Nebraskaland Magazine
LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners approved recommendations for the 2014 waterfowl and crow hunting seasons at a meeting Aug. 29 in Grand Island.
The 2014 waterfowl and crow seasons are:
Duck and Coot – Zone 1: Oct. 11-Dec. 23; Zone 2: Oct. 4-Dec. 16 in Low Plains and Oct.4-Dec. 16 and Jan. 4-25 in High Plains; Zone 3: Oct. 22-Jan. 3 in Low Plains and Oct. 22-Jan. 3 and Jan. 4-25 in High Plains; Zone 4: Oct. 4-Dec. 16; Daily Bag Limit: six (with restrictions); Daily Possession Limit: 18
Youth – Zone 1: Oct. 4-5; Zone 2: Sept. 27-28; Zone 3: Oct. 18-19; Zone 4: Sept. 27-28; Daily Bag and Possession Limits: Same as duck
Dark Goose – East Unit: Oct. 27-Feb.8; North Central Unit: Oct. 4-Jan. 16; Platte River Unit: Oct. 27-Feb.8; Panhandle Unit: Oct. 27-Feb.8; Niobrara Unit: Oct. 27-Feb.8; Daily Bag Limit: five; Possession Limit: 15
White-fronted Goose – Statewide: Oct. 4-Dec. 12 and Jan. 31-Feb. 1; Daily Bag Limit: two in Oct.-Dec. and one in Jan.-Feb.; Possession Limit: six in Oct.-Dec. and three in Jan.-Feb.
Light Goose – Statewide: Oct. 4-Dec. 31 and Jan. 24-Feb. 8; Daily Bag Limit: 50; Possession Limit: None
Light Goose Conservation Order – Rainwater Basin Zone: Feb. 9-April 5; East Zone: Feb. 9-April 15; West Zone: Feb. 9-April 5. Daily Bag and Possession Limits: None
Crow – Statewide: Oct. 1-Nov. 15 and Jan. 20-April 6; Special Public Health Hazard: Nov. 16-Jan. 19
Falconry – Season dates are concurrent, in each zone, with teal, youth and duck seasons. However, in the Low Plains portion of state, additional falconry days are Feb. 25-March 10.
The two-zone format for the Light Goose Conservation Order has been changed to three zones, with the new East Zone getting 10 additional days to harvest light geese. The East Zone includes the part of the state east of U.S. Highway 81 but outside of the Rainwater Basin Zone.
The following daily bag limit changes were approved: increase the light goose regular season limit from 20 to 50 and the scaup limit from two to three, and decrease the canvasback limit from two to one.
Early teal season dates were set in July. The season is Sept. 6-21 in the Low Plains and Sept. 6-14 in the High Plains.
The commissioners also approved:
— an amendment that will make it more convenient to bone out and compactly transport two halves of the breast of a harvested turkey;
— the operating and capital improvement budget request for fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017;
— a cooperative agreement for Arbor Lodge State Historical Park with the Arbor Day Foundation. The five-year agreement, in which Game and Parks will retain ownership of the park and the foundation will operate it, begins Oct. 1;
— a plan to allow hunting in some state parks and state historical parks. The plan is similar to past years, but it now includes teal hunting opportunities at Ponca State Park.
A lottery drawing was held for the state’s lone authorized bighorn sheep hunting permit for 2014. Johnny Barta of Western was the winner. The season is Dec. 2-22.
