[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 146 (Monday, August 1, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44200-44215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15127]



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Part IV





Department of the Interior





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Fish and Wildlife Services



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50 CFR Part 20



Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed Frameworks for Early-Season Migratory 
Bird Hunting Regulations; Notice of Meetings; Proposed Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 146 / Monday, August 1, 2005 / 
Proposed Rules  

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

RIN 1018-AT76


Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed Frameworks for Early-Season 
Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations; Notice of Meetings

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; supplemental.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter Service or we) 
is proposing to establish the 2005-06 early-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 
maximum number of birds that may be taken and possessed in early 
seasons. Early seasons may open as early as September 1, and include 
seasons in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of specific 
final seasons and limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels 
compatible with population status and habitat conditions.

DATES: The Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee will meet to 
consider and develop proposed regulations for late-season migratory 
bird hunting and the 2006 spring/summer migratory bird subsistence 
seasons in Alaska on July 27 and 28, 2005. All meetings will commence 
at approximately 8:30 a.m. You must submit comments on the proposed 
migratory bird hunting-season frameworks for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto 
Rico, the Virgin Islands, and other early seasons by August 11, 2005, 
and for the forthcoming proposed late-season frameworks by August 30, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: The Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee will meet 
in room 200 of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Arlington Square 
Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia. Send your 
comments on the proposals to the Chief, Division of Migratory Bird 
Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, 
MS MBSP-4107-ARLSQ, 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 at the Service's office in room 4107, 4501 N. Fairfax Drive, 
Arlington, Virginia.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulations Schedule for 2005

    On April 6, 2005, we published in the Federal Register (70 FR 
17574) 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 2005-06 duck hunting season, 
and other regulations for migratory game birds under Sec. Sec.  20.101 
through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. On June 24, 2005, we 
published in the Federal Register (70 FR 36794) a second document 
providing supplemental proposals for early- and late-season migratory 
bird hunting regulations frameworks and the regulatory alternatives for 
the 2005-06 duck hunting season. The June 24 supplement also provided 
detailed information on the 2005-06 regulatory schedule and announced 
the Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee (SRC) and Flyway 
Council meetings.
    This document, the third in a series of proposed, supplemental, and 
final rulemaking documents for migratory bird hunting regulations, 
deals specifically with proposed frameworks for early-season 
regulations. It will lead to final frameworks from which States may 
select season dates, shooting hours, and daily bag and possession 
limits for the 2005-06 season. We have considered all pertinent 
comments received through June 30, 2005, on the April 6 and June 24, 
2005, rulemaking documents in developing this document. In addition, 
new proposals for certain early-season regulations are provided for 
public comment. Comment periods are specified above under DATES. We 
will publish final regulatory frameworks for early seasons in the 
Federal Register on or about August 20, 2005.

Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee Meetings

    Participants at the June 22-23, 2005, meetings reviewed information 
on the current status of migratory shore and upland game birds and 
developed 2005-06 migratory game bird regulations recommendations for 
these species plus regulations for migratory game birds in Alaska, 
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. 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. 
Participants at the previously announced July 27-28, 2005, meetings 
will review information on the current status of waterfowl and develop 
recommendations for the 2005-06 regulations pertaining to regular 
waterfowl seasons and other species and seasons not previously 
discussed at the early-season meetings. In accordance with Department 
of the Interior policy, these meetings are open to public observation 
and you may submit written comments to the Director of the Service on 
the matters discussed.

Population Status and Harvest

    The following paragraphs provide preliminary information on the 
status of waterfowl and information on the status and harvest of 
migratory shore and upland game birds.

May Breeding Waterfowl and Habitat Survey

    Habitat conditions at the time of the survey in May were variable. 
Habitat on the U.S. prairies was in fair to poor condition due to a dry 
fall, winter, and early spring and warm winter temperatures. Nesting 
habitat was particularly poor in South Dakota because of below average 
precipitation resulting in degraded wetland conditions and increased 
tilling and grazing of wetland margins. Water levels and upland nesting 
cover were better in North Dakota and eastern Montana and wetland 
conditions in these regions improved markedly during June, with the 
onset of well-above average precipitation. The 2005 pond estimate for 
the northcentral U.S. (1.5 million) was similar to last year.
    The prairies of southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan were 
also quite dry at the beginning of the survey in early May. The U.S. 
and Canadian prairies received substantial rain in late May and during 
the entire month of June that recharged wetlands and encouraged growth 
of vegetation. While this improved habitat quality on the prairies, it 
probably came too late to benefit early-nesting species or prevent 
overflight. Rains likely improved habitat conditions for late nesting 
species and for renesting efforts. In contrast, the Canadian Parklands 
were much improved compared to last year, due to a combination of 
several years of improving nesting cover and above-normal precipitation 
last fall and winter. These areas were in good-to-

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excellent condition and conditions have remained good through early 
summer. Record high levels of rain did flood portions of lower 
elevation prairie areas of central Manitoba during April, producing 
fair or poor nesting conditions for breeding waterfowl in some areas.
    Overall, the pond estimate in the Canadian prairies and parklands 
and the U.S. prairies (5.4 million ponds) increased 37% over last year 
and was 12% higher than the long-term average. The estimate of ponds in 
the Canadian prairies and parklands was 3.9 million. This was a 56% 
increase over last year and 17% higher than the long-term average.
    Portions of northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan also 
experienced flooding, resulting in only fair conditions for breeding 
waterfowl. Most of the Northwest Territories was in good condition due 
to adequate water and a timely spring break up that made habitat 
available to early-nesting species. However, dry conditions in eastern 
parts of the Northwest Territories and northeastern Alberta resulted in 
low water levels in lakes and ponds and the complete drying of some 
wetlands. Thus, habitat was classified as fair in these areas. Alaska 
was in mostly excellent condition, with an early spring and good water, 
except for a few flooded river areas and the North Slope, where spring 
was late.
    In the Eastern Survey area, habitat conditions were good due to 
adequate water and relatively mild spring temperatures. The exceptions 
were the coast of Maine and the Maritimes, where May temperatures were 
cool and some flooding occurred along the coast and major rivers. Also, 
below normal precipitation left some habitats in fair to poor condition 
in southern Ontario. However, precipitation in this region following 
survey completion improved habitat conditions.

Status of Teal

    The estimate of blue-winged teal numbers from the Traditional 
Survey Area is 4.6 million. This represents a 13 percent increase from 
2004. According to the teal season harvest strategy, the estimate 
indicates that a 9-day September teal season is appropriate in 2005.

Sandhill Cranes

    The Mid-Continent Population of Sandhill Cranes has generally 
stabilized at comparatively high levels, following increases in the 
1970s. The Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska, spring index for 
2005, uncorrected for visibility, was 412,000 cranes. The most recent 
photo-corrected 3-year average (for 2002-2004) was 363,167, which is 
within the established population-objective range of 343,000-465,000 
cranes. All Central Flyway States, except Nebraska, allowed crane 
hunting in portions of their respective States in 2004-05. About 9,300 
hunters participated in these seasons, which was 12% higher than the 
number that participated during the previous years seasons. An 
estimated 15,124 cranes were harvested in the Central Flyway during 
2004-05 seasons, which was 18% lower than the previous year's estimate. 
Retrieved harvests in the Pacific Flyway, Canada, and Mexico were 
estimated to be about 14,528 cranes for the 2004-05 period. The total 
North American sport harvest, including crippling losses, was estimated 
at 33,847, which is 5% lower than the previous year's estimate.
    The fall 2004 pre-migration survey estimate for the Rocky Mountain 
Population of sandhill cranes was 18,510, which was 5.5% lower than the 
previous year's estimate of 19,523. Limited special seasons were held 
during 2004-05 in portions of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, 
Utah, and Wyoming, resulting in a harvest of 594 cranes (harvest 
allocation was 656 cranes), a 13% increase over the previous year's 
harvest of 528 cranes (harvest allocation was 668 cranes). The 3-year 
population average for 2002-04 is 18,945 sandhill cranes, which is 
within established population objectives of 17,000-21,000.

Woodcock

    Singing-ground and Wing-collection Surveys were conducted to assess 
the population status of the American woodcock (Scolopax minor). 
Singing-ground Survey data for 2005 indicate that the numbers of 
displaying woodcock in the Eastern and Central Regions were unchanged 
from 2004. There was no significant trend in woodcock heard on the 
Singing-ground Survey in either the Eastern or Central Regions during 
the 10 years between 1996 and 2005. This represents the second 
consecutive year since 1992 that the 10-year trend estimate for either 
region was not a significant decline. There were long-term (1968-2005) 
declines of 2.0 percent per year in the Eastern Region and 1.8 percent 
per year in the Central Region. Wing-collection survey data indicate 
that the 2004 recruitment index for the U.S. portion of the Eastern 
Region (2.0 immatures per adult female) was 34 percent higher than the 
2003 index, and 19 percent higher than the long-term average. The 
recruitment index for the U.S. portion of the Central Region (1.3 
immatures per adult female) was slightly lower than the 2003 index and 
17 percent below the long-term average.

