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The 2020-21 Migratory Game Bird Seasons have been set and there are three significant changes to Pennsylvania waterfowl seasons this year, said Game Commission Wildlife Services Division Chief Ian Gregg.
The first two changes are to the Canada goose bag limits and seasons in the Southern James Bay Population (SJBP) Zone in northwestern Pennsylvania. First, the bag limit for Canada geese during the September portion of the season will be raised from one to five in most of the SJBP Zone to allow for additional harvest of resident Canada geese. Also, the opening and closing dates for the regular Canada goose season in the zone have been shifted later, with fewer days in October and more in January and February.
Pennsylvania Sets 2020-21 Migratory Game Bird Seasons
Submitted by: TBC Press
Posted on: 05/05/20
News # 13519
The third major change will be allowing veterans and active duty military members a special day to hunt waterfowl. The day will coincide with the second youth waterfowl day in each duck zone. This day will be allowed as a result of recent federal legislation, Gregg said.
Two important changes implemented in 2019 – the reduced daily bag limit for mallards, and a reduced regular season length and bag limit for Canada geese in the Atlantic Population Hunting Zone – will continue, according to 2020-21 federal frameworks.
Other migratory game bird seasons are similar to those in recent years.
“Mallard daily bag limits in the Atlantic Flyway remain at two daily with no more than one hen,” said Huck. “In a few years, our annual population surveys should reveal whether these bag-limit restrictions are working.
“AP Canada geese experienced a near-total reproductive failure in 2018, due to an extremely late spring on the northern Quebec breeding grounds,” Huck explained. “However, production was better in 2019 and 2020, so there is hope these restrictions will be in place for only another year or two.”
For AP geese, in those areas of the flyway designated as AP-harvest zones – including southeastern Pennsylvania – the length of the regular season will remain 30 days and daily bag continues to be two.
Some September goose season restrictions continue in localized areas of Pennsylvania to maintain the stability of resident goose populations at the Pymatuning and Middle Creek wildlife management areas. In a portion of western Crawford County, the September Canada goose season will run Sept. 1-12, and the daily bag limit will be one goose.
This shorter season applies to the area south of state Route 198 from the Ohio state line to intersection of state Route 18, state Route 18 south to state Route 618; state Route 618 south to U.S. Route 6; U.S. Route 6 east to U.S. Route 322/state Route 18; U.S. Route 322/state Route 18 west to the intersection of state Route 3013; and state Route 3013 south to the Crawford-Mercer County line.
The season on State Game Lands 214, which contains the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, remains closed.
In the rest of northwestern Pennsylvania’s Southern James Bay Population (SJBP) Zone, the season will be Sept. 1-25 with a daily bag limit of five geese. The increased bag limit provides more opportunities to harvest resident Canada geese in areas where negative impacts to the Pymatuning resident goose population are unlikely.
Hunters should carefully consult the maps and descriptions at www.pgc.pa.gov to determine which specific regulations are applicable to the area they plan to hunt. Also, the regular season in the SJBP Zone will open about two weeks later in October and close about two weeks later in February compared to recent years.
“The management relevance of a separate SJBP Zone has decreased in recent years as the wintering range of migrant geese that breed in northern Ontario and Nunavut has shifted away from northwestern Pennsylvania, and as regulations in the Mississippi Flyway, where the bulk of these birds are harvested, have changed,” said Huck.
“The regular season dates selected for the SJBP Zone this year are similar to those that would be required under federal frameworks if the Game Commission chose to simplify regulations in the future by eliminating the separate SJBP Zone,” said Huck. “Examining the results of this year’s changes will assist the agency in evaluating future options for this zone.”
Special regulations also remain in place for the September Canada goose season in a portion of southeastern Pennsylvania. In the area of Lancaster and Lebanon counties north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) and east of state Route 501 to state Route 419; south of state Route 419 to Lebanon-Berks county line; west of Lebanon-Berks county line to state Route 1053 (also known as Peartown Road and Greenville Road); and west of state Route 1053 to Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76), the daily bag limit is one goose, with a possession limit of three geese. This restriction does not apply to youth participating in the youth waterfowl hunting days, when regular season regulations apply.
The controlled hunting areas at the Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lebanon and Lancaster counties, as well as all of State Game Lands 46, will remain closed to September goose hunting.
In the remainder of Pennsylvania (Resident Population Zone and most of the Atlantic Population Zone), the September Canada goose season runs Sept. 1-25 with a daily bag limit of eight Canada geese, and a possession limit of 24. Statewide shooting hours during the September goose season are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, except on Sept. 19 when the season overlaps with the statewide youth waterfowl hunting day and shooting hours end at sunset.
Similar to past years, there will be a statewide youth-only waterfowl hunting day on Sept. 19.
The second youth day, which now also is open to veterans and active-duty military personnel, will vary by duck zone. In the Lake Erie Zone, it will be Oct. 24; in the Northwest Zone, Dec. 19; in the North Zone, Jan. 16; and in the South Zone, Jan. 23.
Veterans and active-duty military personnel can hunt using the normal duck, goose, merganser, coot and gallinule limits, and are required to follow waterfowl season regulations. Participants must possess a Pennsylvania hunting license and migratory game bird license, and a federal Duck Stamp.
Two relatively minor changes to federal frameworks also will affect this year’s seasons. First, for Atlantic brant, season length has increased. Second, lesser and greater scaup, collectively known as bluebills, will have a “hybrid” season in which bag limit varies with two daily, allowed during 20 days of the season, and one daily allowed during the remaining 40 days. The 20 days hunters can harvest two scaup will vary by zone.
To hunt waterfowl, in addition to a regular Pennsylvania hunting license, persons 16 and older must have a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as a “Duck Stamp.” It must be signed in ink across its face and possessed while hunting.
A temporary, electronic Federal Duck Stamp (eDuck) may be purchased online through the Pennsylvania Automated License System, and is valid for 45 days from date of purchase to hunt migratory waterfowl within Pennsylvania and other states that have approved its validity. The eDuck stamp may be printed out or downloaded onto a mobile device, and must be carried while hunting waterfowl.
To participate in light goose conservation hunts, hunters must obtain a light goose conservation season permit, in addition to their other required licenses, and file a mandatory report of harvest/participation. Permits will be available in the Pennsylvania Automated Licensing System in late 2020.
Hunters must use non-toxic shot while hunting ducks, geese or coots in Pennsylvania. The use of any sort of artificial substance or product as bait or an attractant is prohibited.
