2018 WATERFOWL GUIDE • Early Teal • Duck and Goose • Youth • Light Goose Conservation Order INFORMATION FOR: INFORMATION OutdoorNebraska.org Paid Advertisement TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THIS GUIDE Early Teal ���������������������������������������������������� 8 The Waterfowl Guide is a publication of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. It is a summary of Duck and Coot . .11 Nebraska’s regulations, orders and statutes pertaining Youth Waterfowl �����������������������������������������11 to waterfowl hunting and is not intended to be a Dark Goose ������������������������������������������������� 15 complete digest of regulations, orders and statutes. A complete listing may be found at the following links: White-fronted Goose ���������������������������������� 16 Regulations and Orders: Light Goose Regular Season . 16 http://outdoornebraska.org/regulations/ Light Goose Conservation Order ���������������� 16 Statutes: Conservation Officers. 23 http://law.justia.com/codes/nebraska/2016/ Sunrise/Sunset Schedule . 24 chapter-37/ Duck Identification ��������������������������������26-27 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regulations: fws.gov/hunting Zone Maps: ����������������������������������������������������� Paid advertisements included in this publication do not Teal ��������������������������������������������������������� 8 represent an endorsement by the Commission for the Duck and Coot. 12-14 products, services or claims made by the advertisers. Dark Goose . 15 The Commission reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason. Light Goose ������������������������������������������� 17 NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS COMMISSION OFFICES HEADQUARTERS/SOUTHEAST District 2200 N. 33rd St. Lincoln, NE 68503-0370 402-471-0641 SOUTHWEST District 301 E. State Farm Road North Platte, NE 69101-0430 308-535-8025 NORTHEAST District 2201 N. 13th St. Norfolk, NE 68701-2267 402-370-3374 NORTHWEST District Kearney Service Center Bassett Service Center Omaha Service Center 299 Husker Road 1617 First Ave. 524 Panzer St. 8495 Frederick St. Alliance, NE 69301-0725 Kearney, NE 68847-6057 Bassett, NE 68714-0508 Omaha, NE 68124 308-763-2940 308-865-5310 402-684-2921 402-595-2144 ADDITIONAL PERMITTING OFFICES Aksarben Aquarium Niobrara State Park Fort Robinson State Park Ponca State Park 21502 W. Hwy. 31 89261 522 Ave. 3200 Hwy. 20 88090 Spur 26E Gretna, NE 68028 Niobrara, NE 68760-6087 Crawford, NE 69339-0392 Ponca, NE 68770-0688 402-332-3901 402-857-3373 308-665-2900 402-755-2284 Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area Chadron State Park Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area 1475 Hwy. 61 15951 Hwy. 385 210615 Hwy. 71 Ogallala, NE 69153-5930 Chadron, NE 69337-7353 Gering, NE 69341 308-284-8800 308-432-6167 308-436-3777 Front cover photo: NEBRASKAland Magazine/NGPC 4 | Waterfowl Info: 402-471-0641 NEW FOR 2018 • The daily bag limit for pintails increases from one to two. (See page 11) • The white-fronted goose season is lengthened from 74 to 88 days, and the daily bag limit is reduced from three to two. (See page 16) GENERAL HUNTING REGULATIONS PERMITS AND STAMPS Nebraska residents 16 years of age and older and all nonresidents regardless of age who hunt waterfowl in Nebraska must have: • * A current Nebraska Hunting Permit (small game) — Residents - $18; Nonresidents - $97, or Nonresident 2-Day Small Game Hunt — $67 • A Nebraska Habitat Stamp — $25 • A Nebraska Waterfowl Stamp — $10 • A current Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration number — free (see page 6) * This also includes veteran, 69-and-over senior, hunt/fish combo, and deployed military permits; as well as multiyear and lifetime permits. All residents and nonresidents age 16 and older who hunt waterfowl in Nebraska must have: • A Federal Duck Stamp, which can be purchased at Nebraska Game and Parks Commission permitting offices, from U.S. Post Offices or at OutdoorNebraska.org. The stamp is valid through June 30, 2019 – $25 (additional issuing fees may apply) ELECTRONIC FEDERAL DUCK STAMP The Electronic Duck Stamp, or E-Stamp receipt, allows customers to purchase the Federal Duck Stamp and use it immediately. The E-Stamp receipt is valid for 45 days from the date of purchase. Within that time, a physical Duck Stamp will be mailed to the customer. After 45 days, customers must carry the signed Federal Duck Stamp while hunting. WHERE TO BUY PERMITS AND STAMPS • OutdoorNebraska.org • Via mobile device • Nebraska Game and Parks offices • Permit agents Paid Advertisement OutdoorNebraska.org | 5 NEBRASKA HABITAT STAMP This stamp is valid statewide and required of all hunters in Nebraska, except residents younger than 16 years of age and residents who hold veteran or 69-or-older senior permits, and lifetime habitat stamps. One stamp