Band-Tailed Pigeons and Doves

    A significant decline in the Coastal population of band-tailed 
pigeons occurred during 1968-2004, as indicated by the Breeding Bird 
Survey (BBS); however, no trend was noted over the most recent 10 
years. A range-wide mineral-site survey conducted in British Columbia, 
Washington, Oregon, and California indicated an increasing trend 
between 2001 and 2004. BBS analyses indicated no trend for the Interior 
band-tailed pigeon population over the long-term period, but did show a 
decline for the first time over the most recent 10 years.
    Analyses of Mourning Dove Call-count Survey data over the most 
recent 10 years indicated no significant trend for doves heard in 
either the Eastern or Western Management Unit while the Central Unit 
showed a significant decline. Over 40 years, all 3 units exhibited 
significant declines. In contrast, for doves seen over the 10-year 
period, a significant increase was found in the Eastern Unit while no 
trends were found in the Central and Western Units. Over 40 years, no 
trend was found for doves seen in the Eastern and Central Units while a 
significant decline was indicated for the Western Unit. A banding 
project is underway to obtain current information in order to develop 
mourning dove population models for each unit to provide guidance for 
improving our decision-making process with respect to harvest 
management.
    In Arizona, the white-winged dove population has shown a 
significant decline between 1962 and 2005. However, the number of 
whitewings has been fairly stable since the 1970s, but did show an 
apparent decline over the most recent 10 years. In Texas, white-winged 
doves are now found throughout most of the state. In 2005, the 
whitewing population in Texas was estimated to be 2.8 million. The 
expansion of whitewings northward and eastward from Texas has led to 
whitewings being sighted in most of the Great Plains and Midwestern 
states and as far north as Ontario. Nesting has been reported in 
Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. They have been 
sighted in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota. 
Additionally, whitewings are believed to be expanding northward from 
Florida and have been seen along the eastern seaboard as far north as 
Newfoundland.
    White-tipped doves are maintaining a relatively stable population 
in the

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Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. They are most abundant in cities and, 
for the most part, are not available to hunting. The count in 2005 
averaged 0.51 birds per stop compared to 0.91 in 2004.

Review of Public Comments

    The preliminary proposed rulemaking (April 6 Federal Register) 
opened the public comment period for migratory game bird hunting 
regulations and announced the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 
2005-06 duck hunting season. Comments concerning early-season issues 
and the proposed alternatives are summarized below and numbered in the 
order used in the April 6 Federal Register document. Only the numbered 
items pertaining to early-seasons issues and the proposed regulatory 
alternatives for which written comments were received are included. 
Consequently, the issues do not follow in consecutive 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 April 6, 2005, Federal 
Register document.

1. Ducks

    Categories used to discuss issues related to duck harvest 
management are: (A) General Harvest Strategy, (B) Regulatory 
Alternatives, including specification of framework dates, season 
length, and bag limits, (C) Zones and Split Seasons, and (D) Special 
Seasons/Species Management. The categories correspond to previously 
published issues/discussions, and only those containing substantial 
recommendations are discussed below.
D. Special Seasons/Species Management v. Pintails
    Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommended 
that the proposed technical revisions to the Northern Pintail Harvest 
strategy not be adopted in 2005 and that the efforts of the Working 
Group formed in 2004 should be expanded and continued. The Service 
should commit sufficient staff time to achieve significant progress on 
this issue in the coming year. Future work should include as a priority 
the development and the inclusion of compensatory harvest mortality in 
the population model and stock- and sex-specific harvest regulations. 
Since these issues and concerns cannot be fully evaluated and 
considered for the 2005 regulatory cycle, the Council supports 
establishment of 2005 northern pintail regulations under the same 
criteria used in 2004.
    Service Response: We concur with the Pacific Flyway Council's 
recommendation to delay incorporation of technical improvements to the 
Pintail Harvest Strategy until the next regulatory cycle. However, we 
believe strongly that the top priority for the coming year must be a 
decision on the proposed technical improvements followed by a clear 
articulation of the desired management objectives. We believe there are 
a limited number of possible objectives that might be considered: (1) 
Maximize long-term harvest, (2) minimize closed or partial seasons, (3) 
maximize long-term harvest constrained by a population goal, or (4) 
some combination of the above. We are open to additional input on 
objectives and look forward to these discussions to be facilitated by 
the existing working group.
    In addition to a review of the proposed technical modifications and 
an effort to more clearly define the harvest-management objectives in 
the strategy, we would also suggest incorporation of an adaptive 
process for choosing the appropriate season for a given set of 
conditions and perhaps consideration of a contrasting model that would 
include compensatory harvest effects as a reasonable scope of work to 
be completed in advance of the next regulatory cycle. At this time, we 
do not feel investigation of stock or sex specific harvest regulations 
for pintails would be beneficial to pursue.

4. Canada Geese

A. Special Seasons
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
that Connecticut's September goose season framework dates of 1 
September to 30 September become operational.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended that Oklahoma's Experimental 
September Canada Goose Hunting Season become operational for the time 
period beginning September 16-25, beginning with the September 2005 
hunting season.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended extending Idaho's 
geographically-limited September season framework to a State-wide 
framework.
    Service Response: We concur with the recommendations regarding 
Connecticut's and Idaho's September goose seasons. We do not support 
the Central Flyway Council recommendation to give operational status to 
the experimental season in Oklahoma. The sample size of tail fans 
necessary to determine the portion of migrant Canada geese in the 
harvest is insufficient for the experimental period. We believe that 
the experimental season should be extended for one year and we will 
work with Oklahoma to complete collections required for this 
assessment.
B. Regular Seasons
    Council Recommendations: The Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations 
Committees of the Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that the 
framework opening date for all species of geese be September 16 in 2005 
and future years. If this recommendation is not approved, the 
Committees recommended that the framework opening date for all species 
of geese for the regular goose seasons in Michigan and Wisconsin be 
September 16.
    Service Response: We concur with the objective to increase harvest 
pressure on resident Canada geese in the Mississippi Flyway, but do not 
concur with a September 16 framework opening date throughout the 
Flyway. A September 16 opening date Flyway-wide would require that the 
regular season be established during the early-season regulations 
process, which presents a number of administrative problems. In 
addition, a September 16 opening date has implications beyond the 
Mississippi Flyway. Regarding the recommendations for a September 16 
framework opening date in Wisconsin and Michigan, we concur. However, 
the opening dates in both States will continue to be considered 
exceptions to the general Flyway opening date, to be reconsidered 
annually.

9. Sandhill Cranes

    Council Recommendations: The Central Flyway Council recommended 
using the 2005 Rocky Mountain Population sandhill crane harvest 
allocation of 906 birds as proposed in the allocation formula using the 
2002-2004 3-year running average. In addition, the Council recommended 
no changes in the Mid-continent Population sandhill crane hunting 
frameworks.

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    Service Response: As we indicated in the April 6 Federal Register, 
during last year's waterfowl and sandhill crane hunting season, a group 
of hunters in Kansas accidentally shot at some whooping cranes. Two of 
the whooping cranes from this flock sustained injuries and were 
subsequently captured and treated by agency and university personnel. 
Both subsequently died after capture. We have worked with staff from 
the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to review this incident and 
we concur with the Central Flyway Council recommendation for no change 
to the Mid-Continent Sandhill Crane Population hunting season 
frameworks. The State of Kansas has indicated that they will increase 
and improve hunter outreach and education efforts concerning whooping 
cranes in cooperation with the Service and will delay the opening of 
the sandhill crane season through State regulations. We believe these 
actions will minimize the potential conflicts with whooping cranes and 
hunting in this area.

16. Mourning Doves

    Council Recommendations: The Upper- and Lower-Region Regulations 
Committees of the Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that zoning 
remain an option for States in their management of mourning dove 
harvest. The Council recommends the following elements should be noted 
or made part of any change in zoning policy by the Service:
    1. There is no strong biological basis to establish a latitudinal 
line below which zoning is mandatory in the Eastern Management Unit;
    2. Use of September 20th as the earliest opening date for a South 
Zone has no biological basis; and
    3. Limiting the frequency that a State can select or change zoning 
options is supported, but the time period between changes should not 
exceed 5 years and States selecting Zoning should be able to revert 
back to a non-zoning option for any remaining years left before Zoning 
is again a regulatory option.
    The Central Flyway Council recommends the following guidelines for 
mourning dove hunting zones and periods in the Central Management Unit 
(CMU).
    1. The time interval between changes in zone boundaries or periods 
within States in the CMU should not exceed five (5) years consistent 
with the review schedule for duck zones and periods (i.e., 2006-2010, 
2011-2015, etc).
    2. States may select two (2) zones and three (3) segments except 
Texas has the option to select three (3) zones and two (2) segments.
    3. The opening date of September 20 in the South Zone in Texas with 
the three (3) zone option will remain unchanged.
    Service Response: We will defer the decision on dove zoning for 1 
year, and will work with the Flyway Councils and Dove technical 
committees to develop a consensus position on dove zoning by March 
2006.

