The Maryland and Virginia game offices have announced the various early hunting seasons, such as those for resident Canada geese, doves and other birds. This might be a good time to get out on a skeet or trap range and practice before the real shooting begins.
In Maryland the 2009-10 early migratory game bird season begins Sept. 1 with the first part of the mourning dove hunt; it runs through Oct. 10. The second and third part of the dove seasons will be Nov. 14 to Nov. 27 and Dec. 18 to Jan. 2. Don’t forget the daily bag limit for doves has been increased from the usual 12 to 15.
Resident Canada geese can be hunted Sept. 1 through Sept. 15 in the eastern zone, while in the western zone it will run through Sept. 25. The daily bag limit is eight. During the early resident goose hunt, you can use a shotgun capable of holding more than three shotshells and the shooting hours are extended to a half-hour past sunset.
Maryland’s woodcock season again is split into two segments, Nov. 7 to Nov. 27 and Jan. 15 to Jan. 23.
The dates for the September teal season are Sept. 16 to Sept. 30.
“Both blue-winged and green-winged teal populations are well above their long-term averages, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved additional days for the September teal season,” said Bill Harvey, Department of Natural Resources game bird section leader. “We are pleased to offer hunters more opportunity for these early migrants this year.”
More about the September teal zones can be found at www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/ewfchart.asp.
Official shooting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset for all migratory game bird hunting except for the first part of dove season, when shooting hours are from noon to sunset, and the resident Canada goose season, when shooting hours run one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Nontoxic shot is required for hunting rails, snipe, waterfowl and coots. Hunters may not possess or use nontoxic shot larger than size T or use and possess lead shot while hunting these species.
Virginia - The Virginia dove season comes in three split seasons: Sept. 5 to Sept. 26 (noon until sunset), Oct. 7 to Nov. 7 (half-hour before sunrise until sunset) and Dec. 25 to Jan. 9 (half-hour before sunrise until sunset). The bag limit is 15 a day, 30 in possession.
The resident Canada goose season is scheduled statewide to run from Sept. 1 to Sept. 25 with a 10-bird-a-day limit (20 in possession).
East of Interstate 95 you may start shooting a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset Sept. 1-19, but after that date the shooting must stop at sunset. However, west of I-95 the shooting hours throughout the early season begin a half-hour before sunrise and end a half-hour after sunset.
Rails (clapper, king, sora and Virginia railbirds) can be hunted Sept. 8 to Oct. 3 and Oct. 5 through Nov. 17. Clapper and king rail bag limits are 15 a day (30 in possession), while sora and Virginia rail bag limits are 25 (25 in possession).
Don’t forget: When rail and snipe hunting in Virginia you must use nontoxic shot.
Woodcock hunters can shoot three birds a day (six in possession) from Nov. 7 to Nov. 21 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 9.
Common snipe season runs Oct. 8 to Oct. 12 and Oct. 21 to Jan. 30. You’re allowed eight birds a day (16 in possession).
The early teal season runs from Sept. 21 through Sept. 30, east of I-95 only. Hunters can bag four teal a day.
All waterfowl hunters age 16 and over must possess the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (federal duck stamp) - and don’t forget to sign it. It’s the law. The stamp can be bought at post offices, National Wildlife Refuges and sport license agents. State waterfowl stamps are also needed.
Look for Gene Mueller’s Outdoors column Sunday and Wednesday and his Fishing Report on Thursday, only in The Washington Times. E-mail: gmueller@washingtontimes.com. Mueller’s Inside Outside blog can be found at www.washingtontimes.com/sports.
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