Proposed Waterfowl dates

[jbrooks44]

I know there is a couple other post about this, but I thought we'd need a new one to talk about the dates as currently proposed, they were in the OWH today.

One BIG change i see, 2 days for whitefronts in Feb?

and early goose limit up to 8

http://omaha.com/article/20100729/SPORTS07/707299746

The revised recommendations:

Early Teal: Low Plains, Sept. 4-19; High Plains, Sept. 4-12.

Early Canada Goose: Sept. 4-12.

Youth Waterfowl: Sept. 25-26.

Duck and Coots: Low Plains Early, Oct. 2-Dec. 12 and Dec. 18-19; Low Plains Late, Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 23-Jan. 2, 2011; High Plains, Oct. 9-Jan. 12, 2011.

Dark Goose: East Unit, Oct. 23-Jan. 26, 2011; North Central Unit, Oct. 9-Jan. 21; 2011; Platte River Unit, Oct. 23-Jan. 16 and Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2011; Panhandle Unit, Oct. 23-Jan. 16, 2011, and Jan. 22-Feb. 9; Niobrara Unit, Oct. 23-Feb. 4, 2011.

White-fronted Goose (statewide): Oct. 9-Dec. 17 and Feb. 5-6, 2011. Daily bag limit two; but only one daily for Feb. 5-6.

Light Goose: Regular Season (statewide), Oct. 9-Jan. 10, 2011; and Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2011.; Conservation Action, Zone 1: Feb. 10-April 17, 2011; Zone 2: Feb. 10-April 1, 2011; Zone 3: Feb. 10-April 17, 2011.

[Huntges11]

Excellent news! Glad to see the LPE guys who wanted earlier get the proposal. And the LPL guys who wanted the later as well.

Very surprised at the Whitefront change.

Not surprised to see Early Canada go up to 8. We need to do a better job killing local Canadas around the Metro's. Or least I've been told, or really lectured to.

[Willhuntforfood]

They could make the limit 20 and it wouldn't make a difference. Not that many get killed early season. Farmers don't get their corn out til rifle season and they wise up to the pond spreads pretty quick. If you do somehow run across a cut field.... the heat, the wind, ect, ect, ect....makes for a very challenging hunt with a lot of skunks. One day they will be in the corn the next loafing on the side of a creek all day eating grass. If you want to put a dent in the local populations then go to their nests and dump gasoline on em. The geese will sit on the dead eggs and most likely not have another clutch.

PS....hunting ducks on the river Jan 2nd sounds like the biggest waste of time I have ever heard of. A lot of cold guys sitting around hoping for the last push that never comes. Probably won't miss a whole lot pre Oct. 16th but what a huge mistake putting the split at the beginning during the week with the largest moon. Makes me sick. What a terrible week to not be on the river.

[one more pass]

Well you can kiss about 75% of the little duck migration if you hunt lpl good bye.Just when you thought we had a chance at the very least a spilt at the end of the season they @#$@ it up again. Everybody that likes the lpl the way it is go to your blind on the platte the week of the 18th throught the 22 and you will understand why some of us don't want the spilt.All it takes is a north wind and the river will be full of ducks!

[platteriverretrievers]

[QUOTE=Willhuntforfood;127255]They could make the limit 20 and it wouldn't make a difference. Not that many get killed early season. Farmers don't get their corn out til rifle season and they wise up to the pond spreads pretty quick. If you do somehow run across a cut field.... the heat, the wind, ect, ect, ect....makes for a very challenging hunt with a lot of skunks. One day they will be in the corn the next loafing on the side of a creek all day eating grass. If you want to put a dent in the local populations then go to their nests and dump gasoline on em. The geese will sit on the dead eggs and most likely not have another clutch. QUOTE]

Took the words outta my mouth. Some people get lucky and beat em up for a day, maybe two, but thinking an 8 bird limit is going to knock the local numbers way down? Nope, not a shot.

As for the split in the Platte River unit, I for one would cast my vote for a split in the East Unit. We might not get half the reverse they do out west but I can guarantee you'd shoot more birds Feb 9th than Jan 26th as a closing date.