17. White-Winged and White-Tipped Doves

    Council Recommendations: The Central Flyway Council recommended 
that the boundary for the White-winged Dove Area in Texas be extended 
to include the area south and west of Interstate Highway 37 and U.S. 
Highway 90, with an aggregate daily bag limit of 12 doves, no more than 
3 of which may be mourning doves. All other regulations would remain 
unchanged. The Council subsequently modified its recommendation to 
reduce the expansion to that area south and west of Interstate Highway 
35 and U.S. Highway 90, with an aggregate daily bag limit of 12 doves, 
no more than 4 of which may be mourning doves and 2 of which may be 
white-tipped doves.
    Service Response: We concur with the modified Council 
recommendation to expand the Special White-winged Dove Area to I-35 and 
U.S. 90 and allow an aggregate daily bag limit of 12 doves, of which no 
more than 4 may be mourning doves and 2 may be white-tipped doves. 
However, we are concerned about the potential increased take of 
mourning doves and will monitor the effects of this change. Further, we 
appreciate Texas' willingness to work with the Service to establish 
those surveys or studies that are needed and feasible to determine the 
effects of this expanded hunting area on mourning doves. Specifically, 
we are hopeful that the proposed comprehensive harvest surveys along 
with implementation of extensive nesting and banding studies will 
provide data that will help make future decisions.

18. Alaska

    Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommended 
that the Canvasback Harvest Strategy include a statement to the effect 
that ``In general, Alaska may annually select a canvasback season with 
limits of one daily, three in possession in lieu of annual 
prescriptions from this strategy. In the event that the breeding 
population declines to a level that indicates seasons will be closed 
for several years, the Service will consult with the Pacific Flyway 
Council to decide whether Alaska seasons should be closed.'' The 
Council and Service should appreciate that if season closure decisions 
are made during the late season process, Alaska will have to implement 
regulation changes by emergency orders, which will conflict with widely 
distributed public regulations summaries produced in July.
    Further, the Council recommended removal of the [Canada] goose 
closure in the Aleutian Islands (Unit 10), reduction of dark goose 
limits in Units 18 and 9(E) to four daily with no more than two 
cackling/Canada geese, and reduction in the brant season length in Unit 
9(D) from 107 days to 30 days. The Council's latter two recommendations 
are contingent on concomitant restrictions on primary migration and 
wintering areas in the lower 48 states.
    Service Response: We concur with the Council's recommendations. 
Further, we support the recommendation for the additional language to 
be added to the existing canvasback strategy describing the season 
closure process for the State of Alaska. However, we request that the 
Pacific Flyway Council continue to work with the Service to define what 
objective measures might be used to more clearly describe when 
canvasbacks would be closed in Alaska.

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

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specified in DATES 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 4107, 4501 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 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). In addition, an August 1985 environmental 
assessment entitled ``Guidelines for Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations 
on Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands'' is available from the 
address indicated under the caption ADDRESSES. In a proposed rule 
published in the April 30, 2001, Federal Register (66 FR 21298), we 
expressed our intent to begin the process of developing a new 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the migratory bird 
hunting program. We plan to begin the public scoping process in 2005.

Endangered Species Act Consideration

    Prior to issuance of the 2005-06 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 is consistent with conservation 
programs for those species. Consultations under Section 7 of this Act 
may cause us to change proposals in future supplemental proposed 
rulemaking documents.

Executive Order 12866

    The migratory bird hunting regulations are economically significant 
and were reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 
Executive Order 12866. As such, a cost/benefit analysis was initially 
prepared in 1981. This analysis was subsequently revised annually from 
1990-96, updated in 1998 and updated again in 2004. It is further 
discussed below under the heading Regulatory Flexibility Act. Results 
from the 2004 analysis indicate that the expected welfare benefit of 
the annual migratory bird hunting frameworks is on the order of $734 to 
$1,064 million, with a mid-point estimate of $899 million. Copies of 
the cost/benefit analysis are available upon request from the address 
indicated under ADDRESSES or from our Web site at http://www.migratorybirds.gov.
    Executive Order 12866 also 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? (6) What else could we do to make 
the rule easier to understand?
    Send a copy of any comments that concern 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 e-mail the comments to this address: [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 as part of the 
1981 cost-benefit analysis discussed under Executive Order 12866. This 
analysis was revised annually from 1990-95. In 1995, the Service issued 
a Small Entity Flexibility Analysis (Analysis), which was subsequently 
updated in 1996, 1998, and 2004. 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 2004 Analysis was based on the 2001 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 $481 million and $1.2 billion at small businesses in 
2004. Copies of the Analysis are available upon request from the 
address indicated under ADDRESSES or from our Web site at http://www.migratorybirds.gov.

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 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 surveys associated with the Migratory Bird Harvest Information 
Program and assigned clearance number 1018-0015 (expires 2/29/2008). 
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. OMB has also 
approved the information collection requirements of the Sandhill Crane 
Harvest Survey and assigned clearance number 1018-0023 (expires 11/30/
2007). The information from this survey is used to estimate the 
magnitude and the geographical and temporal distribution of the 
harvest, and the portion it constitutes of the total population. 
Lastly, OMB has approved the information collection requirements of the 
Alaska Subsistence Household Survey, an associated voluntary annual 
household survey used to determine levels of subsistence take in 
Alaska. The OMB control number for the information collection is 1018-
0124

[[Page 44205]]

(expires 10/31/2006). 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 impose a cost of $100 million or more in any given 
year on local or State government or private entities. Therefore, this 
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 proposed rule will not unduly burden the judicial system and 
that it meets the requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of 
Executive Order 12988.

Takings Implication Assessment

    In accordance with Executive Order 12630, this proposed rule, 
authorized by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 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, these rules allow hunters to exercise 
otherwise unavailable privileges and, therefore, reduce restrictions on 
the use of private and public property.

Energy Effects--Executive Order 13211

    On May 18, 2001, the President issued 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 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 action is not a significant energy action and no 
Statement of Energy Effects is required.

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 regarding the hunting of migratory 
birds, and we 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 Indian 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 
process 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 2005-06 
hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-712 and 16 U.S.C. 742 
a-j.

    Dated: July 26, 2005.
Craig Manson,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

Proposed Regulations Frameworks for 2005-06 Early Hunting Seasons on 
Certain Migratory Game Birds

    Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and delegated 
authorities, the Department of the Interior approved the following 
proposed frameworks, which prescribe season lengths, bag limits, 
shooting hours, and outside dates within which States may select 
hunting seasons for certain migratory game birds between September 1, 
2005, and March 10, 2006.

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

Mourning Dove Management Units

    Eastern Management Unit--All States east of the Mississippi River, 
and Louisiana.
    Central Management Unit--Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, 
Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, 
Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
    Western Management Unit--Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, 
Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

Woodcock Management Regions

    Eastern Management Region--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.
    Central Management Region--Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, 
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, 
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, 
Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
    Other geographic descriptions are contained in a later portion of 
this document.
    Compensatory Days in the Atlantic Flyway: In the Atlantic Flyway 
States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine,

[[Page 44206]]

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).

Special September Teal Season

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and September 30, an open season 
on all species of teal may be selected by the following States in areas 
delineated by State regulations:
    Atlantic Flyway--Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
    Mississippi Flyway--Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee.
    Central Flyway--Colorado (part), Kansas, Nebraska (part), New 
Mexico (part), Oklahoma, and Texas.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 9 consecutive 
days in the Atlantic Flyway and (to be determined) in the Mississippi 
and Central Flyways. The daily bag limit is 4 teal.
    Shooting Hours:
    Atlantic Flyway--One-half hour before sunrise to sunset except in 
Maryland, where the hours are from sunrise to sunset.
    Mississippi and Central Flyways--One-half hour before sunrise to 
sunset, except in the States of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, 
and Ohio, where the hours are from sunrise to sunset.

Special September Duck Seasons

    Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee: In lieu of a special September 
teal season, a 5-consecutive-day season may be selected in September. 
The daily bag limit may not exceed 4 teal and wood ducks in the 
aggregate, of which no more than 2 may be wood ducks.
    Iowa: Iowa may hold up to 5 days of its regular duck hunting season 
in September. All ducks that are legal during the regular duck season 
may be taken during the September segment of the season. The September 
season segment may commence no earlier than the Saturday nearest 
September 20 (September 17). The daily bag and possession limits will 
be the same as those in effect last year, but are subject to change 
during the late-season regulations process. The remainder of the 
regular duck season may not begin before October 10.

Special Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days

    Outside Dates: States may select two consecutive days (hunting days 
in Atlantic Flyway States with compensatory days) per duck-hunting 
zone, designated as ``Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days,'' in addition to 
their regular duck seasons. The days must be held outside any regular 
duck season on a weekend, holidays, or other non-school days when youth 
hunters would have the maximum opportunity to participate. The days may 
be held up to 14 days before or after any regular duck-season 
frameworks or within any split of a regular duck season, or within any 
other open season on migratory birds.
    Daily Bag Limits: The daily bag limits may include ducks, geese, 
mergansers, coots, moorhens, and gallinules and would be the same as 
those allowed in the regular season. Flyway species and area 
restrictions would remain in effect.
    Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
    Participation Restrictions: Youth hunters must be 15 years of age 
or younger. In addition, an adult at least 18 years of age must 
accompany the youth hunter into the field. This adult may not duck hunt 
but may participate in other seasons that are open on the special youth 
day.

Scoter, Eider, and Oldsquaw Ducks (Atlantic Flyway)

    Outside Dates: Between September 15 and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 107 days, with 
a daily bag limit of 7, singly or in the aggregate, of the listed sea-
duck species, of which no more than 4 may be scoters.
    Daily Bag Limits During the Regular Duck Season: 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.
    Areas: In all coastal waters and all waters of rivers and streams 
seaward from the first upstream bridge in Maine, New Hampshire, 
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York; in any waters 
of the Atlantic Ocean and in any tidal waters of any bay which are 
separated by at least 1 mile of open water from any shore, island, and 
emergent vegetation in New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia; and in 
any waters of the Atlantic Ocean and in any tidal waters of any bay 
which are separated by at least 800 yards of open water from any shore, 
island, and emergent vegetation in Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, 
and Virginia; and provided that any such areas have been described, 
delineated, and designated as special sea-duck hunting areas under the 
hunting regulations adopted by the respective States.

