Long Island 2014-2014 Waterfowl season Task force

F

Frank Lopez

New member
Hello all,

I am a member of the task force that is charged with making the recommendations of the upcoming waterfowl season on Long Island. Over the last few years, many of you (us) have been a little disappointed with the season dates. The anticipated Federal Framework can be found at htt[URL="http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/wffedfrmewk14.pdf"]p://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/wffedfrmewk14.pdf and will give you some background and the base requirements. I've posted over several forums and am developing a consensus of what Long Island Waterfowlers would like to see as far as season dates. I would appreciate any input that you make that will help form that consensus. Please keep in mind that not everyone will be completely satisfied with the recommendations that will be made by the Task Force, but I will try my best to make sure that it is the best compromise possible.

Thank you for any input.

Frank
 
Frank,

It would be nice to be able to gun on Thanksgiving day again.
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Hi John,

Yes, It would. This is one of the things that prompted me to get involved with the task force. I'm very much in favor of a traditional LI split season. For two reasons. First, in most years, the local birds are usually gone by the beginning of December and the flights haven't started. A split season would give us a chance at the locals before they migrated. Second, with all the effort for the youth seasons as a method of promoting the sport (a great idea, in my opinion), I think that we leave out a very important demographic. Thanksgiving break is the time when high schoolers finally get some time off from studies, sports and after schook activities. It is also the time when college students come home. These two groups are important. I see a lot of this age group during the Thanksgiving holiday split. Most are a little upset about the loss of even a single day of the season over that period.

Given the calendar this year, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll be out there on Thanksgiving morning. Thanksgiving is exactly 60 days before January 26, the last possible day. I've posted around on several other venues and gotten a pretty good response rate from most. The consensus for the duck season right now seems to be a split season opening Nov 22 and closing the Nov 30. Then reopen Dec 6 and run through the last Sunday in January (Jan 25). Brant looks to be a 50 day season that can run through the end of January (Jan31), so it remains to be seen how that will work out. Most things look like they are falling in place, but I'd really like to hear about the western zone for geese.

Frank
 
I to support a split with thanksgiving open.

Frank, thanks for volunteering your time , it can be a thankless position.
 
I support a regular season running as late as allowed. If this can support a split season with some days around Thanksgiving and that weekend after that would be good. I would also say that if the Thanksgiving is a good opportunity for young hunters then have the brant open then and delay the brant opening for the second split.
 
I support a regular season running as late as allowed. If this can support a split season with some days around Thanksgiving and that weekend after that would be good. I would also say that if the Thanksgiving is a good opportunity for young hunters then have the brant open then and delay the brant opening for the second split.
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Peter,

The split and having the season run as late as possible are really two different issues. Typically, the Long Island season runs as late as allowed by the federal framework. In this year's case, that's Sunday January 25. The season can be a maximum of 60 days long. If you count back 60 days from the latest end date (Jan 25) this year it falls on Thanksgiving. But, a split season, opening say Nov 22 and closing Nov 30, then reopening on Dec 6 and running through Jan 35 would allow the hunting of local birds and early migrators, such as teal. In my experience, there is a period of time between Thanksgiving and somewhere near mid December when most of the local birds have migrated and before the flights have arrived. A split along those lines would a) take advantage of fairly typical migration patterns and b) include the maximum number of weekend days available to hunt. Under this scenario, there would be 10 weekends vs 9 if the season were to open Thanksgiving Day and run straight to the end.

Still, I appreciate everyone's input. Keep it coming.

Frank
 
I was satisfied with the season setup this year regarding ducks and brant.The later the better in my opinion and including Thanksgiving.BUT I am on the western Nassau end of the Island and really like the late March Goose hunt we had last year..sure missed that..nothing to do in March anyway and the marshes are barren of people.Seemed like less brant this year and way more black ducks.I would favor the brant limit dropped to 1 and the blacks upped to 2.(Too many multiple hunting parties out there blasting away at flocks of brant)Gunning the marsh on Thanksgiving morning was always a tradition in my Dad's home and now mine.Didnt like when that was cut out. Plus we should be allowed to take teal during the early goose season..
And 1 Mute swan (or more) per person per year, but thats another story......
 
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I was satisfied with the season setup this year regarding ducks and brant.The later the better in my opinion and including Thanksgiving.BUT I am on the western Nassau end of the Island and really like the late March Goose hunt we had last year..sure missed that..nothing to do in March anyway and the marshes are barren of people.Seemed like less brant this year and way more black ducks.I would favor the brant limit dropped to 1 and the blacks upped to 2.(Too many multiple hunting parties out there blasting away at flocks of brant)Gunning the marsh on Thanksgiving morning was always a tradition in my Dad's home and now mine.Didnt like when that was cut out. Plus we should be allowed to take teal during the early goose season..
And 1 Mute swan (or more) per person per year, but thats another story......
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I'm fairly sure that some of what your asking for would fall into the federal guidelines. For example swapping a brant for a blackduck or teal in early goose. I don't live in NY but I am sure that they still need to fit within the federal framework for season dates and bag limits.
 
Yes Brandon you are spot on. The Sept Goose hunt is state regulated and ends on the 25th. No ducks can be taken prior to Sept 24th in any zone. Ny is not allowed a teal season. Black duck take of 1 a day is tied to Canadian harvest numbers . New yorkers are very lucky, we have 4 zones plus Lake Champlain. Our season opens in Sept and ends in April you just to be willing to travel.
 
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