Advisory Council on Game and Fish Minutes s2

ADVISORY COUNCIL ON WILDLIFE & FRESHWATER FISH MINUTES TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014 Richardson and Robbins Building Auditorium 89 Kings Highway, Dover, Delaware Phone 302-739-9912, FAX 302-739-6157

ADVISORY COUNCIL DIVISION OF FISH & WILDLIFE PUBLIC 1. Edward A. Montague, Chair 1. David E. Saveikis 9 Visitors 2. Garrett Grier, Jr. Vice Chair 2. Greg Moore 3. Steven M. Kendus 3. Lt. David Blaasch 4. Raymond F. Burris 4. Joe Rogerson 5. Robert C. Nichols 5. Matt DiBona 6. Neal Dukes (Absent) 6. Shelley DiBona 7. Craig A. Karsnitz (Absent) 7. Rob Hossler 8. Joe C. Johnson 8. Karen Kennedy 9. Dean Ratliff (Absent)

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Montague at 7:30 PM.

Agenda Item 1. Approval of Minutes (Chairman). (1) Eliminate the $20.00 wildlife area annual deer stand/waterfowl blind permit. A motion was made and voted unanimously to (2) Establish a $20.00 annual wildlife area use pass to approve the November 26, 2013 minutes as written. access wildlife areas for all hunting and non- hunting uses (under 16 years of age would be exempted; fishing access facilities would be Agenda Item 2. License Revenues (David E. Saveikis exempted). and Shelley DiBona). (3) Establish an $8.50 3-day wildlife area use pass to access wildlife areas for all hunting and non- Director Saveikis provided a handout on hunting uses (under 16 years of age would be hunting/trapping license fees and revenues to the Council exempted; fishing access facilities would be members. Last month the Council endorsed the need to exempted). evaluate the current license fees/revenues and requested (4) Establish a $25.00 senior resident hunting license that the Division report their findings at the January for individuals 65 years of age and above meeting. The Department is required to analyze all fees (eliminating existing 65 years of age and above every two years. The most recent fee analysis verified that exemption that currently results in an estimated hunting and trapping fee revenues are currently insufficient loss of at least $75,000/year in license revenues and the Wildlife Section is experiencing increasing annual and an inability to match an estimated operational deficits reaching the highest last year at $225,000/year in federal PR funding, for a total $311,000. To continue providing current hunter access lost revenue opportunity of an estimated facilities on wildlife areas and wildlife and habitat $300,000/year). management activities, fishing license funds are used to (5) Establish a $39.50 general hunting license fee temporarily cover the Wildlife Section cash flow deficit (increased from current $25.00 and less than the until hunting/trapping license funds are collected and used highest previous scenario of $42.50). to refund the fishing license account. (Such temporary reprogramming of license funds is allowable, but the Chairman Montague requested comments from Wildlife Section deficit increases each year and is an each of the Council members. Their comments were: unstainable business model and will require a reduction in hunter facilities on wildlife areas and wildlife and habitat Councilman Johnson – increase fees for non-residents and management.) keep license fees down as much as possible for residents

