Idaho sets waterfowl hunting seasons
HUNTING -- Idaho's 2013-2014 waterfowl hunting seasons will include 105 days and a two-day youth hunt, along with some changes in goose seasons and limits, according to action by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission on Monday.
The number of geese that can be taken in light-geese zones has been doubled to 20 birds a day.
Idaho's waterfowl seasons will open with a two-day youth hunt, Sept. 28-29, for licensed hunters ages 10 to 15.
Duck and Canada goose seasons in the Panhandle and most of the state will run Oct. 12 - Jan. 24, with scaup seasons from Nov. 2 - Jan. 24.
In the area around American Falls Reservoir the seasons will run from Oct. 5 to Jan. 17, with scaup seasons from Oct. 26 to Jan. 17.
The daily bag limit is seven ducks – but no more than two female mallards, two redheads, three scaup, two pintails and two canvasbacks – and four Canada geese.
New this year, the white-fronted goose season was separated from Canada geese to accommodate white-fronted goose hunting opportunities in the southwest part of the state. But during the time the white-fronted goose and light-goose seasons occur at the same time, the use of electronic calls and unplugged shotguns would not be allowed.
- Washington's migratory waterfowl hunters will have a general duck season open for 107 days -- Oct. 12 - 16 and Oct. 19 - Jan. 26. The youth hunting weekend is set for Sept. 21-22. Surveys in the Pacific Flyway show duck populations are near long-term averages, while goose populations are generally at or above management goals.
Read on for more details about Idaho's upcoming goose hunting seasons:
In Idaho's southwest area, white-fronted geese will be open November 11 to February 23, with the light goose season open from November 26 to March 10.
Elsewhere, the white-fronted goose season around the American Falls Reservoir will run from October 5 through January 17, and in the rest of the state it will run from October 12 through January 24. The daily bag limit is be six white fronted geese.
For light geese – snow and Ross’s geese – there are four zones. The season for:
- Zone 1 runs from October 5 to January 17.
- Zone 2 runs from October 29 to January 17 and from February 15 through March 10.
- Zone 3 runs from November 26 to March 10.
- Zone 4 runs from October 12 to January 24.
The daily bag limit is 20 light geese, increased from 10 last year.
For light geese, zones 1 and 2 are in the area around American Falls Reservoir, including the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, Bannock County and parts of Bingham, Caribou and Power counties; zone 3 is the Southwest and part of the Magic Valley; and zone 4 is the rest of the state.
