[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 160 (Monday, August 19, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42996-43032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17561]



[[Page 42995]]

Vol. 84

Monday,

No. 160

August 19, 2019

Part II





Department of the Interior





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Fish and Wildlife Service





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50 CFR Part 20





Migratory Bird Hunting; Final Frameworks for Migratory Bird Hunting 
Regulations; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 160 / Monday, August 19, 2019 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 42996]]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0030; FF09M21200-189-FXMB1231099BPP0]
RIN 1018-BD10


Migratory Bird Hunting; Final Frameworks for Migratory Bird 
Hunting Regulations

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) prescribes 
final frameworks from which States may select season dates, limits, and 
other options for the 2019-20 migratory bird hunting seasons. The 
effect of this final rule is to facilitate the States' selection of 
hunting seasons and to further the annual establishment of the 
migratory bird hunting regulations. We annually prescribe frameworks, 
or outer limits, for dates and times when hunting may occur and the 
number of birds that may be taken and possessed in hunting seasons. 
These frameworks are necessary to allow State selections of seasons and 
limits and to allow recreational harvest at levels compatible with 
population and habitat conditions.

DATES: This rule takes effect on August 19, 2019.

ADDRESSES: States should send their season selections to: Chief, 
Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
MS: MB, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803. You may 
inspect comments received on the migratory bird hunting regulations 
during normal business hours at the Service's office at 5275 Leesburg 
Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 or at http://www.regulations.gov at 
Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0030. You may obtain copies of referenced 
reports from the street address above, or from the Division of 
Migratory Bird Management's website at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/, or at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-HQ-
MB-2018-0030.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Richkus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Department of the Interior, MS: MB, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls 
Church, VA 22041-3803; (703) 358-1780.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

New Process for the Annual Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations

    As part of the Department of the Interior's retrospective 
regulatory review, 3 years ago we developed a schedule for migratory 
game bird hunting regulations that is more efficient and establishes 
hunting season dates earlier than was possible under the old process. 
Under the new process, we develop proposed hunting season frameworks 
for a given year in the fall of the prior year. We then finalize those 
frameworks a few months later, thereby enabling the State agencies to 
select and publish their season dates in early summer. We provided a 
detailed overview of the new process in the August 3, 2017, Federal 
Register (82 FR 36308). This final rule is the fourth in a series of 
proposed and final rules for the establishment of the 2019-20 hunting 
seasons.

Regulations Schedule for 2019

    On June 14, 2018, we published a proposal to amend title 50 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at part 20 (83 FR 27836). The 
proposal provided a background and overview of the migratory bird 
hunting regulations process, and addressed the establishment of 
seasons, limits, and other regulations for hunting migratory game birds 
under Sec. Sec.  20.101 through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart 
K. Major steps in the 2019-20 regulatory cycle relating to open public 
meetings and Federal Register notifications were illustrated in the 
diagram at the end of the June 14, 2018, proposed rule (83 FR 27836). 
Further, we explained that all sections of subsequent documents 
outlining hunting frameworks and guidelines were organized under 
numbered headings. Those headings are:

1. Ducks
    A. General Harvest Strategy
    B. Regulatory Alternatives
    C. Zones and Split Seasons
    D. Special Seasons/Species Management
    i. September Teal Seasons
    ii. September Teal/Wood Duck Seasons
    iii. Black Ducks
    iv. Canvasbacks
    v. Pintails
    vi. Scaup
    vii. Mottled Ducks
    viii. Wood Ducks
    ix. Youth Hunt
    x. Mallard Management Units
    xi. Other
2. Sea Ducks
3. Mergansers
4. Canada Geese
    A. Special Early Seasons
    B. Regular Seasons
    C. Special Late Seasons
5. White-Fronted Geese
6. Brant
7. Snow and Ross's (Light) Geese
8. Swans
9. Sandhill Cranes
10. Coots
11. Moorhens and Gallinules
12. Rails
13. Snipe
14. Woodcock
15. Band-Tailed Pigeons
16. Doves
17. Alaska
18. Hawaii
19. Puerto Rico
20. Virgin Islands
21. Falconry
22. Other

    Subsequent documents, including this document, refer only to 
numbered items requiring attention. Therefore, it is important to note 
that we will omit those items requiring no attention, and remaining 
numbered items will be discontinuous and appear incomplete.
    The June 14 proposed rule also provided detailed information on the 
proposed 2019-20 regulatory schedule and announced the Service 
Regulations Committee (SRC) and Flyway Council meetings. On September 
21, 2018, we published in the Federal Register (83 FR 47868) a second 
document providing supplemental proposals for migratory bird hunting 
regulations. The September 21 supplement also provided detailed 
information on the 2019-20 regulatory schedule and re-announced the SRC 
and Flyway Council meetings. On October 16-17, 2018, we held open 
meetings with the Flyway Council Consultants, at which the participants 
reviewed information on the current status of migratory game birds and 
developed recommendations for the 2019-20 regulations for these 
species.
    On April 17, 2019, we published in the Federal Register (84 FR 
16152) the proposed frameworks for the 2019-20 season migratory bird 
hunting regulations. This document establishes final frameworks for 
migratory bird hunting regulations for the 2019-20 season. There are no 
substantive changes from the April 17, 2019, proposed rule, with the 
exception of changes made in response to the John D. Dingell, Jr. 
Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, which was signed into law 
on March 12, 2019 (Pub. L. 116-9), and amended the Migratory Bird 
Treaty Act; those changes are discussed below under Review of Public 
Comments and Flyway Council Recommendations. We will publish State 
selections in the Federal Register as amendments to Sec. Sec.  20.101 
through 20.107 and 20.109 of title 50 CFR part 20.

Population Status and Harvest

    Each year we publish various species status reports that provide 
detailed information on the status and harvest of migratory game birds, 
including information on the methodologies and

[[Page 42997]]

results. These reports are available at the address indicated under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or from our website at https://www.fws.gov/birds/surveys-and-data/reports-and-publications/population-status.php.
    We used the following reports: Adaptive Harvest Management, 2019 
Hunting Season (September 2018); American Woodcock Population Status, 
2018 (August 2018); Band-tailed Pigeon Population Status, 2018 (August 
2018); Migratory Bird Hunting Activity and Harvest During the 2016-17 
and 2017-18 Hunting Seasons (August 2018); Mourning Dove Population 
Status, 2018 (August 2018); Status and Harvests of Sandhill Cranes, 
Mid-continent, Rocky Mountain, Lower Colorado River Valley and Eastern 
Populations, 2018 (August 2018); and Waterfowl Population Status, 2018 
(August 2018).

Review of Public Comments and Flyway Council Recommendations

    The preliminary proposed rulemaking, which appeared in the June 14, 
2018, Federal Register, opened the public comment period for migratory 
game bird hunting regulations and discussed the regulatory alternatives 
for the 2019-20 duck hunting season. Comments and recommendations are 
summarized below and numbered in the order used in the June 14, 2018, 
proposed rule.
    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 have included only the numbered items pertaining 
to issues for which we received recommendations. Consequently, the 
issues do not follow in successive numerical order.

General

    Written Comments: Several commenters protested the entire migratory 
bird hunting regulations process, the killing of any migratory birds, 
and status and habitat data on which the migratory bird hunting 
regulations are based.
    Several other commenters supported the overall migratory bird 
hunting regulatory process and supported the proposed regulations.
    Service Response: Our long-term objectives continue to include 
providing opportunities to harvest portions of certain migratory game 
bird populations and to limit harvests to levels compatible with each 
population's ability to maintain healthy, viable numbers. Having taken 
into account the zones of temperature and the distribution, abundance, 
economic value, breeding habits, and times and lines of flight of 
migratory birds, we conclude that the hunting seasons provided for 
herein are compatible with the current status of migratory bird 
populations and long-term population goals. Additionally, we are 
obligated to, and do, give serious consideration to all information 
received as public comment. While there are problems inherent with any 
type of representative management of public-trust resources, we 
conclude that the Flyway Council system of migratory bird management 
has been a longstanding example of State-Federal cooperative management 
since its establishment in 1952. However, as always, we continue to 
seek new ways to streamline and improve the process.

1. Ducks

A. General Harvest Strategy

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and 
Pacific Flyway Councils recommended the adoption of the ``liberal'' 
regulatory alternative for their respective flyways.
    The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that regulation changes 
be restricted to one step per year, both when restricting as well as 
liberalizing hunting regulations.
    Written Comments: An individual supported the new adaptive harvest 
management (AHM) protocol recently implemented for the Atlantic Flyway.
    Service Response: As we stated in the June 14, 2018, and September 
21, 2018, proposed rules, we intend to continue use of AHM to help 
determine appropriate duck-hunting regulations for the 2019-20 season. 
AHM is a tool that permits sound resource decisions in the face of 
uncertain regulatory impacts, as well as providing a mechanism for 
reducing that uncertainty over time. We use AHM to evaluate four 
alternative regulatory levels for duck hunting in the Mississippi, 
Central, and Pacific Flyways based on the population status of mallards 
(discussed below). We will use AHM based on the population status of a 
suite of four species in the Atlantic Flyway (discussed below). We have 
specific hunting strategies for species of special concern, such as 
black ducks, scaup, and pintails.
Mississippi, Central, and Pacific Flyways
    The prescribed regulatory alternative for the Mississippi, Central, 
and Pacific Flyways is based on the status of mallard populations that 
contribute primarily to each Flyway. In the Central and Mississippi 
Flyways, we set hunting regulations based on the status and dynamics of 
mid-continent mallards. Mid-continent mallards are those breeding in 
central North America (Federal survey strata 13-18, 20-50, and 75-77, 
and State surveys in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan). In the 
Pacific Flyway, we set hunting regulations based on the status and 
dynamics of western mallards. Western mallards are those breeding in 
Alaska and the northern Yukon Territory (as based on Federal surveys in 
strata 1-12), and in California, Oregon, Washington, and British 
Columbia (as based on State- or Province-conducted surveys).
    For the 2019-20 season, we will continue to use independent 
optimization to determine the optimal regulatory choice for each 
mallard stock. This means that we develop regulations for mid-continent 
mallards and western mallards independently, based upon the breeding 
stock that contributes primarily to each Flyway. We detailed 
implementation of this AHM decision framework for western and mid-
continent mallards in the July 24, 2008, Federal Register (73 FR 
43290).
    The optimal AHM strategies for mid-continent and western mallards 
for the 2019-20 hunting season were calculated using: (1) Harvest-
management objectives specific to each mallard stock; (2) the 2019-20 
regulatory alternatives; and (3) current population models and 
associated weights. Based on ``liberal'' regulatory alternatives 
selected for the 2018-19 hunting season, the 2018 Waterfowl Breeding 
Population and Habitat Survey (WBPHS) results of 9.57 million mid-
continent mallards, 3.66 million ponds in Prairie Canada, 1.03 million 
western mallards observed in Alaska (0.45 million) and the southern 
Pacific Flyway (0.57 million), the optimal regulatory choice for the 
three western Flyways is the ``liberal'' alternative. Therefore, we 
concur with the recommendations of the Mississippi, Central, and 
Pacific Flyway Councils regarding selection of the ``liberal'' 
regulatory alternative for the 2019-20 season and will adopt the 
``liberal'' regulatory alternative, as described in the September 21, 
2018, Federal Register, with one exception (see B. Regulatory 
Alternatives, below).

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Atlantic Flyway
    Since 2000, the Service has used an AHM protocol based on the 
status of eastern mallards to establish the annual framework 
regulations for duck hunting seasons in the Atlantic Flyway. This 
protocol assumes that the mallard is an appropriate surrogate for other 
duck species in the Atlantic Flyway. However, following a review of 
eastern mallard AHM conducted in 2013, the Atlantic Flyway Council 
determined that eastern mallards do not adequately represent duck 
harvest dynamics throughout the entire Flyway; they do not represent 
the breeding ecology and habitat requirements of other important 
Atlantic Flyway duck species because their breeding range does not 
overlap with that of other ducks that breed in the flyway; and their 
breeding and/or wintering habitat needs differ from many of the other 
duck species in the Flyway. Thus, although mallards comprise nearly 20 
percent of the Atlantic Flyway's duck harvest, the status of eastern 
mallards does not necessarily reflect that of other Atlantic Flyway 
duck species. For example, mallards in eastern North America have 
declined at an average annual rate of 1 percent since 1998, whereas 
over the same time period all other duck species in eastern North 
America, for which robust population estimates are available, are 
stable or increasing.
    The Atlantic Flyway Council decided that a decision framework based 
upon a suite of duck species that better represents the habitat needs 
and harvest distribution of ducks in the Atlantic Flyway would be 
superior to the current eastern mallard AHM framework, and we concur. 
Accordingly, the Service and the Atlantic Flyway began working in 2013 
to develop a multi-stock AHM protocol for setting annual duck hunting 
season frameworks for the Atlantic Flyway.
    The development of multi-stock protocols has now been completed, 
and we adopted multi-stock AHM as a replacement for eastern mallard AHM 
(September 21, 2018, Federal Register; 83 FR 47868). The protocols are 
based on a suite of four species that represents the dynamics of duck 
harvest in the Atlantic Flyway and the various habitat types used by 
waterfowl throughout the Atlantic Flyway: Green-winged teal (Anas 
crecca), common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula), ring-necked duck 
(Aythya collaris), and wood duck (Aix sponsa). These species comprise 
more than 40 percent of the Atlantic Flyway's total duck harvest, and 
they reflect regional variation in harvest composition. The selected 
species represent upland nesters in boreal and southern Canada (green-
winged teal), over-water nesters in boreal Canada (ring-necked duck), 
cavity nesters in the United States and southern Canada (wood duck), 
and cavity nesters in boreal Canada (goldeneye). The most important 
winter waterfowl habitats in the Atlantic Flyway (salt marsh, 
freshwater marsh, tidal waters, freshwater ponds and lakes, rivers and 
streams) are important to at least one of these four species.
    Species selection was also influenced by our need for sufficient 
time series of estimates of annual abundance and estimates of harvest 
rate or annual harvest. The protocol has a harvest objective of no more 
than 98 percent of maximum sustainable long-term yield for any of the 
four species. Regulatory alternatives are the same as those used in the 
eastern mallard AHM, except that the mallard bag limit is not 
prescribed by the optimal regulatory alternative as determined by the 
multi-stock AHM protocol. The mallard bag limit in the Atlantic Flyway 
is now based on a separate assessment of the harvest potential of 
eastern mallards (see xi. Other for further discussion on the mallard 
bag limit in the Atlantic Flyway).
    The optimal AHM strategies for the Atlantic Flyway for the 2019-20 
hunting season were calculated using: (1) Harvest-management objectives 
specific to each stock; (2) the 2019-20 regulatory alternatives; and 
(3) current population models and associated weights. Based on the 
``liberal'' regulatory alternative selected for the 2018-19 duck 
hunting season, the 2018 WBPHS results of 0.35 million American green-
winged teal, 1.12 million wood ducks, 0.63 million ring-necked ducks, 
and 0.49 million goldeneyes in the eastern survey area and Atlantic 
Flyway, the optimal regulatory choice for the Atlantic Flyway is the 
``liberal'' alternative. Therefore, we concur with the recommendation 
of the Atlantic Flyway Council regarding selection of the ``liberal'' 
regulatory alternative for the 2019-20 season and will adopt the 
``liberal'' regulatory alternative, as described in the September 21, 
2018, Federal Register.
    Further details on biological models used in the protocol, data 
sources, optimization methods, and simulation results are available at 
http://www.regulations.gov and on our website at https://www.fws.gov/birds/surveys-and-data/reports-and-publications.php.
Other Issues
    Regarding the Mississippi Flyway Council recommendation to limit 
regulatory changes to one step per year, we recognize the longstanding 
interest by the Council to impose a one-step constraint on regulatory 
changes. In the September 21, 2018, Federal Register, we noted that the 
Central and Mississippi Flyways have worked with Service staff during 
the past 3 years to revisit the AHM protocol for managing harvest of 
mid-continent mallards. This effort has included a discussion of 
appropriate management objectives, regulatory packages, and management 
of non-mallard stocks. We continue to support that these discussions 
are the appropriate venue to discuss what role, if any, a one-step 
constraint might play in management of waterfowl in the Central and 
Mississippi Flyways. Such discussions should include the potential 
impact of a one-step constraint on the frequency of when the liberal, 
moderate, and restrictive packages would be recommended. On a final 
note, while we recognize the Council's concern about potentially 
communicating a large regulatory change to hunters, we have concerns 
about the appropriateness of a one-step constraint in situations when 
the status of the waterfowl resource may warrant a regulatory change 
larger than one step. Furthermore, it is unclear how the AHM protocol 
can accommodate a one-step constraint in the Mississippi Flyway if the 
same constraint is not imposed in the Central Flyway. Technical work on 
the AHM revision process tentatively should be completed by summer 
2019, with any potential changes to regulatory packages and the harvest 
strategy approved in October 2019 for the 2021-22 season. We look 
forward to continued work with the Flyway Councils on this issue.

B. Regulatory Alternatives

    Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended 
that the framework closing date be modified from the last Sunday in 
January to January 31 for both the ``liberal'' and ``moderate'' AHM 
packages.
    Service Response: We support the Mississippi Flyway's 
recommendation for a closing date of January 31 for the 2019-20 
midcontinent duck seasons. Although we recognize that this issue is 
currently being discussed as part of the AHM revision process, we 
understand that there is agreement among the Mississippi and Central 
Flyways and the Service's Migratory Bird Management staff that the new 
forthcoming regulatory alternatives will

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contain an ending framework date of January 31 for at least the 
``liberal'' regulatory alternative. Thus, adopting the Mississippi 
Flyway Council's proposed closing date for the 2019-20 seasons is 
acceptable at this time for both the Mississippi and Central flyways. 
Further, the Atlantic Flyway currently also has a closing duck 
framework date of January 31. Therefore, we proposed a January 31 
closing date for duck frameworks for all four flyways during the 2019-
20 hunting seasons. The additional few days will have no measurable 
impact on duck harvests, and satisfies the desires of the Flyway 
Councils and hunters.
    Subsequent to our proposed rule, the John D. Dingell, Jr. 
Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Act), signed into law on 
March 12, 2019 (Pub. L. 116-9), amended the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 
to specify that the framework closing date for hunting ducks, 
mergansers, and coots ``shall not be later than January 31 of each 
year.'' The Act also states that, with regard to these species, the 
Secretary shall ``adopt the recommendation of each respective flyway 
council (as defined in section 20.152 of title 50, Code of Federal 
Regulations) for the Federal framework if the Secretary determines that 
the recommendation is consistent with science-based and sustainable 
harvest management.'' Thus, as directed by the Act, we have adopted 
January 31 as the framework closing date for all four Flyways.

C. Zones and Split Seasons

    Written Comments: A commenter from Pennsylvania requested changes 
to the duck hunting zones in Pennsylvania. Several individuals from 
Louisiana were unhappy with the hunting dates selected by Louisiana.
    Service Response: Zones and split seasons are special regulations 
designed to distribute hunting opportunities and harvests according to 
temporal, geographic, and demographic variability in waterfowl and 
other migratory game bird populations. States have been allowed the 
option of dividing their allotted duck hunting days into two (or in 
some cases three) segments (splits) to take advantage of species-
specific peaks of abundance or to satisfy hunters in different areas 
who want to hunt during the peak of waterfowl abundance in their area. 
States also have the option to establish independent duck seasons in up 
to four zones within States for the purpose of providing more equitable 
distribution of harvest opportunity for hunters throughout the State.
    The guidelines were first established in 1978, with the current 
guidelines finalized in 2011 (76 FR 53536; August 26, 2011). Every 5 
years, States are afforded the opportunity to change the zoning and 
split-season configuration within which they set their annual duck 
hunting regulations. The next regularly scheduled open season for 
changes to zone and split-season configurations will be in 2020, for 
use during the 2021-25 period.
    Lastly, we note that duck hunting zones are established at the 
State level by the State based on the above referenced guidelines. The 
selection of season hunting dates is specifically a State decision 
based on the overall frameworks for each species.

D. Special Seasons/Species Management

i. September Teal Seasons
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council requested that 
Florida be allowed to hold an experimental September teal-only season 
for an additional year (2019), to allow sufficient time to evaluate 
impacts to non-target species.
    Service Response: For the 2019-20 season, we will utilize the 2018 
breeding population estimate of 6.45 million blue-winged teal from the 
traditional survey area and the criteria developed for the teal season 
guidelines. Thus, a 16-day September teal season in the Atlantic, 
Central, and Mississippi Flyways is appropriate for the 2019-20 season.
    We agree with the Atlantic Flyway Council's request to extend 
Florida's experimental teal-only season through 2019. The additional 
year will allow Florida to collect additional data to meet experimental 
sample size criteria and study impacts to non-target species.
iii. Black Ducks
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway 
Councils recommended that the Service continue to follow the 
International Black Duck AHM Strategy for the 2019-20 season.
    Service Response: In 2012, we adopted the International Black Duck 
AHM Strategy (77 FR 49868; August 17, 2012). The formal strategy is the 
result of 14 years of technical and policy decisions developed and 
agreed upon by both Canadian and U.S. agencies and waterfowl managers. 
The strategy clarifies what harvest levels each country will manage for 
and reduces conflicts over country-specific regulatory policies. 
Further, the strategy allows for attainment of fundamental objectives 
of black duck management: Resource conservation; perpetuation of 
hunting tradition; and equitable access to the black duck resource 
between Canada and the United States while accommodating the 
fundamental sources of uncertainty (partial controllability and partial 
observability, structural uncertainty, and environmental variation).
    For the 2019-20 season, the optimal country-specific regulatory 
strategies were calculated using: (1) The black duck harvest objective 
(98 percent of long-term cumulative harvest); (2) 2019-20 country-
specific regulatory alternatives; (3) current parameter estimates for 
mallard competition and additive mortality; and (4) 2018 survey results 
of 0.53 million breeding black ducks and 0.40 million breeding mallards 
in the core survey area. The optimal regulatory choices for the 2019-20 
season are the ``liberal'' package in Canada and the ``moderate'' 
package in the United States.
iv. Canvasbacks
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and 
Pacific Flyway Councils recommended a full season for canvasbacks with 
a 2-bird daily bag limit. Season lengths would be 60 days in the 
Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, 74 days in the Central Flyway, and 
107 days in the Pacific Flyway.
    Service Response: As we discussed in the March 28, 2016, final rule 
(81 FR 17302), the canvasback harvest strategy that we had relied on 
until 2015 was not viable under our new regulatory process because it 
required biological information that was not yet available at the time 
a decision on season structure needed to be made. We do not yet have a 
new harvest strategy to propose for use in guiding canvasback harvest 
management in the future. However, we have worked with technical staff 
of the four Flyway Councils to develop a decision framework (hereafter, 
decision support tool) that relies on the best biological information 
available to develop recommendations for annual canvasback harvest 
regulations. The decision support tool used available information 
(1994-2014) on canvasback population size, growth rate, survival, and 
harvest and a discrete logistic growth model to derive an optimal 
harvest policy with an objective of maximum sustained yield. The 
decision support tool calls for a closed season when the observed 
population is below 460,000, a 1-bird daily bag limit when the observed 
breeding population is between 460,000 and 480,000, and a 2-bird daily 
bag limit when the observed population is greater than 480,000. Given 
that the 2018 canvasback

