Posted 8:18 pm Thursday, June 04, 2009
Commissioners OK Season Changes; TPWD Waits On Feds
Not all the news out of last week's Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting was as costly as the license-fee increase.
There actually was good news, beginning with the commission approving a 70-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit for dove. However, it is not a done deal until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gives final approval.
The change -- hunters in the Central and South zones have been limited to 12 birds, while those in the North faced a 60-day season -- is expected to be part of a season framework to be approved by the Service later this month for 14 states in the Central Management Unit that includes Texas.
The possible expansion back to 15 doves within a 70-day season is a flip-flop from predictions in recent years when department biologists were saying bag limits might decline.
Unlike in years past, the FWS is working with a more regional adaptive harvest management plan. Under the plan there are three season structures, liberal with a 22-bird bag limit, moderate with 15 and conservative with eight.
Corey Mason, TPWD's dove program leader, said looking at the past 30 years in Texas the state would have fallen into the moderate range each year. Mason has said the more liberal bag is an indication that biologists don't think hunting is impacting dove populations.
MORE DAYS, MORE BIRDS: If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approves expected changes, Texas dove hunters could spend even more time looking for lost birds this fall.
Commissioners did approve a change that will move the opening of the season in the South Zone to the Friday nearest Sept. 20, but no earlier than Sept. 17. This year it would open Sept. 18 depending on federal framework.
A change could be coming for duck hunters. The Central Flyways' three-year Hunters' Choice experiment has run its course and it appears Texas hunters will return to a six-bird daily bag limit and most likely a liberal, 74-day season.
"In reality, it almost was canceled last year because they had a closed season on canvasbacks," said Dave Morrison, TPWD's waterfowl program leader. "USFWS let us have it because the harvest in the Central Flyway would be below the allowable harvest in the models."
Morrison said the early outlook for duck nesting success is good. There is the possibility of a full season for pintails and canvasbacks nationwide, making for a more liberal season than what hunters would have under Hunters' Choice.
"Could we be more restrictive than the feds? Yes. Texas could have Hunters' Choice because it is more restrictive, but I am not sure I am big enough to do that," he said, thinking of the potential hunter backlash.
Morrison said that while hunters will enjoy a liberal season if that is the guideline this year, the goal of Hunters' Choice was to show that there could be a limit that absorbs the highs and lows of population swings.
"It is designed to quit chasing populations and have a long-term bag limit that hunters could live with," he explained.
Going back to a six-bird bag, the daily bag limit is expected to be five mallards (of which only two may be hens), three wood ducks, two scaup, two redheads, one pintail, one canvasback, and one "dusky duck" (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids).
The third wood duck is an increase from two last season. Texas and other Central Flyway states lost out on the third bird last fall by staying in the Hunters' Choice option.
The USFWS will not announce its waterfowl guidelines until late June. TPWD is currently seeking public comments on items involving waterfowl season. One of the changes is an option for taking the duck season to the last Sunday in January. At this time TPWD's waterfowl staff is recommending the season close the Sunday nearest Jan. 20 because of biological concerns.
The department is recommending a season in the North and South zones that would run Oct. 31 through Nov. 29 and Dec. 12 through Jan. 24. A youth-only season would be held Oct. 24-25 to avoid conflict with the youth deer season.
In the High Plains Mallard Management Unit waterfowl, the proposed season is Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 30 through Jan. 24. A youth-only season would be held Oct. 17-18.
Public comment on waterfowl seasons may be sent to Dave Morrison, TPWD Waterfowl Program Leader, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, 78744 or e-mail dave.morrison@tpwd.state.tx.us.
