DNR proposal: Let duck season begin earlier

Minnesota's duck season could start a week earlier than usual if a proposal by the Department of Natural Resources is accepted by the Legislature.

The Legislature in 2005 passed a law declaring the duck season can't open before the Saturday nearest Oct. 1. That has prevented Minnesota from opening the season earlier than that, even though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows the state to open the season the Saturday nearest Sept. 24.

"We're asking them to repeal the law," said Dennis Simon, DNR wildlife management section chief. The DNR then could set the duck opener by rule. Under the federal guideline, the opener could occur as early as Sept. 21. That's likely too early, Simon said. But he said the DNR might choose to set the opener on the Saturday nearest Sept. 28. Under that scenario, the earliest the season could open would be Sept. 24.

"It would be an attempt to increase the harvest of early migrants, primarily wood ducks and teal," Simon said.

Last fall, an early cold snap sent wood ducks and teal south before the duck season. Officials say they believe that hurt early-season hunter success.

"There are tradeoffs," Simon said, "because we would have to cut a week off the back end of the season. And there are a lot of hunters who like that late-season hunting. We could consider a split [season] or maybe a zone and a split.

"We would take it to public input meetings to see what people want."

Goose hunting changes? The DNR also is considering major changes to the state's Canada goose hunting season that would greatly simplify things for hunters. Under the plan, the five goose hunting zones in the state would be reduced to three -- the northwest, southeast and the rest of the state. The season would be expanded to 85 days and there would be a three-bird bag limit.

The plan needs to be approved by the Mississippi Flyway Council this summer.

"The idea would be to provide more opportunity for Canada goose harvest and help us maintain control of the population," Simon said.

It would increase goose harvest by an estimated 15 percent.

But if successful, Simon said the DNR then could reduce the September Canada goose season and lessen waterfowl disturbance on waters. Some hunters fear that such disturbance forces some ducks out of the state before the duck season opens.

DOUG SMITH