Migratory bird hunters will be afforded increased opportunities in Canada this season as a result of several alterations to provincial and zone-specific regulations.

Daily bag limits for black ducks are increasing in a number of provinces. Hunters in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland/Labrador are now allowed to take six black ducks daily for the first portion of the waterfowl season, and four daily for the remainder of the season. Hunters in Quebec, other than in Zone F, also can shoot six black ducks daily beginning this season. In Ontario, the daily bag limits have increased to four in the Central District, and two in the Southern District. In addition, the season on black ducks in the Southern District now runs the full 107 days — no early closure.

In Manitoba, a special season for Canada and cackling geese has been established in zones 3 and 4. It will run from March 1 to 10, 2019, and is open only for residents of Canada. Earlier spring melts have created goose hunting opportunity in southern Manitoba. The Canadian Wildlife Service expects the spring take to be small, and points out that hunter harvest of geese is closely monitored by band recovery data.

Dates for the mourning dove season in Ontario’s central and southern districts are being standardized and extended. Dove hunting will have fixed opening and closing dates, with the season running Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. The new 91-day season adds three additional weeks for hunters.

Other changes include:

• In British Columbia, daily bag limits and possession limits for snow geese in Hunting Zone 2 are increasing to 15 daily/45 possession in some zones, and 10 daily/30 possession in others. In addition, the daily bag limit for brant increases to three, and the possession limit is nine.
• In Manitoba, seasons for ducks, geese and cranes are extended to Dec. 6 for zones 3 and 4.
• In Ontario, Canada goose season dates in the Central District have been standardized to run Sept. 1 to Dec. 16. Also, the daily bag limit for Canada and cackling geese increases to 10 in units 8, 10, 13, 37, 39 and 41.
• In Quebec, snow geese harvest will be allowed during the special conservation season in a portion of the Montmagny–Cap Saint-Ignace spring harvest exclusion area in District F. Also, the season length increases and is combined for eiders and long-tailed ducks in District B.
• In Newfoundland and Labrador, a new sea duck hunting zone has been created. The season will run Nov. 1 to Feb. 14, and allows hunters more opportunity, especially early for migrating common eiders.
• In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, duck seasons have been lengthened to provide more opportunity.

“We’re pleased with these changes by the CWS, and we’re looking forward to seeing the even bigger regulation modernization package that’s coming,” said Jim Fisher, director of conservation policy for Delta Waterfowl. “We’re working for simplification of the regulations and greater opportunity for hunters.”

For more information, visit publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/eccc/CW69-16-51-2018-eng.pdf. — Paul Wait