Lockport, then south along Route 78 to 
the Niagara-Erie County boundary (Tonawanda Creek), then east along the 
Niagara-Erie County boundary to Route 93, then south along Route 93 to 
Route 5, then east along Route 5 to Crittenden-Murrays Corners Road, 
then south along Crittenden-Murrays Corners Road to the NY State 
Thruway, then east along the Thruway to Route 98 at Batavia, then south 
along Route 98 to Route 20, then east along Route 20 to Route 19, then 
south along Route 19 to Route 63, then southeast along Route 63 to 
Route 246, then south along Route 246 to Route 39, then southwest along 
Route 39 to Route 19A, then south and east along Route 19A to Route 
436, then east along Route 436 to Route 36 in Dansville, then south 
along Route 36 to Route 17, then east along Route 17 to Belfast Street 
in Bath, then east along Belfast Street to Route 415 (Washington 
Street), then east along Route 415 to Route 54, then northeast along 
Route 54 to Steuben County Route 87, then east along Route 87 to 
Steuben County Route 96, then east along Route 96 to Steuben County 
Route 114, then east along Route 114 to Schuyler County Route 23, then 
east along Route 23 to Schuyler County Route 28, then southeast along 
Route 28 to Route 409 at Watkins Glen, then southeast along Route 409 
to Route 14, then south along Route 14 to Route 224, then southeast 
along Route 224 to Route 34 at Van Etten, then south along Route 34 to 
the New York-Pennsylvania boundary.
    AP Zone: Remainder of the State.
    North Carolina:
    SJBP Hunt Zone: Includes the following counties or portions of 
counties: Anson, Cabarrus, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Halifax (that 
portion east of NC 903), Iredell (that portion south of Interstate 40), 
Montgomery (that portion west of NC 109), Northampton (all of the 
county with the exception of that portion that is both north of US 158 
and east of NC 35), Richmond (that portion south of NC 73 and west of 
US 220 and north of US 74), Rowan, Stanly, Union, and Wake.
    RP Hunt Zone: Includes the following counties or portions of 
counties: Alamance, Alleghany, Alexander, Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie 
(that portion south and west of a line formed by NC 45 at the 
Washington Co. line to US 17 in Midway, US 17 in Midway to US 13 in 
Windsor, US 13 in Windsor to the Hertford Co. line), Bladen, Brunswick, 
Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, 
Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Davie, Duplin, Edgecombe, 
Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, 
Halifax (that portion west of NC 903), Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, 
Hertford, Hoke, Iredell (that portion north of Interstate 40), Jackson, 
Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, McDowell, Macon, Madison, 
Martin, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery (that portion that is east of 
NC 109), Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pender, 
Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond (all of the county with 
exception of that portion that is south of NC 73 and west of US 220 and 
north of US 74), Robeson, Rockingham, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, 
Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Vance, Warren, Watauga, Wayne, 
Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, and Yancey.
    Northeast Hunt Unit: Includes the following counties or portions of 
counties: Bertie (that portion north and east of a line formed by NC 45 
at the Washington Co. line to US 17 in

[[Page 53708]]

