Duck Season

[Joe T]

Just got home from South Shore Waterfowlers Assn meeting.  Lively discussion on duck season.  Only consensus was that current dates and split are bad.  Voting was pretty evenly split between “late and straight” season- starting with Jan 31 count 60 days back to start in beginning of December.  Second place was a brief first season starting Thanksgiving day through the Sunday (4 days) and then a 56 day season to Jan 31.  The idea of both is to add on a few extra days to end of season when it is colder.  Your thoughts? #longislandduck #duckseason

[Robhuntandfish]

I am also diving into ducks this season.  The seasons here are completely different and close in mid December.   I wish we had as late a season into Jan esp with the warm weather we have these days,  but I am glad they changed a couple of things last year from the year before.  In 2022 the goose limit after the early season was 1 and now its 3.  So when the duck and goose seasons overlap for a bit I will be looking forward to that.  Up here early goose opens Sept 1 -25th and can take 15.   I plan to try that for at least a day.  Then Duck opens Oct 21 and plan to be out then for sure although goose and duck wont over lap again til later in the season.  I have acquired decoys, a boat, shells, calls etc now just need to prep for what spot by the ponds on our property.  In the fall they are generally loaded with black duck so hoping we can figure it out enough to get a few.   Good luck and keep us posted on your season 

Edited February 6 by Robhuntandfish

[Larry]

The Feds set the frame work and then the state sets where the days are placed in side that frame work. The Feds also set the number of days and bag limits. The goose season can't open before the 4th Saturday in October. In the Western Zone. No matter what there will always be a split season in all the zones in the state.

[Joe T]

3 hours ago, Rusty said:

@Joe T  is hooked, and that's so great to see!  As a new hunter, what you are going to find is that the more you get involved in things like this the more connections you are going to make.   And the more connections you make the more opportunities will open up for you.   

Rusty you are so right!  I met my hunting buddy through SSWA and now another potential one for next year who is going to join me for dog training over the spring and summer!

 

 

 

 

[Joe T]

@Larry the debate was whether we should not have a break and start and end later, or whether having a session around Thanksgiving is valuable for family hunters.  The deer guys were also upset with conflicts over their season opener and duck season.  All the is quite new to me and interesting!  Stuff you never think about as a non hunter

[Larry]

2 hours ago, Joe T said:

@Larry the debate was whether we should not have a break and start and end later, or whether having a session around Thanksgiving is valuable for family hunters.  The deer guys were also upset with conflicts over their season opener and duck season.  All the is quite new to me and interesting!  Stuff you never think about as a non hunter

That's what happened here in the Western Zone they changed the split. the split was moved from the 4th Saturday in October to the 3rd Saturday and closes before the deer season opens. Then it opens back up the Saturday after Thanksgiving and run till about the 5th of January. I don't know what's going to happen this year with Thanksgiving running late this year 

[Larry]

this year the opener is going to be October 12th in the western zone and close November 3rd.  then reopen on December 7th - January 12th.

if these dates sand all the zones except Long Island open on the same day for the first part. that sucks. the state going to hear about this especially  the guys from Syracuse. 

[Robhuntandfish]

1 hour ago, Larry said:

this year the opener is going to be October 12th in the western zone and close November 3rd.  then reopen on December 7th - January 12th.

if these dates sand all the zones except Long Island open on the same day for the first part. that sucks. the state going to hear about this especially  the guys from Syracuse. 

I wish our opener was the 12th .  It's looking like it's going to be the 19th here and will prob get just the opener weekend in for ducks since it's getting close to the best time for deer hunting.  The 12th would be perfect esp having a long weekend for Columbus Day 

Edited February 26 by Robhuntandfish

[Bucksnbows]

Last fall was the first time in decades that I went duck hunting. Our first foray was jump shooting ten different ponds for mostly woodies with mergansers and mallards mixed in. Later in the season, we sat over 2 or 3 decoys and shot mallards in the big beaver pond. Can’t wait for this coming fall and doing it more often. Darned good eating!