The following proposed modifications were made Councilman Kendus – how will funds be tracked to prorate to the November 26, 2013 hunting and trapping conceptual revenues to game and non-game programs? Non hunters license fees and projected revenues: could lay claim. Councilman Grier – everyone should pay but passage will A series of questions were also asked regarding be difficult. the preferences of goose hunters. Sixty-four percent of goose hunters preferred the 50-day goose season to open Councilman Burris – agreed that everyone should pay. on the Monday before Thanksgiving, when the second segment of the duck season traditionally opens. While the Councilman Nichols – what will we do with the money? regular duck season must close by the last Sunday in The Division needs to have a spending plan. January, the Canada goose season can run slightly later depending on the calendar year, providing an opportunity A member of the audience, Mr. George Shilling, to hunt Canada geese after the duck season closes. When commented that seniors that would have to buy licenses asked about their preference for when to close the goose should not have to pay for the hunter’s choice deer tag season, 78.9% of hunters preferred to hunt geese as late as since it is currently provided as part of the exempt license. possible. However, 88.1% of hunters also preferred to run the duck and goose seasons at the same time, whenever Director Saveikis and Shelley DiBona, Program possible. Therefore, when possible, the Division proposes Manager, addressed Council member comments and seasons where the duck season and goose season segments answered a variety of questions from the Council members overlap and open/close on the same dates, except in years and the audience. where the duck season closes considerably earlier in January than the goose season. For example, the After discussions the Council made a motion and Division’s proposed 2014-2015 duck and goose seasons voted unanimously to endorse the Division’s proposal. would end the duck season on January 24, 2015, while the goose season would remain open through January 31, 2015. Agenda Item 3. Base Migratory Bird Seasons (Rob Hossler and Matt DiBona). A copy of Mr. DiBona’s PowerPoint presentation is available upon request. Matt DiBona, Environmental Scientist, presented select results from the Division’s 2012 Waterfowl Hunter Rob Hossler, Program Manager, provided the Survey. The Division mailed a survey to nearly all 2014-2015 proposed base migratory game bird seasons for Delaware HIP-registered waterfowl hunters (n=5,079) and Delaware. The proposed seasons are based on the had a response rate of 34% or 1,721 hunters. The survey following criteria: (1) within anticipated U.S. Fish and asked a variety of questions related to hunting activity, Wildlife guidelines for splits, season dates and bag limits, participation, and preferences related to the season-setting (2) maximizing the number of Saturdays and holidays process. Twenty-one percent of Delaware waterfowl included within the seasons, (3) overlapping duck and hunters participated in the Special September Teal Season, goose seasons to extent possible, (4) minimizing conflicts and the majority of hunters (61%) preferred the season to with November shotgun deer season as well as other deer occur the last 16 days of September. For the regular duck seasons, and (5) utilizing hunter opinion surveys and season under the federal liberal season option, Delaware is proposals used in past seasons. allowed a 60-day season, with up to three (3) segments. The latest the season may run is the last Sunday in January. When asked about the timing of the different season segments, most duck hunters (49%) preferred the first segment to open at the end of October. The second segment traditionally opens the Monday before 2014– 2015 Proposed Migratory Game Bird Seasons Thanksgiving and 86% of respondents preferred the third for Delaware season segment to run as late as possible in January. Duck Dove hunters were also asked to select which season-setting Option 1 preferences the Division should prioritize when proposing Sept. 1 – Sept. 27 ½ before sunrise to sunset seasons. While all considerations presented in the survey Oct. 20 – Nov. 1 ½ before sunrise to sunset received support, the three most important considerations Nov. 24 – Jan. 12 ½ before sunrise to sunset identified when setting seasons were: 1) duck season dates should maximize overlap with the Canada goose season, 2) Option 2 open season dates should include the week between Sept. 1 – Oct. 4 Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and 3) the Division Oct. 20 – Oct. 25 should select season dates that maximize the number of Nov. 24 – Jan. 12 Saturdays open for waterfowl hunting. Limit: 15 Brant Resident Canada Geese Dec. 22 – Jan. 24 Sept. 1 – Sept. 25 ½ before sunrise to sunset No liberal hunting options Limit: 2

Limit: 15 Coots & Mergansers Same season dates as ducks

Early Teal Rail - King, Clapper Sept. 1 – Nov. 8 Limit: 10 Sept. 12 – Sept. 30 Sora, Virginia Rail Limit: 25 Gallinules, Moorhens Limit: 15 Hours: Teal season will be open all day (1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset) in limited geographic areas. These areas Woodcock are coastal areas from south of the C&D Canal to Lewes Nov. 24 – Dec. 6 east of Routes 13, 113/113A & 1. Dec. 13 – Jan. 13

