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Show I Waterfowl season ! delayed one week The Utah Wildlife Board last Thursday Thurs-day voted to open the waterfowl season on October 8. one week later than originally proposed. Announcing their decision, the Board cited testimony from Division of Wildlife Resources waterfowl biologists, who said the seven-day delay would give newly hatched ducks enough time to master flight before the hunting season. Al Regenthal, Divison of Wildlife Resources waterfowl coordinator, told the Board that delayed nesting on the marshes, a result of spring flooding conditions at marshes along the Wasatch Front, was "good news and bad news." He said the good news is that late-season production was up by 35 percent over earlier predictions. The bad news is the newly-hatched birds can't yet fly. a factor which could make them more vulnerable to hunters in early October. But Regenthal Regen-thal says he's confident most flightless young could be in the air by the October Oc-tober 8 opener. The Wildlife Board extended the closing date of the waterfowl hunt to Jan. 8, allowing hunters a 93-day season as originally proposed. No other significant changes were made from last year's hunting regulations. Goose hunting will also open Oct. 8. amid predictions of an excellent hunting hun-ting season. Regenthal reported to board members that the 1983 wintering winter-ing population of Canada geese in Utah was "at or higher than it has ever been." Aerial surveys estimated the population at 73,000 birds, well above the management guideline of 50,000 set by the Pacific Flyway Council. |