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Waterfowl Seasons Set – Record breeding duck populations!

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Record breeding ducks populations at 48.6 million with mallards up 15%  and scaup up 21% from last year. If that doesn’t get you excited, Montana’s 2012-13 waterfowl seasons have recently been approved!

What are the changes?

1. Commissioners adopted a modest split in the goose season in Central Flyway. Which in the long run brings you one more week of hunting.

2. Scaup and white goose bag limits have increased in the Pacific and Central flyways while dropping a season-length restriction on scaup in the Pacific flyway.

What else do you need to know?

The Central Flyway goose season will be closed Jan. 7-8, 2013, then reopened for an additional 5 days on Jan. 9, 2013.

How many days are available for general waterfowl hunting?

Pacific Flyway: 105 days

Central Flyway: 97 days (ducks and coots)

105 days (geese)

Waterfowl seasons and bag limits for 2012-13:

Pacific Flyway

  • Youth Waterfowl Season—Sept. 22-23
  • General Waterfowl Season—Sept. 29-Jan. 11, 2013
    • Ducks: Daily limit of seven ducks or mergansers; possession limit is twice the daily limit. Daily bag limit can’t include more than: two hen mallards, two pintails, two redheads, and one canvasback.
    • Coots: 25 daily and in possession.
    • Geese: Dark–four daily; possession limit twice the daily limit. White–10 daily, possession limit is twice the daily limit.
  • Swan (500 permits only) Season—Oct. 13-Dec. 1
  • Falconry—Ducks, coots, and geese: Sept. 29-Jan 11, 2013

Central Flyway

  • Youth Waterfowl Season—Sept. 22-23
  • Duck and Coot Season—Sept. 29-Jan. 3, 2013
    • Ducks: Daily limit of six ducks or mergansers; possession limit is twice the daily limit. The daily bag limit can’t include more than five mallards, no more than two of which may be hens; two redheads; two hooded mergansers; three wood ducks; two pintails; and one canvasback.
    • Coots: 15 daily; possession limit is twice the daily limit.
  • Goose Season—Sept. 29-Jan. 6, 2013; Jan.9-13, 2013
    • Geese: Dark–five daily; possession limit is twice the daily limit. White–20 daily, possession limit is twice the daily limit.
  • Tundra Swan (500 permits only)—Sept. 29-Jan. 3, 2013
  • Falconry— Ducks and coots: Sept. 23-Jan. 3, 2013. Geese: Sept. 29-Jan. 6, 2013; Jan.9-13, 2013