Special Early Canada Goose Seasons

Atlantic Flyway

General Seasons
    Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be 
selected for the Eastern Unit of Maryland and Delaware. Seasons not to 
exceed 30 days during September 1-30 may be selected for Connecticut, 
the Northeast Hunt Unit of North Carolina, New Jersey, and Rhode 
Island. Except for experimental seasons described below, seasons may 
not exceed 25 days during September 1-25 in the remainder of the 
Flyway. Areas open to the hunting of Canada geese must be described, 
delineated, and designated as such in each State's hunting regulations.
    Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 8 Canada geese.
Experimental Seasons
    Experimental Canada goose seasons of up to 25 days during September 
1-25 may be selected for the Montezuma Region of New York and the Lake 
Champlain Region of New York and Vermont. Experimental seasons of up to 
30 days during September 1-30 may be selected by Florida, Georgia, New 
York (Long Island Zone), North Carolina (except in the Northeast Hunt 
Unit), and South Carolina. Areas open to the hunting of Canada geese 
must be described, delineated, and designated as such in each State's 
hunting regulations.
    Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 8 Canada geese.

Mississippi Flyway

General Seasons
    Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be 
selected, except in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, where the season 
may not extend beyond September 10, and in Minnesota (except in the 
Northwest Goose Zone), where a season of up to 22 days during September 
1-22 may be selected. The daily bag limit may not exceed 5 Canada 
geese. Areas open to the hunting of Canada geese must be described, 
delineated, and designated as such in each State's hunting regulations.
    A Canada goose season of up to 10 consecutive days during September 
1-10 may be selected by Michigan for Huron, Saginaw, and Tuscola 
Counties, except that the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, 
Shiawassee River State Game Area Refuge, and the Fish Point

[[Page 44207]]

Wildlife Area Refuge will remain closed. The daily bag limit may not 
exceed 5 Canada geese.

Central Flyway

General Seasons
    Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be 
selected. The daily bag limit may not exceed 5 Canada geese. Areas open 
to the hunting of Canada geese must be described, delineated, and 
designated as such in each State's hunting regulations.
    A Canada goose season of up to 15 consecutive days during September 
16-30 may be selected by South Dakota. The daily bag limit may not 
exceed 5 Canada geese.
Experimental Seasons
    An experimental Canada goose season of up to 9 consecutive days 
during September 22-30 may be selected by Oklahoma. The daily bag limit 
may not exceed 5 Canada geese.
    An experimental Canada goose season of up to 15 consecutive days 
during September 16-30 may be selected by Nebraska. The daily bag limit 
may not exceed 5 Canada geese.

Pacific Flyway

General Seasons
    California may select a 9-day season in Humboldt County during the 
period September 1-15. The daily bag limit is 2.
    Colorado may select a 9-day season during the period of September 
1-15. The daily bag limit is 3.
    Oregon may select a special Canada goose season of up to 15 days 
during the period September 1-15. In addition, in the NW goose 
management zone in Oregon, a 15-day season may be selected during the 
period September 1-20. Daily bag limits may not exceed 5 Canada geese.
    Idaho may select a 7-day season during the period September 1-15. 
The daily bag limit is 2 and the possession limit is 4.
    Washington may select a special Canada goose season of up to 15 
days during the period September 1-15. Daily bag limits may not exceed 
5 Canada geese.
    Wyoming may select an 8-day season on Canada geese between 
September 1-15. This season is subject to the following conditions:
    1. Where applicable, the season must be concurrent with the 
September portion of the sandhill crane season.
    2. A daily bag limit of 2, with season and possession limits of 4, 
will apply to the special season.
    Areas open to hunting of Canada geese in each State must be 
described, delineated, and designated as such in each State's hunting 
regulations.

Regular Goose Seasons

    Regular goose seasons may open as early as September 16 in 
Wisconsin and Michigan. Season lengths, bag and possession limits, and 
other provisions will be established during the late-season regulations 
process.

Sandhill Cranes

    Regular Seasons in the Central Flyway:
    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28.
    Hunting Seasons: Seasons not to exceed 37 consecutive days may be 
selected in designated portions of North Dakota (Area 2) and Texas 
(Area 2). Seasons not to exceed 58 consecutive days may be selected in 
designated portions of the following States: Colorado, Kansas, Montana, 
North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Seasons not to exceed 93 
consecutive days may be selected in designated portions of the 
following States: New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
    Daily Bag Limits: 3 sandhill cranes, except 2 sandhill cranes in 
designated portions of North Dakota (Area 2) and Texas (Area 2).
    Permits: Each person participating in the regular sandhill crane 
seasons must have a valid Federal sandhill crane hunting permit and/or, 
in those States where a Federal sandhill crane permit is not issued, a 
State-issued Harvest Information Survey Program (HIP) certification for 
game bird hunting in their possession while hunting.
    Special Seasons in the Central and Pacific Flyways:
    Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming 
may select seasons for hunting sandhill cranes within the range of the 
Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) subject to the following conditions:
    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons: The season in any State or zone may not exceed 30 
days.
    Bag limits: Not to exceed 3 daily and 9 per season.
    Permits: Participants must have a valid permit, issued by the 
appropriate State, in their possession while hunting.
    Other provisions: Numbers of permits, open areas, season dates, 
protection plans for other species, and other provisions of seasons 
must be consistent with the management plan and approved by the Central 
and Pacific Flyway Councils with the following exceptions:
    1. In Utah, the requirement for monitoring the racial composition 
of the harvest in the experimental season is waived, and 100 percent of 
the harvest will be assigned to the RMP quota;
    2. In Arizona, monitoring the racial composition of the harvest 
must be conducted at 3 year intervals;
    3. In Idaho, seasons are experimental, and the requirement for 
monitoring the racial composition of the harvest is waived; 100 percent 
of the harvest will be assigned to the RMP quota; and
    4. In New Mexico, the season in the Estancia Valley is 
experimental, with a requirement to monitor the level and racial 
composition of the harvest; greater sandhill cranes in the harvest will 
be assigned to the RMP quota.

Common Moorhens and Purple Gallinules

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 20 in the Atlantic 
Flyway, and between September 1 and the Sunday nearest January 20 
(January 22) in the Mississippi and Central Flyways. States in the 
Pacific Flyway have been allowed to select their hunting seasons 
between the outside dates for the season on ducks; therefore, they are 
late-season frameworks, and no frameworks are provided in this 
document.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 70 
days in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways. Seasons may be 
split into 2 segments. The daily bag limit is 15 common moorhens and 
purple gallinules, singly or in the aggregate of the two species.
    Zoning: Seasons may be selected by zones established for duck 
hunting.

Rails

    Outside Dates: States included herein may select seasons between 
September 1 and January 20 on clapper, king, sora, and Virginia rails.
    Hunting Seasons: The season may not exceed 70 days, and may be 
split into 2 segments.
    Daily Bag Limits:
    Clapper and King Rails--In Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, 
Delaware, and Maryland, 10, singly or in the aggregate of the two 
species. In Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, 
South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, 15, singly or in the 
aggregate of the two species.
    Sora and Virginia Rails--In the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central 
Flyways and the Pacific-Flyway portions of Colorado, Montana, New 
Mexico, and Wyoming, 25 daily and 25 in possession, singly or in the 
aggregate of the two species. The season is closed in the remainder of 
the Pacific Flyway.

[[Page 44208]]

Common Snipe

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28, except in 
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, 
where the season must end no later than January 31.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 107 
days and may be split into two segments. The daily bag limit is 8 
snipe.
    Zoning: Seasons may be selected by zones established for duck 
hunting.

American Woodcock

    Outside Dates: States in the Eastern Management Region may select 
hunting seasons between October 1 and January 31. States in the Central 
Management Region may select hunting seasons between the Saturday 
nearest September 22 (September 24) and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 30 
days in the Eastern Region and 45 days in the Central Region. The daily 
bag limit is 3. Seasons may be split into two segments.
    Zoning: New Jersey may select seasons in each of two zones. The 
season in each zone may not exceed 24 days.

Band-Tailed Pigeons

Pacific Coast States (California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada)

    Outside Dates: Between September 15 and January 1.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 9 consecutive 
days, with a daily bag limit of 2 band-tailed pigeons.
    Zoning: California may select hunting seasons not to exceed 9 
consecutive days in each of two zones. The season in the North Zone 
must close by October 3.

Four-Corners States (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah)

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and November 30.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 30 consecutive 
days, with a daily bag limit of 5 band-tailed pigeons.
    Zoning: New Mexico may select hunting seasons not to exceed 20 
consecutive days in each of two zones. The season in the South Zone may 
not open until October 1.

Mourning Doves

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 15, except as 
otherwise provided, States may select hunting seasons and daily bag 
limits as follows:

Eastern Management Unit

    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 70 days with a 
daily bag limit of 12, or not more than 60 days with a daily bag limit 
of 15.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: States may select hunting seasons in each 
of two zones. The season within each zone may be split into not more 
than three periods. The hunting seasons in the South Zones of Alabama, 
Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana may commence no earlier than September 
20. Regulations for bag and possession limits, season length, and 
shooting hours must be uniform within specific hunting zones.

