Duck hunting to open Sept. 27

Minnesota's 2003 duck season will open Saturday, Sept. 27 and close Nov. 25. The season and daily bag limit are similar to last year, except canvasback and pintail seasons are restricted to 30 days each.

Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day is Saturday, Sept. 20.

The regular opener begins at noon and closes at 4 p.m. The DNR has made a commitment to pursue a rule that will open the season at 9 a.m. beginning in 2004, said Tim Bremicker, DNR wildlife division director.

The daily bag limit is six ducks and may not include more than four mallards (only two of which are females), three scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, and one black duck. One pintail may be taken during the 30-day open season from Saturday, Sept. 27 through Oct. 26. One canvasback may be taken for the 30-day season from Saturday, Oct. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 9. Possession limits are twice the daily bag limits.

Except for opening day, shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. daily through Saturday, Oct. 11, and from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset beginning Sunday, Oct. 12, through the close of the season.

Decoys with visible moving parts that are above the water surface may not be used to take waterfowl other than geese on public waters from Sept. 27 through Oct. 11. Public water includes all basins where the state or federal government owns shoreline or provides public access, or basins which are listed in the Public Waters Inventory. Maps identifying public waters are available at www.dnr.state.mn.us.

Minnesota's regular goose season opens in conjunction with the duck season on Sept. 27 except for Canada goose seasons in the West-Central zone, including the former Lac qui Parle Goose Zone, which open Saturday, Oct. 11. The Lac qui Parle goose zone and harvest index are being dropped this year due to changes in goose hunter distribution and goose migration.

The number of days of regular and special Canada goose hunting seasons are the same as last year in each zone. Daily bag limits are the same as last year.

The early Canada goose season opens statewide on Saturday, Sept. 6 and closes Monday, Sept. 22, except in the Northwest Zone, where it closes Sept. 15. A special early and late goose-hunting permit is required. Restrictions on hunting within 100 yards of surface water have been dropped in much of the state, though it continues in the Northwest, Southeast, and Twin Cities Goose Zones and in Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area and an area surrounding Swan Lake in Nicollet County. Consult the Hunting Regulations Handbook for details.

December Canada goose seasons are offered statewide except in the West-Central Goose Zone, which includes Lac qui Parle. Late-season hunters must have a Special Goose Hunt Permit, which is valid for both early and late special goose seasons. The late season is Dec. 6 to Dec. 15, except in the Southeast Goose Zone, where the season opens Dec. 12 and closes Dec. 21.

Waterfowl seasons will not be finalized until early September. However, it's unlikely that season frameworks will be different from above.