Nebraska to Have Statewide Early Teal Season

LINCOLN – Nebraska will have a statewide early teal hunting season in September.

As in the past, hunting will take place in the High Plains and Low Plains zones. But this year those zones are identical to duck zones and cover the entire state. That means the entire state will be open to early teal hunting.

The portion of Nebraska that previously had been closed to early teal season– roughly the northern half of the state – will have an experimental early teal season. In that area, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will monitor hunters’ attempted take of non-teal species.

The 2014 season dates are Sept. 6-14 in the High Plains zone and Sept. 6-21 in the Low Plains zone.

“The continuation of the teal season in northern Nebraska is solely dependent on hunters and their ability to distinguish teal from other duck species,” said Mark Vrtiska, Game and Parks’ waterfowl program manager. “We’ll be evaluating the rate at which non-target species are shot at or taken. If the rate is considered unacceptable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we’ll lose the teal season in northern Nebraska.”

Although duck hunters need exercise caution about identifying ducks in all seasons, it’s especially important with the September teal season.Those who take or attempt to take ducks other than teal also will be subject to prosecution.

To view or download Game and Parks’ 2014 Early Teal Guide, visit OutdoorNebraska.org. Printed guides are available at Game and Parks’ Lincoln headquarters, 2200 N. 33^rdSt., and soon will be available wherever permits are sold.