Central Management Unit

    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 70 days with a 
daily bag limit of 12 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate, 
or not more than 60 days with a bag limit of 15 mourning and white-
winged doves in the aggregate.
    Zoning and Split Seasons:
    States may select hunting seasons in each of two zones. The season 
within each zone may be split into not more than three periods.
    Texas may select hunting seasons for each of three zones subject to 
the following conditions:
    A. The hunting season may be split into not more than two periods, 
except in that portion of Texas in which the special white-winged dove 
season is allowed, where a limited mourning dove season may be held 
concurrently with that special season (see white-winged dove 
frameworks).
    B. A season may be selected for the North and Central Zones between 
September 1 and January 25; and for the South Zone between September 20 
and January 25.
    C. Daily bag limits are aggregate bag limits with mourning, white-
winged, and white-tipped doves (see white-winged dove frameworks for 
specific daily bag limit restrictions).
    D. Except as noted above, regulations for bag and possession 
limits, season length, and shooting hours must be uniform within each 
hunting zone.

Western Management Unit

    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits:
    Idaho, Oregon, and Washington--Not more than 30 consecutive days 
with a daily bag limit of 10 mourning doves.
    Utah--Not more than 30 consecutive days with a daily bag limit that 
may not exceed 10 mourning doves and white-winged doves in the 
aggregate.
    Nevada--Not more than 30 consecutive days with a daily bag limit of 
10 mourning doves, except in Clark and Nye Counties, where the daily 
bag limit may not exceed 10 mourning and white-winged doves in the 
aggregate.
    Arizona and California--Not more than 60 days, which may be split 
between two periods, September 1-15 and November 1-January 15. In 
Arizona, during the first segment of the season, the daily bag limit is 
10 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate, of which no more 
than 6 may be white-winged doves. During the remainder of the season, 
the daily bag limit is 10 mourning doves. In California, the daily bag 
limit is 10 mourning doves, except in Imperial, Riverside, and San 
Bernardino Counties, where the daily bag limit may not exceed 10 
mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate.

White-Winged and White-Tipped Doves

    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits:
    Except as shown below, seasons must be concurrent with mourning 
dove seasons.

Eastern Management Unit

    In Florida, the daily bag limit may not exceed 12 mourning and 
white-winged doves (15 under the alternative) in the aggregate, of 
which no more than 4 may be white-winged doves.
    In the remainder of the Eastern Management Unit, the season is 
closed.

Central Management Unit

    In Texas, the daily bag limit may not exceed 12 mourning, white-
winged, and white-tipped doves (15 under the alternative) in the 
aggregate, of which no more than 2 may be white-tipped doves. In 
addition, Texas also may select a hunting season of not more than 4 
days for the special white-winged dove area of the South Zone between 
September 1 and September 19. The daily bag limit may not exceed 12 
white-winged, mourning, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, of 
which no more than 4 may be mourning doves and 2 may be white-tipped 
doves.
    In the remainder of the Central Management Unit, the daily bag 
limit may not exceed 12 (15 under the alternative) mourning and white-
winged doves in the aggregate.

Western Management Unit

    Arizona may select a hunting season of not more than 30 consecutive 
days, running concurrently with the first segment of the mourning dove 
season. The daily bag limit may not exceed 10 mourning and white-winged 
doves in the aggregate, of which no more than 6 may be white-winged 
doves.

[[Page 44209]]

    In Utah, the Nevada Counties of Clark and Nye, and in the 
California Counties of Imperial, Riverside, and San Bernardino, the 
daily bag limit may not exceed 10 mourning and white-winged doves in 
the aggregate.
    In the remainder of the Western Management Unit, the season is 
closed.

Alaska

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 26.
    Hunting Seasons: Alaska may select 107 consecutive days for 
waterfowl, sandhill cranes, and common snipe in each of 5 zones. The 
season may be split without penalty in the Kodiak Zone. The seasons in 
each zone must be concurrent.
    Closures: The hunting season is closed on emperor geese, spectacled 
eiders, and Steller's eiders.
    Daily Bag and Possession Limits:
    Ducks--Except as noted, a basic daily bag limit of 7 and a 
possession limit of 21 ducks. Daily bag and possession limits in the 
North Zone are 10 and 30, and in the Gulf Coast Zone, they are 8 and 
24. The basic limits may include no more than 1 canvasback daily and 3 
in possession and may not include sea ducks.
    In addition to the basic duck limits, Alaska may select sea duck 
limits of 10 daily, 20 in possession, singly or in the aggregate, 
including no more than 6 each of either harlequin or long-tailed ducks. 
Sea ducks include scoters, common and king eiders, harlequin ducks, 
long-tailed ducks, and common and red-breasted mergansers.
    Light Geese--A basic daily bag limit of 3 and a possession limit of 
6.
    Dark Geese--A basic daily bag limit of 4 and a possession limit of 
8.
    Dark-goose seasons are subject to the following exceptions:
    1. In Units 5 and 6, the taking of Canada geese is permitted from 
September 28 through December 16. A special, permit-only Canada goose 
season may be offered on Middleton Island. No more than 10 permits can 
be issued. A mandatory goose identification class is required. Hunters 
must check in and check out. The bag limit is 1 daily and 1 in 
possession. The season will close if incidental harvest includes 5 
dusky Canada geese. A dusky Canada goose is any dark-breasted Canada 
goose (Munsell 10 YR color value five or less) with a bill length 
between 40 and 50 millimeters.
    2. In Unit 9(D) and the Unimak Island portion of Unit 10, the 
limits for dark geese are 6 daily and 12 in possession.
    3. In Units 9(E) and 18, the limit for dark geese is 4 daily, 
including no more than 2 Canada geese.
    4. In Unit 9, season length for brant is 30 days.
    Brant--A daily bag limit of 2.
    Common snipe--A daily bag limit of 8.
    Sandhill cranes--Bag and possession limits of 2 and 4, 
respectively, in the Southeast, Gulf Coast, Kodiak, and Aleutian Zones, 
and Unit 17 in the Northern Zone. In the remainder of the Northern Zone 
(outside Unit 17), bag and possession limits of 3 and 6, respectively.
    Tundra Swans--Open seasons for tundra swans may be selected subject 
to the following conditions:
    1. All seasons are by registration permit only.
    2. All season framework dates are September 1-October 31.
    3. In Game Management Unit (GMU) 17, no more than 200 permits may 
be issued during this operational season. No more than 3 tundra swans 
may be authorized per permit with no more than 1 permit issued per 
hunter per season.
    4. In Game Management Unit (GMU) 18, no more than 500 permits may 
be issued during the operational season. Up to 3 tundra swans may be 
authorized per permit. No more than 1 permit may be issued per hunter 
per season.
    5. In GMU 22, no more than 300 permits may be issued during the 
operational season. Each permittee may be authorized to take up to 3 
tundra swan per permit. No more than 1 permit may be issued per hunter 
per season.
    6. In GMU 23, no more than 300 permits may be issued during the 
operational season. No more than 3 tundra swans may be authorized per 
permit with no more than 1 permit issued per hunter per season.

Hawaii

    Outside Dates: Between October 1 and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons: Not more than 65 days (75 under the alternative) 
for mourning doves.
    Bag Limits: Not to exceed 15 (12 under the alternative) mourning 
doves.


    Note: Mourning doves may be taken in Hawaii in accordance with 
shooting hours and other regulations set by the State of Hawaii, and 
subject to the applicable provisions of 50 CFR part 20.

Puerto Rico

    Doves and Pigeons:
    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 15.
    Hunting Seasons: Not more than 60 days.
    Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Not to exceed 15 Zenaida, 
mourning, and white-winged doves in the aggregate, of which not more 
than 3 may be mourning doves. Not to exceed 5 scaly-naped pigeons.
    Closed Areas: There is no open season on doves or pigeons in the 
following areas: Municipality of Culebra, Desecheo Island, Mona Island, 
El Verde Closure Area, and Cidra Municipality and adjacent areas.
    Ducks, Coots, Moorhens, Gallinules, and Snipe:
    Outside Dates: Between October 1 and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons: Not more than 55 days may be selected for hunting 
ducks, common moorhens, and common snipe. The season may be split into 
two segments.
    Daily Bag Limits:
    Ducks--Not to exceed 6.
    Common moorhens--Not to exceed 6.
    Common snipe--Not to exceed 8.
    Closed Seasons: The season is closed on the ruddy duck, white-
cheeked pintail, West Indian whistling duck, fulvous whistling duck, 
and masked duck, which are protected by the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico. The season also is closed on the purple gallinule, American coot, 
and Caribbean coot.
    Closed Areas: There is no open season on ducks, common moorhens, 
and common snipe in the Municipality of Culebra and on Desecheo Island.

