| New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife | |
 |
 |
For more information contact:
Paul Castelli at 609-748-2047 or
Larry Herrighty at 609-984-6214
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 11 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 2000-2001 will also be introduced. Sportsmen and women are encouraged to attend, ask questions and provide us with their input."
The proposed 2000-2001 waterfowl hunting season dates are tentative until approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later this summer and provide 164 days of waterfowl hunting opportunity in New Jersey, beginning September 1 with resident Canada geese and ending March 10 with the south zone snow goose season.
"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. "Duck populations in the mid-continent as well as in eastern areas remain high and we expect the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to offer a liberal hunting regulation alternative of 60 days. For geese, poor spring weather conditions in the eastern arctic are expected to result in below average production of Atlantic brant, greater snow geese and migrant Canada geese, however, no change in season length or bag limits are anticipated for these species."
Atlantic flyway biologists will discuss proposals for additional hunting opportunities on resident geese at the Atlantic Flyway Council meeting in late July. Any additional resident goose hunting opportunities that result will be discussed at the waterfowl seminar on August 11. 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 | 2000 Status of Waterfowl Video |
| 8:30PM | 2000 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 |
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 and 4 bufflehead.
CANADA GOOSE -15 days Regular Canada goose season with compensation for Sundays (15 hunting days)
Daily bag limit 1 Canada goose
ATLANTIC BRANT - 50 days with compensation for Sundays (50 hunting days)
Daily bag limit: 2 Atlantic brant
SNOW GOOSE - 107 days with compensation for Sundays (107 hunting days)
Daily bag limit: 15 snow geese (no possession limit on snow geese)
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)
YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING DAY - Sept 30, 2000
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. 22 - Jan. 6
CROWS - Aug. 7 - Mar. 17 (Mon., Thur., Fri. & Sat.)
WOODCOCK - (24 days)
Consult the Fish & Wildlife DIGEST and NJ 2000-2001 Migratory Bird Supplement for more complete information about hunting seasons and regulations. Available at all license agents and Division offices.