New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife

June 11, 2001

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife and the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs will host a waterfowl seminar on Friday, August 3, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. at the L&H Plumbing Training Center, 109 North Oberlin Avenue in Lakewood, Ocean County.

"The seminar will offer waterfowl hunters an opportunity to learn more about the status of various waterfowl populations in New Jersey and current management and research programs," said Division Director Bob McDowell. "Proposed waterfowl hunting dates for 2001-2002 will also be reviewed. Sportsmen and women are encouraged to attend, ask questions and provide us with their input."

The proposed 2001-2002 waterfowl hunting season dates are tentative until approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later this summer.

"The proposed seasons are designed to provide hunting opportunity at the times desired by the majority of waterfowl hunters while maintaining healthy waterfowl populations," said Larry Herrighty, Chief of the Division's Bureau of Wildlife Management. "The proposed seasons provide 163 days of waterfowl hunting opportunity in New Jersey, beginning September 1 with resident Canada geese and ending March 9, 2002 with the south zone snow goose season."

"Duck populations in the eastern production areas remain high and we expect the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to offer a liberal hunting regulation alternative of 60 days," said Paul Castelli, the Division's Waterfowl Program Leader. "As of early June, geese are experiencing good spring weather conditions in the eastern arctic. If current weather conditions continue, we should see average to good production of Atlantic brant, greater snow geese and migrant Atlantic population Canada geese."

No change in season length or bag limits are anticipated for brant, whose population is currently at an intermediate level, or snow geese, which already have the most liberal season allowed.

The regular fall Canada goose season length and bag limit is expected to double to a two bird, 30-day season. For the last two years, New Jersey has had a one bird, 15-day fall goose season.

Prior to the Waterfowl Seminar, Atlantic flyway biologists will meet in Quebec City to discuss waterfowl species status and hunting season proposals at the Atlantic Flyway Council meeting in late July. Results of these discussions and final hunting proposals will be presented at the waterfowl seminar on August 3. Comments on the proposed season dates should be submitted in writing to the Division of Fish and Wildlife, P.O. Box 400, Trenton, NJ 08625-0400 or in person at the seminar.

7:30PM	Introductory Remarks
			Frank Bittner, Past President
			New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs 

7:40PM	Current Waterfowl Issues
			Bob McDowell, Director, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
	
7:50PM	New Jersey Duck Stamp Program Report
			Don Wilkinson, Wildlife Biologist, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife

8:00PM	2001 Status of Waterfowl Video

8:30PM	2001 Waterfowl Season Dates
			Paul Castelli, Waterfowl Biologist, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife

8:50PM	New Jersey Waterfowler's Association
			Reports and Upcoming Events

9:00PM	New Jersey Ducks Unlimited
			Projects and Reports

9:10PM	Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

9:20PM	Question and Answer Period

PROPOSED NEW JERSEY 2001-02 WATERFOWL SEASON INFORMATION 
(As of June 3, 2001)
Consult the NJ 2001-2002 Migratory Bird Regulations for final details.

DUCKS 60 days with compensation for Sundays (60 hunting days)  
Daily bag limit: 6 ducks, which may NOT include more than 1 black duck, 1 pintail, 1 canvasback, 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads,
4 mallards (not more than 2 hen mallards), 3 scaup, 4 scoters, or 4 bufflehead.
	North Zone: Oct. 13 - Nov. 3	Nov. 17 - Jan. 3                         
	South Zone: Oct. 20 - Nov. 3	Nov. 13 - Jan. 5                  
	Coastal Zone: Nov. 3 - Nov. 13	Nov. 22 - Jan. 19
 
CANADA GOOSE (TENTATIVE REGULATION)
30 days Regular Canada goose season with compensation for Sundays (30 hunting days)
Daily bag limit: 2 Canada goose
	North Zone:	Nov. 17 - Nov. 24	Dec. 25 - Jan.19                       
	South Zone:	Nov. 22 - Dec. 01	Dec. 27 - Jan.19
	Coastal Zone: Nov. 22 - Nov. 24		Dec. 20 - Jan.19
September and Winter seasons daily bag limit: 5 Canada geese (No permit required)
September Season (Statewide, 25 days):	Sept. 1 - Sept. 29
Special Winter Season (Two Zones, 23 days):	Jan. 21 - Feb. 15

ATLANTIC BRANT 50 days with compensation for Sundays (50 hunting days) 
Daily bag limit: 2 Atlantic brant
North Zone:	Oct. 13 - Nov. 3	Nov. 22 - Dec. 27
South Zone:	Oct. 20 - Nov. 3	Nov. 17 - Dec. 29
Coastal Zone: Nov.  3 - Nov. 13		Nov. 22 - Jan.  8
                                                                   
SNOW GOOSE 107 days with compensation for Sundays (107 hunting days) 
Daily bag limit: 15 snow geese (no possession limit on snow geese)
North Zone: 	Oct. 13- Feb. 15
South Zone:	Oct. 20- Oct. 26	Nov. 13 - Mar.9
Coastal Zone: Oct.  3 - Jan. 19		Jan.21 - Feb. 15
Hunting permitted Mon., Thur., Fri. & Sat. Hunting closed Tues., Wed., & Sun.
                                                                         
SEA DUCKS 107 days with compensation for Sundays (107 hunting days)    
Daily bag limit: 7 except no more than 4 may be scoters (in sea duck area)
	Sept. 18 - Jan 19

YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING DAY - Sept. 22
Daily bag limit for ducks and brant same as regular season.  Canada goose limit 5.
	
RAILS AND GALLINULE (70 days) Sept. 1 - Nov. 9
SNIPE (107 days) Sept. 21 - Jan. 5
CROWS	Aug. 6 - Mar. 16 (Mon., Thur., Fri., & Sat.)
WOODCOCK (24 days)
	North Zone: Oct. 25 - Nov. 17
	South Zone:	Nov. 10 - Nov. 24 Dec. 21 - Dec. 29