is required for all hunting in a calendar year. HARVEST INFORMATION PROGRAM (HIP) Anyone planning to hunt doves, ducks, geese, snipe, rail, coot or woodcock between Aug. 1, 2018, and July 31, 2019, must register with the Harvest Information Program (HIP) before hunting – even if they registered for the 2017 hunting seasons. Residents, nonresidents – even those already registered in another state – lifetime permit holders, veterans and 69-and-over permit holders must register. Registration is free. Hunters may register 24 hours a day at OutdoorNebraska.ne.gov/Hip/ or by calling 877-634-8687. Only residents under age 16 are exempt. LEG BANDS U.S. Geological Survey leg bands recovered from migratory game birds may be reported at reportband.gov. HUNTER EDUCATION Firearm hunter education is required in Nebraska for all hunters ages 12 through 29 who: • hunt any game species with a firearm or air gun. Must carry proof of successful completion while hunting. Bowhunter education is required in Nebraska for all hunters ages 12 through 29 who: • hunt deer, elk, antelope or mountain (bighorn) sheep with bow and arrow or crossbow. Must carry proof of successful completion while hunting. Certification Options For hunters ages 11-15: • Online course (Hunter-ed.com/Nebraska and/or Bowhunter-ed.com/Nebraska) followed by participation in a two-hour Hunt Safe Session – Fee paid to online vendor • Traditional 10-hour classroom course – No cost For hunters ages 16 and older: • Online course (Hunter-ed.com/Nebraska and/or Bowhunter-ed.com/Nebraska) with no other Continued on page 7 Paid Advertisement 6 | Waterfowl Info: 402-471-0641 requirements. – Fee paid to online vendor • Traditional 10-hour classroom course – No cost For more information, visit: HuntSafeNebraska.org. Those who have not completed a hunter education course may obtain an Apprentice Hunter Education Exemption Certificate. HUNTER EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE The $5 Apprentice Hunter Education Exemption Certificate provides the novice hunter age 12 through 29 an opportunity to try hunting and receive training from an experienced hunter before completing Hunter Education. A hunter using this certificate must be accompanied* at all times while hunting. This certificate may be obtained once in each person’s lifetime, expires on Dec. 31 and may be renewed once for a consecutive year. * Accompanied is defined as: in the presence of a licensed experienced hunter age 19 or older. There may be no more than two hunters using the certificate accompanied by the experienced hunter at any time, and the experienced hunter must at all times be in unaided visual and verbal communication with the child under age 12 and/or the apprentice hunter ages 12 through 29. The experienced hunter must, if age 19-29, be certified in hunter education. OTHER REGULATION INFORMATION Methods of Take: Only archery equipment (except crossbows) and shotguns 10 gauge or smaller may be used. For migratory birds, shotguns must be plugged so the combined capacity of the chamber and magazine is no more than three shells. Rifles and crossbows cannot be used to hunt migratory birds. Electronic calls are prohibited for all waterfowl hunting during the fall seasons. Electronic calls can be used for Legal Nontoxic Shot crows. Bismuth-tin Tungsten-matrix Transporting Game: All migratory birds except Iron (steel) Tungsten-polymer doves must have one fully feathered wing or Iron-tungsten Tungsten-tin-iron head plumage attached when in transport. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for additional rules Iron-tungsten-nickel Tungsten-tin-bismuth about game being transported by someone other Tungsten-bronze Tungsten-tin-iron-nickel than the owner or by a commercial carrier. Tungsten-iron-copper-nickel Tungsten-iron-polymer Nontoxic Shot: It is unlawful to use or possess shotgun shells loaded with or containing shot other than nontoxic shot while hunting, taking or attempting to take waterfowl. Nontoxic shot is required for all shotgun hunting on federal waterfowl production areas and national wildlife refuges and, as posted, some state wildlife management areas. For the latest legal shot types, check the waterfowl section at OutdoorNebraska.org. Abandonment/Wasting: Hunters must ensure that all game is used and not wasted. Persons found guilty of abandoning or wasting game birds may be subject to fines and restitution. Waterfowl Blinds: All blinds must be removed daily from Nebraska Game and Parks state recreation areas (SRA) and wildlife management areas (WMA), except that seasonal blinds may be built on the WMA portions of Calamus, Elwood, Enders (the nonrefuge portion), Lewis and Clark, Lake McConaughy, Medicine Creek, Merritt, Red Willow, Sherman and Swanson. Such blinds must be removed at the end of the waterfowl season. Use of these blinds is on a first-come, first-served