[[Page 43000]]

breeding population estimate from the WBPHS was 686,000 birds, we 
support the Flyway Councils' recommendations for a 2-canvasback daily 
bag limit for the 2019-20 season.
v. Pintails
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and 
Pacific Flyway Councils recommended a full season for pintails, 
consisting of a 1-bird daily bag limit and a 60-day season in the 
Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, a 74-day season in the Central 
Flyway, and a 107-day season in the Pacific Flyway.
    Service Response: The current derived pintail harvest strategy was 
adopted by the Service and Flyway Councils in 2010 (75 FR 44856; July 
29, 2010). For the 2019-20 season, an optimal regulatory strategy for 
pintails was calculated with: (1) An objective of maximizing long-term 
cumulative harvest, including a closed-season constraint of 1.75 
million birds; (2) the regulatory alternatives and associated predicted 
harvest; and (3) current population models and their relative weights. 
Based on a ``liberal'' regulatory alternative with a 2-bird daily bag 
limit for the 2018-19 season, and the 2018 WBPHS survey results of 2.37 
million pintails observed at a mean latitude of 56.1 degrees, the 
optimal regulatory choice for all four Flyways for the 2019-20 hunting 
season is the ``liberal'' alternative with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
vi. Scaup
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and 
Pacific Flyway Councils recommended use of the ``moderate'' regulation 
package, consisting of a 60-day season with a 2-bird daily bag in the 
Atlantic Flyway and a 3-bird daily bag in the Mississippi Flyway, a 74-
day season with a 3-bird daily bag limit in the Central Flyway, and an 
86-day season with a 3-bird daily bag limit in the Pacific Flyway.
    Service Response: In 2008, we adopted and implemented a new scaup 
harvest strategy (73 FR 43290 on July 24, 2008, and 73 FR 51124 on 
August 29, 2008) with initial ``restrictive,'' ``moderate,'' and 
``liberal'' regulatory packages adopted for each Flyway.
    For scaup, optimal regulatory strategies for the 2019-20 season 
were calculated using: (1) An objective to achieve 95 percent of long-
term cumulative harvest; (2) current scaup regulatory alternatives; and 
(3) updated model parameters and weights. Based on a ``moderate'' 
regulatory alternative selected in 2018, and the 2018 WBPHS survey 
results of 3.99 million scaup, the optimal regulatory choice for the 
2019-20 season for all four Flyways is the ``moderate'' regulatory 
alternative.
ix. Youth Hunt
    Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommended 
replacing tundra swan with swan in the bag limits for the Special Youth 
Waterfowl Hunting Days.
    Service Response: We agree with the Pacific Flyway Council's 
recommendation to replace tundra swan with swan in the bag limits for 
the Special Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days. The change is intended to 
allow the take of any swan species in the Pacific Flyway (currently 
applicable to only Montana, Utah, and Nevada) consistent with the swan 
hunting framework that has existed in the Pacific Flyway since 1995. 
Swans may only be taken by participants possessing applicable swan 
hunting permits. This will not change the number of swan hunting 
permits available in any State, but will provide an opportunity for 
youths with a swan hunting permit to hunt swans during the Special 
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days in addition to the regular swan season. 
Youth hunters in other flyways with a tundra swan hunting permit would 
continue to be able to hunt tundra swans during the Special Youth 
Waterfowl Hunting Days. The expected additional harvest from this 
change is negligible because we anticipate that few youths will apply 
and successfully draw the limited number of swan hunting permits in the 
Pacific Flyway, and any issued swan hunting permit may otherwise be 
filled during the regular swan hunting season. Hunting during the 
Special Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days in the Pacific Flyway is expected 
to result in the same ratio of take between trumpeter and tundra swans 
as occurs in the regular season.
    Subsequent to our proposed rule, the John D. Dingell, Jr. 
Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Act), signed into law on 
March 12, 2019 (Pub. L. 116-9), amended the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 
to codify the 2 additional hunting days we currently have for youth 
hunters and to specifically add 2 additional hunting days for veterans 
and active military personnel. The Act states that ``the Secretary 
shall allow States to select 2 days for youths and 2 days for veterans 
(as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) and members 
of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National 
Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training), to hunt 
eligible ducks, geese, swans, mergansers, coots, moorhens, and 
gallinules, if the Secretary determines that the addition of those days 
is consistent with science-based and sustainable harvest management. 
Such days shall be treated as separate from, and in addition to, the 
annual Federal framework hunting season lengths.'' The Act also states 
that States may combine the 2 days allowed for youths with the 2 days 
allowed for veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, 
but that no State may have more than a total of 4 additional days added 
to its regular hunting season. Thus, as directed by the Act, we have 
adopted the inclusion of the 2 additional days for veterans and active 
military personnel into the final frameworks for the 2019-20 hunting 
season.
xi. Other
    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
use of the Eastern Mallard Prescribed Take Level (PTL) analysis for 
setting mallard bag limits at two (2) birds per day in the Atlantic 
Flyway until a formal harvest strategy can be developed in conjunction 
with the Service. Further, they recommended adopting a restriction of 
no more than one (1) hen mallard per day in conjunction with reducing 
the mallard bag limit for the 2019-20 hunting season.
    Written Comments: An individual from South Carolina questioned 
proposed mallard bag restrictions in South Carolina given his 
interpretation of band return data indicating most mallards harvested 
in South Carolina originate in the Great Lake States and southern 
Ontario rather than the northeastern States. As such, he believed South 
Carolina regulations should be based on mid-continent mallards rather 
than eastern mallards.
    Service Response: The Atlantic Flyway Council's multi-stock harvest 
strategy (see above) did not specifically address bag limits for 
mallards. The number of breeding mallards in northeastern United States 
(about two-thirds of the eastern mallard population in 1998) has 
decreased by about 38 percent since 1998, and the overall population 
has declined by about 1 percent per year during that time period. This 
has resulted in reduced harvest potential for that population. The 
Service conducted a PTL analysis to estimate the allowable take (kill 
rate) for eastern mallards, and compared that with the expected kill 
rate under the most liberal season length (60 days) being considered as 
part of the multi-stock framework's regulatory alternatives.
    PTL requires an estimate of the maximum population growth rate 
(rmax)

[[Page 43001]]

in the absence of harvest and density dependence. That estimate is then 
used to calculate the allowable rate of take as (rmax/2)F, 
where F is a variable that reflects management objectives. Using 
contemporary data and assuming a management objective of maximum 
sustained yield, the PTL analysis estimated an allowable take rate of 
0.194-0.198. The expected take (kill) rate for eastern mallards under a 
60-day season and a 2-mallard daily bag limit in the U.S. portion of 
the Atlantic Flyway was 0.193 (SE = 0.016), which is slightly below 
(but not statistically different from) the point estimate of allowable 
take (PTL) at maximum sustained yield. This indicates that a 2-bird 
daily bag limit is sustainable at this time. Thus, we agree with the 
Atlantic Flyway Council's recommendation of a 2-bird daily bag limit 
for mallards, of which only one may be a hen. We expect that the hen 
restriction will help conserve the population's breeding stock. Further 
details on the PTL analysis are available at http://www.regulations.gov 
and on our website at https://www.fws.gov/birds/surveys-and-data/reports-and-publications.php.
    Regarding the mallard bag restrictions in South Carolina and the 
origin of stocks, we have a long-standing policy of setting duck 
hunting regulations by flyway, for both biological and administrative 
purposes. Furthermore, we note that the proportion of the southern 
Atlantic Flyway mallard harvest that originates in the mid-continent 
region has declined significantly since the 1970s and 1980s, while that 
from eastern North America has increased. A 2012 report (Arnold and de 
Sobrino) indicated that 53 percent of the mallard harvest in North 
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida during 1995-2009 was 
derived from mallards of eastern origin, either eastern Canada (33 
percent) or eastern United States north of North Carolina (20 percent). 
Harvest of locally produced mallards likely would increase this 
percentage further. Because a majority of birds harvested in the 
southeastern states in the Atlantic Flyway are derived from eastern 
stocks, we do not agree with the implication that South Carolina's 
mallard bag limit should be based on the status of mid-continent 
mallards.

4. Canada Geese

B. Regular Seasons

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council made several 
recommendations concerning Canada goose regular seasons. Specifically, 
they recommended:
     Allow Maine to designate their Coastal Zone as a low 
harvest North Atlantic Population (NAP) Zone for an experimental 3-year 
period (2019-21);
     Implement the ``restrictive'' season option (30-day season 
with a daily bag limit of two (2) geese in the New England 
[Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont] and Mid-Atlantic [New Jersey, 
New York, and Pennsylvania] Regions and one (1) goose in the Chesapeake 
Region [Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia]) for Atlantic Population (AP) 
harvest areas in the Atlantic Flyway in 2019-20;
     Allow Connecticut to modify the boundary between the 
Atlantic Flyway Resident Population (AFRP) zone and NAP zone;
     Allow New Jersey to change the designation of their 
Coastal Zone from an AFRP to a NAP Canada goose high harvest area 
beginning in 2019; and
     Modify the New York AFRP Canada Goose Areas to no more 
than 80 days, starting no earlier than the fourth Saturday in October 
and ending no later than the last day of February.
    Service Response: We agree with all of the Atlantic Flyway 
Council's recommendations concerning Canada geese. First, allowing 
Maine to change the designation of their Coastal Zone to a low harvest 
NAP Zone for an experimental 3-year period (2019-21) should allow for 
the harvest of more AFRP geese with the longer season length and higher 
bag limit. While some additional harvest of NAP Canada geese may occur, 
the Coastal Zone currently meets the criteria as a low harvest zone 
under the current NAP harvest strategy.
    Second, while we note that the current AP harvest strategy 
indicates that a continuation of the ``moderate'' season may be 
considered given the current population abundance, moving to a 
``restrictive'' season in the AP harvest strategy is the more prudent 
choice. The breeding pair estimate (the primary metric used to inform 
AP harvest management decisions) has declined sharply the past 2 years, 
and although the 3-year running average of total indicated pairs 
(154,969) remains above the harvest strategy threshold (150,000 pairs) 
for consideration of a moderate season, the 2018 single-year estimate 
(112,235 pairs) is 25 percent below that level. Further, the total 
population index has declined by approximately one-third since 2009. 
The Atlantic Flyway Council notes that this decline, which is only now 
showing up in the breeding pair estimate, likely reflects an extended 
period (2009-16) of average or below-average production years. 
Additionally, gosling production, as indexed by age ratios at banding, 
was virtually nonexistent in 2018. This is unprecedented in the 22 
years this metric has been monitored. Lastly, given current population 
trends and the poor 2018 production, the harvest strategy is highly 
likely to prescribe a ``restrictive'' season in 2020-21. The Atlantic 
Flyway Council notes that reductions in harvest achieved by 
implementing a restrictive season 1 year earlier should slow the rate 
of population decline, and in turn reduce the likelihood of the 
population declining to a level (60,000 pairs) at which a closed season 
would be prescribed.
    Third, the recommended changes to zone boundaries (Connecticut), 
zone designation (New Jersey), and framework dates (New York) are all 
the result of a recent Atlantic Flyway Council assessment of migrant 
Canada goose harvest in AFRP zones. The assessment indicated that 
migrant Canada goose harvest in AFRP zones in those States exceeded the 
level allowed by the Atlantic Flyway Council's established criteria. 
The Council's recommended changes will reduce migrant Canada goose 
harvest in AFRP zones in those States and bring them back into 
compliance with AFRP zone criteria. Thus, we agree that all three 
changes are appropriate, and we commend the Atlantic Flyway Council's 
continuing commitment to sustainable harvest of migrant Canada geese.

6. Brant

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
that the 2019-20 season for Atlantic brant follow the Atlantic Flyway 
Council's brant harvest strategy pending the results of the 2019 
Atlantic Flyway Mid-winter Waterfowl Survey (MWS). The Council also 
recommended that if results of the 2019 MWS are not available, then 
results of the most recent MWS should be used.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended that the 2019-20 brant 
season frameworks be determined based on the harvest strategy in the 
Council's management plan for the Pacific population of brant pending 
results of the 2019 Winter Brant Survey (WBS). If results of the 2019 
WBS are not available, results of the most recent WBS should be used.
    Service Response: As we discussed in the March 28, 2016, final rule 
(81 FR 17302), the current harvest strategy used to determine the 
Atlantic brant season frameworks does not fit well within the new 
regulatory process, similar to the Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) 
sandhill crane issue discussed below under 9. Sandhill Cranes. In 
developing the annual proposed frameworks for

[[Page 43002]]

Atlantic brant in the past, the Atlantic Flyway Council and the Service 
used the number of brant counted during the MWS in the Atlantic Flyway, 
and took into consideration the brant population's expected 
productivity that summer. The MWS is conducted each January, and 
expected brant productivity is based on early-summer observations of 
breeding habitat conditions and nesting effort in important brant 
nesting areas. Thus, the data under consideration were available before 
the annual Flyway and SRC decision-making meetings took place in late 
July. Although the former regulatory alternatives for Atlantic brant 
were developed by factoring together long-term productivity rates 
(observed during November and December productivity surveys) with 
estimated observed harvest under different framework regulations, the 
primary decision-making criterion for selecting the annual frameworks 
was the MWS count.
    Under the new regulatory schedule, neither the expected brant 
production information nor the MWS count for the current year is yet 
available at the time the proposed frameworks are published. However, 
the MWS is typically completed, and winter brant data are available, by 
the expected publication of the final frameworks. Therefore, in the 
September 24, 2015, Federal Register (80 FR 57664), we adopted the 
Atlantic Flyway Council's changes to the then-current Atlantic brant 
hunt plan strategy. The current harvest strategy for Atlantic brant is 
as follows:
     If the MWS count is <100,000 Atlantic brant, the season 
would be closed.
     If the MWS count is between 100,000 and 115,000 brant, 
States could select a 30-day season with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
     If the MWS count is between 115,000 and 130,000 brant, 
States could select a 30-day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
     If the MWS count is between 130,000 and 150,000 brant, 
States could select a 50-day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
     If the MWS count is between 150,000 and 200,000 brant, 
States could select a 60-day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
     If the MWS count is >200,000 brant, States could select a 
60-day season with a 3-bird daily bag limit.
    Under all the above open-season alternatives, seasons would be 
between the Saturday nearest September 24 and January 31. Further, 
States could split their seasons into 2 segments.
    The 2019 MWS Atlantic brant count was 120,109 brant. Thus, 
utilizing the above Atlantic brant hunt strategies, the appropriate 
Atlantic brant hunting season for the 2019-20 season is a 30-day season 
with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    As with the case for Atlantic brant, we also agree with the Pacific 
Flyway Council's recommendation that the 2019-20 Pacific brant season 
frameworks be determined by the harvest strategy in the Council's 
management plan for the Pacific population of brant pending results of 
the 2019 WBS. Similarly, the harvest strategy used to determine the 
Pacific brant season frameworks does not fit well within the new 
regulatory process. In developing the annual proposed frameworks for 
Pacific brant, the Pacific Flyway Council and the Service use the 3-
year average number of brant counted during the WBS in the Pacific 
Flyway to determine annual allowable season length and daily bag 
limits. The WBS is conducted each January (that is, after the date that 
the proposed frameworks are formulated in the regulatory process) in 
coastal areas of western Mexico, the United States, and Canada. 
However, the data are typically available by the expected publication 
of these final frameworks. When we acquire the survey data, we select 
the appropriate frameworks for the Pacific brant season according to 
the harvest strategy in the Pacific Flyway Council's management plan 
for Pacific brant and publish the result in the final frameworks rule. 
The current harvest strategy for Pacific brant is as follows:
     If the WBS index is <102,000 brant, then the brant season 
is closed, and the season may not reopen until the 3-year average WBS 
index exceeds 112,000 brant.
     If the WBS index is between 102,000 and 122,000 brant, 
then Alaska may select a 51-day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit, 
and California, Oregon, and Washington may select a 16-day season with 
a 2-bird daily bag limit.
     If the WBS index is between 122,001 and 147,000 brant, 
then Alaska may select a 107-day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit, 
and California, Oregon, and Washington may select a 27-day season with 
a 2-brant daily bag limit.
     If the WBS index is greater than 147,000 brant, then 
Alaska may select a 107-day season with a 4-bird daily bag limit, and 
California, Oregon, and Washington may select a 37-day season with a 2-
bird daily bag limit.
    Under all the above open-season alternatives, the outside framework 
season dates are September 1 through January 26 in Alaska, the Saturday 
closest to September 24 through December 15 in California and Oregon, 
and the Saturday closest to September 24 through the last Sunday in 
January in Washington.
    The recent 3-year average (2017-2019) WBS count of Pacific brant 
was 149,647. Using the above harvest strategy, the appropriate season 
length and daily bag limit framework for Pacific brant in the 2019-20 
season is a 107-day season with a 4-bird daily bag limit in Alaska, and 
a 37-day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit in California, Oregon, 
and Washington.

8. Swans

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic Flyway Council recommended 
that the allocation of tundra swan hunt permits in the Atlantic Flyway 
be based on the proportion of tundra swans counted on the Mid-Winter 
Survey (MWS) in each State that hunts swans. Permit allocation would be 
re-evaluated every 3 years based on the past 3-year MWS average in each 
State that allows swan hunting. Permit allocation for the 2019-20 
through the 2021-22 seasons will be 6,115 permits in North Carolina, 
801 permits in Virginia, and 84 permits in Delaware (for a total of 
7,000 in the Atlantic Flyway). If the number of permits available to 
the Atlantic Flyway should change or if additional States initiate 
tundra swan hunting seasons, the Council recommends that permit 
allocation be adjusted based on the proportion of tundra swans counted 
in each State.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended several changes to the swan 
season frameworks. Specifically, the Council recommended:
    (1) Extending outside dates to the Saturday nearest September 24 
(currently the Saturday nearest October 1) and closing consistent with 
the duck season framework of January 31 (currently varies by State from 
December 1 to the Sunday following January 1);
    (2) Extending the maximum season length to 107 days (currently 
varies by State from 64 to 100 days), subject to season closure rules 
(see below);
    (3) Allowing youths with a swan hunting permit to hunt swans during 
federal Special Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days;
    (4) Removing State requirements to monitor and report on swan 
populations within designated hunt areas;
    (5) Increasing the trumpeter swan quota from 5 to 10 in Nevada;
    (6) Increasing the trumpeter swan quota from 10 to 20 in Utah;
    (7) Increasing permits from 2,000 to 2,750 in Utah; and
    (8) Increasing the hunt area in Utah (for clearer boundaries).

[[Page 43003]]

    Written Comments: The North Dakota Game and Fish Department (North 
Dakota) and the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (South 
Dakota) have proposed to temporarily transfer 200 tundra swan permits 
from South Dakota to North Dakota.
    Six individuals from Nevada and Utah supported the Pacific Flyway's 
recommendations regarding proposed changes to swan seasons in Nevada 
and Utah.
    Service Response: Recently, we supported the establishment of an 
experimental tundra swan season in Delaware beginning with the 2019-20 
season (83 FR 47868; September 21, 2018). The proposed hunting season 
followed the guidelines provided in the Atlantic Flyway Council's 
Eastern Population Tundra Swan Hunt Plan and is not expected to 
increase the overall harvest of tundra swans. At that time, we stated 
that the existing allowable harvest would be reallocated among the 
States that hunt them. The Atlantic Flyway Council's recommendation 
accomplishes that objective and does not affect permit allocation in 
any other Flyway. Thus, we agree.
    We also agree with the temporary transfer of 200 tundra swan 
permits from South Dakota to North Dakota. The original agreement 
between the States was reached in 2003, and approved by the Central 
Flyway Council in 2003, and recently was reaffirmed by North Dakota and 
South Dakota. Further, the current Eastern Population Tundra Swan Hunt 
Plan allows the transfer of unused portions or permits for temporary 
redistribution to other participating States.
    In the Pacific Flyway, we authorized an experimental general swan 
hunting season (hereafter, swan season) within the Pacific Flyway south 
of Alaska (parts of Montana, Utah, and Nevada) in 1995, which became 
operational in 2003. We addressed impacts of the swan season in a 
sequence of environmental assessments and findings of no significant 
impact (1995, 2000, 2001, 2003). Two native swan species occur in the 
contiguous United States: Tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus) and 
trumpeter swan (C. buccinator). Only the Western Population (WP) of 
tundra swans and Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) of trumpeter swans are 
subjected to harvest during the swan hunting season in the Pacific 
Flyway.
    Regarding WP tundra swans, the recent 3-year (2016-2018) mean 
abundance index during spring was 133,340 (95 percent confidence 
interval (CI) = 83,962-182,719) swans, and exceeded the Pacific Flyway 
Council's population objective of 60,000 swans. Regarding RMP trumpeter 
swans, the recent (2015) fall count was 11,271 white swans (i.e., adult 
and subadult birds), and exceeded the Pacific Flyway Council's 
population objective of 10,000 white swans. The Council also has an 
objective for the U.S. breeding segment of RMP trumpeter swans. The 
recent (2018) fall count was 810 white swans, and exceeded the 
Council's current population objective of 718 white swans. The recent 
3-year (2016-2018) average count was 774 white swans.
    The 2003 environmental assessment specified the swan season 
framework cannot be more liberal until the 3-year average number of 
trumpeter swans in the RMP U.S. breeding segment was >=90 percent of 
the original (i.e., from an earlier management plan) goal of 614 white 
swans (i.e., threshold of 553 white swans). This threshold was exceeded 
in 2015, when the 3-year (2013-2015) average fall count was 563 white 
swans.
    Gower et al. (2018) wrote a white paper on the Pacific Flyway swan 
season. The purpose was to review data (status, distribution, and 
harvest) associated with the swan season framework since implementation 
23 years ago, and to consider the success of the swan season framework 
in reconciling two potentially conflicting swan management objectives: 
Tundra swan hunting and trumpeter swan population restoration. The data 
provide strong evidence the swan season framework in the Pacific Flyway 
has been successful in the simultaneous achievement of initial 
objectives for tundra swan hunting opportunity and trumpeter swan 
population restoration. The white paper provides justification for the 
Pacific Flyway Council's proposed changes to the swan season framework, 
particularly the increase in trumpeter swan quotas to rebalance 
tradeoffs between potentially conflicting swan management objectives. 
The white paper is available at https://www.fws.gov/birds/surveys-and-data/reports-and-publications.php.
    Regarding the Pacific Flyway Council's recommendations, we agree 
with the recommendations for opening and closing dates, season length, 
and youth waterfowl hunting days. These are all adjustments to realign 
the swan season framework in the Pacific Flyway with changes to the 
general duck and goose season frameworks that have occurred since 1995, 
when the swan season framework was established. This will allow States 
to simplify their waterfowl seasons by having one season for ducks, 
geese, and swans, and allow youth hunters with a swan hunting permit to 
hunt swans during the Federal youth waterfowl hunting days. Broadening 
the opening and closing dates, extending the season length, and 
allowing take of swans during the two youth waterfowl hunting days may 
increase swan harvest, but not in significant numbers because few swans 
are available to hunters outside of the swan winter migration period. 
Most tundra and trumpeter swans migrate through Montana, Nevada, and 
Utah from mid-October through the end of November. Also, there is 
additional harvest opportunity for tundra swans because the population 
is currently more than two times the Council's population objective. 
Despite these liberalizations, adequate protection still exists for 
trumpeter swans because trumpeter swan harvest is capped at the quota 
for each State regardless of season length, and the swan season ends in 
a State upon reaching the trumpeter swan quota in that State.
    We also agree with the Council's recommendation to remove State 
requirements to monitor and report on swan abundance within designated 
hunting areas. This does not affect the requirement that each State 
that allows swan hunting must evaluate hunter participation, species-
specific swan harvest, and hunter compliance in complying with State 
hunter participation and harvest monitoring programs. Each State has 
monitored swan abundance during the swan hunting season since about 
1995. However, the monitoring that has been done is limited to counts 
of swans with no distinction between tundra and trumpeter swans, and 
therefore has limited usefulness for informing us about swan population 
status. Further, swan migration routes and timing of swan migration 
through each State are now well established, and both tundra swan and 
trumpeter swan populations are monitored via cooperative State-Federal 
surveys, which are better tools for assessing swan population status 
than the aforementioned surveys.
    We agree with the Council's recommendation to increase the 
trumpeter swan quotas from 5 to 10 in Nevada and from 10 to 20 in Utah. 
The swan hunting season must close in a State upon reaching the 
trumpeter swan quota in that State regardless of the scheduled season 
closing date. The quotas (5 and 10 swans) have not been reached in any 
year since swan hunting was initiated in 1995, except that in Nevada in 
2017, the 5-swan quota was reached on the last day of the swan season. 
Trumpeter swans have increased in abundance since 1995; however, the 
number allowed to be taken has not increased. The possibility

[[Page 43004]]

of an early swan-season closure has increased with trumpeter swan 
abundance increasing at a higher rate than tundra swan abundance. The 
most recent abundance estimates indicate RMP trumpeter swans have 
increased 644 percent (1,820 to 11,721 white swans) since 1995, and the 
U.S. breeding segment has increased 241 percent (427 to 1,029 total 
swans). Tundra swans have increased 126 percent (120,528 to 152,099) 
since 1995. The increased quotas in Nevada and Utah are commensurate 
with the change in trumpeter swan population status since the quotas 
were negotiated in 1995 and 2000 (i.e., increased 200 percent). Also, 
these increases are consistent with an assessment of the harvest 
potential of RMP trumpeter swans and U.S. breeding segment based on 
their observed growth rates and a conservative recovery factor of 0.5 
considering that trumpeter swans are of management concern but neither 
endangered nor threatened (see the swan hunting white paper (Gower et 
al. 2018) for more assessment details). Using a conservative maximum 
allowable take estimate of trumpeter swans in Utah and Nevada of 30 
swans combined and accounting for population segment composition (6.1 
percent U.S. breeding), the expected harvest of trumpeter swans from 
the U.S. breeding segment, which is of greater concern than the Canada 
breeding segment, should not exceed about 2 swans (30 x 0.061), or 
about 0.2 percent (2 of 1,029 total swans) of the population segment 
annually.
    We also agree with the Council's recommendation to increase the 
number of hunting permits from 2,000 to 2,750 in Utah. Swan harvest 
will likely increase with the increase in the number of swan hunting 
permits, but is expected to be within allowable limits and consistent 
with the Council's swan management objectives. Tundra swans are 
currently more than 2 times the Council's population objective, and 
trumpeter swan harvest is capped at the quota for each State. Since 
2000, when about 2,000 swan hunting permits were issued per year, the 
average estimated harvest was 734 swans. Thus, increasing the number of 
hunting permits by 750 is estimated to increase the average harvest by 
275 swans (to about 1,009 swans in total). Utah issued 2,750 permits 
during 1995-2000, and at that time the average tundra swan harvest was 
1,444 swans per year. The number of permits was reduced in 2000, to 
reduce the probability of trumpeter swan harvest. The harvest of 
trumpeter swans is limited to a sustainable quota. However, the average 
trumpeter swan harvest in Utah since 2000 has been 2.1 swans per year, 
well below the quota. We estimate that increasing the tundra swan 
permits by 750 will result in less than 1 additional trumpeter swan 
harvested per year on average. Thus, the average trumpeter swan harvest 
per year is expected to remain well below Utah's trumpeter swan quota.
    We also agree with the Council's recommendation to increase the 
hunting area in Utah. This involves a small change to help clarify the 
hunting area boundary through the Bear River National Wildlife Refuge 
and adjacent private lands currently along property or imaginary lines 
that are not marked by roads or other well-defined geographic features 
or landmarks. This segment of the hunting area boundary will be moved 
to the nearest road, which is north to State Route 83. The new boundary 
will be more identifiable for hunters and law enforcement. The 
additional area included in the hunting area boundary is 124 square 
miles and represents an increase of 1.75 percent of the current hunting 
area. The additional area is comprised of agriculture lands, wetlands, 
and urban areas; approximately 30 percent is swan habitat. The swan 
hunting boundary will continue to exclude areas where trumpeter swans 
have been consistently observed for the last 5 years in Utah (northern 
Box Elder County, Cache County, Rich County, and Daggett County).
    Finally, we recognize that there are a number of changes that could 
cumulatively increase trumpeter swan harvest, but we do not expect the 
harvest to exceed the quotas established in Utah and Nevada. Tundra and 
trumpeter swan populations will continue to be monitored via 
cooperative Federal-State surveys, and States offering a swan season 
will continue to be required to carefully monitor swan hunter 
participation and species-specific swan harvest.
    Thus, the Service and States are committed to monitoring population 
abundance and harvest, and any increase in trumpeter swan harvest or 
decrease in swan abundance of concern will be reviewed and adjustments 
made accordingly.