Limit: 4 Limit: 3

Youth Hunt Snipe Oct. 4 and either Dec. 6 or Feb. 7 Nov. 24 – Dec. 6 Dec. 13 – Jan. 13 Bag may include ducks, mergansers, coots, moorhens, Canada geese, snow geese and brant. Standard limits Limit: 8 apply. Sea Ducks Ducks Sept. 23 – Jan. 24 Oct. 24 – Nov. 11 Nov. 24 – Nov. 29 Limit: 7 (No more than 4 scoters) Dec. 12 – Jan. 24 Within designated sea duck zone (not less than 800 yards Daily limit of 6 ducks (except mergansers and coots), may seaward of Delaware Bay shore or Atlantic Ocean) include 1 black duck; 4 mallards including no more than 2 hen mallards; 2 pintail; 2 canvasback; 3 wood ducks; 2 red After some discussion, Mr. Hossler concluded his heads; 2 scaup; l mottled Duck; 1 fulvous whistling tree presentation by stating that the final waterfowl seasons duck; 4 scoters. Possession limit is 3 times the daily bag will be set in August when final Federal frameworks and limit. options are adopted.

Canada Geese (Migratory) Audience members made the following Nov. 24 – Nov. 29 suggestions: Dec. 12 – Jan. 31  Kelly Pierson – propose brant season as late as Limit: 2 possible  George Williams – propose teal season for Sept. 7 Snow Goose – 25 Oct. 1 – Jan. 31  Audience member - propose two segments for brant season Limit: 25  Councilman Kendus will send an email to the Division with his proposal for snipe season. Feb. 1 – April 11 (Conservation Order) Greg Moore, Wildlife Administrator, stated that the NO LIMIT Wildlife Section will be taking options until the next Advisory Council meeting which will be on February 25, Bombay Hook No dates given yet 2014. He requested that any new options be emailed to him at [email protected] . of fishing inside. The format is larger like last year and Agenda Item 4. Director Update (David E. Saveikis). includes advertisements which significantly lowers production costs and generates cost savings. Director Saveikis reported that the new wildlife regulations went into effect on January 11, 2014, which includes coyote hunting and trapping seasons. The coyote Director Saveikis provided Council members with hunting season runs from September 1 through the last day the Division’s first annual calendar. Each month features of February. The coyote trapping season runs from photo contest entries, a “Did You Know” item, and a December 1 through March 10. Director Saveikis thanked seasonally relevant Reminder; a Division Directory with the Council for their input and support and provided them telephone numbers is also included. The calendars are with a copy of the Secretary’s Order on coyote sold for $6.00 each. depredation. This Order also went into effect on January 11, 2014, and allows landowners or their agents to shoot coyotes all year if they are a threat to human safety or their AGENDA FOR THE 2/25/2014 ADVISORY livestock or domestic animals. It is estimated that there are COUNCIL MEETING 50 to 100 coyotes in Delaware. Director Saveikis also thanked Greg Moore, Rob Hossler and Joe Rogerson for 1. Approval of Minutes (Chairman). their outstanding job in this process. 2. Migratory Birds Seasons (Greg Moore). 3. Fox Squirrel Management Plan (Holly Director Saveikis reported on the following Niederriter). legislation: 4. Director Update (Director David E. Saveikis).

 H.B. 98 initiated by the Division last year to There being no further business, a motion was made, establish gray fox, skunk and weasel as game seconded and carried that the meeting be adjourned at 9:07 animals was released out of Committee last year PM. and is still active.  H.B. 238 also initiated by the Division has been Sincerely, introduced to modify current code to defer possession limits for migratory waterfowl to federal regulations.  Legislation to increase fines as well as Karen Kennedy declassifying certain violations for hunting, Recording Secretary trapping, and fishing is still being reviewed and will be introduced.  The Division has also written legislation that would assist in the recruitment and retention of hunters and anglers by allowing use of the hunting and fishing license database to engage hunters and anglers. This legislation is currently being reviewed by the Attorney General’s office.

At a previous meeting Director Saveikis mentioned that the Division would like to include Council representation on the judging panel for the waterfowl and trout stamp contests. Director Saveikis requested that Council members provide their recommendations of who should participate in judging the Division’s annual waterfowl and trout stamp contests by the next Council meeting on February 24.

Director Saveikis provided Council members with the new 2014 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide cover features conservationists enjoying the outdoors and includes a Director’s Message on the economic importance