[skunkhunter]

Where to put the split in LPL wasn't even discussed at the meeting last weekend. As I said in another post, I don't like em so I don't care where they occur. If I had to pick one though, it would be an early split. I've been on the lower Platte river for over 50 years and there's just no birds there other than a few locals until maybe the last week of October. I'd rather sit by the heater in Jan and hope for some birds than swat skeeters and sweat in early Oct knowing there isn't going to be any. Remember, LPL stands for LATE.

I'm surprised at the white front season too. At the meeting last week Vrtuska was very adamant about not having a Feb season. And as far as local geese, I think it's a waste of time to take the decoys out in Sept. I think the best we've ever done on the river is six in the early season, usually just one or two.

Thanks to all the hunters that contacted the commissioners on this.

[Willhuntforfood]

Well lets just hope for warm south winds and cloudy nights then til the 23rd of Oct......

[goose h8r]

Well you can kiss about 75% of the little duck migration if you hunt lpl good bye.Just when you thought we had a chance at the very least a spilt at the end of the season they @#$@ it up again. Everybody that likes the lpl the way it is go to your blind on the platte the week of the 18th throught the 22 and you will understand why some of us don't want the spilt.All it takes is a north wind and the river will be full of ducks!

Been saying for years. Thinking next year we need to gather in mass and make it right. Problem is the coin/pull that some of the very few have that benefit with a later season. The road would be tough, but the numbers SHOULD make a huge diference.

Nebraska IS NOT a wintering state, stop trying to manage it like one.

Me for one, I decided that Im not going to strain my eyes to read the 100 year old refuge signs anymore and hunt family ground on the Platte in Dodge county.

[Cohiba]

If those dates happen in the Panhandle it will be one horrible season. I cannot believe they would open it up on October. This would pressure the resident flocks even more. Not to mention 90% of our geese are harvested later in the year. And they want to close it down a week in January? Terrible!

[James Watson]

should just be a few more years until we are seeing unplugged shotguns, 10 bird limits, and parts of the city open to hunting local geese. No way that bumping the bag limit up is going to help manage the bird numbers effectively. The number of hunters who actually shoot limits of 5 honkers more than here or there is so incredibly small that the effect is nill. But hey, im all for having the option of shooting 8 crusty leg bands if the opportunity should present itself.

[nebgoosehunter]

I couldn't agree with you more Cohiba!!! That split is right during prime time at our place, not to mention near peak numbers for the entire North Platte Valley. Plus the amount of geese in the valley during October is so minimal compared to winter that I just don't understand why they would consider it.

[Cohiba]

I heard a NGPC Commissioner was to be in Scottsbluff this week. He was to meet with some people... Not sure, just word of mouth. And they also have a meeting towards the end of the month in Ogallala regarding the proposed changes. Bruce at Western Trails is trying to put a group together to go to Ogallala and do some talking.

Im telling you, we would hurt so bad if they opened it up in October. I think those extra 2 weeks (or whatever) would put enough pressure on our residents they would go elsewhere. And then we have to wait for the migration to kill really get into them. Those dates are garbage out west! I have talked with tons of other hunters and pretty much everyone agrees.

And where the hell was my survey this year about those dates? I have gotten surveys from the NGPC regarding dates several years now. And nothing this year.

[Sorny]

And where the hell was my survey this year about those dates? I have gotten surveys from the NGPC regarding dates several years now. And nothing this year.

ther wasn't one

[nebgoosehunter]

Cohiba, I worked with the NGPC up here in the Pine Ridge this summer and was talking to Todd Nordeen from the Alliance office yesterday. He was at the meeting last month and from what he was told was that one guy who had access to local birds called and asked for an opening in October. Todd told me to call Mark Spurgin, the Commisioner for District 7 and voice my opinion. Everyone else who doesn't want an October season out west call your commisioner. Sitting and complaining won't do a single thing, please call! If one guy can get a proposed season change to his favor, surely a group can make it right at the final meeting. His number is 308-239-4539.

[skunkhunter]

According to NGPC Cohiba, the surveys are only sent out every 3 to 5 years. I don't think there was anyone from the west at the meeting last month so the group that was there went with NGPC recommendations, some of which probably came from people calling or writing them, like what NEgooshunter mentioned. Since there was no representation, there wasn't much else we could have done.