Virgin Islands

    Doves and Pigeons:
    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 15.
    Hunting Seasons: Not more than 60 days for Zenaida doves.
    Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Not to exceed 10 Zenaida doves.
    Closed Seasons: No open season is prescribed for ground or quail 
doves, or pigeons in the Virgin Islands.
    Closed Areas: There is no open season for migratory game birds on 
Ruth Cay (just south of St. Croix).
    Local Names for Certain Birds: Zenaida dove, also known as mountain 
dove; bridled quail-dove, also known as Barbary dove or partridge; 
Common ground-dove, also known as stone dove, tobacco dove, rola, or 
tortolita; scaly-naped pigeon, also known as red-necked or scaled 
pigeon.
    Ducks:
    Outside Dates: Between December 1 and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons: Not more than 55 consecutive days.
    Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 6.
    Closed Seasons: The season is closed on the ruddy duck, white-
cheeked pintail, West Indian whistling duck, fulvous whistling duck, 
and masked duck.

[[Page 44210]]

Special Falconry Regulations

    Falconry is a permitted means of taking migratory game birds in any 
State meeting Federal falconry standards in 50 CFR 21.29(k). These 
States may select an extended season for taking migratory game birds in 
accordance with the following:
    Extended Seasons: For all hunting methods combined, the combined 
length of the extended season, regular season, and any special or 
experimental seasons must not exceed 107 days for any species or group 
of species in a geographical area. Each extended season may be divided 
into a maximum of 3 segments.
    Framework Dates: Seasons must fall between September 1 and March 
10.
    Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Falconry daily bag and possession 
limits for all permitted migratory game birds must not exceed 3 and 6 
birds, respectively, singly or in the aggregate, during extended 
falconry seasons, any special or experimental seasons, and regular 
hunting seasons in all States, including those that do not select an 
extended falconry season.
    Regular Seasons: General hunting regulations, including seasons and 
hunting hours, apply to falconry in each State listed in 50 CFR 
21.29(k). Regular-season bag and possession limits do not apply to 
falconry. The falconry bag limit is not in addition to gun limits.

Area, Unit, and Zone Descriptions

Mourning and White-Winged Doves

Alabama
    South Zone--Baldwin, Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, 
Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Mobile Counties.
    North Zone--Remainder of the State.
California
    White-Winged Dove Open Areas--Imperial, Riverside, and San 
Bernardino Counties.

Florida

    Northwest Zone--The Counties of Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, 
Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, 
Washington, Leon (except that portion north of U.S. 27 and east of 
State Road 155), Jefferson (south of U.S. 27, west of State Road 59 and 
north of U.S. 98), and Wakulla (except that portion south of U.S. 98 
and east of the St. Marks River).
    South Zone--Remainder of State.
Georgia
    Northern Zone--That portion of the State lying north of a line 
running west to east along U.S. Highway 280 from Columbus to Wilcox 
County, thence southward along the western border of Wilcox County; 
thence east along the southern border of Wilcox County to the Ocmulgee 
River, thence north along the Ocmulgee River to Highway 280, thence 
east along Highway 280 to the Little Ocmulgee River; thence southward 
along the Little Ocmulgee River to the Ocmulgee River; thence 
southwesterly along the Ocmulgee River to the western border of Jeff 
Davis County; thence south along the western border of Jeff Davis 
County; thence east along the southern border of Jeff Davis and Appling 
Counties; thence north along the eastern border of Appling County, to 
the Altamaha River; thence east to the eastern border of Tattnall 
County; thence north along the eastern border of Tattnall County; 
thence north along the western border of Evans to Candler County; 
thence east along the northern border of Evans County to U.S. Highway 
301; thence northeast along U.S. Highway 301 to the South Carolina 
line.
    South Zone--Remainder of the State.
Louisiana
    North Zone--That portion of the State north of Interstate Highway 
10 from the Texas State line to Baton Rouge, Interstate Highway 12 from 
Baton Rouge to Slidell and Interstate Highway 10 from Slidell to the 
Mississippi State line.
South Zone--The remainder of the State.
Nevada
    White-Winged Dove Open Areas--Clark and Nye Counties.
Texas
    North Zone--That portion of the State north of a line beginning at 
the International Bridge south of Fort Hancock; north along FM 1088 to 
TX 20; west along TX 20 to TX 148; north along TX 148 to I-10 at Fort 
Hancock; east along I-10 to I-20; northeast along I-20 to I-30 at Fort 
Worth; northeast along I-30 to the Texas-Arkansas State line.
    South Zone--That portion of the State south and west of a line 
beginning at the International Bridge south of Del Rio, proceeding east 
on U.S. 90 to State Loop 1604 west of San Antonio; then south, east, 
and north along Loop 1604 to Interstate Highway 10 east of San Antonio; 
then east on I-10 to Orange, Texas.
    Special White-Winged Dove Area in the South Zone--That portion of 
the State south and west of a line beginning at the International 
Bridge south of Del Rio, proceeding east on U.S. 90 to State Loop 1604 
west of San Antonio, southeast on State Loop 1604 to Interstate Highway 
35, southwest on Interstate Highway 35 to TX 44; east along TX 44 to TX 
16 at Freer; south along TX 16 to TX 285 at Hebbronville; east along TX 
285 to FM 1017; southwest along FM 1017 to TX 186 at Linn; east along 
TX 186 to the Mansfield Channel at Port Mansfield; east along the 
Mansfield Channel to the Gulf of Mexico.
    Area with additional restrictions--Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and 
Willacy Counties.
    Central Zone--That portion of the State lying between the North and 
South Zones.

Band-Tailed Pigeons

California
    North Zone--Alpine, Butte, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen, 
Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity 
Counties.
    South Zone--The remainder of the State.
New Mexico
    North Zone--North of a line following U.S. 60 from the Arizona 
State line east to I-25 at Socorro and then south along I-25 from 
Socorro to the Texas State line.
    South Zone--Remainder of the State.
Washington
    Western Washington--The State of Washington excluding those 
portions lying east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of the Big 
White Salmon River in Klickitat County.

Woodcock

New Jersey
    North Zone--That portion of the State north of NJ 70.
    South Zone--The remainder of the State.

Special September Canada Goose Seasons

Atlantic Flyway

Connecticut
    North Zone--That portion of the State north of I-95.
    South Zone--Remainder of the State.
Maryland
    Eastern Unit--Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, 
Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, 
Wicomico, and Worcester Counties, and those portions of Baltimore, 
Howard, and Prince George's Counties east of I-95.
    Western Unit--Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery, 
and Washington Counties, and those

[[Page 44211]]

portions of Baltimore, Howard, and Prince George's Counties west of I-
95.
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 will be in the Coastal Zone.
    Coastal Zone--That portion of Massachusetts east and south of the 
Central 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, except for the Montezuma Zone.
    Montezuma Zone--Those portions of Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, Wayne, 
and Oswego Counties north of U.S. Route 20, east of NYS Route 14, south 
of NYS Route 104, and west of NYS Route 34.
    Northeastern Zone--That area north of a line extending from Lake 
Ontario east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-81, south 
along I-81 to NY 49, east along NY 49 to NY 365, east along NY 365 to 
NY 28, east along NY 28 to NY 29, east along NY 29 to I-87, north along 
I-87 to U.S. 9 (at Exit 20), north along U.S. 9 to NY 149, east along 
NY 149 to U.S. 4, north along U.S. 4 to the Vermont border, exclusive 
of the Lake Champlain Zone.
    Southeastern Zone--The remaining portion of New York.
North Carolina
    Northeast Hunt Unit--Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, 
Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties; that portion 
of Bertie County north and east of a line formed by NC 45 at the 
Washington County line to U.S. 17 in Midway, U.S. 17 in Midway to U.S. 
13 in Windsor to the Hertford County line; and that portion of 
Northampton County that is north of U.S. 158 and east of NC 35.
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.

Mississippi Flyway

Illinois
    Northeast Canada Goose Zone--Cook, Du Page, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, 
Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.
    North Zone: That portion of the State outside the Northeast Canada 
Goose Zone and 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 outside the Northeast 
Canada Goose Zone and 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.
Iowa
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of U.S. Highway 20.
    South Zone: The remainder of Iowa.
    Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Goose Zone. Includes portions of Linn and 
Johnson Counties bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of 
the west border of Linn County and Linn County Road E2W; thence south 
and east along County Road E2W to Highway 920; thence north along 
Highway 920 to County Road E16; thence east along County Road E16 to 
County Road W58; thence south along County Road W58 to County Road E34; 
thence east along County Road E34 to Highway 13; thence south along 
Highway 13 to Highway 30; thence east along Highway 30 to Highway 1; 
thence south along Highway 1 to Morse Road in Johnson County; thence 
east along Morse Road to Wapsi Avenue; thence south along Wapsi Avenue 
to Lower West Branch Road; thence west along Lower West Branch Road to 
Taft Avenue; thence south along Taft Avenue to County Road F62; thence 
west along County Road F62 to Kansas Avenue; thence north along Kansas 
Avenue to Black Diamond Road; thence west on Black Diamond Road to 
Jasper Avenue; thence north along Jasper Avenue to Rohert Road; thence 
west along Rohert Road to Ivy Avenue; thence north along Ivy Avenue to 
340th Street; thence west along 340th Street to Half Moon Avenue; 
thence north along Half Moon Avenue to Highway 6; thence west along 
Highway 6 to Echo Avenue; thence north along Echo Avenue to 250th 
Street; thence east on 250th Street to Green Castle Avenue; thence 
north along Green Castle Avenue to County Road F12; thence west along 
County Road F12 to County Road W30; thence north along County Road W30 
to Highway 151; thence north along the Linn-Benton County line to the 
point of beginning.
    Des Moines Goose Zone. Includes those portions of Polk, Warren, 
Madison and Dallas Counties bounded as follows: Beginning at the 
intersection of Northwest 158th Avenue and County Road R38 in Polk 
County; thence south along R38 to Northwest 142nd Avenue; thence east 
along Northwest 142nd Avenue to Northeast 126th Avenue; thence east 
along Northeast 126th Avenue to Northeast 46th Street; thence south 
along Northeast 46th Street to Highway 931; thence east along Highway 
931 to Northeast 80th Street; thence south along Northeast 80th Street 
to Southeast 6th Avenue; thence west along Southeast 6th Avenue to 
Highway 65; thence south and west along Highway 65 to Highway 69 in 
Warren