9. Sandhill Cranes

    Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended 
that Alabama be allowed a 3-year experimental sandhill crane hunting 
season beginning in 2019, consistent with the guidelines in the Eastern 
Population of Sandhill Cranes Management Plan (EP Plan). The 
experimental season would include up to 60 days and 1,200 harvest tags.
    The Central Flyway Council recommended an expansion of the areas 
open to Mid-continent Population sandhill crane hunting in South 
Dakota.
    The Central and Pacific Flyway Councils recommended the 
establishment of a new hunting area for Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) 
sandhill cranes in Arizona beginning with the 2019-20 season, and that 
allowable harvest of RMP cranes be determined based on the formula 
described in the Pacific and Central Flyway Management Plan for RMP 
cranes.
    Service Response: We agree with the Mississippi Flyway Council's 
recommendation to establish an experimental season in Alabama. A 
management plan for the Eastern Population of sandhill cranes was 
approved by the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway Councils in 2010. The 
plan contained provisions and guidelines for establishing hunting 
seasons in the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyway States if the fall 
population was above a minimum threshold of 30,000 cranes. The 
management plan also set an overall harvest objective of no more than 
10 percent of the 5-year average peak population estimate for each 
State. Alabama's 5-year average peak population count is 14,104 cranes, 
setting the State's maximum allowable harvest under the plan at 1,410 
birds. Alabama's proposal for an experimental season of 1,200 tags 
meets this provision. Further, Alabama's experimental season would 
limit the number of crane hunters to 400 (with each getting 3 harvest 
tags).
    The Council further notes that the management plan has the 
following thresholds for permit allocation among the States:
     When the 3-year fall survey average is >=30,000, maximum 
permit allocation will be 10 percent of the 3-year fall survey average; 
and
     When the 3-year fall survey average is >60,000, the 
maximum permit allocation will be 12 percent of the 3-year fall survey 
average.
    The latest fall survey 3-year average of the Eastern Population of 
sandhill cranes is 91,250 cranes, which would allow a maximum harvest 
of up to 10,950 cranes under the current management plan. Currently, 
only Kentucky, Tennessee, and now Alabama have seasons for Eastern 
Population sandhill cranes. Including this new proposal for Alabama, 
the combined number of harvest permits in all three States would allow 
the take of 5,424 cranes, well below the maximum

[[Page 43005]]

allowable harvest. Thus, we support the creation and implementation of 
an experimental crane season in Alabama. As with all experimental 
seasons, we will implement a memorandum of agreement with Alabama to 
cover the experimental period, which will describe each entities' 
responsibilities during the experiment.
    The Service agrees with the Central Flyway Council's proposal to 
modify the eastern boundary for Mid-continent Population sandhill crane 
hunting in South Dakota. Information suggests few hunters will take 
advantage of this change, and any increase in harvest will be small.
    We also agree with the recommendations to create a new hunting area 
for RMP cranes in Arizona. The new hunting area is consistent with the 
hunting area requirements in the Pacific and Central Flyway Council's 
RMP crane management plan.
    Regarding RMP crane harvest, as we discussed in the March 28, 2016, 
final rule (81 FR 17302), the current harvest strategy used to 
calculate the allowable harvest of RMP cranes does not fit well within 
the new regulatory process, similar to the brant issue discussed above 
under 6. Brant. Results of the fall abundance and recruitment surveys 
of RMP cranes, which are used in the calculation of the annual 
allowable harvest, will continue to be released between December 1 and 
January 31 each year, which is after the date proposed frameworks are 
formulated in the new regulatory process. If we were to propose 
regulations at this point in time, data 2 to 4 years old would be used 
to determine the annual allowable harvest and State harvest allocations 
for RMP cranes. We agree that relying on data that are 2 to 4 years old 
is not ideal due to the variability in fall abundance and recruitment 
for this population, and the significance of these data in determining 
the annual harvest allocations. Thus, we agree that the formula to 
determine the annual allowable harvest for RMP cranes published in the 
March 28, 2016, final rule should be used under the new regulatory 
schedule.
    The 2018 fall RMP sandhill crane abundance estimate was 21,801 
cranes, resulting in a 3-year (2016-18) average of 21,219 cranes, about 
850 birds less than the previous 3-year average, which was 22,062 
cranes. The RMP crane recruitment estimate was 7.90 percent young in 
the fall population, resulting in a 3-year (2016-18) average of 8.22 
percent, a decrease from the previous 3-year average, which was 9.37 
percent. Using the above formula and the above most recent 3-year 
average abundance and recruitment estimates, the allowable harvest for 
the 2019-20 season is 1,628 cranes.

14. Woodcock

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central 
Flyway Councils recommended use of the ``moderate'' season framework 
for the 2019-20 season.
    The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended that the framework 
opening date for the Central Management Region be changed from the 
Saturday nearest September 22 to a fixed date of September 13.
    Service Response: In 2011, we implemented a harvest strategy for 
woodcock (76 FR 19876; April 8, 2011). The harvest strategy provides a 
transparent framework for making regulatory decisions for woodcock 
season length and bag limits while we work to improve monitoring and 
assessment protocols for this species. Utilizing the criteria developed 
for the strategy, the 3-year average for the Singing Ground Survey 
indices and associated confidence intervals fall within the ``moderate 
package'' for both the Eastern and Central Management Regions. As such, 
a ``moderate season'' for both management regions for the 2019-20 
season is appropriate.
    We do not support the Mississippi Flyway Council's recommendation 
to change the woodcock opening framework date to September 13. As we 
stated earlier this year regarding the recommendation to change the 
woodcock harvest threshold for the liberal regulatory alternative and 
framework dates, we recommend that the Woodcock Harvest Strategy 
Working Group be reconvened to discuss and evaluate any proposed 
changes to the American Woodcock harvest strategy. We understand that 
this group has already met and started this work.

16. Doves

    Council Recommendations: The Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway 
Councils recommended use of the ``standard'' season framework comprised 
of a 90-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit for States within the 
Eastern Management Unit. The daily bag limit could be composed of 
mourning doves and white-winged doves, singly or in combination.
    The Mississippi and Central Flyway Councils recommended the use of 
the ``standard'' season package of a 90-day season and 15-bird daily 
bag limit for States within the Central Management Unit.
    The Pacific Flyway Council recommended use of the ``standard'' 
season framework with a 60-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit for 
States in the Western Management Unit.
    Service Response: Based on the harvest strategies and current 
population status, we agree with the recommended selection of the 
``standard'' season frameworks for doves in the Eastern, Central, and 
Western Management Units for the 2019-20 season.

Required Determinations

Executive Order 13771--Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory 
Costs

    This action is not subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
(E.O.) 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 3, 2017) because it establishes 
annual harvest limits related to routine hunting or fishing.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Consideration

    The programmatic document, ``Second Final Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement: Issuance of Annual Regulations 
Permitting the Sport Hunting of Migratory Birds (EIS 20130139),'' filed 
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on May 24, 2013, 
addresses NEPA compliance by the Service for issuance of the annual 
framework regulations for hunting of migratory game bird species. We 
published a notice of availability in the Federal Register on May 31, 
2013 (78 FR 32686), and our Record of Decision on July 26, 2013 (78 FR 
45376). We also address NEPA compliance for waterfowl hunting 
frameworks through the annual preparation of separate environmental 
assessments, the most recent being ``Duck Hunting Regulations for 2019-
20,'' with its corresponding June 2019, finding of no significant 
impact. The programmatic document, as well as the separate 
environmental assessment, is available on our website at https://www.fws.gov/birds/index.php, or from the address indicated under the 
caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Endangered Species Act Consideration

    Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), provides that the Secretary shall insure that any 
action authorized, funded, or carried out is not likely to jeopardize 
the continued existence of any endangered species or threatened species 
or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical 
habitat. Consequently, we conducted formal consultations to ensure that 
actions resulting from these regulations would not likely jeopardize 
the continued

[[Page 43006]]

existence of endangered or threatened species or result in the 
destruction or adverse modification of their critical habitat. Findings 
from these consultations are included in a biological opinion, which 
concluded that the regulations are not likely to jeopardize the 
continued existence of any endangered or threatened species. 
Additionally, these findings may have caused modification of some 
regulatory measures previously proposed, and the final frameworks 
reflect any such modifications. Our biological opinions resulting from 
this section 7 consultation are public documents available for public 
inspection at the address indicated under ADDRESSES.

Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Orders 12866 and 13563)

    E.O. 12866 provides that the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs (OIRA) will review all significant rules. OIRA has reviewed 
this rule and has determined that this rule is significant because it 
will have an annual effect of $100 million or more on the economy.
    E.O. 13563 reaffirms the principles of E.O. 12866 while calling for 
improvements in the nation's regulatory system to promote 
predictability, to reduce uncertainty, and to use the best, most 
innovative, and least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory ends. 
The executive order directs agencies to consider regulatory approaches 
that reduce burdens and maintain flexibility and freedom of choice for 
the public where these approaches are relevant, feasible, and 
consistent with regulatory objectives. E.O. 13563 emphasizes further 
that regulations must be based on the best available science and that 
the rulemaking process must allow for public participation and an open 
exchange of ideas. We have developed this rule in a manner consistent 
with these requirements.
    An economic analysis was prepared for the 2019-20 season. This 
analysis was based on data from the 2011 National Hunting and Fishing 
Survey, the most recent year for which data are available (see 
discussion under Regulatory Flexibility Act, below). This analysis 
estimated consumer surplus for three alternatives for duck hunting 
(estimates for other species are not quantified due to lack of data). 
The alternatives are (1) issue restrictive regulations allowing fewer 
days than those issued during the 2018-19 season, (2) issue moderate 
regulations allowing more days than those in alternative 1, and (3) 
issue liberal regulations identical to the regulations in the 2018-19 
season. For the 2019-20 season, we chose Alternative 3, with an 
estimated consumer surplus across all flyways of $334-$440 million with 
a mid-point estimate of $387 million. We also chose alternative 3 for 
the 2009-10 through 2018-19 seasons. The 2019-20 analysis is part of 
the record for this rule and is available at http://www.regulations.gov 
at Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0030.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The annual migratory bird hunting 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. This 
analysis was revised annually from 1990 through 1995. In 1995, the 
Service issued a Small Entity Flexibility Analysis (Analysis), which 
was subsequently updated in 1996, 1998, 2004, 2008, 2013, 2018, and 
2019. The primary source of information about hunter expenditures for 
migratory game bird hunting is the National Hunting and Fishing Survey, 
which is generally conducted at 5-year intervals. The 2019 Analysis is 
based on the 2011 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 approximately $1.5 
billion at small businesses in 2019. Copies of the analysis are 
available upon request from the Division of Migratory Bird Management 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) or from http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0030.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final 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 will have an annual effect on the economy of $100 
million or more. However, because this rule establishes frameworks for 
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

    This rule does not contain any new collection of information that 
requires approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). OMB has 
previously approved the information collection requirements associated 
with migratory bird surveys and the procedures for establishing annual 
migratory bird hunting seasons under the following OMB control numbers:
     1018-0019, ``North American Woodcock Singing Ground 
Survey'' (expires 6/30/2021).
     1018-0023, ``Migratory Bird Surveys, 50 CFR 20.20'' 
(expires 8/31/2020). Includes Migratory Bird Harvest Information 
Program, Migratory Bird Hunter Surveys, Sandhill Crane Survey, and 
Parts Collection Survey.
     1018-0171, ``Establishment of Annual Migratory Bird 
Hunting Seasons, 50 CFR part 20'' (expires 06/30/2021).
    You may view the information collection request(s) at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. An 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 rule, has determined that this 
rule will not unduly burden the judicial system and that it meets the 
requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of E.O. 12988.

Takings Implication Assessment

    In accordance with E.O. 12630, this 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, this rule will allow hunters to exercise 
otherwise unavailable privileges and, therefore, reduce restrictions on 
the use of private and public property.

Energy Effects--Executive Order 13211

    E.O. 13211 requires agencies to prepare Statements of Energy 
Effects when undertaking certain actions. While this rule is a 
significant regulatory action under E.O. 12866, it is not expected to 
adversely affect energy supplies, distribution, or use. Therefore,

[[Page 43007]]

this action is not a significant energy action and no Statement of 
Energy Effects is required.

Government-to-Government Relationship With Tribes

    In accordance with the President's memorandum of April 29, 1994, 
``Government-to-Government Relations with Native American Tribal 
Governments'' (59 FR 22951), E.O. 13175, and 512 DM 2, we have 
evaluated possible effects on Federally recognized Indian tribes and 
have determined that there are no effects on Indian trust resources. We 
have consulted with Tribes affected by this rule.

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 E.O. 13132, these 
regulations do not have significant federalism effects and do not have 
sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a 
federalism summary impact statement.

Regulations Promulgation

    The rulemaking process for migratory game bird hunting, by its 
nature, operates under a time constraint as seasons must be established 
each year or hunting seasons remain closed. However, we intend that the 
public be provided extensive opportunity for public input and 
involvement in compliance with Administrative Procedure Act 
requirements. Thus, when the preliminary proposed rulemaking was 
published, we established what we concluded were the longest periods 
possible for public comment and the most opportunities for public 
involvement. We also provided notification of our participation in 
multiple Flyway Council meetings, opportunities for additional public 
review and comment on all Flyway Council proposals for regulatory 
change, and opportunities for additional public review during the SRC 
meeting. Therefore, sufficient public notice and opportunity for 
involvement have been given to affected persons regarding the migratory 
bird hunting frameworks for the 2019-20 hunting seasons. Further, after 
establishment of the final frameworks, States need sufficient time to 
conduct their own public processes to select season dates and limits; 
to communicate those selections to us; and to establish and publicize 
the necessary regulations and procedures to implement their decisions. 
Thus, if there were a delay in the effective date of these regulations 
after this final rulemaking, States might not be able to meet their own 
administrative needs and requirements.
    For the reasons cited above, we find that ``good cause'' exists, 
within the terms of 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedure 
Act, and these frameworks will take effect immediately upon 
publication.
    Therefore, under authority of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (July 
3, 1918), as amended (16 U.S.C. 703-711), we prescribe final frameworks 
setting forth the species to be hunted, the daily bag and possession 
limits, the shooting hours, the season lengths, the earliest opening 
and latest closing season dates, and hunting areas, from which State 
conservation agency officials will select hunting season dates and 
other options. Upon receipt of season selections from these officials, 
we will publish a final rulemaking amending 50 CFR part 20 to reflect 
seasons, limits, and shooting hours for the United States for the 2019-
20 seasons. The rules that eventually will be promulgated for the 2019-
20 hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-712 and 742a-j.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20

    Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.

    Dated: July 1, 2019.
Karen Budd-Falen,
Deputy Solicitor for Parks and Wildlife, Exercising the Authority of 
the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

Final Regulations Frameworks for 2019-20 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 
frameworks for season lengths, shooting hours, bag and possession 
limits, and outside dates within which States may select seasons for 
hunting migratory game birds between the dates of September 1, 2019, 
and March 10, 2020. These frameworks are summarized below.

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 three times the daily bag limit.
    Permits: For some species of migratory birds, the Service 
authorizes the use of permits to regulate harvest or monitor their take 
by hunters, or both. In these cases, the Service determines the amount 
of harvest that may be taken during hunting seasons during its formal 
regulations-setting process, and the States then issue permits to 
hunters at levels predicted to result in the amount of take authorized 
by the Service. Thus, although issued by States, the permits would not 
be valid unless the Service approved such take in its regulations.
    These Federally authorized, State-issued permits are issued to 
individuals, and only the individual whose name and address appears on 
the permit at the time of issuance is authorized to take migratory 
birds at levels specified in the permit, in accordance with provisions 
of both Federal and State regulations governing the hunting season. The 
permit must be carried by the permittee when exercising its provisions 
and must be presented to any law enforcement officer upon request. The 
permit is not transferrable or assignable to another individual, and 
may not be sold, bartered, traded, or otherwise provided to another 
person. If the permit is altered or defaced in any way, the permit 
becomes invalid.

[[Page 43008]]

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.
Duck Management Units
    High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Roughly defined as that 
portion of the Central Flyway that lies west of the 100th meridian. See 
Area, Unit, and Zone Descriptions, Ducks (Including Mergansers) and 
Coots for specific boundaries in each State.
    Columbia Basin Mallard Management Unit: In Washington, all areas 
east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of the Big White Salmon River 
in Klickitat County; and in Oregon, the counties of Gilliam, Morrow, 
and Umatilla.
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.
Definitions
    For the purpose of the hunting regulations listed below, the 
collective terms ``dark'' and ``light'' geese include the following 
species:
    Dark geese: Canada geese (including cackling geese [Branta 
hutchinsii]), white-fronted geese, brant (except in Alaska, California, 
Oregon, Washington, and the Atlantic Flyway), and all other goose 
species except light geese.
    Light geese: Snow (including blue) geese and Ross's geese.
    Area, Zone, and Unit Descriptions: Geographic descriptions related 
to regulations are contained in a later portion of this document.
    Area-Specific Provisions: Frameworks for open seasons, season 
lengths, bag and possession limits, and other special provisions are 
listed below by Flyway.

Migratory Game Bird Seasons in the Atlantic Flyway

    In the Atlantic Flyway States of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, 
where Sunday hunting is prohibited Statewide by State law, all Sundays 
are closed to the take of all migratory game birds.

Special Youth, Veteran, and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting 
Days

    Outside Dates: States may select 2 days per duck-hunting zone, 
designated as ``Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days,'' and 2 days per duck-
hunting zone, designated as ``Veterans and Active Military Personnel 
Waterfowl Hunting Days,'' in addition to their regular duck seasons. 
The days may be held concurrently. The Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days 
must be held outside any regular duck season on weekends, holidays, or 
other non-school days when youth hunters would have the maximum 
opportunity to participate. Both sets of 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, 
swans, 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 for Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days: States 
may use their established definition of age for youth hunters. However, 
youth hunters must be under the age of 18. 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. Youth hunters 16 years of age and 
older must possess a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation 
Stamp (also known as Federal Duck Stamp). Swans may only be taken by 
participants possessing applicable swan permits.
    Participation Restrictions for Veterans and Active Military 
Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days: Veterans (as defined in section 101 
of title 38, United States Code) and members of the Armed Forces on 
active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on 
active duty (other than for training), may participate. All hunters 
must possess a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp 
(also known as Federal Duck Stamp). Swans may only be taken by 
participants possessing applicable swan permits.

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, Iowa, 
Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, 
and Wisconsin.
    Central Flyway: Colorado (part), Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico 
(part), Oklahoma, and Texas.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not to exceed 16 consecutive 
hunting days in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways. The 
daily bag limit is 6 teal.
Shooting Hours
    Atlantic Flyway: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except in 
South Carolina, 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, Iowa, 
Michigan,

[[Page 43009]]

Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin, 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 teal/wood duck season may be selected 
in September. The daily bag limit may not exceed 6 teal and wood ducks 
in the aggregate, of which no more than 2 may be wood ducks. In 
addition, a 4-consecutive-day teal-only season may be selected in 
September either immediately before or immediately after the 5-
consecutive-day teal/wood duck season. The daily bag limit is 6 teal. 
The teal-only season in Florida is experimental.

Waterfowl

Atlantic Flyway
Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: 60 days. The daily bag limit is 6 
ducks, including no more than 2 mallards (no more than 1 of which can 
be female), 2 black ducks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, 1 fulvous 
whistling duck, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 canvasbacks, 4 
scoters, 4 eiders, and 4 long-tailed ducks.
    Closures: The season on harlequin ducks is closed.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit of mergansers is 5, only 2 of 
which may be hooded mergansers. In States that include mergansers in 
the duck bag limit, the daily limit is the same as the duck bag limit, 
only 2 of which may be hooded mergansers.
    Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 coots.
    Lake Champlain Zone, New York: The waterfowl seasons, limits, and 
shooting hours should be the same as those selected for the Lake 
Champlain Zone of Vermont.
    Connecticut River Zone, Vermont: The waterfowl seasons, limits, and 
shooting hours should be the same as those selected for the Inland Zone 
of New Hampshire.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, 
North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West 
Virginia may split their seasons into 3 segments; Connecticut, Maine, 
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and 
Vermont may select hunting seasons by zones and may split their seasons 
into two segments in each zone.
Scoters, Eiders, and Long-Tailed Ducks
Special Sea Duck Seasons
    Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New 
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South 
Carolina, and Virginia may select a Special Sea Duck Season in 
designated Special Sea Duck Areas. If a Special Sea Duck Season is 
selected, scoters, eiders, and long-tailed ducks may be taken in the 
designated Special Sea Duck Area(s) only during the Special Sea Duck 
Season dates; scoters, eiders, and long-tailed ducks may be taken 
outside of Special Sea Duck Area(s) during the regular duck season, in 
accordance with the frameworks for ducks, mergansers, and coots 
specified above.
    Outside Dates: Between September 15 and January 31.
    Special Sea Duck Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: 60 consecutive 
hunting days, or 60 days that are concurrent with the regular duck 
season, with a daily bag limit of 5, of the listed sea duck species, 
including no more than 4 scoters, 4 eiders, and 4 long-tailed ducks. 
Within the special sea duck areas, during the regular duck season in 
the Atlantic Flyway, States may choose to allow the above sea duck 
limits in addition to the limits applying to other ducks during the 
regular 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, 4 eiders, and 4 long-tailed 
ducks) and possession limits.
    Special Sea Duck 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 
New Jersey, all coastal waters seaward from the International 
Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) Demarcation 
Lines shown on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 
Nautical Charts and further described in 33 CFR 80.165, 80.501, 80.502, 
and 80.503; in any waters of the Atlantic Ocean and in any tidal waters 
of any bay that are separated by at least 1 mile of open water from any 
shore, island, and emergent vegetation in South Carolina and Georgia; 
and in any waters of the Atlantic Ocean and in any tidal waters of any 
bay that 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.
Canada Geese
Special Early Canada Goose Seasons
    A Canada goose season of up to 15 days during September 1-15 may be 
selected for the Eastern Unit of Maryland. Seasons not to exceed 30 
days during September 1-30 may be selected for Connecticut, Florida, 
Georgia, New Jersey, New York (Long Island Zone only), North Carolina, 
Rhode Island, and South Carolina. 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 15 Canada geese.
    Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except that 
during any special early Canada goose season, shooting hours may extend 
to one-half hour after sunset if all other waterfowl seasons are closed 
in the specific applicable area.
Regular Canada Goose Seasons
    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: Specific regulations for 
Canada geese are shown below by State. These seasons may also include 
white-fronted geese in an aggregate daily bag limit. Unless specified 
otherwise, seasons may be split into two segments.
Connecticut
    North Atlantic Population (NAP) Zone: Between October 1 and January 
31, a 60-day season may be held with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Atlantic Population (AP) Zone: A 30-day season may be held between 
October 10 and February 5, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    South Zone: A special season may be held between January 15 and 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    Resident Population (RP) Zone: An 80-day season may be held between 
October 1 and February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season 
may be split into 3 segments.
Delaware
    A 30-day season may be held between November 15 and February 5, 
with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
Florida
    An 80-day season may be held between October 1 and March 10, with a 
5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 3 segments.