Midway, US 17 in Midway to US 13 in Windsor, US 13 in Windsor to the 
Hertford Co. line), Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Northampton 
(that portion that is both north of US 158 and east of NC 35), 
Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington.
    Pennsylvania:
    Resident Canada Goose Zone: All of Pennsylvania except for 
Crawford, Erie, and Mercer counties and the area east of I-83 from the 
Maryland state line to the intersection of US Route 30 to the 
intersection of SR 441 to intersection of I-283, east of I-283 to I-83, 
east of I-83 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to the intersection 
of US Route 322, east of US Route 322 to intersection of SR 147, east 
of SR 147 to intersection of I-180, east of I-180 to intersection of US 
Route 220, east of US Route 220 to the New York state line.
    SJBP Zone: Erie, Mercer and Crawford Counties except for the 
Pymatuning Zone (the area south of SR 198 from the Ohio state line to 
intersection of SR 18 to intersection of US Route 322/SR 18, to 
intersection of SR 3013, south to the Crawford/Mercer County line).
    Pymatuning Zone: The area south of SR 198 from the Ohio state line 
to intersection of SR 18 to intersection of US Route 322/SR 18, to 
intersection of SR 3013, south to the Crawford/Mercer County line.
    AP Zone: The area east of I-83 from the Maryland state line to the 
intersection of US Route 30 to the intersection of SR 441 to 
intersection of I-283, east of I-283 to I-83, east of I-83 to 
intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to the intersection of US Route 322, 
east of US Route 322 to intersection of SR 147, east of SR 147 to 
intersection of I-180, east of I-180 to intersection of US Route 220, 
east of US Route 220 to the New York state line.
    Special Late Canada Goose Season Area: The SJBP zone (excluding the 
Pymatuning zone) and the northern portion of the AP zone defined as 
east of US Route 220 from the New York state line, east of US Route 220 
to intersection of I-180, east of I-180 to intersection of SR 147, east 
of SR 147 to intersection of US Route 322, east of US Route 322 to 
intersection of I-81, north of I-81 to intersection of I-80, and north 
of I-80 to the New Jersey state line.
    Rhode Island:
    Special Area for Canada Geese: Kent and Providence Counties and 
portions of the towns of Exeter and North Kingston within Washington 
County (see State regulations for detailed descriptions).
    South Carolina:
    Canada Goose Area: Statewide except for Clarendon County and that 
portion of Lake Marion in Orangeburg County and Berkeley County.
    Vermont:
    Same zones as for ducks.
    Virginia:
    AP Zone: The area east and south of the following line--the 
Stafford County line from the Potomac River west to Interstate 95 at 
Fredericksburg, then south along Interstate 95 to Petersburg, then 
Route 460 (SE) to City of Suffolk, then south along Route 32 to the 
North Carolina line.
    SJBP Zone: The area to the west of the AP Zone boundary and east of 
the following line: the ``Blue Ridge'' (mountain spine) at the West 
Virginia-Virginia Border (Loudoun County--Clarke County line) south to 
Interstate 64 (the Blue Ridge line follows county borders along the 
western edge of Loudoun-Fauquier-Rappahannock-Madison-Greene-Albemarle 
and into Nelson Counties), then east along Interstate Rt. 64 to Route 
15, then south along Rt. 15 to the North Carolina line.
    RP Zone: The remainder of the State west of the SJBP Zone.
    Back Bay Area: 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:
    Northwest Zone: Benton, Carroll, Baxter, Washington, Madison, 
Newton, Crawford, Van Buren, Searcy, Sebastion, Scott, Franklin, Logan, 
Johnson, Pope, Yell, Conway, Perry, Faulkner, Pulaski, Boone, and 
Marion Counties.
    Illinois:
    Same zones as for ducks, but in addition:
    North Zone: 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 Zone: 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 Zone: 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, LaPorte, Starke, and Steuben Counties, 
and that portion of the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in 
Pulaski County.
    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: Butler, Daviess, Ohio, Simpson, and 
Warren Counties and all counties lying west to the boundary of the 
Western Goose Zone.
    Michigan:
    MVP Zone: The MVP Zone consists of an area north and west of the 
point beginning at the southwest corner of Branch county, north 
continuing along the western border of Branch and Calhoun counties to 
the northwest corner of Calhoun county, then easterly to the southwest 
corner of Eaton county, then northerly to the southern border of Ionia 
county, then easterly to the southwest corner of Clinton county, then 
northerly along the western border of Clinton County continuing 
northerly