[[Page 44212]]

County; thence south along Highway 69 to County Road G24; thence west 
along County Road G24 to Highway 28; thence southwest along Highway 28 
to 43rd Avenue; thence north along 43rd Avenue to Ford Street; thence 
west along Ford Street to Filmore Street; thence west along Filmore 
Street to 10th Avenue; thence south along 10th Avenue to 155th Street 
in Madison County; thence west along 155th Street to Cumming Road; 
thence north along Cumming Road to Badger Creek Avenue; thence north 
along Badger Creek Avenue to County Road F90 in Dallas County; thence 
east along County Road F90 to County Road R22; thence north along 
County Road R22 to Highway 44; thence east along Highway 44 to County 
Road R30; thence north along County Road R30 to County Road F31; thence 
east along County Road F31 to Highway 17; thence north along Highway 17 
to Highway 415 in Polk County; thence east along Highway 415 to 
Northwest 158th Avenue; thence east along Northwest 158th Avenue to the 
point of beginning.
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, east along U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 10, east along U.S. 10 to 
Interstate Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, north along I-75/U.S. 23 to the 
U.S. 23 exit at Standish, east along U.S. 23 to Shore Road in Arenac 
County, east along Shore Road to the tip of Point Lookout, then on a 
line directly east 10 miles into Saginaw Bay, and from that point on a 
line directly northeast to the Canada border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Michigan.
Minnesota
    Twin Cities Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone--
    A. All of Hennepin and Ramsey Counties.
    B. In Anoka County, all of Columbus Township lying south of County 
State Aid Highway (CSAH) 18, Anoka County; all of the cities of Ramsey, 
Andover, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Spring Lake Park, Fridley, Hilltop, 
Columbia Heights, Blaine, Lexington, Circle Pines, Lino Lakes, and 
Centerville; and all of the city of Ham Lake except that portion lying 
north of CSAH 18 and east of U.S. Highway 65.
    C. That part of Carver County lying north and east of the following 
described line: Beginning at the northeast corner of San Francisco 
Township; thence west along the north boundary of San Francisco 
Township to the east boundary of Dahlgren Township; thence north along 
the east boundary of Dahlgren Township to U.S. Highway 212; thence west 
along U.S. Highway 212 to State Trunk Highway (STH) 284; thence north 
on STH 284 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 10; thence north and west 
on CSAH 10 to CSAH 30; thence north and west on CSAH 30 to STH 25; 
thence east and north on STH 25 to CSAH 10; thence north on CSAH 10 to 
the Carver County line.
    D. In Scott County, all of the cities of Shakopee, Savage, Prior 
Lake, and Jordan, and all of the Townships of Jackson, Louisville, St. 
Lawrence, Sand Creek, Spring Lake, and Credit River.
    E. In Dakota County, all of the cities of Burnsville, Eagan, 
Mendota Heights, Mendota, Sunfish Lake, Inver Grove Heights, Apple 
Valley, Lakeville, Rosemount, Farmington, Hastings, Lilydale, West St. 
Paul, and South St. Paul, and all of the Township of Nininger.
    F. That portion of Washington County lying south of the following 
described line: Beginning at County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 on the 
west boundary of the county; thence east on CSAH 2 to U.S. Highway 61; 
thence south on U.S. Highway 61 to State Trunk Highway (STH) 97; thence 
east on STH 97 to the intersection of STH 97 and STH 95; thence due 
east to the east boundary of the State.
    Northwest Goose Zone--That portion of the State encompassed by a 
line extending east from the North Dakota border along U.S. Highway 2 
to State Trunk Highway (STH) 32, north along STH 32 to STH 92, east 
along STH 92 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 in Polk County, north 
along CSAH 2 to CSAH 27 in Pennington County, north along CSAH 27 to 
STH 1, east along STH 1 to CSAH 28 in Pennington County, north along 
CSAH 28 to CSAH 54 in Marshall County, north along CSAH 54 to CSAH 9 in 
Roseau County, north along CSAH 9 to STH 11, west along STH 11 to STH 
310, and north along STH 310 to the Manitoba border.
    Southeast Goose 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 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.
    Five Goose Zone--That portion of the State not included in the Twin 
Cities Metropolitan Canada Goose Zone, the Northwest Goose Zone, or the 
Southeast Goose Zone.
    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.
Tennessee
    Middle Tennessee Zone--Those portions of Houston, Humphreys, 
Montgomery, Perry, and Wayne Counties east of State Highway 13; and 
Bedford, Cannon, Cheatham, Coffee, Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, 
Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Moore, 
Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson 
Counties.
    East Tennessee Zone--Anderson, Bledsoe, Bradley, Blount, Campbell, 
Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Grainger, 
Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, 
Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, 
Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, 
Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, and 
White Counties.
Wisconsin
    Early-Season Subzone A--That portion of the State encompassed by a 
line beginning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 141 and the Michigan 
border near Niagara, then south along U.S. 141 to State Highway 22, 
west and southwest along State 22 to U.S. 45, south along U.S. 45 to 
State 22, west and south along State 22 to State 110, south along State 
110 to U.S. 10, south along U.S. 10 to State 49, south along State 49 
to State 23, west along State 23

[[Page 44213]]

to State 73, south along State 73 to State 60, west along State 60 to 
State 23, south along State 23 to State 11, east along State 11 to 
State 78, then south along State 78 to the Illinois border.
    Early-Season Subzone B--The remainder of the State.

Central Flyway

Kansas
    September Canada Goose Kansas City/Topeka Unit--That part of Kansas 
bounded by a line from the Kansas-Missouri State line west on KS 68 to 
its junction with KS 33, then north on KS 33 to its junction with U.S. 
56, then west on U.S. 56 to its junction with KS 31, then west-
northwest on KS 31 to its junction with KS 99, then north on KS 99 to 
its junction with U.S. 24, then east on U.S. 24 to its junction with KS 
63, then north on KS 63 to its junction with KS 16, then east on KS 16 
to its junction with KS 116, then east on KS 116 to its junction with 
U.S. 59, then northeast on U.S. 59 to its junction with the Kansas-
Missouri line, then south on the Kansas-Missouri line to its junction 
with KS 68.
    September Canada Goose Wichita Unit--That part of Kansas bounded by 
a line from I-135 west on U.S. 50 to its junction with Burmac Road, 
then south on Burmac Road to its junction with 279 Street West 
(Sedgwick/Harvey County line), then south on 279 Street West to its 
junction with KS 96, then east on KS 96 to its junction with KS 296, 
then south on KS 296 to its junction with 247 Street West, then south 
on 247 Street West to its junction with U.S. 54, then west on U.S. 54 
to its junction with 263 Street West, then south on 263 Street West to 
its junction with KS 49, then south on KS 49 to its junction with 90 
Avenue North, then east on 90 Avenue North to its junction with KS 55, 
then east on KS 55 to its junction with KS 15, then east on KS 15 to 
its junction with U.S. 77, then north on U.S. 77 to its junction with 
Ohio Street, then north on Ohio to its junction with KS 254, then east 
on KS 254 to its junction with KS 196, then northwest on KS 196 to its 
junction with I-135, then north on I-135 to its junction with U.S. 50.
Nebraska
    September Canada Goose Unit--That part of Nebraska bounded by a 
line from the Nebraska-Iowa State line west on U.S. Highway 30 to U.S. 
Highway 81, then south on U.S. Highway 81 to NE Highway 64, then east 
on NE Highway 64 to NE Highway 15, then south on NE Highway 15 to NE 
Highway 41, then east on NE Highway 41 to NE Highway 50, then north on 
NE Highway 50 to NE Highway 2, then east on NE Highway 2 to the 
Nebraska-Iowa State line.
South Dakota
    September Canada Goose North Unit--Clark, Codington, Day, Deuel, 
Grant, Hamlin, Marshall, and Roberts County.
    September Canada Goose South Unit--Beadle, Brookings, Hanson, 
Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, McCook, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, and 
Turner Counties.

Pacific Flyway

Idaho
    East Zone--Bonneville, Caribou, Fremont, and Teton Counties.
Oregon
    Northwest Zone--Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, 
Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Polk, Multnomah, Tillamook, Washington, and 
Yamhill Counties.
    Southwest Zone--Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, and 
Klamath Counties.
    East Zone--Baker, Gilliam, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, 
Union, and Wasco Counties.
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 that 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 that are not included in Area 4.
Wyoming
    Bear River Area--That portion of Lincoln County described in State 
regulations.
    Salt River Area--That portion of Lincoln County described in State 
regulations.
    Farson-Eden Area--Those portions of Sweetwater and Sublette 
Counties described in State regulations.
    Teton Area--Those portions of Teton County described in State 
regulations.
    Bridger Valley Area--The area described as the Bridger Valley Hunt 
Unit in State regulations.
    Little Snake River--That portion of the Little Snake River drainage 
in Carbon County.

