Fish and Game Commission Sets Waterfowl Season

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission, meeting in Boise on August 8, adopted waterfowl seasons and urged the Department of Fish and Game to seek a 12 percent license fee increase to meet anticipated budget shortfalls. The commissioners adopted the 107-day season for duck, geese, coots and snipe, with unchanged bag limits, as recommended by Fish and Game waterfowl biologists and based on federal waterfowl information. Waterfowl season recommendations were presented to the public at Fish and Game regional offices before the Commission action. Season dates in Area 1, northern and eastern Idaho, run from October 7 to January 19, 2007. And in Area 2, southwestern Idaho and the Magic Valley, the season runs from October 14 to January 26, 2007. A two-day youth hunt was set for September 30 and October 1 for hunters aged 15 and under. Bag limits are unchanged from last year. Daily limits: - Ducks: 7 of any kind including not more than: - 1 canvasback, pintail. - 2 redheads, female mallards. - 3 scaup, total lesser and greater. Geese: 4 of any kind, Canada, white-fronted, Ross' or snow goose, except Fremont and Teton counties are closed to Ross' and snow geese. - Coots: 25. - Common snipe: 8. Possession after first day of season: - Ducks: 14 of any kind including not more than: - 2 canvasbacks, pintails. - 4 female mallards, redheads. - 6 scaup, total lesser and greater. Geese: 8 of any kind, Canada, white-fronted, Ross' or snow goose, except Fremont and Teton counties are closed to Ross' and snow geese. - Coots: 25. - Common snipe: 16. Hunters 16 or older need to buy a federal Migratory Duck Stamp. They are available at Idaho Department of Fish and Game offices, local post offices and some vendors. All hunters must also purchase a migratory bird validation, which is available from all Fish and Game license vendors. Tom Hemker, waterfowl program coordinator, informed commissioners about Idaho's avian influenza surveillance program. Of the 144 known strains of avian influenza, one is of concern because of its ability to spread in bird populations. Though it has infected some humans, it does not spread easily from human to human. This infectious strain has not been found in North or South America. But wildlife officials in Alaska are already sampling birds every day. Nationwide, officials plan to sample 100,000 birds this fall. In Idaho, officials plan to sample about 2,000 birds, including 500 before the fall waterfowl season opens.