[[Page 53709]]

along the county border of Gratiot and Montcalm counties to the 
southern border of Isabella county, then easterly to the southwest 
corner of Midland county, then northerly along the west Midland county 
border to Highway M-20, then easterly to U.S. Highway 10, then easterly 
to U.S. Interstate 75/U.S. Highway 23, then northerly along I-75/U.S. 
23 to the U.S. 23 exit at Standish, then easterly on U.S. 23 to the 
centerline of the Au Gres River, then southerly along the centerline of 
the Au Gres River to Saginaw Bay, then on a line directly east 10 miles 
into Saginaw Bay, and from that point on a line directly northeast to 
the Canadian border.
    SJBP Zone is the rest of the state, that area south and east of the 
boundary described above.
    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 Bay Port 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.
    Central Michigan GMU: That portion of the Lower Peninsula north of 
the Southern Michigan GMU but 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 easterly and southerly along 
the south shore of Stony Creek to Scenic Drive, easterly and southerly 
along Scenic Drive to Stony Lake Road, easterly along Stony Lake and 
Garfield Roads to Michigan Highway 20, easterly along Michigan 20 to 
U.S. Highway 10 Business Route (BR) in the city of Midland, easterly 
along U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 10, easterly along U.S. 10 to Interstate 
Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, northerly along I-75/U.S. 23 to the U.S. 23 
exit at Standish, easterly along U.S. 23 to the centerline of the Au 
Gres River, then southerly along the centerline of the Au Gres River to 
Saginaw Bay, then on a line directly east 10 miles into Saginaw Bay, 
and from that point on a line directly northeast to the Canadian 
border, excluding the Tuscola/Huron GMU, Saginaw County GMU, and 
Muskegon Wastewater GMU.
    Minnesota:
    West Zone: That portion of the state encompassed by a line 
beginning at the junction of State Trunk Highway (STH) 60 and the Iowa 
border, then north and east along STH 60 to U.S. Highway 71, 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 
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 and north 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.
    Special Canada Goose Seasons:
    Southeast Zone: That part of the State within the following 
described boundaries: beginning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 52 
and the south boundary of the Twin Cities Metro Canada Goose Zone; 
thence along the U.S. Highway 52 to State Trunk Highway (STH) 57; 
thence along STH 57 to the municipal boundary of Kasson; thence along 
the municipal boundary of Kasson County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 13, 
Dodge County; thence along

[[Page 53710]]

CSAH 13 to STH 30; thence along STH 30 to U.S. Highway 63; thence along 
U.S. Highway 63 to the south boundary of the State; thence along the 
south and east boundaries of the State to the south boundary of the 
Twin Cities Metro Canada Goose Zone; thence along said boundary 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.
    Middle Zone: Southeast Zone: That portion of the State encompassed 
by a line beginning at the intersection of Missouri Highway (MO) 34 and 
Interstate 55 and extending south along I-55 to U.S. Highway 62, west 