[[Page 43010]]

Georgia
    An 80-day season may be held between October 1 and March 10, with a 
5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 3 segments.
Maine
    North and South NAP-H Zones: A 60-day season may be held between 
October 1 and January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Coastal NAP-L Zone: A 70-day season may be held between October 1 
and February 15, with a 3-bird daily bag limit.
Maryland
    RP Zone: An 80-day season may be held between November 15 and March 
10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 3 
segments.
    AP Zone: A 30-day season may be held between November 15 and 
February 5, with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
Massachusetts
    NAP Zone: A 60-day season may be held between October 1 and January 
31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. Additionally, a special season may 
be held from January 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 30-day season may be held between October 10 and 
February 5, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
New Hampshire
    A 60-day season may be held Statewide between October 1 and January 
31 with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
New Jersey
    AP Zone: A 30-day season may be held between the fourth Saturday in 
October (October 26) and February 5, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    NAP Zone: A 60-day season may be held between October 1 and January 
31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Special Late Goose Season Area: A special season may be held in 
designated areas of North and South New Jersey from January 15 to 
February 15, with a 5-bird daily bag limit.
New York
    NAP Zone: Between October 1 and January 31, a 60-day season may be 
held, with a 2-bird daily bag limit in the High Harvest areas; and 
between October 1 and February 15, a 70-day season may be held, with a 
3-bird daily bag limit in the Low Harvest areas.
    AP Zone: A 30-day season may be held between the fourth Saturday in 
October (October 26), except in the Lake Champlain Area where the 
opening date is October 10, through February 5, with a 2-bird daily bag 
limit.
    Western Long Island RP Zone: A 107-day season may be held between 
the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) and the last day of 
February, with an 8-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 
3 segments.
    Rest of State RP Zone: An 80-day season may be held between the 
fourth Saturday in October (October 26) and the last day of February, 
with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 3 segments.
North Carolina
    RP Zone: An 80-day season may be held between October 1 and March 
10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 3 
segments.
    Northeast Hunt Unit: A 14-day season may be held between the 
Saturday prior to December 25 (December 21) and January 31, with a 1-
bird daily bag limit.
Pennsylvania
    SJBP Zone: A 78-day season may be held between the first Saturday 
in October (October 5) and February 15, with a 3-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: An 80-day season may be held between the fourth Saturday 
in October (October 26) and March 10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. 
The season may be split into 3 segments.
    AP Zone: A 30-day season may be held between the fourth Saturday in 
October (October 26) and February 5, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
Rhode Island
    A 60-day season may be held between October 1 and January 31, with 
a 2-bird daily bag limit. A special late season may be held in 
designated areas from January 15 to February 15, with a 5-bird daily 
bag limit.
South Carolina
    In designated areas, an 80-day season may be held between October 1 
and March 10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split 
into 3 segments.
Vermont
    Lake Champlain Zone and Interior Zone: A 30-day season may be held 
between October 10 and February 5, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
    Connecticut River Zone: A 60-day season may be held between October 
1 and January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit.
Virginia
    SJBP Zone: A 40-day season may be held between November 15 and 
January 14, with a 3-bird daily bag limit. Additionally, a special late 
season may be held between January 15 and February 15, with a 5-bird 
daily bag limit.
    AP Zone: A 30-day season may be held between November 15 and 
February 5, with a 1-bird daily bag limit.
    RP Zone: An 80-day season may be held between November 15 and March 
10, with a 5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 3 
segments.
West Virginia
    An 80-day season may be held between October 1 and March 10, with a 
5-bird daily bag limit. The season may be split into 3 segments in each 
zone.
Light Geese
    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 107-
day season between October 1 and March 10, with a 25-bird daily bag 
limit and no possession limit. States may split their seasons into 3 
segments.
Brant
    Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits: States may select a 30-
day season between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) and 
January 31, with a 2-bird daily bag limit. States may split their 
seasons into two segments.
Mississippi Flyway
Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons and Duck Limits: The season may not exceed 60 days, 
with a daily bag limit of 6 ducks, including no more than 4 mallards 
(no more than 2 of which may be females), 1 mottled duck, 2 black 
ducks, 1 pintail, 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 scaup, and 2 redheads.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit is 5, only 2 of which may be 
hooded mergansers. In States that include mergansers in the duck bag 
limit, the daily limit is the same as the duck bag limit, only 2 of 
which may be hooded mergansers.
    Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 coots.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, 
Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and 
Wisconsin may select hunting seasons by zones.
    In Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, the season may be split into 
two segments in each zone.
    In Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi, the season may be split into 
3 segments.

[[Page 43011]]

Geese
Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits
    Canada Geese: States may select seasons for Canada geese not to 
exceed 107 days with a 5-bird daily bag limit during September 1-30, 
and a 3-bird daily bag limit for the remainder of the season. Seasons 
may be held between September 1 and February 15, and may be split into 
4 segments.
    White-fronted Geese and Brant: Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, 
Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee may select a season for 
white-fronted geese not to exceed 74 days with 3 geese daily, or 88 
days with 2 geese daily, or 107 days with 1 goose daily between 
September 1 and February 15; Alabama, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, 
Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin may select a season for white-fronted 
geese not to exceed 107 days with 5 geese daily, in aggregate with dark 
geese between September 1 and February 15. States may select a season 
for brant not to exceed 70 days with 2 brant daily, or 107 days with 1 
brant daily with outside dates the same as for Canada geese; 
alternately, States may include brant in an aggregate goose bag limit 
with either Canada geese, white-fronted geese, or dark geese.
    Light Geese: States may select seasons for light geese not to 
exceed 107 days, with 20 geese daily between September 1 and February 
15. There is no possession limit for light geese.
    Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except that 
during September 1-15 shooting hours may extend to one-half hour after 
sunset for Canada geese if all other waterfowl and crane seasons are 
closed in the specific applicable area.
    Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may be split into four segments 
unless otherwise indicated.
Central Flyway
Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and January 31.
Hunting Seasons
    High Plains Mallard Management Unit (roughly defined as that 
portion of the Central Flyway that lies west of the 100th meridian): 97 
days. The last 23 days must run consecutively and may start no earlier 
than the Saturday nearest December 10 (December 7).
    Remainder of the Central Flyway: 74 days.
    Duck Limits: The daily bag limit is 6 ducks, with species and sex 
restrictions as follows: 5 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be 
females), 3 scaup, 2 redheads, 3 wood ducks, 1 pintail, and 2 
canvasbacks. In Texas, the daily bag limit on mottled ducks is 1, 
except that no mottled ducks may be taken during the first 5 days of 
the season. In addition to the daily limits listed above, the States of 
Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, in lieu of selecting 
an experimental September teal season, may include an additional daily 
bag and possession limit of 2 and 6 blue-winged teal, respectively, 
during the first 16 days of the regular duck season in each respective 
duck hunting zone. These extra limits are in addition to the regular 
duck bag and possession limits.
    Merganser Limits: The daily bag limit is 5 mergansers, only 2 of 
which may be hooded mergansers. In States that include mergansers in 
the duck daily bag limit, the daily limit may be the same as the duck 
bag limit, only two of which may be hooded mergansers.
    Coot Limits: The daily bag limit is 15 coots.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Colorado, Kansas (Low Plains portion), 
Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma (Low Plains portion), South 
Dakota (Low Plains portion), Texas (Low Plains portion), and Wyoming 
may select hunting seasons by zones.
    In Colorado, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, 
South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, the regular season may be split into 
two segments.
Geese
    Special Early Canada Goose Seasons: In Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, 
South Dakota, and Texas, Canada goose seasons of up to 30 days during 
September 1-30 may be selected. In Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, and 
Wyoming, Canada goose seasons of up to 15 days during September 1-15 
may be selected. In North Dakota, Canada goose seasons of up to 22 days 
during September 1-22 may be selected. The daily bag limit may not 
exceed 5 Canada geese, except in Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, where 
the daily bag limit may not exceed 8 Canada geese, and in North Dakota 
and South Dakota, where the daily bag limit may not exceed 15 Canada 
geese. Areas open to the hunting of Canada geese must be described, 
delineated, and designated as such in each State's hunting regulations.
    Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except that 
during September 1-15 shooting hours may extend to one-half hour after 
sunset if all other waterfowl and crane seasons are closed in the 
specific applicable area.
Regular Goose Seasons
    Split Seasons: Seasons for geese may be split into 3 segments. 
Three-way split seasons for Canada geese require Central Flyway Council 
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval, and a 3-year evaluation by 
each participating State.
    Outside Dates: For dark geese, seasons may be selected between the 
outside dates of the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) and 
the Sunday nearest February 15 (February 16). For light geese, outside 
dates for seasons may be selected between the Saturday nearest 
September 24 (September 21) and March 10. In the Rainwater Basin Light 
Goose Area (East and West) of Nebraska, temporal and spatial 
restrictions that are consistent with the late-winter snow goose 
hunting strategy cooperatively developed by the Central Flyway Council 
and the Service are required.
Season Lengths and Limits
    Light Geese: States may select a light goose season not to exceed 
107 days. The daily bag limit for light geese is 50 with no possession 
limit.
    Dark Geese: In Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South 
Dakota, and the Eastern Goose Zone of Texas, States may select a season 
for Canada geese (or any other dark goose species except white-fronted 
geese) not to exceed 107 days with a daily bag limit of 8. For white-
fronted geese, these States may select either a season of 74 days with 
a bag limit of 3, or an 88-day season with a bag limit of 2, or a 
season of 107 days with a bag limit of 1.
    In Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming, States may select 
seasons not to exceed 107 days. The daily bag limit for dark geese is 5 
in the aggregate.
    In the Western Goose Zone of Texas, the season may not exceed 95 
days. The daily bag limit for Canada geese (or any other dark goose 
species except white-fronted geese) is 5. The daily bag limit for 
white-fronted geese is 2.
Pacific Flyway
Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons and Duck and Merganser Limits: 107 days. The daily 
bag limit is 7 ducks and mergansers, including no more than 2 female 
mallards, 1 pintail, 2 canvasbacks, 3 scaup, and 2 redheads. For scaup, 
the season length is 86 days, which may be split according to 
applicable zones and split duck hunting configurations approved for 
each State.

[[Page 43012]]

    Coot, Common Moorhen, and Purple Gallinule Limits: The daily bag 
limit of coots, common moorhens, and purple gallinules is 25, singly or 
in the aggregate.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, 
Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming may select hunting 
seasons by zones and may split their seasons into 2 segments.
    Montana and New Mexico may split their seasons into 3 segments.
    Colorado River Zone, California: Seasons and limits should be the 
same as seasons and limits selected in the adjacent portion of Arizona 
(South Zone).
Geese
Special Early Canada Goose Seasons
    A Canada goose season of up to 15 days during September 1-20 may be 
selected. The daily bag limit may not exceed 5 Canada geese, except in 
Pacific County, Washington, where the daily bag limit may not exceed 15 
Canada geese. 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
Season Lengths, Outside Dates, and Limits
    Canada Geese and Brant: Except as subsequently noted, 107-day 
seasons may be selected with outside dates between the Saturday nearest 
September 24 (September 21) and the last Sunday in January (January 
26). In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, 
and Wyoming, the daily bag limit is 4 Canada geese and brant in the 
aggregate. In California, Oregon, and Washington, the daily bag limit 
is 4 Canada geese. For brant, in California, Oregon and Washington, a 
37-day season may be selected. Days must be consecutive. Washington and 
California may select hunting seasons for up to 2 zones. The daily bag 
limit is 2 brant and is in addition to other goose limits. In Oregon 
and California, the brant season must end no later than December 15.
    White-fronted Geese: Except as subsequently noted, 107-day seasons 
may be selected with outside dates between the Saturday nearest 
September 24 (September 21) and March 10. The daily bag limit is 10.
    Light Geese: Except as subsequently noted, 107-day seasons may be 
selected with outside dates between the Saturday nearest September 24 
(September 21) and March 10. The daily bag limit is 20.
    Split Seasons: Unless otherwise specified, seasons for geese may be 
split into up to 3 segments. Three-way split seasons for Canada geese 
and white-fronted geese require Pacific Flyway Council and U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service approval and a 3-year evaluation by each 
participating State.
California
    The daily bag limit for Canada geese is 10.
    Balance of State Zone: A Canada goose season may be selected with 
outside dates between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) 
and March 10. In the Sacramento Valley Special Management Area, the 
season on white-fronted geese must end on or before December 28, and 
the daily bag limit is 3 white-fronted geese. In the North Coast 
Special Management Area, hunting days that occur after the last Sunday 
in January (January 26) should be concurrent with Oregon's South Coast 
Zone.
    Northeastern Zone: The white-fronted goose season may be split into 
3 segments.
Oregon
    The daily bag limit for light geese is 6 on or before the last 
Sunday in January (January 26).
    Harney and Lake County Zone: For Lake County only, the daily white-
fronted goose bag limit is 1.
    Northwest Permit Zone: A Canada goose season may be selected with 
outside dates between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) 
and March 10. Goose seasons may be split into 3 segments. The daily bag 
limits of Canada geese and light geese are 6 each. In the Tillamook 
County Management Area, the hunting season is closed on geese.
    South Coast Zone: A Canada goose season may be selected with 
outside dates between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 21) 
and March 10. The daily bag limit of Canada geese is 6. Hunting days 
that occur after the last Sunday in January (January 26) should be 
concurrent with California's North Coast Special Management Area. Goose 
seasons may be split into 3 segments.
Utah
    A Canada goose and brant season may be selected in the Wasatch 
Front Zone with outside dates between the Saturday nearest September 24 
(September 21) and the first Sunday in February (February 2).
Washington
    The daily bag limit for light geese is 6.
    Areas 2 Inland and 2 Coastal (Southwest Permit Zone): A Canada 
goose season may be selected with outside dates between the Saturday 
nearest September 24 (September 21) and March 10. Goose seasons may be 
split into 3 segments.
    Area 4: Goose seasons may be split into 3 segments.
Permit Zones
    In Oregon and Washington permit zones, the hunting season is closed 
on dusky Canada geese. A dusky Canada goose is any dark-breasted Canada 
goose (Munsell 10 YR color value 5 or less) with a bill length between 
40 and 50 millimeters. Hunting of geese will only be by hunters 
possessing a State-issued permit authorizing them to do so. Shooting 
hours for geese may begin no earlier than sunrise. Regular Canada goose 
seasons in the permit zones of Oregon and Washington remain subject to 
the Memorandum of Understanding entered into with the Service regarding 
monitoring the impacts of take during the regular Canada goose season 
on the dusky Canada goose population.
Swans
    In portions of the Pacific Flyway (Montana, Nevada, and Utah), an 
open season for taking a limited number of swans may be selected. These 
seasons are also subject to the following conditions:
    Outside Dates: Between the Saturday nearest September 24 (September 
21) and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons: Seasons may not exceed 107 days.
    Permits: Swan hunting is by permit only. Permits will be issued by 
the State and will authorize each permittee to take no more than 1 swan 
per season with each permit. Only 1 permit may be issued per hunter in 
Montana and Utah, 2 permits may be issued per hunter in Nevada. The 
total number of permits issued may not exceed 500 in Montana, 2,750 in 
Utah, and 650 in Nevada.
    Quotas: The swan season in the respective State must end upon 
attainment of the following reported harvest of trumpeter swans: 20 in 
Utah and 10 in Nevada. There is no quota in Montana.
    Monitoring: Each State must evaluate hunter participation, species-
specific swan harvest, and hunter compliance in providing either 
species-determinant parts (at least the intact head) or bill 
measurements (bill length from tip to posterior edge of the nares 
opening, and presence or absence of yellow lore spots on the bill in 
front of the eyes) of harvested swans for species identification. Each 
State should use

[[Page 43013]]

appropriate measures to maximize hunter compliance with the State's 
program for swan harvest reporting. Each State must achieve a hunter 
compliance of at least 80 percent in providing species-determinant 
parts or bill measurements of harvested swans for species 
identification or subsequent permits will be reduced by 10 percent in 
the respective State. Each State must provide to the Service by June 30 
following the swan season a report detailing hunter participation, 
species-specific swan harvest, and hunter compliance in reporting 
harvest. In Montana, all hunters that harvest a swan must complete and 
submit a reporting card (bill card) with the bill measurement and color 
information from the harvested swan within 72 hours of harvest for 
species determination. In Utah and Nevada, all hunters that harvest a 
swan must have the swan or species-determinant parts examined by a 
State or Federal biologist within 72 hours of harvest for species 
determination.
    Other Provisions: In Utah, the season is subject to the terms of 
the Memorandum of Agreement entered into with the Service in July 2019, 
regarding harvest monitoring, season closure procedures, and education 
requirements to minimize take of trumpeter swans during the swan 
season.

Tundra Swans

    In portions of the Atlantic Flyway (Delaware, North Carolina, and 
Virginia) and the Central Flyway (North Dakota, South Dakota [east of 
the Missouri River], and that portion of Montana in the Central 
Flyway), an open season for taking a limited number of tundra swans may 
be selected. Permits will be issued by the States that authorize the 
take of no more than 1 tundra swan per permit. A second permit may be 
issued to hunters from unused permits remaining after the first 
drawing. The States must obtain harvest and hunter participation data. 
These seasons are also subject to the following conditions:
In the Atlantic Flyway
--The season may be 90 days, between October 1 and January 31.
--In Delaware, no more than 84 permits may be issued. The season is 
experimental.
--In North Carolina, no more than 6,115 permits may be issued.
--In Virginia, no more than 801 permits may be issued.
In the Central Flyway
--The season may be 107 days, between the Saturday nearest October 1 
(September 28) and January 31.
--In the Central Flyway portion of Montana, no more than 625 permits 
may be issued.
--In North Dakota, no more than 2,700 permits may be issued.
--In South Dakota, no more than 1,675 permits may be issued.

Sandhill Cranes

Regular Seasons in the Mississippi Flyway
    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28 in Minnesota, 
and between September 1 and January 31 in Alabama, Kentucky, and 
Tennessee.
    Hunting Seasons: A season not to exceed 37 consecutive days may be 
selected in the designated portion of northwestern Minnesota (Northwest 
Goose Zone), and a season not to exceed 60 consecutive days in Alabama, 
Kentucky, and Tennessee. The season in Alabama is experimental.
    Daily Bag Limit: 1 sandhill crane in Minnesota, 2 sandhill cranes 
in Kentucky, and 3 sandhill cranes in Alabama and Tennessee. In 
Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee, the seasonal bag limit is 3 sandhill 
cranes.
    Permits: Each person participating in the regular sandhill crane 
seasons must have a valid Federal or State sandhill crane hunting 
permit.
    Other Provisions: The number of permits (where applicable), open 
areas, season dates, protection plans for other species, and other 
provisions of seasons must be consistent with the management plans and 
approved by the Mississippi Flyway Council.
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 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 
season must have a valid Federal or State sandhill crane hunting 
permit.
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) of sandhill cranes 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 60 
days, and may be split into no more than 3 segments.
    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:
    A. In Utah, 100 percent of the harvest will be assigned to the RMP 
crane quota;
    B. In Arizona, monitoring the racial composition of the harvest 
must be conducted at 3-year intervals unless 100 percent of the harvest 
will be assigned to the RMP crane quota;
    C. In Idaho, 100 percent of the harvest will be assigned to the RMP 
crane quota; and
    D. 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 crane quota.

Common Moorhens and Purple Gallinules

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and the last Sunday in January 
(January 26) in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyways. States 
in the Pacific Flyway may select their hunting seasons between the 
outside dates for the season on ducks, mergansers, and coots; 
therefore, Pacific Flyway frameworks for common moorhens and purple 
gallinules are included with the duck, merganser, and coot frameworks.
    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.

[[Page 43014]]

Rails

    Outside Dates: States included herein may select seasons between 
September 1 and the last Sunday in January (January 26) on clapper, 
king, sora, and Virginia rails.
    Hunting Seasons: Seasons may not exceed 70 days, and may be split 
into 2 segments.
Daily Bag Limits
    Clapper and King Rails: In Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New 
Jersey, and Rhode Island, 10, singly or in the aggregate of the two 
species. In Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, 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 rails, singly or in the aggregate of the two 
species. The season is closed in the remainder of the Pacific Flyway.

Snipe

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and February 28, except in 
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 
New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, 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 2 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 21) and January 31.
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Seasons may not exceed 45 
days in the Eastern and Central Regions. The daily bag limit is 3. 
Seasons may be split into 2 segments.
    Zoning: New Jersey may select seasons in each of two zones. The 
season in each zone may not exceed 36 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.
    Zoning: California may select hunting seasons not to exceed 9 
consecutive days in each of 2 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 14 consecutive 
days, with a daily bag limit of 2.
    Zoning: New Mexico may select hunting seasons not to exceed 14 
consecutive days in each of 2 zones. The season in the South Zone may 
not open until October 1.

Doves

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 31 in the Eastern 
Management Unit, and between September 1 and January 15 in the Central 
and Western Management Units, 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 90 days, with a 
daily bag limit of 15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: States may select hunting seasons in each 
of 2 zones. The season within each zone may be split into not more than 
3 segments. Regulations for bag and possession limits, season length, 
and shooting hours must be uniform within specific hunting zones.
Central Management Unit
For All States Except Texas
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 90 days, with a 
daily bag limit of 15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: States may select hunting seasons in each 
of 2 zones. The season within each zone may be split into not more than 
3 segments.
Texas
    Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits: Not more than 90 days, with a 
daily bag limit of 15 mourning, white-winged, and white-tipped doves in 
the aggregate, of which no more than 2 may be white-tipped doves.
    Zoning and Split Seasons: Texas may select hunting seasons for each 
of 3 zones subject to the following conditions:
    A. The hunting season may be split into not more than 2 segments, 
except in that portion of Texas in which the special white-winged dove 
season is allowed, where a limited take of mourning and white-tipped 
doves may also occur during that special season (see Special White-
winged Dove Area in Texas).
    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 14 
and January 25.
    C. Except as noted above, regulations for bag and possession 
limits, season length, and shooting hours must be uniform within each 
hunting zone.
Special White-Winged Dove Area in Texas
    In addition, Texas 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 15 
white-winged, mourning, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, of 
which no more than 2 may be mourning doves and no more than 2 may be 
white-tipped doves.
Western Management Unit
Hunting Seasons and Daily Bag Limits
    Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington: Not more than 60 days, 
which may be split between 2 segments. The daily bag limit is 15 
mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate.
    Arizona and California: Not more than 60 days, which may be split 
between 2 segments, September 1-15 and November 1-January 15. In 
Arizona, during the first segment of the season, the daily bag limit is 
15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate, of which no more 
than 10 could be white-winged doves. During the remainder of the 
season, the daily bag limit is 15 mourning doves. In California, the 
daily bag limit is 15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate, 
of which no more than 10 could be white-winged doves.

Alaska

    Outside Dates: Between September 1 and January 26.
    Hunting Seasons: Alaska may select 107 consecutive days for 
waterfowl, sandhill cranes, and common snipe concurrent in each of 5 
zones. For brant, the season may be split without penalty in the Kodiak 
Zone.
    Closures: The hunting season is closed on spectacled eiders and 
Steller's eiders.

[[Page 43015]]

Daily Bag and Possession Limits
    Ducks: Except as noted, a basic daily bag limit of 7 ducks. Daily 
bag limits in the North Zone are 10, and in the Gulf Coast Zone, they 
are 8. The basic limits may include no more than 2 canvasbacks daily 
and may not include sea ducks.
    In addition to the basic duck limits, Alaska may select sea duck 
limits of 10 daily, 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: The daily bag limit is 6.
    Canada Geese: The daily bag limit is 4 with the following 
exceptions:
    A. In Units 5 and 6, the taking of Canada geese is permitted from 
September 28 through December 16.
    B. On Middleton Island in Unit 6, a special, permit-only Canada 
goose season may be offered. 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 5 or less) with a bill 
length between 40 and 50 millimeters.
    C. In Units 9, 10, 17, and 18, the daily bag limit is 6 Canada 
geese.
    White-fronted Geese: The daily bag limit is 4 with the following 
exceptions:
    A. In Units 9, 10, and 17, the daily bag limit is 6 white-fronted 
geese.
    B. In Unit 18, the daily bag limit is 10 white-fronted geese.
    Emperor Geese: Open seasons for emperor geese may be selected 
subject to the following conditions:
    A. All seasons are by permit only.
    B. No more than 1 emperor goose may be harvested per hunter per 
season.
    C. Total harvest may not exceed 1,000 emperor geese.
    D. In State Game Management Unit 8, the Kodiak Island Road Area is 
closed to hunting. The Kodiak Island Road Area consists of all lands 
and water (including exposed tidelands) east of a line extending from 
Crag Point in the north to the west end of Saltery Cove in the south 
and all lands and water south of a line extending from Termination 
Point along the north side of Cascade Lake extending to Anton Larsen 
Bay. Marine waters adjacent to the closed area are closed to harvest 
within 500 feet from the water's edge. The offshore islands are open to 
harvest, for example: Woody, Long, Gull, and Puffin islands.
    Brant: The daily bag limit is 4.
    Snipe: The daily bag limit is 8.
    Sandhill Cranes: The daily bag limit is 2 in the Southeast, Gulf 
Coast, Kodiak, and Aleutian Zones, and Unit 17 in the North Zone. In 
the remainder of the North Zone (outside Unit 17), the daily bag limit 
is 3.
    Tundra Swans: Open seasons for tundra swans may be selected subject 
to the following conditions:
    A. All seasons are by permit only.
    B. All season framework dates are September 1-October 31.
    C. In Unit 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.
    D. In Unit 18, no more than 500 permits may be issued during the 
operational season. No more than 3 tundra swans may be authorized per 
permit. No more than 1 permit may be issued per hunter per season.
    E. In Unit 22, no more than 300 permits may be issued during the 
operational season. No more than 3 tundra swans may be authorized per 
permit. No more than 1 permit may be issued per hunter per season.
    F. In Unit 23, no more than 300 permits may be issued during the 
operational season. No more than 3 tundra swans may be authorized per 
permit. No more than 1 permit may be 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 20 Zenaida, 
mourning, and white-winged doves in the aggregate, of which not more 
than 10 may be Zenaida doves and 3 may be mourning doves. Not to exceed 
5 scaly-naped pigeons.
    Closed Seasons: The season is closed on the white-crowned pigeon 
and the plain pigeon, which are protected by the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico.
    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 
2 segments.
Daily Bag Limits
    Ducks: Not to exceed 6 ducks.
    Common Moorhens: Not to exceed 6 moorhens.
    Common Snipe: Not to exceed 8 snipe.
    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 consecutive days.
    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.
    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 ducks.
    Closed Seasons: The season is closed on the ruddy duck, white-
cheeked

[[Page 43016]]

pintail, West Indian whistling duck, fulvous whistling duck, and masked 
duck.

