Outdoor News Daily

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has set final season dates and bag limits for the 2012-2013 waterfowl hunting season. After considering comments from sportsmen at the August public meeting, New Hampshire’s proposed waterfowl season is much like last year’s, with a 60-day duck season with a 6-bird daily limit, and a 60-day Canada goose season with a 2-bird daily limit.

Fish and Game will continue split seasons for both ducks and Canada geese in the inland and coastal zones to allow early and late hunting opportunities. This year, there will also be a straight season in the new Northern Zone, where marshes and ponds tend to freeze over earlier than in areas south of the White Mountains. A map of the state’s waterfowl zones can be viewed at http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_waterfowl.htm.

Following are the seasons for each zone:

* The Inland Zone waterfowl season will open on October 2 and run through November 4; then reopen November 21 through December 16, 2012.

* The Coastal Zone waterfowl season will open on October 3 and run through October 14; then reopen November 21 through January 7, 2013.

* The Northern Zone waterfowl season will open on October 2 and run straight through November 30, 2012.

To hunt waterfowl in New Hampshire, you must have a New Hampshire hunting license, a New Hampshire Migratory Waterfowl License and a federal duck stamp. You also are required by federal law to register for the National Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP). Separate HIP permits are needed in each state you hunt. Licensed hunters should call 1-800-207-6183, or go to http://www.huntnh.com and click on “Buy a License Online”; you can receive a permit number at this site (there is no charge). Write the permit number on your hunting license. Each year, a random selection of hunters is asked to complete a voluntary harvest survey.

Hunters are asked to report all banded birds using the toll-free phone number, 1-800-327-BAND or go to http://www.reportband.gov.

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