along U.S. 62 to MO 53, north along MO 53 to MO 51, north along MO 51 
to U.S. 60, west along U.S. 60 to MO 21, north along MO 21 to MO 72, 
east along MO 72 to MO 34, then east along MO 34 to I-55.
    Ohio: Same zones as for ducks but in addition:
    North Zone: Lake Erie SJBP Zone: That portion of the State 
encompassed by a line beginning in Lucas County at the Michigan State 
line on I-75, and extending south along I-75 to I-280, south along I-
280 to I-80, east along I-80 to the Pennsylvania State line in Trumbull 
County, north along the Pennsylvania State line to SR 6 in Ashtabula 
County, west along SR 6 to the Lake/Cuyahoga County line, north along 
the Lake/Cuyahoga County line to the shore of Lake Erie.
    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:
    Same zones as for ducks but in addition:
    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 Interstate 
Highway 39, southerly along Interstate Highway 39 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.
    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 & Santa Fe 
Railway and the Illinois border in Grant County and extending northerly 
along the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe 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.
    Brown County Subzone: That area encompassed by a line beginning at 
the intersection of the Fox River with Green Bay in Brown County and 
extending southerly along the Fox River to State Highway 29, 
northwesterly along State 29 to the Brown County line, south, east, and 
north along the Brown County line to Green Bay, due west to the 
midpoint of the Green Bay Ship Channel, then southwesterly along the 
Green Bay Ship Channel to the Fox River.
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/San Luis Valley Area: Alamosa, Chaffee, Conejos, 
Costilla, Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park, Teller, and Rio Grande Counties 
and those portions of Hinsdale, Mineral, and Saguache Counties east of 
the Continental Divide.
    North Park Area: Jackson County.
    Arkansas Valley Area: Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Otero, and 
Prowers Counties.
    Pueblo County Area: Pueblo County.
    Remainder: Remainder of the Central Flyway portion of Colorado.
    Eastern Colorado Late Light Goose Area: that portion of the State 
east of Interstate Highway 25.
    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. Where the 
Niobrara River forms the boundary, both banks will be in the north 
Unit.
    Platte River Unit: That area south and west of U.S. 281 at the 
Kansas/Nebraska border, north to Giltner Road (near Doniphan), east to 
NE 14, north to NE 91, west to U.S. 183, south to NE 92, west to NE 61, 
north to U.S. 2, west to the intersection of Garden, Grant, and 
Sheridan counties, then west along the northern border of Garden, 
Morrill, and Scotts Bluff Counties to the Wyoming border.
    Northcentral Unit: That area north of the Platte River Unit and 
west of U.S. 183.
    East Unit: The remainder of Nebraska.
    Light Geese--
    Rainwater Basin Light Goose Area (West): The area bounded by the 
junction of U.S. 283 and U.S. 30 at Lexington, east on U.S. 30 to U.S. 
281, south on U.S. 281 to NE 4, west on NE 4 to U.S. 34, continue west 
on U.S. 34 to U.S. 283, then north on U.S. 283 to the beginning.
    Rainwater Basin Light Goose Area (East): The area bounded by the 
junction