Special Falconry Regulations

    In accordance with 50 CFR 21.29, falconry is a permitted means of 
taking migratory game birds in any State except for Hawaii. 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 Limits: Falconry daily bag limits for all permitted 
migratory game birds must not exceed 3 birds, 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. Regular season bag limits do not 
apply to falconry. The falconry bag limit is not in addition to gun 
limits.

Area, Unit, and Zone Descriptions

Ducks (Including Mergansers) and Coots

Atlantic Flyway
Connecticut
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of I-95.
    South Zone: Remainder of the State.
Maine
    North Zone: That portion north of the line extending east along 
Maine State Highway 110 from the New Hampshire-Maine State line to the 
intersection of Maine State Highway 11 in Newfield; then north and east 
along Route 11 to the intersection of U.S. Route 202 in Auburn; then 
north and east on Route 202 to the intersection of I-95 in Augusta; 
then north and east along I-95 to Route 15 in Bangor; then east along 
Route 15 to Route 9; then east along Route 9 to Stony Brook in 
Baileyville; then east along Stony Brook to the U.S. border.
    Coastal Zone: That portion south of a line extending east from the 
Maine-New Brunswick border in Calais at the Route 1 Bridge; then south 
along Route 1 to the Maine-New Hampshire border in Kittery.
    South Zone: Remainder of the State.
Maryland
    Special Teal Season Area: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, 
Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, 
and Worcester Counties; that part of Anne Arundel County east of 
Interstate 895, Interstate 97, and Route 3; that part of Prince 
George's County east of Route 3 and Route 301; and that part of Charles 
County east of Route 301 to the Virginia State Line.
Massachusetts
    Western Zone: That portion of the State west of a line extending 
south from the Vermont State line 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 
State line.
    Central Zone: That portion of the State east of the Berkshire Zone 
and west of a line extending south from the New Hampshire State line 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 State line; except the waters, and the lands 
150 yards inland from the high-water mark, of the Assonet River 
upstream to the MA 24 bridge, and the Taunton River upstream to the 
Center St.-Elm St. bridge shall be in the Coastal Zone.
    Coastal Zone: That portion of Massachusetts east and south of the 
Central Zone.
New Hampshire
    Northern Zone: That portion of the State east and north of the 
Inland Zone beginning at the Jct. of Rte. 10 and Rte. 25-A in Orford, 
east on Rte. 25-A to Rte. 25 in Wentworth, southeast on Rte. 25 to Exit 
26 of Rte. I-93 in Plymouth, south on Rte. I-93 to Rte. 3 at Exit 24 of 
Rte. I-93 in Ashland, northeast on Rte. 3 to Rte. 113 in Holderness, 
north on Rte. 113 to Rte. 113-A in Sandwich, north on Rte. 113-A to 
Rte. 113 in Tamworth, east on Rte. 113 to Rte. 16 in Chocorua, north on 
Rte. 16 to Rte. 302 in Conway, east on Rte. 302 to the Maine-New 
Hampshire border.
    Inland Zone: That portion of the State south and west of the 
Northern Zone, west of the Coastal Zone, and includes the area of 
Vermont and New Hampshire as described for hunting reciprocity. A 
person holding a New Hampshire hunting license that allows the taking 
of migratory waterfowl or a person holding a Vermont resident hunting 
license that allows the taking of migratory waterfowl may take 
migratory waterfowl and coots from the following designated area of the 
Inland Zone: The State of Vermont east of Rte. I-91 at the 
Massachusetts border, north on Rte. I-91 to Rte. 2, north on Rte. 2 to 
Rte. 102, north on Rte. 102 to Rte. 253, and north on Rte. 253 to the 
border with Canada and the area of New Hampshire west of Rte. 63 at the 
Massachusetts border, north on Rte. 63 to Rte. 12, north on Rte. 12 to 
Rte. 12-A, north on Rte. 12-A to Rte 10, north on Rte. 10 to Rte. 135, 
north on Rte. 135 to Rte. 3, north on Rte. 3 to the intersection with 
the Connecticut River.
    Coastal Zone: That portion of the State east of a line beginning at 
the Maine-New Hampshire border in Rollinsford, then extending to Rte. 4 
west to the city of Dover, south to the intersection of Rte. 108, south 
along Rte. 108 through Madbury, Durham, and Newmarket to the junction 
of Rte. 85 in Newfields, south to Rte. 101 in Exeter, east to 
Interstate 95 (New Hampshire Turnpike) in Hampton, and south to the 
Massachusetts border.
New Jersey
    Coastal Zone: That portion of the State seaward of a line beginning 
at the New York State line in Raritan Bay and extending west along the 
New York State line to NJ 440 at Perth Amboy; west on NJ 440 to the 
Garden State Parkway; south on the Garden State Parkway to NJ 109; 
south on NJ 109 to Cape May County Route 633 (Lafayette Street); south 
on Lafayette Street to Jackson Street; south on Jackson Street to the 
shoreline at Cape May; west along the shoreline of Cape May beach to 
COLREGS Demarcation Line 80.503 at Cape May Point; south along COLREGS 
Demarcation Line 80.503 to the Delaware State line in Delaware Bay.
    North Zone: That portion of the State west of the Coastal Zone and 
north of a line extending west from the Garden State Parkway on NJ 70 
to the New Jersey Turnpike, north on the turnpike to U.S. 206, north on 
U.S. 206 to U.S. 1 at Trenton, west on U.S. 1 to the Pennsylvania State 
line in the Delaware River.
    South Zone: That portion of the State not within the North Zone or 
the Coastal Zone.
New York
    Lake Champlain Zone: That area east and north of a continuous line 
extending along U.S. 11 from the New York-Canada International boundary 
south to NY 9B, south along NY 9B 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

[[Page 43017]]

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 State line.
    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 State line.
    Northeastern Zone: That area north of a continuous line extending 
from Lake Ontario east along the north shore of the Salmon River to I-
81, south along I-81 to NY 31, east along NY 31 to NY 13, north along 
NY 13 to NY 49, east along NY 49 to NY 365, east along NY 365 to NY 28, 
east along NY 28 to NY 29, east along NY 29 to NY 22, north along NY 22 
to Washington County Route 153, east along CR 153 to the New York-
Vermont boundary, exclusive of the Lake Champlain Zone.
    Southeastern Zone: The remaining portion of New York.
Pennsylvania
    Lake Erie Zone: The Lake Erie waters of Pennsylvania and a 
shoreline margin along Lake Erie from New York on the east to Ohio on 
the west extending 150 yards inland, but including all of Presque Isle 
Peninsula.
    Northwest Zone: The area bounded on the north by the Lake Erie Zone 
and including all of Erie and Crawford Counties and those portions of 
Mercer and Venango Counties north of I-80.
    North Zone: That portion of the State east of the Northwest Zone 
and north of a line extending east on I-80 to U.S. 220, Route 220 to I-
180, I-180 to I-80, and I-80 to the Delaware River.
    South Zone: The remaining portion of Pennsylvania.
Vermont
    Lake Champlain Zone: The U.S. portion of Lake Champlain and that 
area north and west of the line extending from the New York border 
along U.S. 4 to VT 22A at Fair Haven; VT 22A to U.S. 7 at Vergennes; 
U.S. 7 to VT 78 at Swanton; VT 78 to VT 36; VT 36 to Maquam Bay on Lake 
Champlain; along and around the shoreline of Maquam Bay and Hog Island 
to VT 78 at the West Swanton Bridge; VT 78 to VT 2 in Alburg; VT 2 to 
the Richelieu River in Alburg; along the east shore of the Richelieu 
River to the Canadian border.
    Interior Zone: That portion of Vermont east of the Lake Champlain 
Zone and west 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
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
west from the Indiana border along Peotone-Beecher Road to Illinois 
Route 50, south along Illinois Route 50 to Wilmington-Peotone Road, 
west along Wilmington-Peotone Road to Illinois Route 53, north along 
Illinois Route 53 to New River Road, northwest along New River Road to 
Interstate Highway 55, south along I-55 to Pine Bluff-Lorenzo Road, 
west along Pine Bluff-Lorenzo Road to Illinois Route 47, north along 
Illinois Route 47 to I-80, west along I-80 to I-39, south along I-39 to 
Illinois Route 18, west along Illinois Route 18 to Illinois Route 29, 
south along Illinois Route 29 to Illinois Route 17, west along Illinois 
Route 17 to the Mississippi River, and due south across the Mississippi 
River to the Iowa border.
    Central Zone: That portion of the State south of the North Duck 
Zone line to a line extending west from the Indiana border along I-70 
to Illinois Route 4, south along Illinois Route 4 to Illinois Route 
161, west along Illinois Route 161 to Illinois Route 158, south and 
west along Illinois Route 158 to Illinois Route 159, south along 
Illinois Route 159 to Illinois Route 3, south along Illinois Route 3 to 
St. Leo's Road, south along St. Leo's Road to Modoc Road, west along 
Modoc Road to Modoc Ferry Road, southwest along Modoc Ferry Road to 
Levee Road, southeast along Levee Road to County Route 12 (Modoc Ferry 
entrance Road), south along County Route 12 to the Modoc Ferry route 
and southwest on the Modoc Ferry route across the Mississippi River to 
the Missouri border.
    South Zone: That portion of the State south and east of a line 
extending west from the Indiana border along Interstate 70, south along 
U.S. Highway 45, to Illinois Route 13, west along Illinois Route 13 to 
Greenbriar Road, north on Greenbriar Road to Sycamore Road, west on 
Sycamore Road to N Reed Station Road, south on N Reed Station Road to 
Illinois Route 13, west along Illinois Route 13 to Illinois Route 127, 
south along Illinois Route 127 to State Forest Road (1025 N), west 
along State Forest Road to Illinois Route 3, north along Illinois Route 
3 to the south bank of the Big Muddy River, west along the south bank 
of the Big Muddy River to the Mississippi River, west across the 
Mississippi River to the Missouri border.
    South Central Zone: The remainder of the State between the south 
border of the Central Zone and the North border of the South Zone.
Indiana
    North Zone: That part of Indiana north of a line extending east 
from the Illinois border along State Road 18 to U.S. 31; north along 
U.S. 31 to U.S. 24; east along U.S. 24 to Huntington; southeast along 
U.S. 224; south along State Road 5; and east along State Road 124 to 
the Ohio border.
    Central Zone: That part of Indiana south of the North Zone boundary 
and north of the South Zone boundary.
    South Zone: That part of Indiana south of a line extending east 
from the Illinois border along I-70; east along National Ave.; east 
along U.S. 150; south along U.S. 41; east along State Road 58; south 
along State Road 37 to Bedford; and east along U.S. 50 to the Ohio 
border.
Iowa
    North Zone: That portion of Iowa north of a line beginning on the 
South Dakota-Iowa border at Interstate 29, southeast along Interstate 
29 to State Highway 175, east along State Highway 175 to State Highway 
37, southeast along State Highway 37 to State Highway 183, northeast 
along State Highway 183 to State Highway 141, east along State Highway 
141 to U.S. Highway 30, and along U.S. Highway 30 to the Illinois 
border.
    Missouri River Zone: That portion of Iowa west of a line beginning 
on the South Dakota-Iowa border at Interstate 29, southeast along 
Interstate 29 to State Highway 175, and west along State Highway 175 to 
the Iowa-Nebraska border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Iowa.
Kentucky
    West Zone: All counties west of and including Butler, Daviess, 
Ohio, Simpson, and Warren Counties.
    East Zone: The remainder of Kentucky.
Louisiana
    East Zone: That area of the State between the Mississippi State 
line and a line going south on Highway (Hwy) 79 from the Arkansas 
border to Homer, then south on Hwy 9 to Arcadia, then south on Hwy 147 
to Hodge, then south on Hwy 167 to Turkey Creek, then south on Hwy 13 
to Eunice, then west on Hwy 190 to Kinder, then south on Hwy 165

[[Page 43018]]

to Iowa, then west on I-10 to its junction with Hwy 14 at Lake Charles, 
then south and east on Hwy 14 to its junction with Hwy 90 in New 
Iberia, then east on Hwy 90 to the Mississippi State line.
    West Zone: That area between the Texas State line and a line going 
east on I-10 from the Texas border to Hwy 165 at Iowa, then north on 
Hwy 165 to Kinder, then east on Hwy 190 to Eunice, then north on Hwy 13 
to Turkey Creek, then north on Hwy 167 to Hodge, then north on Hwy 147 
to Arcadia, then north on Hwy 9 to Homer, then north on Hwy 79 to the 
Arkansas border.
    Coastal Zone: Remainder of the State.
Michigan
    North Zone: The Upper Peninsula.
    Middle Zone: That portion of the Lower Peninsula north of a line 
beginning at the Wisconsin State line in Lake Michigan due west of the 
mouth of Stony Creek in Oceana County; then due east to, and easterly 
and southerly along the south shore of Stony Creek to Scenic Drive, 
easterly and southerly along Scenic Drive to Stony Lake Road, easterly 
along Stony Lake and Garfield Roads to Michigan Highway 20, east along 
Michigan 20 to U.S. Highway 10 Business Route (BR) in the city of 
Midland, easterly along U.S. 10 BR to U.S. 10, easterly along U.S. 10 
to Interstate Highway 75/U.S. Highway 23, northerly along I-75/U.S. 23 
to the U.S. 23 exit at Standish, easterly along U.S. 23 to the 
centerline of the Au Gres River, then southerly along the centerline of 
the Au Gres River to Saginaw Bay, then on a line directly east 10 miles 
into Saginaw Bay, and from that point on a line directly northeast to 
the Canadian border.
    South Zone: The remainder of Michigan.
Minnesota
    North Duck Zone: That portion of the State north of a line 
extending east from the North Dakota State line along State Highway 210 
to State Highway 23 and east to State Highway 39 and east to the 
Wisconsin State line at the Oliver Bridge.
    South Duck Zone: The portion of the State south of a line extending 
east from the South Dakota State line along U.S. Highway 212 to 
Interstate 494 and east to Interstate 94 and east to the Wisconsin 
State line.
    Central Duck Zone: The remainder of the State.
Missouri
    North Zone: That portion of Missouri north of a line running west 
from the Illinois border at Lock and Dam 25; west on Lincoln County Hwy 
N to MO Hwy 79; south on MO Hwy 79 to MO Hwy 47; west on MO Hwy 47 to 
I-70; west on I-70 to the Kansas border.
    Middle Zone: The remainder of Missouri not included in other zones.
    South Zone: That portion of Missouri south of a line running west 
from the Illinois border on MO Hwy 74 to MO Hwy 25; south on MO Hwy 25 
to U.S. Hwy 62; west on U.S. Hwy. 62 to MO Hwy 53; north on MO Hwy 53 
to MO Hwy 51; north on MO Hwy 51 to U.S. Hwy 60; west on U.S. Hwy 60 to 
MO Hwy 21; north on MO Hwy 21 to MO Hwy 72; west on MO Hwy 72 to MO Hwy 
32; west on MO Hwy 32 to U.S. Hwy 65; north on U.S. Hwy 65 to U.S. Hwy 
54; west on U.S. Hwy 54 to U.S. Hwy 71; south on U.S. Hwy 71 to Jasper 
County Hwy M (Base Line Blvd.); west on Jasper County Hwy M (Base Line 
Blvd.) to CRD 40 (Base Line Blvd.); west on CRD 40 (Base Line Blvd.) to 
the Kansas border.
Ohio
    Lake Erie Marsh Zone: Includes all land and water within the 
boundaries of the area bordered by a line beginning at the intersection 
of Interstate 75 at the Ohio-Michigan State line and continuing south 
to Interstate 280, then south on I-280 to the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-
90), then east on the Ohio Turnpike to the Erie-Lorain County line, 
then north to Lake Erie, then following the Lake Erie shoreline at a 
distance of 200 yards offshore, then following the shoreline west 
toward and around the northern tip of Cedar Point Amusement Park, then 
continuing from the westernmost point of Cedar Point toward the 
southernmost tip of the sand bar at the mouth of Sandusky Bay and out 
into Lake Erie at a distance of 200 yards offshore continuing parallel 
to the Lake Erie shoreline north and west toward the northernmost tip 
of Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge, then following a direct line 
toward the southernmost tip of Wood Tick Peninsula in Michigan to a 
point that intersects the Ohio-Michigan State line, then following the 
State line back to the point of the beginning.
    North Zone: That portion of the State, excluding the Lake Erie 
Marsh Zone, north of a line extending east from the Indiana State line 
along U.S. Highway (U.S.) 33 to State Route (SR) 127, then south along 
SR 127 to SR 703, then south along SR 703 and including all lands 
within the Mercer Wildlife Area to SR 219, then east along SR 219 to SR 
364, then north along SR 364 and including all lands within the St. 
Mary's Fish Hatchery to SR 703, then east along SR 703 to SR 66, then 
north along SR 66 to U.S. 33, then east along U.S. 33 to SR 385, then 
east along SR 385 to SR 117, then south along SR 117 to SR 273, then 
east along SR 273 to SR 31, then south along SR 31 to SR 739, then east 
along SR 739 to SR 4, then north along SR 4 to SR 95, then east along 
SR 95 to SR 13, then southeast along SR 13 to SR 3, then northeast 
along SR 3 to SR 60, then north along SR 60 to U.S. 30, then east along 
U.S. 30 to SR 3, then south along SR 3 to SR 226, then south along SR 
226 to SR 514, then southwest along SR 514 to SR 754, then south along 
SR 754 to SR 39/60, then east along SR 39/60 to SR 241, then north 
along SR 241 to U.S. 30, then east along U.S. 30 to SR 39, then east 
along SR 39 to the Pennsylvania State line.
    South Zone: The remainder of Ohio not included in the Lake Erie 
Marsh Zone or the North Zone.
Tennessee
    Reelfoot Zone: All or portions of Lake and Obion Counties.
    Remainder of State: That portion of Tennessee outside of the 
Reelfoot Zone.
Wisconsin
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Minnesota State line along U.S. Highway 10 into Portage 
County to County Highway HH, east on County Highway HH to State Highway 
66 and then east on State Highway 66 to U.S. Highway 10, continuing 
east on U.S. Highway 10 to U.S. Highway 41, then north on U.S. Highway 
41 to the Michigan State line.
    Mississippi River Zone: That area encompassed by a line beginning 
at the intersection of the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway and 
the Illinois State line in Grant County and extending northerly along 
the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway to the city limit of 
Prescott in Pierce County, then west along the Prescott city limit to 
the Minnesota State line.
    South Zone: The remainder of Wisconsin.
Central Flyway
Colorado (Central Flyway Portion)
    Special Teal Season Area: Lake and Chaffee Counties and that 
portion of the State east of Interstate Highway 25.
    Northeast Zone: All areas east of Interstate 25 and north of 
Interstate 70.
    Southeast Zone: All areas east of Interstate 25 and south of 
Interstate 70, and all of El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano, and Las Animas 
Counties.
    Mountain/Foothills Zone: All areas west of Interstate 25 and east 
of the Continental Divide, except El Paso,

[[Page 43019]]

Pueblo, Huerfano, and Las Animas Counties.
Kansas
    High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of U.S. 283.
    Low Plains Early Zone: That part of Kansas bounded by a line from 
the Federal highway U.S.-283 and State highway 96 junction, then east 
on State highway 96 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-183, then 
north on Federal highway U.S.-183 to its junction with Federal highway 
U.S.-24, then east on Federal highway U.S.-24 to its junction with 
Federal highway U.S.-281, then north on Federal highway U.S.-281 to its 
junction with Federal highway U.S.-36, then east on Federal highway 
U.S.-36 to its junction with State highway K-199, then south on State 
highway K-199 to its junction with Republic County 30th Road, then 
south on Republic County 30th Road to its junction with State highway 
K-148, then east on State highway K-148 to its junction with Republic 
County 50th Road, then south on Republic County 50th Road to its 
junction with Cloud County 40th Road, then south on Cloud County 40th 
Road to its junction with State highway K-9, then west on State highway 
K-9 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-24, then west on Federal 
highway U.S.-24 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-181, then 
south on Federal highway U.S.-181 to its junction with State highway K-
18, then west on State highway K-18 to its junction with Federal 
highway U.S.-281, then south on Federal highway U.S.-281 to its 
junction with State highway K-4, then east on State highway K-4 to its 
junction with interstate highway I-135, then south on interstate 
highway I-135 to its junction with State highway K-61, then southwest 
on State highway K-61 to its junction with McPherson County 14th 
Avenue, then south on McPherson County 14th Avenue to its junction with 
McPherson County Arapaho Rd, then west on McPherson County Arapaho Rd 
to its junction with State highway K-61, then southwest on State 
highway K-61 to its junction with State highway K-96, then northwest on 
State highway K-96 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-56, then 
southwest on Federal highway U.S.-56 to its junction with State highway 
K-19, then east on State highway K-19 to its junction with Federal 
highway U.S.-281, then south on Federal highway U.S.-281 to its 
junction with Federal highway U.S.-54, then west on Federal highway 
U.S.-54 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-183, then north on 
Federal highway U.S.-183 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-56, 
then southwest on Federal highway U.S.-56 to its junction with North 
Main Street in Spearville, then south on North Main Street to Davis 
Street, then east on Davis Street to Ford County Road 126 (South 
Stafford Street), then south on Ford County Road 126 to Garnett Road, 
then east on Garnett Road to Ford County Road 126, then south on Ford 
County Road 126 to Ford Spearville Road, then west on Ford Spearville 
Road to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-400, then northwest on 
Federal highway U.S.-400 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-283, 
and then north on Federal highway U.S.-283 to its junction with Federal 
highway U.S.-96.
    Low Plains Late Zone: That part of Kansas bounded by a line from 
the Federal highway U.S.-283 and State highway 96 junction, then north 
on Federal highway U.S.-283 to the Kansas-Nebraska State line, then 
east along the Kansas-Nebraska State line to its junction with the 
Kansas-Missouri State line, then southeast along the Kansas-Missouri 
State line to its junction with State highway K-68, then west on State 
highway K-68 to its junction with interstate highway I-35, then 
southwest on interstate highway I-35 to its junction with Butler County 
NE 150th Street, then west on Butler County NE 150th Street to its 
junction with Federal highway U.S.-77, then south on Federal highway 
U.S.-77 to its junction with the Kansas-Oklahoma State line, then west 
along the Kansas-Oklahoma State line to its junction with Federal 
highway U.S.-283, then north on Federal highway U.S.-283 to its 
junction with Federal highway U.S.-400, then east on Federal highway 
U.S.-400 to its junction with Ford Spearville Road, then east on Ford 
Spearville Road to Ford County Road 126 (South Stafford Street), then 
north on Ford County Road 126 to Garnett Road, then west on Garnett 
Road to Ford County Road 126, then north on Ford County Road 126 to 
Davis Street, then west on Davis Street to North Main Street, then 
north on North Main Street to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-
56, then east on Federal highway U.S.-56 to its junction with Federal 
highway U.S.-183, then south on Federal highway U.S.-183 to its 
junction with Federal highway U.S.-54, then east on Federal highway 
U.S.-54 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-281, then north on 
Federal highway U.S.-281 to its junction with State highway K-19, then 
west on State highway K-19 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-
56, then east on Federal highway U.S.-56 to its junction with State 
highway K-96, then southeast on State highway K-96 to its junction with 
State highway K-61, then northeast on State highway K-61 to its 
junction with McPherson County Arapaho Road, then east on McPherson 
County Arapaho Road to its junction with McPherson County 14th Avenue, 
then north on McPherson County 14th Avenue to its junction with State 
highway K-61, then east on State highway K-61 to its junction with 
interstate highway I-135, then north on interstate highway I-135 to its 
junction with State highway K-4, then west on State highway K-4 to its 
junction with Federal highway U.S.-281, then north on Federal highway 
U.S.-281 to its junction with State highway K-18, then east on State 
highway K-18 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-181, then north 
on Federal highway U.S.-181 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-
24, then east on Federal highway U.S.-24 to its junction with State 
highway K-9, then east on State highway K-9 to its junction with Cloud 
County 40th Road, then north on Cloud County 40th Road to its junction 
with Republic County 50th Road, then north on Republic County 50th Road 
to its junction with State highway K-148, then west on State highway K-
148 to its junction with Republic County 30th Road, then north on 
Republic County 30th Road to its junction with State highway K-199, 
then north on State highway K-199 to its junction with Federal highway 
U.S.-36, then west on Federal highway U.S.-36 to its junction with 
Federal highway U.S.-281, then south on Federal highway U.S.-281 to its 
junction with Federal highway U.S.-24, then west on Federal highway 
U.S.-24 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-183, then south on 
Federal highway U.S.-183 to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-96, 
and then west on Federal highway U.S.-96 to its junction with Federal 
highway U.S.-283.
    Southeast Zone: That part of Kansas bounded by a line from the 
Missouri-Kansas State line west on K-68 to its junction with I-35, then 
southwest on I-35 to its junction with Butler County, NE 150th Street, 
then west on NE 150th Street to its junction with Federal highway U.S.-
77, then south on Federal highway U.S.-77 to the Oklahoma-Kansas State 
line, then east along the Kansas-Oklahoma State line to its junction 
with the Kansas-Missouri State line, then north along the Kansas-
Missouri State line to its junction with State highway K-68.
Montana (Central Flyway Portion)
    Zone 1: The Counties of Blaine, Carter, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, 
Fergus,

[[Page 43020]]

