Commission approves changes to migratory bird seasons

With migratory bird season just around the corner, hunters are reminded to check the season dates and harvest limits recently set by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners.

The most important change to take notice of this season is that duck season has been moved from the second Saturday in October to a week later on Oct. 17.

Season dates for ducks and mergansers will now run from Oct. 17-Jan. 30, 2010 in the Northern Zone (all counties except Lincoln and Clark) and Oct. 17-Jan. 29, 2010 in the Southern Zone (Lincoln and Clark counties except the Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area).

The season in the Moapa Valley portion of the Overton WMA is set for Oct. 31-Jan. 29.

Scaup season is set for Nov. 7-Jan. 30 in the Northern Region and Nov. 7-Jan. 29 in the Southern Region.

"The sporting public that attended our waterfowl summits in Las Vegas and Stillwater expressed their desire to have the season as late as possible," said Craig Mortimore, Nevada Department of Wildlife game biologist. "The other major change this year is that swan and geese seasons will now open on the same day as duck season in an effort to simplify the regulations. Traditionally they have opened one or two weeks later."

Swan season is now scheduled to open Oct. 17 and run through Jan. 3 in Churchill, Lyon and Pershing counties. The application for a Nevada Swan Permit is available online on the NDOW Web site at www.ndow.org/hunt/apps.

Common snipe and coots and common moorhen seasons match the duck seasons exactly running Oct. 17-Jan. 30, in the Northern Zone, Oct. 17-Jan. 29 in the Southern Zone, and Oct. 31-Jan. 29 in the Moapa Valley portion of the Overton WMA.

Sticking with the duck opener, Canada and white fronted geese, snow and Ross' geese and the falconry seasons for migratory game birds all run Oct. 17-Jan. 30 in the Northern Zone and Oct. 17-Jan. 29 in the Southern Zone. Mourning and white-wing dove season is set for Sept. 1-30.

The youth waterfowl hunt seasons will be Oct. 3 in the Northern Zone and February 13-14 in the Southern Zone.

Hunters must be 15 years old or younger to participate in the youth hunt and be accompanied by an adult.

All migratory game bird seasons are open to nonresidents and hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

For more information, visit www.ndow.org.