[[Page 53711]]

of U.S. 281 and U.S. 30 at Grand Island, north and east on U.S. 30 to 
NE 92, east on NE 92 to NE 15, south on NE 15 to NE 4, west on NE 4 to 
U.S. 281, north on U.S. 281 to the beginning.
    Remainder of State: The remainder portion of Nebraska.
    New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion):
    Dark Geese--
    Middle Rio Grande Valley Unit: Sierra, Socorro, and Valencia 
counties.
    Remainder: The remainder of the Central Flyway portion of New 
Mexico.
    South Dakota:
    Canada Geese--
    Unit 1: Statewide except for Units 2, 3 and 4.
    Big Stone Power Plant Area: That portion of Grant and Roberts 
Counties east of SD 15 and north of SD 20.
    Unit 2: Brule, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Gregory, Hughes, Hyde, Lyman, 
Potter, Stanley, and Sully Counties and that portion of Dewey County 
south of U.S. 212.
    Unit 3: Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Marshall, and 
Roberts Counties.
    Unit 4: Bennett County.
    Texas:
    West Unit: That portion of the State laying west of a line from the 
international toll bridge at Laredo; north along I-35 and I-35W to Fort 
Worth; northwest along U.S. 81 and U.S. 287 to Bowie; and north along 
U.S. 81 to the Oklahoma border.
    East Unit: Remainder of State.
    Wyoming (Central Flyway Portion):
    Dark Geese--
    Area 1: Hot Springs, Natrona, and Washakie Counties, and the 
portion of Park County east of the Shoshone National Forest boundary 
and south of a line beginning where the Shoshone National Forest 
boundary crosses Park County Road 8VC, easterly along said road to Park 
County Road 1AB, easterly along said road to Wyoming Highway 120, 
northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 294, southeasterly 
along said highway to Lane 9, easterly along said lane to the town of 
Powel and Wyoming Highway 14A, easterly along said highway to the Park 
County and Big Horn County Line.
    Area 2: Converse County.
    Area 3: Albany, Big Horn, Campbell, Crook, Fremont, Johnson, 
Laramie, Niobrara, Sheridan, and Weston Counties, and that portion of 
Carbon County east of the Continental Divide; that portion of Park 
County west of the Shoshone National Forest boundary, and that Portion 
of Park County north of a line beginning where the Shoshone National 
Forest boundary crosses Park County Road 8VC, easterly along said road 
to Park County Road 1AB, easterly along said road to Wyoming Highway 
120, northerly along said highway to Wyoming Highway 294, southeasterly 
along said highway to Lane 9, easterly along said lane to the town of 
Powel and Wyoming Highway 14A, easterly along said highway to the Park 
County and Big Horn County Line.
    Area 4: Goshen and Platte Counties.
Pacific Flyway
    Arizona:
    GMU 1 and 27 Game Management Units 1 and 27.
    GMU 22 and 23: Game Management Units 22 and 23.
    Remainder of State: The remainder of Arizona.
    California:
    Northeastern Zone: In that portion of California lying east and 
north of a line beginning at the intersection of the Klamath River with 
the California-Oregon line; south and west along the Klamath River to 
the mouth of Shovel Creek; along Shovel Creek to its intersection with 
Forest Service Road 46N05 at Burnt Camp; west to its junction with 
Forest Service Road 46N10; south and east to its Junction with County 
Road 7K007; south and west to its junction with Forest Service Road 
45N22; south and west to its junction with Highway 97 and Grass Lake 
Summit; south along to its junction with Interstate 5 at the town of 
Weed; south to its junction with Highway 89; east and south along 
Highway 89 to main street Greenville; north and east to its junction 
with North Valley Road; south to its junction of Diamond Mountain Road; 
north and east to its junction with North Arm Road; south and west to 
the junction of North Valley Road; south to the junction with Arlington 
Road (A22); west to the junction of Highway 89; south and west to the 
junction of Highway 70; east on Highway 70 to Highway 395; south and 
east on Highway 395 to the point of intersection with the California-
Nevada state line; north along the California-Nevada state line to the 
junction of the California-Nevada-Oregon state lines west along the 
California-Oregon state line to the point of origin.
    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.
    Imperial County Special Management Area: The area bounded by a line 
beginning at Highway 86 and the Navy Test Base Road; south on Highway 
86 to the town of Westmoreland; continue through the town of 
Westmoreland to Route S26; east on Route S26 to Highway 115; north on 
highway 115 to Weist Rd.; north on Weist Rd. to Flowing Wells Rd.; 
northeast on Flowing Wells Rd. to the Coachella Canal; northwest on the 
Coachella Canal to Drop 18; a straight line from Drop 18 to Frink Rd.; 
south on Frink Rd. to Highway 111; north on Highway 111 to Niland 
Marina Rd.; southwest on Niland Marina Rd. to the old Imperial County 
boat ramp and the water line of the Salton Sea; from the water line of 
the Salton Sea, a straight line across the Salton Sea to the Salinity 
Control Research Facility and the Navy Test Base Road; southwest on the 
Navy Test Base Road to the point of beginning.
    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 Special Management Area (East): That area bounded 
by a line beginning at the junction of the Gridley-Colusa Highway and 
the Cherokee Canal; west on the Gridley-Colusa Highway to Gould Road; 
west on Gould Road and due west 0.75 miles directly to Highway 45; 
south on Highway 45 to Highway 20; east on Highway 20 to West Butte 
Road; north on West Butte Road to Pass Road; west on Pass Road to West 
Butte Road; north on West Butte Road to North Butte Road; west on North 
Butte Road and due west 0.5 miles directly to the

[[Page 53712]]