Garfield, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, McCone, Musselshell, Petroleum, 
Phillips, Powder River, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Stillwater, 
Sweet Grass, Valley, Wheatland, and Wibaux.
    Zone 2: The Counties of Big Horn, Carbon, Custer, Prairie, Rosebud, 
Treasure, and Yellowstone.
Nebraska
    High Plains: That portion of Nebraska lying west of a line 
beginning at the South Dakota-Nebraska border on U.S. Hwy 183; south on 
U.S. Hwy 183 to U.S. Hwy 20; west on U.S. Hwy 20 to NE Hwy 7; south on 
NE Hwy 7 to NE Hwy 91; southwest on NE Hwy 91 to NE Hwy 2; southeast on 
NE Hwy 2 to NE Hwy 92; west on NE Hwy 92 to NE Hwy 40; south on NE Hwy 
40 to NE Hwy 47; south on NE Hwy 47 to NE Hwy 23; east on NE Hwy 23 to 
U.S. Hwy 283; and south on U.S. Hwy 283 to the Kansas-Nebraska border.
    Zone 1: Area bounded by designated Federal and State highways and 
political boundaries beginning at the South Dakota-Nebraska border west 
of NE Hwy 26E Spur and north of NE Hwy 12; those portions of Dixon, 
Cedar, and Knox Counties north of NE Hwy 12; that portion of Keya Paha 
County east of U.S. Hwy 183; and all of Boyd County. Both banks of the 
Niobrara River in Keya Paha and Boyd Counties east of U.S. Hwy 183 
shall be included in Zone 1.
    Zone 2: The area south of Zone 1 and north of Zone 3.
    Zone 3: Area bounded by designated Federal and State highways, 
County roads, and political boundaries beginning at the Wyoming-
Nebraska border at the intersection of the Interstate Canal; east along 
northern borders of Scotts Bluff and Morrill Counties to Broadwater 
Road; south to Morrill County Rd 94; east to County Rd 135; south to 
County Rd 88; southeast to County Rd 151; south to County Rd 80; east 
to County Rd 161; south to County Rd 76; east to County Rd 165; south 
to County Rd 167; south to U.S. Hwy 26; east to County Rd 171; north to 
County Rd 68; east to County Rd 183; south to County Rd 64; east to 
County Rd 189; north to County Rd 70; east to County Rd 201; south to 
County Rd 60A; east to County Rd 203; south to County Rd 52; east to 
Keith County Line; east along the northern boundaries of Keith and 
Lincoln Counties to NE Hwy 97; south to U.S. Hwy 83; south to E Hall 
School Rd; east to N Airport Road; south to U.S. Hwy 30; east to NE Hwy 
47; north to Dawson County Rd 769; east to County Rd 423; south to 
County Rd 766; east to County Rd 428; south to County Rd 763; east to 
NE Hwy 21 (Adams Street); south to County Rd 761; east to the Dawson 
County Canal; south and east along the Dawson County Canal to County Rd 
444; south to U.S. Hwy 30; east to U.S. Hwy 183; north to Buffalo 
County Rd 100; east to 46th Avenue; north to NE Hwy 40; south and east 
to NE Hwy 10; north to Buffalo County Rd 220 and Hall County Husker 
Hwy; east to Hall County Rd 70; north to NE Hwy 2; east to U.S. Hwy 
281; north to Chapman Rd; east to 7th Rd; south to U.S. Hwy 30; east to 
Merrick County Rd 13; north to County Rd O; east to NE Hwy 14; north to 
NE Hwy 52; west and north to NE Hwy 91; west to U.S. Hwy 281; south to 
NE Hwy 22; west to NE Hwy 11; northwest to NE Hwy 91; west to U.S. Hwy 
183; south to Round Valley Rd; west to Sargent River Rd; west to Drive 
443; north to Sargent Rd; west to NE Hwy S21A; west to NE Hwy 2; west 
and north to NE Hwy 91; north and east to North Loup Spur Rd; north to 
North Loup River Rd; east to Pleasant Valley/Worth Rd; east to Loup 
County line; north to Loup-Brown County line; east along northern 
boundaries of Loup and Garfield Counties to Cedar River Rd; south to NE 
Hwy 70; east to U.S. Hwy 281; north to NE Hwy 70; east to NE Hwy 14; 
south to NE Hwy 39; southeast to NE Hwy 22; east to U.S. Hwy 81; 
southeast to U.S. Hwy 30; east to U.S. Hwy 75; north to the Washington 
County line; east to the Iowa-Nebraska border; south to the Missouri-
Nebraska border; south to Kansas-Nebraska border; west along Kansas-
Nebraska border to Colorado-Nebraska border; north and west to Wyoming-
Nebraska border; north to intersection of Interstate Canal; and 
excluding that area in Zone 4.
    Zone 4: Area encompassed by designated Federal and State highways 
and County roads beginning at the intersection of NE Hwy 8 and U.S. Hwy 
75; north to U.S. Hwy 136; east to the intersection of U.S. Hwy 136 and 
the Steamboat Trace (Trace); north along the Trace to the intersection 
with Federal Levee R-562; north along Federal Levee R-562 to the 
intersection with Nemaha County Rd 643A; south to the Trace; north 
along the Trace/Burlington Northern Railroad right-of-way to NE Hwy 2; 
west to U.S. Hwy 75; north to NE Hwy 2; west to NE Hwy 50; north to 
U.S. Hwy 34; west to NE Hwy 63; north to NE Hwy 66; north and west to 
U.S. Hwy 77; north to NE Hwy 92; west to NE Hwy Spur 12F; south to 
Butler County Rd 30; east to County Rd X; south to County Rd 27; west 
to County Rd W; south to County Rd 26; east to County Rd X; south to 
County Rd 21 (Seward County Line); west to NE Hwy 15; north to County 
Rd 34; west to County Rd H; south to NE Hwy 92; west to U.S. Hwy 81; 
south to NE Hwy 66; west to Polk County Rd C; north to NE Hwy 92; west 
to U.S. Hwy 30; west to Merrick County Rd 17; south to Hordlake Road; 
southeast to Prairie Island Road; southeast to Hamilton County Rd T; 
south to NE Hwy 66; west to NE Hwy 14; south to County Rd 22; west to 
County Rd M; south to County Rd 21; west to County Rd K; south to U.S. 
Hwy 34; west to NE Hwy 2; south to U.S. Hwy I-80; west to Gunbarrel Rd 
(Hall/Hamilton County line); south to Giltner Rd; west to U.S. Hwy 281; 
south to Lochland Rd; west to Holstein Avenue; south to U.S. Hwy 34; 
west to NE Hwy 10; north to Kearney County Rd R and Phelps County Rd 
742; west to U.S. Hwy 283; south to U.S. Hwy 34; east to U.S. Hwy 136; 
east to U.S. Hwy 183; north to NE Hwy 4; east to NE Hwy 10; south to 
U.S. Hwy 136; east to NE Hwy 14; south to NE Hwy 8; east to U.S. Hwy 
81; north to NE Hwy 4; east to NE Hwy 15; south to U.S. Hwy 136; east 
to Jefferson County Rd 578 Avenue; south to PWF Rd; east to NE Hwy 103; 
south to NE Hwy 8; east to U.S. Hwy 75.
New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion)
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of I-40 and U.S. 54.
    South Zone: The remainder of New Mexico.
North Dakota
    High Plains Unit: That portion of the State south and west of a 
line beginning at the junction of U.S. Hwy 83 and the South Dakota 
State line, then north along U.S. Hwy 83 and I-94 to ND Hwy 41, then 
north on ND Hwy 41 to ND Hwy 53, then west on ND Hwy 53 to U.S. Hwy 83, 
then north on U.S. Hwy 83 to U.S. Hwy 2, then west on U.S. Hwy 2 to the 
Williams County line, then north and west along the Williams and Divide 
County lines to the Canadian border.
    Low Plains Unit: The remainder of North Dakota.
Oklahoma
    High Plains Zone: The Counties of Beaver, Cimarron, and Texas.
    Low Plains Zone 1: That portion of the State east of the High 
Plains Zone and north of a line extending east from the Texas State 
line along OK 33 to OK 47, east along OK 47 to U.S. 183, south along 
U.S. 183 to I-40, east along I-40 to U.S. 177, north along U.S. 177 to 
OK 33, east along OK 33 to OK 18, north along OK 18 to OK 51, west 
along OK 51 to I-35, north along I-35 to U.S. 412, west along U.S. 412 
to OK 132, then north along OK 132 to the Kansas State line.

[[Page 43021]]

    Low Plains Zone 2: The remainder of Oklahoma.
South Dakota
    High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of a line 
beginning at the North Dakota State line and extending south along U.S. 
83 to U.S. 14, east on U.S. 14 to Blunt, south on the Blunt-Canning Rd 
to SD 34, east and south on SD 34 to SD 50 at Lee's Corner, south on SD 
50 to I-90, east on I-90 to SD 50, south on SD 50 to SD 44, west on SD 
44 across the Platte-Winner bridge to SD 47, south on SD 47 to U.S. 18, 
east on U.S. 18 to SD 47, south on SD 47 to the Nebraska State line.
    North Zone: That portion of northeastern South Dakota east of the 
High Plains Unit and north of a line extending east along U.S. 212 to 
the Minnesota State line.
    South Zone: That portion of Gregory County east of SD 47 and south 
of SD 44; Charles Mix County south of SD 44 to the Douglas County line; 
south on SD 50 to Geddes; east on the Geddes Highway to U.S. 281; south 
on U.S. 281 and U.S. 18 to SD 50; south and east on SD 50 to the Bon 
Homme County line; the Counties of Bon Homme, Yankton, and Clay south 
of SD 50; and Union County south and west of SD 50 and I-29.
    Middle Zone: The remainder of South Dakota.
Texas
    High Plains Zone: That portion of the State west of a line 
extending south from the Oklahoma State line along U.S. 183 to Vernon, 
south along U.S. 283 to Albany, south along TX 6 to TX 351 to Abilene, 
south along U.S. 277 to Del Rio, then south along the Del Rio 
International Toll Bridge access road to the Mexico border.
    Low Plains North Zone: That portion of northeastern Texas east of 
the High Plains Zone and north of a line beginning at the International 
Toll Bridge south of Del Rio, then extending east on U.S. 90 to San 
Antonio, then continuing east on I-10 to the Louisiana State line at 
Orange, Texas.
    Low Plains South Zone: The remainder of Texas.
Wyoming (Central Flyway Portion)
    Zone C1: Big Horn, Converse, Goshen, Hot Springs, Natrona, Park, 
Platte, and Washakie Counties; and Fremont County excluding the 
portions west or south of the Continental Divide.
    Zone C2: Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Niobrara, Sheridan, and Weston 
Counties.
    Zone C3: Albany and Laramie Counties; and that portion of Carbon 
County east of the Continental Divide.
Pacific Flyway
Arizona
    North Zone: Game Management Units 1-5, those portions of Game 
Management Units 6 and 8 within Coconino County, and Game Management 
Units 7, 9, and 12A.
    South Zone: Those portions of Game Management Units 6 and 8 in 
Yavapai County, and Game Management Units 10 and 12B-45.
California
    Northeastern Zone: That portion of California lying east and north 
of a line beginning at the intersection of Interstate 5 with the 
California-Oregon line; south along Interstate 5 to its junction with 
Walters Lane south of the town of Yreka; west along Walters Lane to its 
junction with Easy Street; south along Easy Street to the junction with 
Old Highway 99; south along Old Highway 99 to the point of intersection 
with Interstate 5 north of the town of Weed; south along Interstate 5 
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 from the intersection of Highway 
95 with the California-Nevada State line; south on Highway 95 through 
the junction with Highway 40; south on Highway 95 to Vidal Junction; 
south through the town of Rice to the San Bernardino-Riverside County 
line on a road known as ``Aqueduct Road'' also known as Highway 62 in 
San Bernardino County; southwest on Highway 62 to Desert Center Rice 
Road; south on Desert Center Rice Road/Highway 177 to the town of 
Desert Center; east 31 miles on Interstate 10 to its intersection with 
Wiley Well Road; south on Wiley Well Road to Wiley Well; southeast on 
Milpitas Wash Road to the Blythe, Brawley, Davis Lake intersections; 
south on Blythe Ogilby Road also known as County Highway 34 to its 
intersection with Ogilby Road; south on Ogilby Road to its intersection 
with Interstate 8; east 7 miles on Interstate 8 to its intersection 
with the Andrade-Algodones Road/Highway 186; south on Highway 186 to 
its intersection with the U.S. Mexico border at Los Algodones, Mexico.
    Southern Zone: That portion of southern California (but excluding 
the Colorado River zone) south and east of a line beginning at the 
mouth of the Santa Maria River at the Pacific Ocean; east along the 
Santa Maria River to where it crosses Highway 101-166 near the City of 
Santa Maria; north on Highway 101-166; east on Highway 166 to the 
junction with Highway 99; south on Highway 99 to the junction of 
Interstate 5; south on Interstate 5 to the crest of the Tehachapi 
Mountains at Tejon Pass; east and north along the crest of the 
Tehachapi Mountains to where it intersects Highway 178 at Walker Pass; 
east on Highway 178 to the junction of Highway 395 at the town of 
Inyokern; south on Highway 395 to the junction of Highway 58; east on 
Highway 58 to the junction of Interstate 15; east on Interstate 15 to 
the junction with Highway 127; north on Highway 127 to the point of 
intersection with the California-Nevada State line.
    Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone: All of Kings and Tulare Counties 
and that portion of Kern County north of the Southern Zone.
    Balance of State Zone: The remainder of California not included in 
the Northeastern, Colorado River, Southern, and the Southern San 
Joaquin Valley Zones.
Colorado (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    Eastern Zone: Routt, Grand, Summit, Eagle, and Pitkin Counties, 
those portions of Saguache, San Juan, Hinsdale, and Mineral Counties 
west of the Continental Divide, those portions of Gunnison County 
except the North Fork of the Gunnison River Valley (Game Management 
Units 521, 53, and 63), and that portion of Moffat County east of the 
northern intersection of Moffat County Road 29 with the Moffat-Routt 
County line, south along Moffat County Road 29 to the intersection of 
Moffat County Road 29 with the Moffat-Routt County line (Elkhead 
Reservoir State Park).
    Western Zone: All areas west of the Continental Divide not included 
in the Eastern Zone.

[[Page 43022]]

Idaho
    Zone 1: All lands and waters within the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation, including private in-holdings; Bannock County; Bingham 
County except that portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage; 
Caribou County within the Fort Hall Indian Reservation; and Power 
County east of State Highway 37 and State Highway 39.
    Zone 2: Bear Lake, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, 
Madison, and Teton Counties; Bingham County within the Blackfoot 
Reservoir drainage; and Caribou County except within the Fort Hall 
Indian Reservation.
    Zone 3: Ada, Adams, Benewah, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Boundary, 
Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Gem, 
Gooding, Idaho, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, 
Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Shoshone, Twin Falls, and 
Washington Counties; and Power County west of State Highway 37 and 
State Highway 39.
    Zone 4: Valley County.
Nevada
    Northeast Zone: Elko and White Pine Counties.
    Northwest Zone: Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Esmeralda, Eureka, 
Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, and Washoe 
Counties.
    South Zone: Clark and Lincoln Counties.
    Moapa Valley Special Management Area: That portion of Clark County 
including the Moapa Valley to the confluence of the Muddy and Virgin 
Rivers.
Oregon
    Zone 1: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, 
Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, 
Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Umatilla, Wasco, 
Washington, and Yamhill, Counties.
    Zone 2: The remainder of Oregon not included in Zone 1.
Utah
    Northern Zone: Box Elder, Cache, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Morgan, 
Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, and Weber Counties, and 
that part of Toole County north of I-80.
    Southern Zone: The remainder of Utah not included in Zone 1.
Washington
    East Zone: All areas east of the Pacific Crest Trail and east of 
the Big White Salmon River in Klickitat County.
    West Zone: The remainder of Washington not included in the East 
Zone.
Wyoming (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    Snake River Zone: Beginning at the south boundary of Yellowstone 
National Park and the Continental Divide; south along the Continental 
Divide to Union Pass and the Union Pass Road (U.S.F.S. Road 600); west 
and south along the Union Pass Road to U.S.F.S. Road 605; south along 
U.S.F.S. Road 605 to the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary; along 
the national forest boundary to the Idaho State line; north along the 
Idaho State line to the south boundary of Yellowstone National Park; 
east along the Yellowstone National Park boundary to the Continental 
Divide.
    Balance of State Zone: The remainder of the Pacific Flyway portion 
of Wyoming not included in the Snake River Zone.

Geese

Atlantic Flyway
Connecticut
Early Canada Goose Seasons
    South Zone: Same as for ducks.
    North Zone: Same as for ducks.
Regular Seasons
    AP Unit: Litchfield County and the portion of Hartford County west 
of a line beginning at the Massachusetts border in Suffield and 
extending south along Route 159 to its intersection with I-91 in 
Hartford, and then extending south along I-91 to its intersection with 
the Hartford-Middlesex County line.
    NAP H-Unit: That part of the State east of a line beginning at the 
Massachusetts border in Suffield and extending south along Route 159 to 
its intersection with I-91 in Hartford and then extending south along 
I-91 to State Street in New Haven; then south on State Street to Route 
34, west on Route 34 to Route 8, south along Route 8 to Route 110, 
south along Route 110 to Route 15, north along Route 15 to the Milford 
Parkway, south along the Milford Parkway to I-95, north along I-95 to 
the intersection with the east shore of the Quinnipiac River, south to 
the mouth of the Quinnipiac River, and then south along the eastern 
shore of New Haven Harbor to the Long Island Sound.
    Atlantic Flyway Resident Population (AFRP) Unit: Remainder of the 
State not included in AP and NAP Units.
    South Zone: Same as for ducks.
Maine
    North NAP-H Zone: Same as North Zone for ducks.
    Coastal NAP-L Zone: Same as Coastal Zone for ducks.
    South NAP-H Zone: Same as South Zone for ducks.
Maryland
Early Canada Goose Seasons
    Eastern Unit: Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, 
Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester 
Counties; and that part of Anne Arundel County east of Interstate 895, 
Interstate 97, and Route 3; that part of Prince George's County east of 
Route 3 and Route 301; and that part of Charles County east of Route 
301 to the Virginia State line.
    Western Unit: Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, 
Howard, Montgomery, and Washington Counties and that part of Anne 
Arundel County west of Interstate 895, Interstate 97, and Route 3; that 
part of Prince George's County west of Route 3 and Route 301; and that 
part of Charles County west of Route 301 to the Virginia State line.
Regular Seasons
    Resident Population (RP) Zone: Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, 
Montgomery, and Washington Counties; that portion of Prince George's 
County west of Route 3 and Route 301; that portion of Charles County 
west of Route 301 to the Virginia State line; and that portion of 
Carroll County west of Route 31 to the intersection of Route 97, and 
west of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania State line.
    AP Zone: Remainder of the State.
Massachusetts
    NAP Zone: Central and Coastal Zones (see duck zones).
    AP Zone: The Western Zone (see duck zones).
    Special Late Season Area: The Central Zone and that portion of the 
Coastal Zone (see duck zones) that lies north of the Cape Cod Canal, 
north to the New Hampshire State line.
New Hampshire
    Same zones as for ducks.
New Jersey
    AP Zone: North and South Zones (see duck zones).
    NAP Zone: The Coastal Zone (see duck zones).
    Special Late Season Area: In northern New Jersey, that portion of 
the State within a continuous line that runs east along the New York 
State boundary line to the Hudson River; then south along the New York 
State boundary to its intersection with Route 440 at Perth Amboy; then 
west on Route 440 to its intersection with Route 287; then west

[[Page 43023]]

along Route 287 to its intersection with Route 206 in Bedminster (Exit 
18); then north along Route 206 to its intersection with Route 94; then 
west along Route 94 to the toll bridge in Columbia; then north along 
the Pennsylvania State boundary in the Delaware River to the beginning 
point. In southern New Jersey, that portion of the State within a 
continuous line that runs west from the Atlantic Ocean at Ship Bottom 
along Route 72 to Route 70; then west along Route 70 to Route 206; then 
south along Route 206 to Route 536; then west along Route 536 to Route 
322; then west along Route 322 to Route 55; then south along Route 55 
to Route 553 (Buck Road); then south along Route 553 to Route 40; then 
east along Route 40 to route 55; then south along Route 55 to Route 552 
(Sherman Avenue); then west along Route 552 to Carmel Road; then south 
along Carmel Road to Route 49; then east along Route 49 to Route 555; 
then south along Route 555 to Route 553; then east along Route 553 to 
Route 649; then north along Route 649 to Route 670; then east along 
Route 670 to Route 47; then north along Route 47 to Route 548; then 
east along Route 548 to Route 49; then east along Route 49 to Route 50; 
then south along Route 50 to Route 9; then south along Route 9 to Route 
625 (Sea Isle City Boulevard); then east along Route 625 to the 
Atlantic Ocean; then north to the beginning point.
New York
    Lake Champlain Goose Area: The same as the Lake Champlain Waterfowl 
Hunting Zone, which is that area of New York State lying east and north 
of a continuous line extending along Route 11 from the New York-Canada 
International boundary south to Route 9B, south along Route 9B to Route 
9, south along Route 9 to Route 22 south of Keeseville, south along 
Route 22 to the west shore of South Bay along and around the shoreline 
of South Bay to Route 22 on the east shore of South Bay, southeast 
along Route 22 to Route 4, northeast along Route 4 to the New York-
Vermont boundary.
    Northeast Goose Area: The same as the Northeastern Waterfowl 
Hunting Zone, which is that area of New York State lying north of a 
continuous line extending from Lake Ontario east along the north shore 
of the Salmon River to Interstate 81, south along Interstate 81 to 
Route 31, east along Route 31 to Route 13, north along Route 13 to 
Route 49, east along Route 49 to Route 365, east along Route 365 to 
Route 28, east along Route 28 to Route 29, east along Route 29 to Route 
22 at Greenwich Junction, north along Route 22 to Washington County 
Route 153, east along CR 153 to the New York-Vermont boundary, 
exclusive of the Lake Champlain Zone.
    East Central Goose Area: That area of New York State lying inside 
of a continuous line extending from Interstate Route 81 in Cicero, east 
along Route 31 to Route 13, north along Route 13 to Route 49, east 
along Route 49 to Route 365, east along Route 365 to Route 28, east 
along Route 28 to Route 29, east along Route 29 to Route 147 at Kimball 
Corners, south along Route 147 to Schenectady County Route 40 (West 
Glenville Road), west along Route 40 to Touareuna Road, south along 
Touareuna Road to Schenectady County Route 59, south along Route 59 to 
State Route 5, east along Route 5 to the Lock 9 bridge, southwest along 
the Lock 9 bridge to Route 5S, southeast along Route 5S to Schenectady 
County Route 58, southwest along Route 58 to the NYS Thruway, south 
along the Thruway to Route 7, southwest along Route 7 to Schenectady 
County Route 103, south along Route 103 to Route 406, east along Route 
406 to Schenectady County Route 99 (Windy Hill Road), south along Route 
99 to Dunnsville Road, south along Dunnsville Road to Route 397, 
southwest along Route 397 to Route 146 at Altamont, west along Route 
146 to Albany County Route 252, northwest along Route 252 to 
Schenectady County Route 131, north along Route 131 to Route 7, west 
along Route 7 to Route 10 at Richmondville, south on Route 10 to Route 
23 at Stamford, west along Route 23 to Route 7 in Oneonta, southwest 
along Route 7 to Route 79 to Interstate Route 88 near Harpursville, 
west along Route 88 to Interstate Route 81, north along Route 81 to the 
point of beginning.
    West Central Goose Area: That area of New York State lying within a 
continuous line beginning at the point where the northerly extension of 
Route 269 (County Line Road on the Niagara-Orleans County boundary) 
meets the International boundary with Canada, south to the shore of 
Lake Ontario at the eastern boundary of Golden Hill State Park, south 
along the extension of Route 269 and Route 269 to Route 104 at Jeddo, 
west along Route 104 to Niagara County Route 271, south along Route 271 
to Route 31E at Middleport, south along Route 31E to Route 31, west 
along Route 31 to Griswold Street, south along Griswold Street to Ditch 
Road, south along Ditch Road to Foot Road, south along Foot Road to the 
north bank of Tonawanda Creek, west along the north bank of Tonawanda 
Creek to Route 93, south along Route 93 to Route 5, east along Route 5 
to Crittenden-Murrays Corners Road, south on Crittenden-Murrays Corners 
Road to the NYS Thruway, east along the Thruway 90 to Route 98 (at 
Thruway Exit 48) in Batavia, south along Route 98 to Route 20, east 
along Route 20 to Route 19 in Pavilion Center, south along Route 19 to 
Route 63, southeast along Route 63 to Route 246, south along Route 246 
to Route 39 in Perry, northeast along Route 39 to Route 20A, northeast 
along Route 20A to Route 20, east along Route 20 to Route 364 (near 
Canandaigua), south and east along Route 364 to Yates County Route 18 
(Italy Valley Road), southwest along Route 18 to Yates County Route 34, 
east along Route 34 to Yates County Route 32, south along Route 32 to 
Steuben County Route 122, south along Route 122 to Route 53, south 
along Route 53 to Steuben County Route 74, east along Route 74 to Route 
54A (near Pulteney), south along Route 54A to Steuben County Route 87, 
east along Route 87 to Steuben County Route 96, east along Route 96 to 
Steuben County Route 114, east along Route 114 to Schuyler County Route 
23, east and southeast along Route 23 to Schuyler County Route 28, 
southeast along Route 28 to Route 409 at Watkins Glen, south along 
Route 409 to Route 14, south along Route 14 to Route 224 at Montour 
Falls, east along Route 224 to Route 228 in Odessa, north along Route 
228 to Route 79 in Mecklenburg, east along Route 79 to Route 366 in 
Ithaca, northeast along Route 366 to Route 13, northeast along Route 13 
to Interstate Route 81 in Cortland, north along Route 81 to the north 
shore of the Salmon River to shore of Lake Ontario, extending generally 
northwest in a straight line to the nearest point of the international 
boundary with Canada, south and west along the international boundary 
to the point of beginning.
    Hudson Valley Goose Area: That area of New York State lying within 
a continuous line extending from Route 4 at the New York-Vermont 
boundary, west and south along Route 4 to Route 149 at Fort Ann, west 
on Route 149 to Route 9, south along Route 9 to Interstate Route 87 (at 
Exit 20 in Glens Falls), south along Route 87 to Route 29, west along 
Route 29 to Route 147 at Kimball Corners, south along Route 147 to 
Schenectady County Route 40 (West Glenville Road), west along Route 40 
to Touareuna Road, south along Touareuna Road to Schenectady County 
Route 59, south along Route 59 to State Route 5, east along Route 5 to 
the Lock 9 bridge, southwest along the Lock 9 bridge to Route 5S, 
southeast along Route 5S to Schenectady County Route 58, southwest 
along Route 58 to the NYS Thruway, south along the Thruway to Route 7, 
southwest along Route 7 to

