Thursday, August 20, 2015

Vermont's Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons Are Announced

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board approved the 2015 migratory bird hunting season dates at its August 12 meeting in Montpelier.

A printable copy of the regulations can be downloaded from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). A printed version also will be available from license agents and post offices in early September.

A statewide Vermont open hunting season for Canada geese will occur September 1-25. The daily bag limit is five Canada geese in the Connecticut River Zone and eight in the rest of the state during this September season. The purpose of the September season is to help control Vermont's resident Canada goose population prior to the arrival of Canada geese migrating south from Canada.

A second Canada goose hunting season, for resident and migrant birds, will be held October 10-November 28 with a daily bag limit of three Canada geese in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones.

In the Connecticut River Zone, the Canada goose season will be October 6-November 5, and November 15-December 23 with a daily bag limit of three Canada geese.

Duck season this fall opens on Saturday, October 10 in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones, and on October 6 in the Connecticut River Zone. The Lake Champlain Zone has a split season (October 10-14 and October 24-December 17). The Interior Vermont Zone is a straight season (October 10-December 8). The Connecticut River Zone is a split season (October 6-November 5 and November 15-December 13).

Vermont's youth waterfowl hunting weekend will be September 26 and 27. Resident and nonresident hunters 15 years of age or younger may hunt ducks and geese statewide during this season while accompanied by an adult 18 or older. Both must have Vermont hunting licenses. The adult may not hunt or carry a firearm. The youth and the adult are not required to hold state or federal duck stamps on this weekend.

Woodcock hunting season is October 1- November 14 statewide with a three-bird bag limit.

In addition to a hunting license, a waterfowl hunter 16 or older must carry current federal and Vermont duck stamps in order to hunt waterfowl in Vermont. Federal stamps are sold at post offices. State duck stamps are available on Vermont Fish & Wildlife's website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) and from license agents. The hunter must sign the federal duck stamp.

All migratory game bird hunters must also be registered with the Harvest Information Program (H.I.P.) in each section of your hunting license.
The hunting season dates, bag limits and related regulations for all migratory birds are set annually in August within a framework established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and in coordination with New York and New Hampshire.

Waterfowl season dates and bag limits are set in three zones: Lake Champlain, Interior Vermont, and Connecticut River are set by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department sets the season dates and bag limits for the Connecticut River Zone.

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