WICHITA – The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission established 2005 hunting seasons for ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes at a public hearing in Wichita Thursday evening. Duck and goose seasons are similar to last year’s.

Commissioners approved moving the opening day of sandhill crane hunting to the Wednesday after the first Saturday in November; in recent years, crane hunting had opened the first Saturday in November. The approved crane season is Nov. 9 through Jan. 5, 2006. The commission approved shooting hours for crane hunting from one-half hour AFTER sunrise to 2 p.m. Nov. 9 through Nov. 30, and sunrise to 2 p.m. Dec. 1 through Jan. 5.; in the past, shooting hours were sunrise to 2 p.m. throughout the season.

Following are approved season dates and limits:
Duck, Coot, and Merganser Seasons

• High Plains Zone – Oct. 8 through Jan. 3, 2006 AND Jan. 21 – 29, 2006
• Early Zone – Oct. 15 through Dec. 11 AND Dec. 17 through Jan. 1, 2006
• Late Zone – Oct. 29 through Jan. 1, 2006 AND Jan. 21 – 29, 2006

Pintail and Canvasback Seasons

• High Plains Zone – Oct. 8 through Nov. 15
• Early Zone – Oct. 15 through Nov. 22
• Late Zone – Oct. 29 through Dec. 6

Youth Waterfowl Seasons

• High Plains Zone – Oct. 1 -2
• Early Zone – Oct. 8 -9
• Late Zone – Oct. 22 - 23

Limits

• Daily bag (ducks) – Six ducks, which may include no more than 1 mottled duck, 1 canvasback (in season), 1 pintail (in season), 2 scaup, 2 redhead, 2 wood ducks, 5 mallards (no more than 1 mallard hen)
• Daily bag (coots) – 15
• Daily bag (mergansers) – 5 (no more than one hooded merganser)
• Possession limit – Twice the daily bag limit

Canada Geese

• Season: Oct. 29 – 30 AND Nov. 12 through Feb. 12, 2006
• Limits: Daily bag, 3; possession limit, 6

White-Fronted Geese

• Season: Oct. 29 – 30 AND Nov. 12 through Jan. 20, 2006
• Limits: Daily bag, 2; possession limit, 4

Marais des Cygnes Valley Dark Goose Unit

• Season: Dec. 24 through Feb. 12, 2006
• Limits: Same as regular season
• Shooting hours: One-half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m.

Southeast Dark Goose Unit

• Season: Oct. 29 – 30 AND Nov. 12 through Feb. 12, 2006 (Canada geese); Oct. 29-30 AND Nov. 12 through Jan. 20, 2006 (white-fronted geese)
• Limits: Same as regular season

Light Geese

• Season: Oct. 29 through Feb. 12, 2006 (Conservation Order will automatically open Feb. 13, 2006 and run through April 30, 2006)
• Limits: Daily bag, 20; no possession limit

Falconry

• Season: Same as regular seasons for all migratory bird species, plus extended season in the Early Zone and Late Zone (Feb. 17 through March 10, 2006)
• Limits: Daily bag, 3 (singly or in aggregate); possession limit, 6

Sandhill Crane

• Season: Nov. 9 through Jan. 5, 2006
• Limits: Daily bag, 3; possession limit, 6
• Shooting hours: One-half hour AFTER sunrise to 2 p.m. through Nov. 30; sunrise to 2 p.m. Dec. 1 through Jan. 5, 2006

Also regarding sandhill cranes, beginning in the fall of 2006, an annual online identification course will be required prior to purchasing a sandhill crane hunting permit. For more information, phone 620-672-5911.
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