[[Page 43024]]

Schenectady County Route 103, south along Route 103 to Route 406, east 
along Route 406 to Schenectady County Route 99 (Windy Hill Road), south 
along Route 99 to Dunnsville Road, south along Dunnsville Road to Route 
397, southwest along Route 397 to Route 146 at Altamont, southeast 
along Route 146 to Main Street in Altamont, west along Main Street to 
Route 156, southeast along Route 156 to Albany County Route 307, 
southeast along Route 307 to Route 85A, southwest along Route 85A to 
Route 85, south along Route 85 to Route 443, southeast along Route 443 
to Albany County Route 301 at Clarksville, southeast along Route 301 to 
Route 32, south along Route 32 to Route 23 at Cairo, west along Route 
23 to Joseph Chadderdon Road, southeast along Joseph Chadderdon Road to 
Hearts Content Road (Greene County Route 31), southeast along Route 31 
to Route 32, south along Route 32 to Greene County Route 23A, east 
along Route 23A to Interstate Route 87 (the NYS Thruway), south along 
Route 87 to Route 28 (Exit 19) near Kingston, northwest on Route 28 to 
Route 209, southwest on Route 209 to the New York-Pennsylvania 
boundary, southeast along the New York-Pennsylvania boundary to the New 
York-New Jersey boundary, southeast along the New York-New Jersey 
boundary to Route 210 near Greenwood Lake, northeast along Route 210 to 
Orange County Route 5, northeast along Orange County Route 5 to Route 
105 in the Village of Monroe, east and north along Route 105 to Route 
32, northeast along Route 32 to Orange County Route 107 (Quaker 
Avenue), east along Route 107 to Route 9W, north along Route 9W to the 
south bank of Moodna Creek, southeast along the south bank of Moodna 
Creek to the New Windsor-Cornwall town boundary, northeast along the 
New Windsor-Cornwall town boundary to the Orange-Dutchess County 
boundary (middle of the Hudson River), north along the county boundary 
to Interstate Route 84, east along Route 84 to the Dutchess-Putnam 
County boundary, east along the county boundary to the New York-
Connecticut boundary, north along the New York-Connecticut boundary to 
the New York-Massachusetts boundary, north along the New York-
Massachusetts boundary to the New York-Vermont boundary, north to the 
point of beginning.
    Eastern Long Island Goose Area (NAP High Harvest Area): That area 
of Suffolk County lying east of a continuous line extending due south 
from the New York-Connecticut boundary to the northernmost end of 
Roanoke Avenue in the Town of Riverhead; then south on Roanoke Avenue 
(which becomes County Route 73) to State Route 25; then west on Route 
25 to Peconic Avenue; then south on Peconic Avenue to County Route (CR) 
104 (Riverleigh Avenue); then south on CR 104 to CR 31 (Old Riverhead 
Road); then south on CR 31 to Oak Street; then south on Oak Street to 
Potunk Lane; then west on Stevens Lane; then south on Jessup Avenue (in 
Westhampton Beach) to Dune Road (CR 89); then due south to 
international waters.
    Western Long Island Goose Area (RP Area): That area of Westchester 
County and its tidal waters southeast of Interstate Route 95 and that 
area of Nassau and Suffolk Counties lying west of a continuous line 
extending due south from the New York-Connecticut boundary to the 
northernmost end of Sound Road (just east of Wading River Marsh); then 
south on Sound Road to North Country Road; then west on North Country 
Road to Randall Road; then south on Randall Road to Route 25A, then 
west on Route 25A to the Sunken Meadow State Parkway; then south on the 
Sunken Meadow Parkway to the Sagtikos State Parkway; then south on the 
Sagtikos Parkway to the Robert Moses State Parkway; then south on the 
Robert Moses Parkway to its southernmost end; then due south to 
international waters.
    Central Long Island Goose Area (NAP Low Harvest Area): That area of 
Suffolk County lying between the Western and Eastern Long Island Goose 
Areas, as defined above.
    South Goose Area: The remainder of New York State, excluding New 
York City.
North Carolina
    Northeast Hunt Unit: Includes the following counties or portions of 
counties: Bertie (that portion north and east of a line formed by NC 45 
at the Washington County line to U.S. 17 in Midway, U.S. 17 in Midway 
to U.S. 13 in Windsor, U.S. 13 in Windsor to the Hertford County line), 
Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, 
and Washington.
    RP Hunt Zone: Remainder of the State.
Pennsylvania
    Resident Canada Goose Zone: All of Pennsylvania except for SJBP 
Zone and the area east of route SR 97 from the Maryland State Line to 
the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of U.S. 
Route 30, south of U.S. Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, 
east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of 
I-80, and south of I-80 to the New Jersey State line.
    SJBP Zone: The area north of I-80 and west of I-79 including in the 
city of Erie west of Bay Front Parkway to and including the Lake Erie 
Duck zone (Lake Erie, Presque Isle, and the area within 150 yards of 
the Lake Erie Shoreline).
    AP Zone: The area east of route SR 97 from Maryland State Line to 
the intersection of SR 194, east of SR 194 to intersection of U.S. 
Route 30, south of U.S. Route 30 to SR 441, east of SR 441 to SR 743, 
east of SR 743 to intersection of I-81, east of I-81 to intersection of 
I-80, south of I-80 to New Jersey State line.
Rhode Island
    Special Area for Canada Geese: Kent and Providence Counties and 
portions of the towns of Exeter and North Kingston within Washington 
County (see State regulations for detailed descriptions).
South Carolina
    Canada Goose Area: Statewide except for the following area:
    East of U.S. 301: That portion of Clarendon County bounded to the 
north by S-14-25, to the east by Hwy 260, and to the south by the 
markers delineating the channel of the Santee River.
    West of U.S. 301: That portion of Clarendon County bounded on the 
north by S-14-26 extending southward to that portion of Orangeburg 
County bordered by Hwy 6.
Vermont
    Same zones as for ducks.
Virginia
    AP Zone: The area east and south of the following line--the 
Stafford County line from the Potomac River west to Interstate 95 at 
Fredericksburg, then south along Interstate 95 to Petersburg, then 
Route 460 (SE) to City of Suffolk, then south along Route 32 to the 
North Carolina line.
    SJBP Zone: The area to the west of the AP Zone boundary and east of 
the following line: the ``Blue Ridge'' (mountain spine) at the West 
Virginia-Virginia Border (Loudoun County-Clarke County line) south to 
Interstate 64 (the Blue Ridge line follows county borders along the 
western edge of Loudoun-Fauquier-Rappahannock-Madison-Greene-Albemarle 
and into Nelson Counties), then east along Interstate Rte. 64 to Route 
15, then south along Rte. 15 to the North Carolina line.
    RP Zone: The remainder of the State west of the SJBP Zone.

[[Page 43025]]

Mississippi Flyway
Arkansas
    Northwest Zone: Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Conway, Crawford, 
Faulkner, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Marion, Newton, Perry, 
Pope, Pulaski, Searcy, Sebastian, Scott, Van Buren, Washington, and 
Yell Counties.
    Remainder of State: That portion of the State outside of the 
Northwest Zone.
Illinois
Early Canada Goose Seasons
    North September Canada Goose Zone: That portion of the State north 
of a line extending west from the Indiana border along Interstate 80 to 
I-39, south along I-39 to Illinois Route 18, west along Illinois Route 
18 to Illinois Route 29, south along Illinois Route 29 to Illinois 
Route 17, west along Illinois Route 17 to the Mississippi River, and 
due south across the Mississippi River to the Iowa border.
    Central September Canada Goose Zone: That portion of the State 
south of the North September Canada Goose Zone line to a line extending 
west from the Indiana border along I-70 to Illinois Route 4, south 
along Illinois Route 4 to Illinois Route 161, west along Illinois Route 
161 to Illinois Route 158, south and west along Illinois Route 158 to 
Illinois Route 159, south along Illinois Route 159 to Illinois Route 3, 
south along Illinois Route 3 to St. Leo's Road, south along St. Leo's 
road to Modoc Road, west along Modoc Road to Modoc Ferry Road, 
southwest along Modoc Ferry Road to Levee Road, southeast along Levee 
Road to County Route 12 (Modoc Ferry entrance Road), south along County 
Route 12 to the Modoc Ferry route and southwest on the Modoc Ferry 
route across the Mississippi River to the Missouri border.
    South September Canada Goose Zone: That portion of the State south 
and east of a line extending west from the Indiana border along 
Interstate 70, south along U.S. Highway 45, to Illinois Route 13, west 
along Illinois Route 13 to Greenbriar Road, north on Greenbriar Road to 
Sycamore Road, west on Sycamore Road to N. Reed Station Road, south on 
N. Reed Station Road to Illinois Route 13, west along Illinois Route 13 
to Illinois Route 127, south along Illinois Route 127 to State Forest 
Road (1025 N), west along State Forest Road to Illinois Route 3, north 
along Illinois Route 3 to the south bank of the Big Muddy River, west 
along the south bank of the Big Muddy River to the Mississippi River, 
west across the Mississippi River to the Missouri border.
    South Central September Canada Goose Zone: The remainder of the 
State between the south border of the Central September Canada Goose 
Zone and the north border of the South September Canada Goose Zone.
Regular Seasons
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
west from the Indiana border along Interstate 80 to I-39, south along 
I-39 to Illinois Route 18, west along Illinois Route 18 to Illinois 
Route 29, south along Illinois Route 29 to Illinois Route 17, west 
along Illinois Route 17 to the Mississippi River, and due south across 
the Mississippi River to the Iowa border.
    Central Zone: That portion of the State south of the North Goose 
Zone line to a line extending west from the Indiana border along I-70 
to Illinois Route 4, south along Illinois Route 4 to Illinois Route 
161, west along Illinois Route 161 to Illinois Route 158, south and 
west along Illinois Route 158 to Illinois Route 159, south along 
Illinois Route 159 to Illinois Route 3, south along Illinois Route 3 to 
St. Leo's Road, south along St. Leo's road to Modoc Road, west along 
Modoc Road to Modoc Ferry Road, southwest along Modoc Ferry Road to 
Levee Road, southeast along Levee Road to County Route 12 (Modoc Ferry 
entrance Road), south along County Route 12 to the Modoc Ferry route 
and southwest on the Modoc Ferry route across the Mississippi River to 
the Missouri border.
    South Zone: Same zone as for ducks.
    South Central Zone: Same zone as for ducks.
Indiana
    Same zones as for ducks.
Iowa
Early Canada Goose Seasons
    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; then south and 
east along County Road E2W to Highway 920; then north along Highway 920 
to County Road E16; then east along County Road E16 to County Road W58; 
then south along County Road W58 to County Road E34; then east along 
County Road E34 to Highway 13; then south along Highway 13 to Highway 
30; then east along Highway 30 to Highway 1; then south along Highway 1 
to Morse Road in Johnson County; then east along Morse Road to Wapsi 
Avenue; then south along Wapsi Avenue to Lower West Branch Road; then 
west along Lower West Branch Road to Taft Avenue; then south along Taft 
Avenue to County Road F62; then west along County Road F62 to Kansas 
Avenue; then north along Kansas Avenue to Black Diamond Road; then west 
on Black Diamond Road to Jasper Avenue; then north along Jasper Avenue 
to Rohert Road; then west along Rohert Road to Ivy Avenue; then north 
along Ivy Avenue to 340th Street; then west along 340th Street to Half 
Moon Avenue; then north along Half Moon Avenue to Highway 6; then west 
along Highway 6 to Echo Avenue; then north along Echo Avenue to 250th 
Street; then east on 250th Street to Green Castle Avenue; then north 
along Green Castle Avenue to County Road F12; then west along County 
Road F12 to County Road W30; then north along County Road W30 to 
Highway 151; then 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; then south along R38 to Northwest 142nd Avenue; then east along 
Northwest 142nd Avenue to Northeast 126th Avenue; then east along 
Northeast 126th Avenue to Northeast 46th Street; then south along 
Northeast 46th Street to Highway 931; then east along Highway 931 to 
Northeast 80th Street; then south along Northeast 80th Street to 
Southeast 6th Avenue; then west along Southeast 6th Avenue to Highway 
65; then south and west along Highway 65 to Highway 69 in Warren 
County; then south along Highway 69 to County Road G24; then west along 
County Road G24 to Highway 28; then southwest along Highway 28 to 43rd 
Avenue; then north along 43rd Avenue to Ford Street; then west along 
Ford Street to Filmore Street; then west along Filmore Street to 10th 
Avenue; then south along 10th Avenue to 155th Street in Madison County; 
then west along 155th Street to Cumming Road; then north along Cumming 
Road to Badger Creek Avenue; then north along Badger Creek Avenue to 
County Road F90 in Dallas County; then east along County Road F90 to 
County Road R22; then north along County Road R22 to Highway 44; then 
east along Highway 44 to County Road R30; then north along County Road 
R30 to County Road F31; then east along County Road F31 to Highway 17; 
then north along Highway 17 to Highway 415 in Polk County; then east 
along Highway 415 to Northwest 158th Avenue; then east along Northwest 
158th Avenue to the point of beginning.
    Cedar Falls/Waterloo Goose Zone: Includes those portions of Black 
Hawk

[[Page 43026]]

County bounded as follows: Beginning at the intersection of County 
Roads C66 and V49 in Black Hawk County, then south along County Road 
V49 to County Road D38, then west along County Road D38 to State 
Highway 21, then south along State Highway 21 to County Road D35, then 
west along County Road D35 to Grundy Road, then north along Grundy Road 
to County Road D19, then west along County Road D19 to Butler Road, 
then north along Butler Road to County Road C57, then north and east 
along County Road C57 to U.S. Highway 63, then south along U.S. Highway 
63 to County Road C66, then east along County Road C66 to the point of 
beginning.
Regular Seasons
    Same zones as for ducks.
Louisiana
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of the line from the 
Texas border at Hwy 190/12 east to Hwy 49, then south on Hwy 49 to I-
10, then east on I-10 to I-12, then east on I-12 to I-10, then east on 
I-10 to the Mississippi State line.
    South Zone: Remainder of the State.
Michigan
    North Zone: Same as North duck zone.
    Middle Zone: Same as Middle duck zone.
    South Zone: Same as South duck zone.
    Allegan County Game Management Unit (GMU): That area encompassed by 
a line beginning at the junction of 136th Avenue and Interstate Highway 
196 in Lake Town Township and extending easterly along 136th Avenue to 
Michigan Highway 40, southerly along Michigan 40 through the city of 
Allegan to 108th Avenue in Trowbridge Township, westerly along 108th 
Avenue to 46th Street, northerly along 46th Street to 109th Avenue, 
westerly along 109th Avenue to I-196 in Casco Township, then northerly 
along I-196 to the point of beginning.
    Muskegon Wastewater GMU: That portion of Muskegon County within the 
boundaries of the Muskegon County wastewater system, east of the 
Muskegon State Game Area, in sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 
30, and 32, T10N R14W, and sections 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24, and 
25, T10N R15W, as posted.
Minnesota
    Same zones as for ducks.
Missouri
    Same zones as for ducks.
Ohio
    Same zones as for ducks.
Tennessee
    Reelfoot Zone: The lands and waters within the boundaries of 
Reelfoot Lake WMA only.
    Remainder of State: The remainder of the State.
Wisconsin
Early Canada Goose Seasons
    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 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.
Regular Seasons
    Same zones as for ducks.
Central Flyway
Colorado (Central Flyway Portion)
    Northern Front Range Area: All areas in Boulder, Larimer, and Weld 
Counties from the Continental Divide east along the Wyoming border to 
U.S. 85, south on U.S. 85 to the Adams County line, and all lands in 
Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Gilpin, and 
Jefferson Counties.
    North Park Area: Jackson County.
    South Park Area: Chaffee, Custer, Fremont, Lake, Park, and Teller 
Counties.
    San Luis Valley Area: All of Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, and Rio 
Grande Counties, and those portions of Saguache, Mineral, and Hinsdale 
Counties east of the Continental Divide.
    Remainder: Remainder of the Central Flyway portion of Colorado.
    Eastern Colorado Late Light Goose Area: That portion of the State 
east of Interstate Highway 25.
Montana (Central Flyway Portion)
    Zone 1: Same as Zone 1 for ducks and coots.
    Zone 2: Same as Zone 2 for ducks and coots.
Nebraska
Dark Geese
    Niobrara Unit: That area contained within and bounded by the 
intersection of the South Dakota State line and the eastern Cherry 
County line, south along the Cherry County line to the Niobrara River, 
east to the Norden Road, south on the Norden Road to U.S. Hwy 20, east 
along U.S. Hwy 20 to NE Hwy 14, north along NE Hwy 14 to NE Hwy 59 and 
County Road 872, west along County Road 872 to the Knox County Line, 
north along the Knox County Line to the South Dakota State line. Where 
the Niobrara River forms the boundary, both banks of the river are 
included in the Niobrara Unit.
    East Unit: That area north and east of U.S. 81 at the Kansas-
Nebraska State line, north to NE Hwy 91, east to U.S. 275, south to 
U.S. 77, south to NE 91, east to U.S. 30, east to the Nebraska-Iowa 
State line.
    Platte River Unit: That area north and west of U.S. 81 at the 
Kansas-Nebraska State line, north to NE Hwy 91, west along NE 91 to NE 
11, north to the Holt County line, west along the northern border of 
Garfield, Loup, Blaine, and Thomas Counties to the Hooker County line, 
south along the Thomas-Hooker County lines to the McPherson County 
line, east along the south border of Thomas County to the western line 
of Custer County, south along the Custer-Logan County line to NE 92, 
west to U.S. 83, north to NE 92, west to NE 61, south along NE 61 to NE 
92, west along NE 92 to U.S. Hwy 26, south along U.S. Hwy 26 to Keith 
County Line, south along Keith County Line to the Colorado State line.
    Panhandle Unit: That area north and west of Keith-Deuel County Line 
at the Nebraska-Colorado State line, north along the Keith County Line 
to U.S. Hwy 26, west to NE Hwy 92, east to NE Hwy 61, north along NE 
Hwy 61 to NE Hwy 2, west along NE 2 to the corner formed by Garden-
Grant-Sheridan Counties, west along the north border of Garden, 
Morrill, and Scotts Bluff Counties to the intersection of the 
Interstate Canal, west to the Wyoming State line.
    North-Central Unit: The remainder of the State.
Light Geese
    Rainwater Basin Light Goose Area: The area bounded by the junction 
of NE Hwy 92 and NE Hwy 15, south along NE Hwy 15 to NE Hwy 4, west 
along NE Hwy 4 to U.S. Hwy 34, west along U.S. Hwy 34 to U.S. Hwy 283, 
north along U.S. Hwy 283 to U.S. Hwy 30, east along

[[Page 43027]]

U.S. Hwy 30 to NE Hwy 92, east along NE Hwy 92 to the beginning.
    Remainder of State: The remainder of Nebraska.
New Mexico (Central Flyway Portion)
Dark Geese
    Middle Rio Grande Valley Unit: Sierra, Socorro, and Valencia 
Counties.
    Remainder: The remainder of the Central Flyway portion of New 
Mexico.
North Dakota
    Missouri River Canada Goose Zone: The area within and bounded by a 
line starting where ND Hwy 6 crosses the South Dakota border; then 
north on ND Hwy 6 to I-94; then west on I-94 to ND Hwy 49; then north 
on ND Hwy 49 to ND Hwy 200; then west on ND Hwy 200; then north on ND 
Hwy 8 to the Mercer/McLean County line; then east following the county 
line until it turns south toward Garrison Dam; then east along a line 
(including Mallard Island) of Lake Sakakawea to U.S. Hwy 83; then south 
on U.S. Hwy 83 to ND Hwy 200; then east on ND Hwy 200 to ND Hwy 41; 
then south on ND Hwy 41 to U.S. Hwy 83; then south on U.S. Hwy 83 to I-
94; then east on I-94 to U.S. Hwy 83; then south on U.S. Hwy 83 to the 
South Dakota border; then west along the South Dakota border to ND Hwy 
6.
    Western North Dakota Canada Goose Zone: Same as the High Plains 
Unit for ducks, mergansers and coots, excluding the Missouri River 
Canada Goose Zone.
    Rest of State: Remainder of North Dakota.
South Dakota
Early Canada Goose Seasons
    Special Early Canada Goose Unit: The Counties of Campbell, Clark, 
Codington, Day, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Marshall, Roberts, Walworth; that 
portion of Perkins County west of State Highway 75 and south of State 
Highway 20; that portion of Dewey County north of Bureau of Indian 
Affairs Road 8, Bureau of Indian Affairs Road 9, and the section of 
U.S. Highway 212 east of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Road 8 junction; 
that portion of Potter County east of U.S. Highway 83; that portion of 
Sully County east of U.S. Highway 83; portions of Hyde, Buffalo, Brule, 
and Charles Mix Counties north and east of a line beginning at the 
Hughes-Hyde County line on State Highway 34, east to Lees Boulevard, 
southeast to State Highway 34, east 7 miles to 350th Avenue, south to 
Interstate 90 on 350th Avenue, south and east on State Highway 50 to 
Geddes, east on 285th Street to U.S. Highway 281, and north on U.S. 
Highway 281 to the Charles Mix-Douglas County boundary; that portion of 
Bon Homme County north of State Highway 50; those portions of Yankton 
and Clay Counties north of a line beginning at the junction of State 
Highway 50 and 306th Street/County Highway 585 in Bon Homme County, 
east to U.S. Highway 81, then north on U.S. Highway 81 to 303rd Street, 
then east on 303rd Street to 444th Avenue, then south on 444th Avenue 
to 305th Street, then east on 305th Street/Bluff Road to State Highway 
19, then south to State Highway 50 and east to the Clay/Union County 
Line; Aurora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Butte, Corson, Davison, 
Douglas, Edmunds, Faulk, Haakon, Hand, Hanson, Harding, Hutchinson, 
Jackson, Jerauld, Jones, Kingsbury, Lake, McCook, McPherson, Meade, 
Mellette, Miner, Moody, Oglala Lakota (formerly Shannon), Sanborn, 
Spink, Todd, Turner, and Ziebach Counties; and those portions of 
Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties outside of an area bounded by a line 
beginning at the junction of the South Dakota-Minnesota State line and 
Minnehaha County Highway 122 (254th Street) west to its junction with 
Minnehaha County Highway 149 (464th Avenue), south on Minnehaha County 
Highway 149 (464th Avenue) to Hartford, then south on Minnehaha County 
Highway 151 (463rd Avenue) to State Highway 42, east on State Highway 
42 to State Highway 17, south on State Highway 17 to its junction with 
Lincoln County Highway 116 (Klondike Road), and east on Lincoln County 
Highway 116 (Klondike Road) to the South Dakota-Iowa State line, then 
north along the South Dakota-Iowa and South Dakota-Minnesota border to 
the junction of the South Dakota-Minnesota State line and Minnehaha 
County Highway 122 (254th Street).
Regular Seasons
    Unit 1: Same as that for the September Canada goose season.
    Unit 2: Remainder of South Dakota.
    Unit 3: Bennett County.
Texas
    Northeast Goose Zone: That portion of Texas lying east and north of 
a line beginning at the Texas-Oklahoma border at U.S. 81, then 
continuing south to Bowie and then southeasterly along U.S. 81 and U.S. 
287 to I-35W and I-35 to the juncture with I-10 in San Antonio, then 
east on I-10 to the Texas-Louisiana border.
    Southeast Goose Zone: That portion of Texas lying east and south of 
a line beginning at the International Toll Bridge at Laredo, then 
continuing north following I-35 to the juncture with I-10 in San 
Antonio, then easterly along I-10 to the Texas-Louisiana border.
    West Goose Zone: The remainder of the State.
Wyoming (Central Flyway Portion)
Dark Geese
    Zone G1: Big Horn, Converse, Hot Springs, Natrona, Park, and 
Washakie Counties.
    Zone G1A: Goshen and Platte Counties.
    Zone G2: Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Niobrara, Sheridan, and Weston 
Counties.
    Zone G3: Albany and Laramie Counties; and that portion of Carbon 
County east of the Continental Divide.
    Zone G4: Fremont County excluding those portions south or west of 
the Continental Divide.
Pacific Flyway
Arizona
    Same zones as for ducks.
California
    Northeastern Zone: That portion of California lying east and north 
of a line beginning at the intersection of Interstate 5 with the 
California-Oregon line; south along Interstate 5 to its junction with 
Walters Lane south of the town of Yreka; west along Walters Lane to its 
junction with Easy Street; south along Easy Street to the junction with 
Old Highway 99; south along Old Highway 99 to the point of intersection 
with Interstate 5 north of the town of Weed; south along Interstate 5 
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.
    Klamath Basin Special Management Area: Beginning at the 
intersection of Highway 161 and Highway 97; east on Highway 161 to Hill 
Road; south on Hill Road to N Dike Road West Side; east on N Dike Road 
West Side until the junction of the Lost River; north on N Dike Road 
West Side until the Volcanic

