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Show Waterfowl Hunt Opens Saturday Utah's 1988 waterfowl hunting season will begin Saturday, Oct 8, at noon amid guarded predictions of better hunting. Ducks, Wilson's snipe, and coot may be hunted through Dec. 4; geese and swan (permit holders only) will be legal game through Jan. 1, 1989. With most of northern Utah still recovering from the devastating effects ef-fects of flooding in 1983-84, and with severe drought impacting the U.S. and Canadian prairies, season bag limits for ducks will remain conservative. The daily bag limit will be for four ducks, including no more than three mallards (but only one female mallard), no more than two redheads, and no more than one pintail. The season is closed on canvasback ducks this year. The daily bag limit for geese will be five birds, no more than two of which may be dark geese (Canada white-fronted, or brant), nor more than three which may be while geese (snow, blue or Ross'). Usually only Canada geese arc found in any numbers in Garfield County, thus a two-bird limit. Utah's 2,500 swan permit holders hold-ers may expect a slightly better flight of swans this year, thanks to better wetlands conditions in northern north-ern Utah. Near Panguitch, a small group of swans spend the winter on two warm spring-fed ponds. Due to heavy hunting pressure for several years, the swan population wintering winter-ing in Panguitch Valley has decreased. de-creased. The ponds also occur on private lands inhabited by many livestock. In cooperation with Panguitch Conservation Officer Norman Mc-Kce, Mc-Kce, the landowner has decided to deny access for hunting all waterfowl. water-fowl. Signs will be posted and trespass laws will be enforced. Hunters are reminded always to ask permission to use private lands and to respect those areas posted no trespass. A new regulation this year limits lim-its legal shooting times to the hours between sunrise and sunset. The old hours were one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after af-ter sunset. The new regulation should allow hunters a better opportunity to identify birds before they shoot. Waterfowl hunting reg- ulations this season reflect a continuing con-tinuing trend requiring hunters to identify birds before they shoot. According to Tom Aldrich, Division Di-vision of Wildlife Resources walcr-fowl walcr-fowl program coordinator, the pintail pin-tail breeding populations throughout through-out the fly way is down another 18 percent from last year, 54 percent below the long-term average. This dramatic decline in pintail numbers prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to call for a reduced harvest of pintails until the birds recover. Utah's one pintail bag limit reflects concern over the decline of the pintail, which traditionally has made up a large percentage of the hunter's bag in Utah. McKee also reminds waterfowl hunters to plug shotguns before hunting, and both state and federal waterfowl stamps are required for all hunters age 16 or older. He reminds hunters to be aware of regulations controlling hunting around dwellings and livestock. Hunters under age 16 must be accompanied by an authorized adult. Waterfowl proclamations are now available at license agents for use in becoming familiar wilh hunting regulations. |
