HOOK AND FUR By Bob Brown Even though a record number of ducks have been counted on northern breeding grounds, Washington waterfowl hunters will not see any big changes in hunting opportunities this year. Under the waterfowl hunting package approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Aug. 7- 8, most hunting opportunities will be similar to last year. Statewide duck season will be open for 107 days, starting Oct. 17-21 and continuing Oct. 24 to Jan. 31. A special youth hunting weekend also is scheduled for Sept. 19-20. Limits for mallards, pintail, scaup, redhead, golden eye, harlequin, scoter and long-tailed ducks will remain the same as last season, but the commission raised the daily bag limit for canvasback from one to two per day because of increasing numbers throughout North America. Goose hunting seasons will vary among management areas across the state, but most will open mid-October through late-January. The commission did approve several changes to goose hunting seasons in southwest Washington. Those changes include: " Closing the season for dusky Canada geese to ensure protection of the birds in areas where this small subspecies population winter. For other geese, the general hunting season was extended into March. " Adding of Clark County to Goose Management Area 2A, and Grays Harbor County to Goose Management Area 2B. " The elimination of check stations for geese, and instead, increasing field checks to monitor harvest. The commission did not take action on a proposal to require hunters to pass a new goose identification test before receiving authorization to hunt in Goose Management Areas 2A and 2 B. Instead, the current testing requirements to hunt in those areas will remain in effect for this season. Another option was added to the Skagit County brant hunting season scheduled for early January. In previous years, WDFW opened the Skagit brant hunt for eight days when at least 6,000 brant were counted during early aerial surveys in the region. The new rule authorizes the department to open a three-day hunt when counts exceed 3,000 brants, but below the 6,000-bird threshold. Goose and duck approved hunting seasons by the commission are based on state and federal waterfowl population estimates and guidelines. According to those estimates, a record number of ducks-approximately 49.5 million were on northern grounds this past spring in Canada and United States . That's slightly more than last year's record 49.2 million ducks on breeding grounds. Details on waterfowl hunting seasons are available on the WDFW website.
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