Illinois DNR Announces 2013-14 Waterfowl Season Dates
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources today announced proposed waterfowl season dates and bag limits for the 2013-14 seasons. The recommendations include 60-day duck seasons in each of the state’s four waterfowl hunting zones, along with Canada goose hunting seasons of 90 days in the North and Central zones, a 84-day Canada goose season in the South Central Zone, and a 65-day Canada goose season in the South Zone.
The Illinois seasons are based on a five-year plan for waterfowl hunting season dates that was developed in 2011 and continues through the 2015 season. For 2013-14, Illinois will open the regular duck, Canada goose, and snow goose seasons on Oct. 19 in the North Zone, Oct. 26 in the Central Zone, Nov. 9 in the South Central Zone, and Nov. 28 in the South Zone. White-fronted goose seasons open Nov. 4 in the North Zone, Nov. 19 in the Central and South Central zones, and Nov. 28 in the South Zone.
The proposed daily duck bag limit is six (6) and may include no more than four (4) mallards (two hens), three (3) wood ducks, one (1) mottled duck, two (2) redheads, three (3) scaup, two (2) pintails, two (2) canvasbacks, and one (1) black duck. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five (5), only two of which may be hooded mergansers. The possession limit for ducks and mergansers is three times the daily bag limit by species and sex.
For Canada geese and white-fronted geese, the daily bag limit will be two (2) with a possession limit of six (6). For snow geese, the proposed daily bag limit is 20 birds, with no possession limit.
The state’s regulations are subject to final approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later this summer.
The IDNR 2013-14 season dates are outlined below.
Illinois Waterfowl Regular Season Dates – 2013-14
North Zone
Youth Hunt: Oct. 12-13
Duck: Oct. 19 – Dec. 17
Canada Goose: Oct. 19 – Jan. 16
Central Zone
Youth Hunt: Oct. 19-20
Duck: Oct. 26 – Dec. 24
Canada Goose: Oct. 26 – Nov. 17 and Nov. 26 – Jan. 31
South Central Zone
Youth Hunt: Nov. 2-3
Duck: Nov. 9 – Jan. 7
Canada Goose: Nov. 9 – Jan. 31
South Zone
Youth Hunt: Nov. 16-17
Duck: Nov. 28 – Jan. 26
Canada Goose: Nov. 28 – Jan. 31
Illinois 2013-14 Snow Goose and White-Fronted Goose Season Dates
North Zone
Snow Geese: Regular Season: Oct. 19 – Jan. 16
White-fronted Geese: Nov. 4 – Jan. 16
Central Zone
Snow Geese: Regular Season: Oct. 26 – Jan. 31
White-fronted Geese: Nov. 19 – Jan. 31
South Central Zone
Snow Geese: Regular Season: Nov. 9- Jan. 31
White-fronted Geese: Nov. 19 – Jan. 31
South Zone
Snow Geese: Regular Season: Nov. 28 – Jan. 31
White-fronted Geese: Nov. 28 – Jan. 31
The Illinois waterfowl zone maps are available on the IDNR website at http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/waterfowl/Pages/MapsApprovedWaterfowlZoneLines.aspx
The September 2013 early Canada goose season is Sept. 1-15 with a daily limit of five (5) and a possession limit of 15 geese in the North and Central zones, and a daily limit of two (2) and a possession limit of six (6) geese in the South Central and South zones. Illinois’ 16-day 2013 statewide teal hunting season is Sept. 7-22 with a daily limit of six (6) and a possession limit of eighteen (18). Shooting hours for the September teal season are different from the regular season, starting at sunrise (½ hour later than regular season) until sunset.
Additional details on the duck, goose, and other migratory bird hunting seasons will be available on the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov and in the 2013 Illinois Digest of Waterfowl Hunting Regulations, available in September.