Cherokee Canal; north on the Cherokee Canal to the point of beginning.
    Sacramento Valley Special Management Area (West): That area bounded 
by a line beginning at Willows south on I-5 to Hahn Road; easterly on 
Hahn Road and the Grimes-Arbuckle Road to Grimes; northerly on CA 45 to 
the junction with CA 162; northerly on CA 45/162 to Glenn; and westerly 
on CA 162 to the point of beginning in Willows.
    San Joaquin Valley Special Management Area: That area bounded by a 
line beginning at the intersection of Highway 5 and Highway 120; south 
on Highway 5 to Highway 33; southeast on Highway 33 to Crows Landing 
Road; north on Crows Landing Road to Highway 99; north on Highway 99 to 
Highway 120; west on Highway 120 to the point of beginning.
    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.
    Colorado (Pacific Flyway Portion):
    West Central Area: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, Gunnison, LaPlata, 
Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel Counties and those 
portions of Hinsdale, Mineral, and Saguache Counties west of the 
Continental Divide.
    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:
    Lincoln Clark County Zone: All of Lincoln and Clark Counties.
    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:
    Southwest Zone: Douglas, Coos, Curry, Josephine, and Jackson 
Counties.
    Northwest Special Permit Zone: That portion of western Oregon west 
and north of a line running south from the Columbia River in Portland 
along I-5 to OR 22 at Salem; then east on OR 22 to the Stayton Cutoff; 
then south on the Stayton Cutoff to Stayton and due south to the 
Santiam River; then west along the north shore of the Santiam River to 
I-5; then south on I-5 to OR 126 at Eugene; then west on OR 126 to 
Greenhill Road; then south on Greenhill Road to Crow Road; then west on 
Crow Road to Territorial Hwy; then west on Territorial Hwy to OR 126; 
then west on OR 126 to OR 36; then north on OR 36 to Forest Road 5070 
at Brickerville; then west and south on Forest Road 5070 to OR 126; 
then west on OR 126 to Milepost 19, north to the intersection of the 
Benton and Lincoln County line, north along the western boundary of 
Benton and Polk counties to the southern boundary of Tillamook County, 
west along the Tillamook County boundary to the Pacific Coast.
    Northwest Zone: Those portions of Clackamas, Lane, Linn, Marion, 
Multnomah, and Washington Counties outside of the Northwest Special 
Permit Zone and all of Lincoln County.
    Closed Zone: Those portions of Coos and Curry Counties south of 
Bandon and west of U.S. 101 and all of Tilamook and Lincoln Counties.
    Eastern Zone: Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, 
Umatilla, Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Wheeler, Grant, Baker, Union, 
and Wallowa Counties.
    Harney, Klamath, Lake, and Malheur County Zone: All of Harney, 
Klamath, Lake, and Malheur Counties.
    Utah:
    Washington County Zone: All of Washington County.
    Remainder-of-the-State Zone: The remainder of Utah.
    Washington:
    Area 1: Skagit, Island, and Snohomish Counties.
    Area 2A (SW Quota Zone): Clark County, except portions south of the 
Washougal River; Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties.
    Area 2B (SW Quota Zone): Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties.
    Area 3: All areas west of the Pacific Crest Trail and west of the 
Big White Salmon River which are not included in Areas 1, 2A and 2B.
    Area 4: Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, 
Lincoln, Okanogan, Spokane, and Walla Walla Counties.
    Area 5: All areas east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of the 
Big White Salmon River which are not included in Area 4.
    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.

[[Page 53713]]

Swans

Central Flyway
    South Dakota:
    Aurora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Clark, 
Codington, Davison, Deuel, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, 
Hanson, Hughes, Hyde, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Marshall, McCook, 
McPherson, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, 
Sully, and Walworth Counties.
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 west of I-15, north of I-80 and south of a 
line beginning from the Forest Street exit to the Bear River National 
Wildlife Refuge boundary, then north and west along the Bear River 
National Wildlife Refuge boundary to the farthest west boundary of the 
Refuge, then west along a line to Promontory Road, then north on 
Promontory Road to the intersection of SR 83, then north on SR 83 to I-
84, then north and west on I-84 to State Hwy 30, then west on State Hwy 
30 to the Nevada-Utah state line, then south on the Nevada-Utah state 
line to I-80.

[FR Doc. 02-20713 Filed 8-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P