Ducks

Atlantic Flyway

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, south 
along I-81 to NY 49, east along NY 49 to NY 365, east along NY 365 to 
NY 28, east along NY 28 to NY 29, east along NY 29 to I-87, north along 
I-87 to U.S. 9 (at Exit 20), north along U.S. 9 to NY 149, east along 
NY 149 to U.S. 4, north along U.S. 4 to the Vermont border, exclusive 
of the Lake Champlain Zone.
    Southeastern Zone: The remaining portion of New York.

Mississippi Flyway

Indiana
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Illinois border along State Road 18 to U.S. Highway 31, 
north along U.S. 31 to U.S. 24, east along U.S. 24 to Huntington, then 
southeast along U.S. 224 to the Ohio border.
    Ohio River Zone: That portion of the State south of a line 
extending east from the Illinois border along Interstate Highway 64 to 
New Albany, east along State Road 62 to State 56, east along State 56 
to Vevay, east and north on State 156 along the Ohio River to North 
Landing, north along State 56 to U.S. Highway 50, then northeast along 
U.S. 50 to the Ohio border.
    South Zone: That portion of the State between the North and Ohio 
River Zone boundaries.
Iowa
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the

[[Page 44214]]

Nebraska border along State Highway 175 to State 37, southeast along 
State 37 to U.S. Highway 59, south along U.S. 59 to Interstate Highway 
80, then east along I-80 to the Illinois border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Iowa.

Central Flyway

Colorado
    Special Teal Season Area: Lake and Chaffee Counties and that 
portion of the State east of Interstate Highway 25.
Kansas
    High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of U.S. 283.
    Low Plains Early Zone: That portion of the State east of the High 
Plains Zone and west of a line extending south from the Nebraska border 
along KS 28 to U.S. 36, east along U.S. 36 to KS 199, south along KS 
199 to Republic County Road 563, south along Republic County Road 563 
to KS 148, east along KS 148 to Republic County Road 138, south along 
Republic County Road 138 to Cloud County Road 765, south along Cloud 
County Road 765 to KS 9, west along KS 9 to U.S. 24, west along U.S. 24 
to U.S. 281, north along U.S. 281 to U.S. 36, west along U.S. 36 to 
U.S. 183, south along U.S. 183 to U.S. 24, west along U.S. 24 to KS 18, 
southeast along KS 18 to U.S. 183, south along U.S. 183 to KS 4, east 
along KS 4 to I-135, south along I-135 to KS 61, southwest along KS 61 
to KS 96, northwest on KS 96 to U.S. 56, west along U.S. 56 to U.S. 
281, south along U.S. 281 to U.S. 54, then west along U.S. 54 to U.S. 
283.
    Low Plains Late Zone: The remainder of Kansas.
Nebraska
    Special Teal Season Area: That portion of the State south of a line 
beginning at the Wyoming State line; east along U.S. 26 to Nebraska 
Highway L62A; east to U.S. 385; south to U.S. 26; east to NE 92; east 
along NE 92 to NE 61; south along NE 61 to U.S. 30; east along U.S. 30 
to the Iowa border.
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.

Pacific Flyway

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 7 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.

Canada Geese

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 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.

Sandhill Cranes

Central Flyway

    Colorado--The Central Flyway portion of the State except the San 
Luis Valley (Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, 
and Saguache Counties east of the Continental Divide) and North Park 
(Jackson County).
    Kansas--That portion of the State west of a line beginning at the 
Oklahoma border, north on I-35 to Wichita, north on I-135 to Salina, 
and north on U.S. 81 to the Nebraska border.
New Mexico
    Regular-Season Open Area--Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Quay, 
and Roosevelt Counties.
    Middle Rio Grande Valley Area--The Central Flyway portion of New 
Mexico in Socorro and Valencia Counties.

[[Page 44215]]

    Estancia Valley Area--Those portions of Santa Fe, Torrance and 
Bernallilo Counties within an area bounded on the west by New Mexico 
Highway 55 beginning at Mountainair north to NM 337, north to NM 14, 
north to I-25; on the north by I-25 east to U.S. 285; on the east by 
U.S. 285 south to U.S. 60; and on the south by U.S. 60 from U.S. 285 
west to NM 55 in Mountainair.
    Southwest Zone--Sierra, Luna, Dona Ana Counties, and those portions 
of Grant and Hidalgo Counties south of I-10.
    Oklahoma--That portion of the State west of I-35.
Texas
    Area 1--That portion of the State west of a line beginning at the 
International Bridge at Laredo, north along I-35 to the Oklahoma 
border.
    Area 2--That portion of the State east and south of a line from the 
International Bridge at Laredo northerly along I-35 to U.S. 290; 
southeasterly along U.S. 290 to I-45; south and east on I-45 to State 
Highway 87, south and east on TX 87 to the channel in the Gulf of 
Mexico between Galveston and Point Bolivar; EXCEPT: That portion of the 
State lying within the area bounded by the Corpus Christi Bay Causeway 
on U.S. 181 at Portland; north and west on U.S. 181 to U.S. 77 at 
Sinton; north and east along U.S. 77 to U.S. 87 at Victoria; east and 
south along U.S. 87 to Texas Highway 35; north and east on TX 35 to the 
west end of the Lavaca Bay Bridge; then south and east along the west 
shoreline of Lavaca Bay and Matagorda Island to the Gulf of Mexico; 
then south and west along the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico to the 
Corpus Christi Bay Causeway.
North Dakota
    Area 1--That portion of the State west of U.S. 281.
    Area 2--That portion of the State east of U.S. 281.
    South Dakota--That portion of the State west of U.S. 281.
    Montana--The Central Flyway portion of the State except that area 
south of I-90 and west of the Bighorn River.
Wyoming
    Regular-Season Open Area--Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen, 
Laramie, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston Counties.
    Riverton-Boysen Unit--Portions of Fremont County.
    Park and Big Horn County Unit--Portions of Park and Big Horn 
Counties.

Pacific Flyway

Arizona
    Special-Season Area--Game Management Units 30A, 30B, 31, and 32.
Montana
    Special-Season Area--See State regulations.
Utah
    Special-Season Area--Rich, Cache, and Unitah Counties and that 
portion of Box Elder County beginning on the Utah-Idaho State line at 
the Box Elder-Cache County line; west on the State line to the 
Pocatello Valley County Road; south on the Pocatello Valley County Road 
to I-15; southeast on I-15 to SR-83; south on SR-83 to Lamp Junction; 
west and south on the Promontory Point County Road to the tip of 
Promontory Point; south from Promontory Point to the Box Elder-Weber 
County line; east on the Box Elder-Weber County line to the Box Elder-
Cache County line; north on the Box Elder-Cache County line to the 
Utah-Idaho State line.
Wyoming
    Bear River Area--That portion of Lincoln County described in State 
regulations.
    Salt River Area--That portion of Lincoln County described in State 
regulations.
    Farson-Eden Area--Those portions of Sweetwater and Sublette 
Counties described in State regulations.

All Migratory Game Birds in Alaska

    North Zone--State Game Management Units 11B13 and 17B26.
    Gulf Coast Zone--State Game Management Units 5B7, 9, 14B16, and 10 
(Unimak Island only).
    Southeast Zone--State Game Management Units 1-4.
    Pribilof and Aleutian Islands Zone--State Game Management Unit 10 
(except Unimak Island).
    Kodiak Zone--State Game Management Unit 8.

All Migratory Game Birds in the Virgin Islands

    Ruth Cay Closure Area--The island of Ruth Cay, just south of St. 
Croix.

All Migratory Game Birds in Puerto Rico

    Municipality of Culebra Closure Area--All of the municipality of 
Culebra.
    Desecheo Island Closure Area--All of Desecheo Island.
    Mona Island Closure Area--All of Mona Island.
    El Verde Closure Area--Those areas of the municipalities of Rio 
Grande and Loiza delineated as follows: (1) All lands between Routes 
956 on the west and 186 on the east, from Route 3 on the north to the 
juncture of Routes 956 and 186 (Km 13.2) in the south; (2) all lands 
between Routes 186 and 966 from the juncture of 186 and 966 on the 
north, to the Caribbean National Forest Boundary on the south; (3) all 
lands lying west of Route 186 for 1 kilometer from the juncture of 
Routes 186 and 956 south to Km 6 on Route 186; (4) all lands within Km 
14 and Km 6 on the west and the Caribbean National Forest Boundary on 
the east; and (5) all lands within the Caribbean National Forest 
Boundary whether private or public.
    Cidra Municipality and adjacent areas--All of Cidra Municipality 
and portions of Aguas Buenas, Caguas, Cayey, and Comerio Municipalities 
as encompassed within the following boundary: Beginning on Highway 172 
as it leaves the municipality of Cidra on the west edge, north to 
Highway 156, east on Highway 156 to Highway 1, south on Highway 1 to 
Highway 765, south on Highway 765 to Highway 763, south on Highway 763 
to the Rio Guavate, west along Rio Guavate to Highway 1, southwest on 
Highway 1 to Highway 14, west on Highway 14 to Highway 729, north on 
Highway 729 to Cidra Municipality boundary to the point of the 
beginning.

[FR Doc. 05-15127 Filed 7-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P