New duck-hunting zones Minnesota
June 12th, 2006 by Administrator
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is mulling new duck-hunting zones and split seasons in the event federal officials ask states to adopt a hunting season that is shorter than 40 days.
Minnesota has had a liberal, 60-day season for nearly a de-cade, but the U.S. Fish and Wild-life Service is asking states to pick contingency season frameworks for the next five years.
DNR waterfowl biologist Steve Cordts said the DNR must decide every five years how to zone or split the state’s waterfowl seasons in case the season length is reduced.
“We need to make this decision because every five years the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requires states to select a zoning or splitting regulatory framework for the next five-year period,” Cordts said. “The decision — to zone or split — becomes meaningful only if duck seasons are significantly reduced from the 60-day seasons offered in recent years.
“If season length is substantially reduced, we would fall back on our zoning or splitting decision to best manage the season so hunters would have both early- and late-season hunting opportunities,” he said.
Cordts said the DNR wants to hear hunters’ opinions about splitting the season or zoning waterfowl seasons. The decision will be made in July, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is offering three general options:
Establish three hunting zones with no split seasons in any zone.
Establish two zones, each of which can be split into two segments.
Establish no zones but allow the season to be split into three segments.
“Since 1991, Minnesota has always selected the option of splitting the season into three segments to get later-season hunting opportunity and to gain weekend hunting days in years when the season framework was less than 40 days,” said Cordts. “Minnesota has never selected a zoning option.”
From 1991 to 1993, duck seasons were 30 days, and the Minnesota season was split into three segments, he said.
However, some recent surveys suggest hunters might prefer the zoning option. A 2005 survey found support for zoning or simply a short, straight season without a split. Hunters attending 18 public meetings last year tended to favor zoning over splitting the season.
Zoning can be controversial, Cordts acknowledged, because establishing boundary lines will make some hunters who hunt near the boundaries unhappy. It can also encourage hunters to shift from zone to zone to take advantage of open season, raising the level of competition for spots.
Yet, zoning and season splitting have advantages. If there is a shortened duck season from 2006 to 2010, the DNR can use the options to make sure hunters can take advantage of the early part of the season and still provide some late-season hunting.
The DNR will decide on zoning or splitting options in July.
To comment on zoning or splitting options, send e-mail to waterfowl@dnr.state.mn.us.