[[Page 43028]]

Legacy Scenic Byway; east on Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway until N Dike 
Road East Side; south on the N Dike Road East Side; continue east on N 
Dike Road East Side to Highway 111; south on Highway 111/Great Northern 
Road to Highway 120/Highway 124; west on Highway 120/Highway 124 to 
Hill Road; south on Hill Road until Lairds Camp Road; west on Lairds 
Camp Road until Willow Creek; west and south on Willow Creek to Red 
Rock Road; west on Red Rock Road until Meiss Lake Road/Old State 
Highway; north on Meiss Lake Road/Old State Highway to Highway 97; 
north on Highway 97 to the point of origin.
    Colorado River Zone: Those portions of San Bernardino, Riverside, 
and Imperial Counties east of a line from the intersection of Highway 
95 with the California-Nevada State line; south on Highway 95 through 
the junction with Highway 40; south on Highway 95 to Vidal Junction; 
south through the town of Rice to the San Bernardino-Riverside County 
line on a road known as ``Aqueduct Road'' also known as Highway 62 in 
San Bernardino County; southwest on Highway 62 to Desert Center Rice 
Road; south on Desert Center Rice Road/Highway 177 to the town of 
Desert Center; east 31 miles on Interstate 10 to its intersection with 
Wiley Well Road; south on Wiley Well Road to Wiley Well; southeast on 
Milpitas Wash Road to the Blythe, Brawley, Davis Lake intersections; 
south on Blythe Ogilby Road also known as County Highway 34 to its 
intersection with Ogilby Road; south on Ogilby Road to its intersection 
with Interstate 8; east 7 miles on Interstate 8 to its intersection 
with the Andrade-Algodones Road/Highway 186; south on Highway 186 to 
its intersection with the U.S.-Mexico border at Los Algodones, Mexico.
    Southern Zone: That portion of southern California (but excluding 
the Colorado River zone) south and east of a line beginning at the 
mouth of the Santa Maria River at the Pacific Ocean; east along the 
Santa Maria River to where it crosses Highway 101-166 near the City of 
Santa Maria; north on Highway 101-166; east on Highway 166 to the 
junction with Highway 99; south on Highway 99 to the junction of 
Interstate 5; south on Interstate 5 to the crest of the Tehachapi 
Mountains at Tejon Pass; east and north along the crest of the 
Tehachapi Mountains to where it intersects Highway 178 at Walker Pass; 
east on Highway 178 to the junction of Highway 395 at the town of 
Inyokern; south on Highway 395 to the junction of Highway 58; east on 
Highway 58 to the junction of Interstate 15; east on Interstate 15 to 
the junction with Highway 127; north on Highway 127 to the point of 
intersection with the California-Nevada State line.
    Imperial County Special Management Area: The area bounded by a line 
beginning at Highway 86 and the Navy Test Base Road; south on Highway 
86 to the town of Westmoreland; continue through the town of 
Westmoreland to Route S26; east on Route S26 to Highway 115; north on 
Highway 115 to Weist Road; north on Weist Road to Flowing Wells Road; 
northeast on Flowing Wells Road to the Coachella Canal; northwest on 
the Coachella Canal to Drop 18; a straight line from Drop 18 to Frink 
Road; south on Frink Road to Highway 111; north on Highway 111 to 
Niland Marina Road; southwest on Niland Marina Road to the old Imperial 
County boat ramp and the water line of the Salton Sea; from the water 
line of the Salton Sea, a straight line across the Salton Sea to the 
Salinity Control Research Facility and the Navy Test Base Road; 
southwest on the Navy Test Base Road to the point of beginning.
    Balance of State Zone: The remainder of California not included in 
the Northeastern, Colorado River, and Southern Zones.
    North Coast Special Management Area: Del Norte and Humboldt 
Counties.
    Sacramento Valley Special Management Area: That area bounded by a 
line beginning at Willows south on I-5 to Hahn Road; easterly on Hahn 
Road and the Grimes-Arbuckle Road to Grimes; northerly on CA 45 to the 
junction with CA 162; northerly on CA 45/162 to Glenn; and westerly on 
CA 162 to the point of beginning in Willows.
Colorado (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    Same zones as for ducks.
Idaho
Canada Geese and Brant
    Zone 1: All lands and waters within the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation, including private in-holdings; Bannock County; Bingham 
County, except that portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage; 
Caribou County within the Fort Hall Indian Reservation; and Power 
County east of State Highway 37 and State Highway 39.
    Zone 2: Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, and 
Teton Counties.
    Zone 3: Ada, Adams, Benewah, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Boundary, 
Camas, Canyon, Cassia, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Gem, 
Gooding, Idaho, Jerome, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Lincoln, 
Minidoka, Nez Perce, Oneida, Owyhee, Payette, Shoshone, Twin Falls, and 
Washington Counties; and Power County west of State Highway 37 and 
State Highway 39.
    Zone 4: Bear Lake County; Bingham County within the Blackfoot 
Reservoir drainage; and Caribou County, except that portion within the 
Fort Hall Indian Reservation.
    Zone 5: Valley County.
White-Fronted Geese
    Zone 1: All lands and waters within the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation, including private in-holdings; Bannock County; Bingham 
County except that portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage; 
Caribou County within the Fort Hall Indian Reservation; and Power 
County east of State Highway 37 and State Highway 39.
    Zone 2: Bear Lake, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, 
Madison, and Teton Counties; Bingham County within the Blackfoot 
Reservoir drainage; and Caribou County except within the Fort Hall 
Indian Reservation.
    Zone 3: Adams, Benewah, Blaine, Bonner, Boundary, Camas, 
Clearwater, Custer, Franklin, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Nez 
Perce, Oneida, and Shoshone Counties; and Power County west of State 
Highway 37 and State Highway 39.
    Zone 4: Ada, Boise, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, 
Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls, and Washington 
Counties.
    Zone 5: Valley County.
Light Geese
    Zone 1: All lands and waters within the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation, including private in-holdings; Bannock County; Bingham 
County east of the west bank of the Snake River, west of the McTucker 
boat ramp access road, and east of the American Falls Reservoir bluff, 
except that portion within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage; Caribou 
County within the Fort Hall Indian Reservation; and Power County below 
the American Falls Reservoir bluff, and within the Fort Hall Indian 
Reservation.
    Zone 2: Franklin and Oneida Counties; Bingham County west of the 
west bank of the Snake River, east of the McTucker boat ramp access 
road, and west of the American Falls Reservoir bluff; Power County, 
except below the American Falls Reservoir bluff and those lands and 
waters within the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.
    Zone 3: Ada, Boise, Canyon, Cassia, Elmore, Gem, Gooding, Jerome, 
Lincoln, Minidoka, Owyhee, Payette, Twin Falls, and Washington 
Counties.
    Zone 4: Adams, Benewah, Blaine, Bonner, Boundary, Camas, 
Clearwater,

[[Page 43029]]

Custer, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone 
Counties.
    Zone 5: Bear Lake, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, 
Madison, and Teton Counties; Bingham County within the Blackfoot 
Reservoir drainage; and Caribou County except within the Fort Hall 
Indian Reservation.
    Zone 6: Valley County.
Nevada
    Same zones as for ducks.
New Mexico (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    North Zone: The Pacific Flyway portion of New Mexico located north 
of I-40.
    South Zone: The Pacific Flyway portion of New Mexico located south 
of I-40.
Oregon
    Northwest Permit Zone: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, 
Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, and 
Yamhill Counties.
    Lower Columbia/N. Willamette Valley Management Area: Those portions 
of Clatsop, Columbia, Multnomah, and Washington Counties within the 
Northwest Special Permit Zone.
    Tillamook County Management Area: That portion of Tillamook County 
beginning at the point where Old Woods Road crosses the south shores of 
Horn Creek, north on Old Woods Road to Sand Lake Road at Woods, north 
on Sand Lake Road to the intersection with McPhillips Drive, due west 
(~200 yards) from the intersection to the Pacific coastline, south 
along the Pacific coastline to a point due west of the western end of 
Pacific Avenue in Pacific City, east from this point (~250 yards) to 
Pacific Avenue, east on Pacific Avenue to Brooten Road, south and then 
east on Brooten Road to Highway 101, north on Highway 101 to Resort 
Drive, north on Resort Drive to a point due west of the south shores of 
Horn Creek at its confluence with the Nestucca River, due east (~80 
yards) across the Nestucca River to the south shores of Horn Creek, 
east along the south shores of Horn Creek to the point of beginning.
    Southwest Zone: Those portions of Douglas, Coos, and Curry Counties 
east of Highway 101, and Josephine and Jackson Counties.
    South Coast Zone: Those portions of Douglas, Coos, and Curry 
Counties west of Highway 101.
    Eastern Zone: Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Grant, Hood River, 
Jefferson, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, and 
Wheeler Counties.
    Klamath County Zone: Klamath County.
    Harney and Lake County Zone: Harney and Lake Counties.
    Malheur County Zone: Malheur County.
Utah
    East Box Elder County Zone: Boundary begins at the intersection of 
the eastern boundary of Public Shooting Grounds Waterfowl Management 
Area and SR-83 (Promontory Road); east along SR-83 to I-15; south on I-
15 to the Perry access road; southwest along this road to the Bear 
River Bird Refuge boundary; west, north, and then east along the refuge 
boundary until it intersects the Public Shooting Grounds Waterfowl 
Management Area boundary; east and north along the Public Shooting 
Grounds Waterfowl Management Area boundary to SR-83.
    Wasatch Front Zone: Boundary begins at the Weber-Box Elder County 
line at I-15; east along Weber County line to U.S.-89; south on U.S.-89 
to I-84; east and south on I-84 to I-80; south on I-80 to U.S.-189; 
south and west on U.S.-189 to the Utah County line; southeast and then 
west along this line to the Tooele County line; north along the Tooele 
County line to I-80; east on I-80 to Exit 99; north from Exit 99 along 
a direct line to the southern tip of Promontory Point and Promontory 
Road; east and north along this road to the causeway separating Bear 
River Bay from Ogden Bay; east on this causeway to the southwest corner 
of Great Salt Lake Mineral Corporations (GSLMC) west impoundment; north 
and east along GSLMC's west impoundment to the northwest corner of the 
impoundment; north from this point along a direct line to the southern 
boundary of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge; east along this southern 
boundary to the Perry access road; northeast along this road to I-15; 
south along I-15 to the Weber-Box Elder County line.
    Northern Zone: The remainder of Utah not included in the East Box 
Elder County, Wasatch Front, and Southern Zones.
    Southern Zone: Boundary includes Beaver, Carbon, Emery, Garfield, 
Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Piute, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, 
Washington, and Wayne Counties, and that part of Tooele County south of 
I-80.
Washington
    Area 1: Skagit, Island, and Snohomish Counties.
    Area 2 Inland (Southwest Permit Zone): Clark, Cowlitz, and 
Wahkiakum Counties, and that portion of Grays Harbor County east of 
Highway 101
    Area 2 Coastal (Southwest Permit Zone): Pacific County and that 
portion of Grays Harbor County west of Highway 101.
    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.

Brant

Pacific Flyway
California
    Northern Zone: Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino Counties.
    Balance of State Zone: The remainder of the State not included in 
the Northern Zone.
Washington
    Puget Sound Zone: Clallam, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties.
    Coastal Zone: Pacific County.

Swans

Central Flyway
    South Dakota: Aurora, Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, 
Campbell, Clark, Codington, Davison, Day, Deuel, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, 
Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Hughes, Hyde, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Marshall, 
McCook, McPherson, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, 
Spink, Sully, and Walworth Counties.
Pacific Flyway
Montana (Pacific Flyway Portion)
    Open Area: Cascade, Chouteau, Hill, Liberty, and Toole Counties and 
those portions of Pondera and Teton Counties lying east of U.S. 287-89.
Nevada
    Open Area: Churchill, Lyon, and Pershing Counties.
Utah
    Open Area: Begins at I-15 and Exit 365 (SR 13/83); west and north 
on SR-83 to I-84; west on I-84 to SR-30; southwest on SR-30 to the 
Nevada-Utah state line; south on this state line to I-80; east on I-80 
to I-15; north on I-15 to Exit 365 (SR 13/83).

[[Page 43030]]

Doves

Alabama
    South Zone: Baldwin, Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, 
Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Mobile Counties.
    North Zone: Remainder of the State.
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: The remainder of the State.
Louisiana
    North Zone: That portion of the State north of a line extending 
east from the Texas border along State Highway 12 to U.S. Highway 190, 
east along U.S. 190 to Interstate Highway 12, east along Interstate 
Highway 12 to Interstate Highway 10, then east along Interstate Highway 
10 to the Mississippi border.
    South Zone: The remainder of the State.
Mississippi
    North Zone: That portion of the State north and west of a line 
extending west from the Alabama State line along U.S. Highway 84 to its 
junction with State Highway 35, then south along State Highway 35 to 
the Louisiana State line.
    South Zone: The remainder of Mississippi.
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.
    Central Zone: That portion of the State lying between the North and 
South Zones.
    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 I-10 east of San Antonio; then east on I-
10 to Orange, Texas.
    Special White-winged Dove Area in the South Zone: Same as the South 
Zone.

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 not included in the North 
Zone.
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: The remainder of the State not included in the North 
Zone.
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.

Sandhill Cranes

Mississippi Flyway
Alabama
    Hunting Zone: That area north of Interstate 20 from the Georgia 
State line to the interchange with Interstate 65, then east of 
Interstate 65 to the interchange with Interstate 22, then north of 
Interstate 22 to the Mississippi State line.
    Non-Hunting Zone: Remainder of the State.
Minnesota
    Northwest Zone: That portion of the State encompassed by a line 
extending east from the North Dakota border along U.S. Highway 2 to 
State Trunk Highway (STH) 32, north along STH 32 to STH 92, east along 
STH 92 to County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 2 in Polk County, north along 
CSAH 2 to CSAH 27 in Pennington County, north along CSAH 27 to STH 1, 
east along STH 1 to CSAH 28 in Pennington County, north along CSAH 28 
to CSAH 54 in Marshall County, north along CSAH 54 to CSAH 9 in Roseau 
County, north along CSAH 9 to STH 11, west along STH 11 to STH 310, and 
north along STH 310 to the Manitoba border.
Tennessee
    Southeast Crane Zone: That portion of the State south of Interstate 
40 and east of State Highway 56.
    Remainder of State: That portion of Tennessee outside of the 
Southeast Crane Zone.
Central Flyway
Colorado
    Open Area: 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
    Open Area: 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.
Montana
    Regular Season Open Area: The Central Flyway portion of the State 
except for that area south and west of Interstate 90, which is closed 
to sandhill crane hunting.
    Special Season Open Area: Carbon County.
New Mexico
    Regular-Season Open Area: Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Eddy, Lea, Quay, 
and Roosevelt Counties.
Special Season Open Areas
    Middle Rio Grande Valley Area: The Central Flyway portion of New 
Mexico in Socorro and Valencia Counties.
    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: Area bounded on the south by the New Mexico-Mexico 
border; on the west by the New Mexico-Arizona border north to 
Interstate 10; on the north by Interstate 10 east to U.S. 180, north to 
NM 26, east to NM 27, north to NM 152, and east to Interstate 25; on 
the east by Interstate 25 south to Interstate 10, west to the Luna 
County line, and south to the New Mexico-Mexico border.
North Dakota
    Area 1: That portion of the State west of U.S. 281.

[[Page 43031]]

    Area 2: That portion of the State east of U.S. 281.
Oklahoma
    Open Area: That portion of the State west of I-35.
South Dakota
    Open Area: That portion of the State lying west of a line beginning 
at the South Dakota-North Dakota border and State Highway 25, south on 
State Highway 25 to its junction with State Highway 34, east on State 
Highway 34 to its junction with U.S. Highway 81, then south on U.S. 
Highway 81 to the South Dakota-Nebraska border.
Texas
    Zone A: That portion of Texas lying west of a line beginning at the 
international toll bridge at Laredo, then northeast along U.S. Highway 
81 to its junction with Interstate Highway 35 in Laredo, then north 
along Interstate Highway 35 to its junction with Interstate Highway 10 
in San Antonio, then northwest along Interstate Highway 10 to its 
junction with U.S. Highway 83 at Junction, then north along U.S. 
Highway 83 to its junction with U.S. Highway 62, 16 miles north of 
Childress, then east along U.S. Highway 62 to the Texas-Oklahoma State 
line.
    Zone B: That portion of Texas lying within boundaries beginning at 
the junction of U.S. Highway 81 and the Texas-Oklahoma State line, then 
southeast along U.S. Highway 81 to its junction with U.S. Highway 287 
in Montague County, then southeast along U.S. Highway 287 to its 
junction with Interstate Highway 35W in Fort Worth, then southwest 
along Interstate Highway 35 to its junction with Interstate Highway 10 
in San Antonio, then northwest along Interstate Highway 10 to its 
junction with U.S. Highway 83 in the town of Junction, then north along 
U.S. Highway 83 to its junction with U.S. Highway 62, 16 miles north of 
Childress, then east along U.S. Highway 62 to the Texas-Oklahoma State 
line, then south along the Texas-Oklahoma State line to the south bank 
of the Red River, then eastward along the vegetation line on the south 
bank of the Red River to U.S. Highway 81.
    Zone C: The remainder of the State, except for the closed areas.
    Closed areas:
    A. That portion of the State lying east and north of a line 
beginning at the junction of U.S. Highway 81 and the Texas-Oklahoma 
State line, then southeast along U.S. Highway 81 to its junction with 
U.S. Highway 287 in Montague County, then southeast along U.S. Highway 
287 to its junction with I-35W in Fort Worth, then southwest along I-35 
to its junction with U.S. Highway 290 East in Austin, then east along 
U.S. Highway 290 to its junction with Interstate Loop 610 in Harris 
County, then south and east along Interstate Loop 610 to its junction 
with Interstate Highway 45 in Houston, then south on Interstate Highway 
45 to State Highway 342, then to the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, and 
then north and east along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico to the Texas-
Louisiana State line.
    B. That portion of the State lying within the boundaries of a line 
beginning at the Kleberg-Nueces County line and the shore of the Gulf 
of Mexico, then west along the County line to Park Road 22 in Nueces 
County, then north and west along Park Road 22 to its junction with 
State Highway 358 in Corpus Christi, then west and north along State 
Highway 358 to its junction with State Highway 286, then north along 
State Highway 286 to its junction with Interstate Highway 37, then east 
along Interstate Highway 37 to its junction with U.S. Highway 181, then 
north and west along U.S. Highway 181 to its junction with U.S. Highway 
77 in Sinton, then north and east along U.S. Highway 77 to its junction 
with U.S. Highway 87 in Victoria, then south and east along U.S. 
Highway 87 to its junction with State Highway 35 at Port Lavaca, then 
north and east along State Highway 35 to the south end of the Lavaca 
Bay Causeway, then south and east along the shore of Lavaca Bay to its 
junction with the Port Lavaca Ship Channel, then south and east along 
the Lavaca Bay Ship Channel to the Gulf of Mexico, and then south and 
west along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico to the Kleberg-Nueces County 
line.
Wyoming
    Area 7: Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen, Laramie, Niobrara, 
Platte, and Weston Counties.
    Area 4: All lands within the Bureau of Reclamation's Riverton and 
Boysen Unit boundaries; those lands within Boysen State Park south of 
Cottonwood Creek, west of Boysen Reservoir, and south of U.S. Highway 
20-26; and all non[hyphen]Indian owned fee title lands within the 
exterior boundaries of the Wind River Reservation, excluding those 
lands within Hot Springs County.
    Area 6: Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park, and Washakie Counties.
    Area 8: Johnson, Natrona, and Sheridan Counties.
Pacific Flyway
Arizona
    Zone 1: Beginning at the junction of the New Mexico State line and 
U.S. Hwy 80; south along the State line to the U.S.-Mexico border; west 
along the border to the San Pedro River; north along the San Pedro 
River to the junction with Arizona Hwy 77; northerly along Arizona Hwy 
77 to the Gila River; northeast along the Gila River to the San Carlos 
Indian Reservation boundary; south then east and north along the 
reservation boundary to U.S. Hwy 70; southeast on U.S. Hwy 70 to U.S. 
Hwy 191; south on U.S. Hwy 191 to the 352 exit on I-10; east on I-10 to 
Bowie-Apache Pass Road; southerly on the Bowie-Apache Pass Road to 
Arizona Hwy 186; southeasterly on Arizona Hwy 186 to Arizona Hwy 181; 
south on Arizona Hwy 181 to the West Turkey Creek-Kuykendall cutoff 
road; southerly on the Kuykendall cutoff road to Rucker Canyon Road; 
easterly on Rucker Canyon Road to the Tex Canyon Road; southerly on Tex 
Canyon Road to U.S. Hwy 80; northeast on U.S. Hwy 80 to the New Mexico 
State line.
    Zone 2: Beginning at I-10 and the New Mexico State line; north 
along the State line to Arizona Hwy 78; southwest on Arizona Hwy 78 to 
U.S. Hwy 191; northwest on U.S. Hwy 191 to Clifton; westerly on the 
Lower Eagle Creek Road (Pump Station Road) to Eagle Creek; northerly 
along Eagle Creek to the San Carlos Indian Reservation boundary; 
southerly and west along the reservation boundary to U.S. Hwy 70; 
southeast on U.S. Hwy 70 to U.S. Hwy 191; south on U.S. Hwy 191 to I-
10; easterly on I-10 to the New Mexico State line.
    Zone 3: Beginning on I-10 at the New Mexico State line; westerly on 
I-10 to the Bowie-Apache Pass Road; southerly on the Bowie-Apache Pass 
Road to AZ Hwy 186; southeast on AZ Hwy 186 to AZ Hwy 181; south on AZ 
Hwy 181 to the West Turkey Creek-Kuykendall cutoff road; southerly on 
the Kuykendall cutoff road to Rucker Canyon Road; easterly on the 
Rucker Canyon Road to Tex Canyon Road; southerly on Tex Canyon Road to 
U.S. Hwy 80; northeast on U.S. Hwy 80 to the New Mexico State line; 
north along the State line to I-10.
Idaho
    Area 1: All of Bear Lake County and all of Caribou County except 
that portion lying within the Grays Lake Basin.
    Area 2: All of Teton County except that portion lying west of State 
Highway 33 and south of Packsaddle Road (West 400 North) and north of 
the North Cedron Road (West 600 South) and east of the west bank of the 
Teton River.

[[Page 43032]]

    Area 3: All of Fremont County except the Chester Wetlands Wildlife 
Management Area.
    Area 4: All of Jefferson County.
    Area 5: All of Bannock County east of Interstate 15 and south of 
U.S. Highway 30; and all of Franklin County.
    Area 6: That portion of Oneida County within the boundary beginning 
at the intersection of the Idaho-Utah border and Old Highway 191, then 
north on Old Highway 191 to 1500 S, then west on 1500 S to Highway 38, 
then west on Highway 38 to 5400 W, then south on 5400 W to Pocatello 
Valley Road, then west and south on Pocatello Valley Road to 10000 W, 
then south on 10000 W to the Idaho-Utah border, then east along the 
Idaho-Utah border to the beginning point.
Montana
    Zone 1: Those portions of Deer Lodge County lying within the 
following described boundary: Beginning at the intersection of I-90 and 
Highway 273, then westerly along Highway 273 to the junction of Highway 
1, then southeast along said highway to Highway 275 at Opportunity, 
then east along said highway to East Side County road, then north along 
said road to Perkins Lane, then west on said lane to I-90, then north 
on said interstate to the junction of Highway 273, the point of 
beginning. Except for sections 13 and 24, T5N, R10W; and Warm Springs 
Pond number 3.
    Zone 2: That portion of the Pacific Flyway, located in Powell 
County lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the 
junction of State Routes 141 and 200, then west along Route 200 to its 
intersection with the Blackfoot River at Russell Gates Fishing Access 
Site (Powell-Missoula County line), then southeast along said river to 
its intersection with the Ovando-Helmville Road (County Road 104) at 
Cedar Meadows Fishing Access Site, then south and east along said road 
to its junction with State Route 141, then north along said route to 
its junction with State Route 200, the point of beginning.
    Zone 3: Beaverhead, Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison Counties.
    Zone 4: Broadwater County.
Utah
    Cache County: Cache County.
    East Box Elder County: 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.
    Rich County: Rich County.
    Uintah County: Uintah County.
Wyoming
    Area 1: All of the Bear River and Ham's Fork River drainages in 
Lincoln County.
    Area 2: All of the Salt River drainage in Lincoln County south of 
the McCoy Creek Road.
    Area 3: All lands within the Bureau of Reclamation's Eden Project 
in Sweetwater County.
    Area 5: Uinta County.

All Migratory Game Birds in Alaska

    North Zone: State Game Management Units 11-13 and 17-26.
    Gulf Coast Zone: State Game Management Units 5-7, 9, 14-16, 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. 2019-17561 Filed 8-16-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P