2023-24 Waterfowl seasons

[thejigger]

We had our Western zone task force meeting yesterday. We were tasked with making our 2024-25 thru 2028-29 season RECOMMENDATIONS based on several different factors. We are meeting again in April to discuss those season recommendations and submit them to the DEC for the final decision. This fall the Mallard limit is back to four birds, no more than two hens, and the Goose season is forty five days with a three bird limit.

Here are the Western zone seasons for 2023-24

Ducks...10/14 to 11/5; 11/25 to 12/31

Geese... 9/1 to 9/25; West Central... 10/28 to 11/26, 12/26 to1/9/2024; South... 10/28 to 11/18, 11/25 to 1/21/2024

Scaup... First 40 days is a bag limit of 1, 2 bird limit is from 12/12 to 12/31

Youth weekend 9/30, 10/1

Veteran... 10/7 and 1/20/2024

Brant... 9/30 to 10/29

[Missdemeanor]

And yet again.... No January Season for Ducks!  I'd say I'm surprised, but I'm not.

    Glad I wasted my time filling out that survey.

 

 

[Frogger]

TJ, 

 

Based on your meeting results from the Western Zone group recommendations, what were the several different factors that you mentioned the group reviewed?  

 

Im interested if if any of the below perceptions / topics were covered; in addition to what the group covered;

 

1. Continued reduction in funds per # hunters for migratory waterfowl habitat support 

2. Continued drop in state rankings for waterfowl hunting

3. Continued drop in sales for state revenue 

4. Continued drop in duck hunting groups from NYS and the surrounding states who no longer hunt NY.

5. Balancing of duck bag limits per species based on seasonality climates

6. NYS DEC Wildlife division is focusing on continued growth in hunter opportunities, while the waterfowl groups are personalizing seasons to their benefits and needs thus reducing hunter opportunities.

 

Last question, how is your group defined by having success or an acceptable  report card?   Is it from within the groups perception that it supports or do you perform statewide feedback or other similar measures that shows the groups positive / negative impacts as a whole?  Be interested in seeing those posted.  Just looking for transparency. 
 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Roys Boys]

Can you propose a duck season that runs to at least the second week of January when the mass majority of ducks show up? Seems like everyone I talk to says the same exact thing

[Roys Boys]

1 hour ago, Missdemeanor said:

And yet again.... No January Season for Ducks!  I'd say I'm surprised, but I'm not.

    Glad I wasted my time filling out that survey.

 

 

It’s crazy.. unfortunately the old timers I hunt with might never see a good diver hunt anymore… Even a couple weekends in January or just something! 

[thejigger]

Misdemeanor, PM sent

[thejigger]

11 hours ago, Missdemeanor said:

And yet again.... No January Season for Ducks!  I'd say I'm surprised, but I'm not.

    Glad I wasted my time filling out that survey.

 

 

I love it when I take my time to inform LOU members of waterfowl items and I get responses like this from people who are uninformed about this topic.  Please, please call me. If I don't answer tonight, call tomorrow, I will be at work and have all day. As for the rest of the replies to my post, I look forward to talking with you and anyone else who has questions. I will PM you my phone #, after I talk to Missdemeanor, so we can have a discussion and not have to rely on my typing skills. Thanks

[Frogger]

TJ, thanks for offering up the chance for me to get more information from you. I for one understand the time put in in addition to your normal work. I sure wasn’t looking for an answer today to my questions.  Looking forward to reviewing the highlights. 

[Missdemeanor]

I don't need explanations....  It obviously doesn't matter what I, or the numerous other people who have similar opinions have.

    Jigger... Every time you post season dates there are comments about January dates.. what did you expect would be different this time?

   I won't waste my time with a phone call... Kinda like when I wasted my time with the survey I filled out....

 

 

 

[thejigger]

That's cool, hide behind your keyboard. If you knew anything about the seasons, you would already know there would be no January dates this year because this is year 5 of the 5 year plan, which NO task force member is in support of. Did you expect your wishes to come true just because you filled out the survey? Do us all a favor and skip it next time. I expect comments on the season dates when I post them, just hoping you would take the time to hear the facts. 

[thejigger]

10 hours ago, Frogger said:

TJ, thanks for offering up the chance for me to get more information from you. I for one understand the time put in in addition to your normal work. I sure wasn’t looking for an answer today to my questions.  Looking forward to reviewing the highlights. 

PM sent

[Roys Boys]

What if I get a bunch of hunters signatures for late January season and present it to the task force? Would that change the dates?

[troutman10]

There's too many groups that want different dates (rich marsh hunters near montezuma, niagara river hunters, southern tier hunters, and FL hunters). Who do you think gets the dates they want??? The seasons can't be split enough to make every area happy so the January guys get screwed. The 2 weeks in January is always the best hunting of the season for FL hunters. 

[thejigger]

On 3/20/2023 at 8:40 AM, Roys Boys said:

What if I get a bunch of hunters signatures for late January season and present it to the task force? Would that change the dates?

PM sent

[sweetflow 2]

Thank you TJ for all the information.

I appreciate you keeping all of us in the loop.

 

 

[D-hock]

I feel like these season changes are in the right direction for this 5 year period. For the 2024-25 to 2028-29 seasons we need at least halfway through January for the diver hunters in the western zone, opener to be pushed back for all zones, and the NE zone needs a bigger split and to go to the end of December. Oneida also needs to be part of the SE zone. Personally I rather shoot divers and fully plumed birds than numbers of woodies and teal early on. To those who hunt the marshes the best hunting is right before that freeze we typically get before Thanksgiving so why not push the start back and have that first split go longer. Honestly if we don’t get a season that goes into January for the 2024-25 season, I’m convinced they could care less about what the real duck hunters hunters have to say.

[MEATMAN]

Thanks for the info. Is the 3 goose limit an across the board limit? Last year my area was only one bird. (South shore of Lake Ontario)  Appreciate any response you may have . Thank yoi.

[thejigger]

Yes, 3 goose limit for 45 days

[anytime]

Just checked the DEC website and it looks like the western zone season is opening on 10/21 this year not the 14th as stated above. Youth days are correct though.

[Goosechaser]

Looks like the breeding pairs for geese dropped from 163K to 115K. Hopefully it's a mistake

[Roys Boys]

How would everyone rate the diver hunting the past 3 years?

[Great_Laker]

Finger Lakes honkers never disappoints with Schreckstoff . Flappy wingers, black dogs, and corn fields are too much fun. The birds are flying boys!!

[schreckstoff]

@thejigger, recognize the decoys? They worked just like you said they would,  thanks for teaching me about them