Nebraska Sets Waterfowl Seasons

LINCOLN, Nebraska --- The Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners set the 2009 waterfowl hunting seasons and expanded deer hunting opportunities Friday at its regular meeting in Lincoln.

The early teal and early Canada goose seasons begin Sept. 5. The early teal season was moved up one week following a public hearing at the board's July meeting. The early Canada goose and youth waterfowl seasons were moved up to align with the early teal season.

In addition to the waterfowl seasons, the board addressed big game hunting. In an effort to allow more people to participate in the new October Antlerless deer hunting season, holders of youth, landowner and Season Choice Areas 18 and 21 permits now may hunt during that season this fall.

They may hunt in areas described for Season Choice Areas 18 and 21 with legal weapons for firearm season during the October Antlerless season, which is Oct. 9-11.

Commissioners used Friday's meeting to approve other waterfowl changes since their July meeting:

-- Restricted seasons for pintail and canvasback were expanded to coincide with the regular duck seasons.

-- The bag limit for scaup was increased from one to two and the bag limit for wood ducks was increased from two to three.

-- Changes were made to the light goose conservation action to reduce the potential impact on sandhill and whooping cranes along the Central Platte valley. In Zone 2, the conservation action closes April 1. Also in Zone 2, the buffer zone in which no hunting is allowed was reduced from 5 miles to 3 beginning after March 11.

The 2009 waterfowl hunting seasons are: Dark Goose - East Unit, Oct. 24 - Jan. 27; Platte River Unit, Oct. 24 - Feb. 5; Niobrara Unit, Oct. 24 - Feb. 5; North Central Unit, Oct. 10 - Jan. 22; Panhandle Unit, Nov. 7 - Feb. 5. Light Goose - Regular Season, Oct. 10 - Jan. 8 and Jan. 23 - Feb. 5; Conservation Action, Zone 1, Feb. 6 - April 18; Zone 2, Feb. 6 - April 1; Zone 3, Feb. 6 - April 18.White-fronted Goose - Oct. 10 - Dec. 20. Duck (including Pintail and Canvasback) and Coot - Low Plains Early, Oct. 10 - Dec. 20 and Dec. 26-27; Low Plains Late, Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24 - Jan. 3; High Plains, Oct. 10 - Jan. 13.Early Canada Goose - Sept. 5-13.Early Teal - High Plains, Sept. 5-13; Low Plains, Sept. 5-20.Youth Waterfowl - Sept. 26-27.Falconry - Extended Season: Low Plains, Sept. 1-30; High Plains, Sept. 5-13; Regular Season: Low Plains Early, Oct. 10- 20 and Dec. 26-27; Low Plains Late, Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24 - Jan. 3; High Plains, Oct. 10 - Jan. 13.

(DU Photo)