All kinds of useful information on Nevada waterfowl hunting

Do you own a shotgun? Do you own a hunting dog? Do you have lots of decoys? Do you like to hunt in bad weather?

Well, if you answered "Yes" to all of those questions, here is everything you ever wanted or needed to know about hunting ducks, geese and swans in the State of Nevada:

DUCKS, MERGANSERS, COOTS & MOORHENS

Opened in the Northern Zone (All counties except Clark and Lincoln) last Saturday, Oct. 13. This season will close on Jan. 26.

Ducks & Mergansers: Daily limit of 7 with a possession limit of 14.

Coots & Moorhens: Daily and possession limit of 25.

Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.

Open to Non-Residents.

Special Note: The combined daily limit on all ducks is 7, including not more than 2 hen Mallard, 1 Pintail, 2 Canvasback, 3 Scaup and 2 Redheads. The possession limit is twice the daily limit.

GOOSE (Canada and White-Fronted)

Opens statewide on Saturday, Oct. 20. This season closes Jan. 27.

Daily limit of 3 with a possession limit of 6.

Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.

Open to Non-Residents.

GOOSE (Snow and Ross')

Opens statewide on Saturday, Oct. 20. This season closes Jan. 28.

Daily limit of 4 with a possession limit of 8.

Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.

Open to Non-Residents.

Special Note: The following area is closed to hunting Snow and Ross' Geese: Ruby Valley within Elko and White Pine Counties.

SWAN

Opens on Saturday, Oct. 20 only in Churchill, Lyon and Pershing Counties. This season closes Jan. 6.

Hunters must possess a Nevada hunting license, Federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp, a Nevada Duck Stamp and a Swan tag.

Successful hunters are required to have their tags and swans validated at selected sites within five days of harvesting a swan.

If a harvest of five Trumpeter Swans is reached, the swan season is closed for the remainder of the season.

STAMPS

A Federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp ($16 at NDOW) is required for any person 16 or older who hunts any migratory waterfowl. A Nevada State Duck Stamp ($10) is required for any person 12-64 years old who hunts migratory birds, except mourning or white-winged dove, snipe, coot or moorhen.

HIP NUMBER

Any person 12 years or older who plans to hunt any kind of migratory game bird including ducks, geese, swans, rails, coot, doves, snipe, or gallinules in Nevada this year, is required to annually obtain a Harvest Information Program (HIP) validation number and write it on their hunting license before entering the field.

That number is free and is available by calling (866) 703-4605 or going to the Internet website www.ndowlicensing.com.

The HIP is a method by which NDOW and USF&WS are developing more reliable estimates of the number of all migratory birds harvested throughout the country.

These estimates give biologists the information they need to make sound decisions concerning hunting seasons, bag limits, and population management.

SHOT

Nontoxic shot is required in Nevada: A hunter of ducks, mergansers, geese, swans, coots, gallinules or snipe shall use nontoxic shot in muzzle loaders or in shells for a shotgun when hunting in this state. Shotguns must be plugged to limit overall shot shell capacity to only three shells.

MISCELLANEOUS

Head or fully feathered wing must remain attached, while in transit from the field for ducks, mergansers, coots and Moorhens, snipe, geese and swans.

Report any bird bands by calling (800) 327-BAND. By reporting band numbers, you will be helping to manage our waterfowl resource.

Non-Game Birds such as shore birds, song birds, hawks, ravens, owls, etc., are protected by state and federal law, and as such must not be hunted, killed or possessed.

For all of the various laws and regulations concerning waterfowl, boating, and other use regulations on state and federal lands, see the Nevada Hunt Book which is available on the Internet, at license agents and NDOW offices.

FINALLY

If you are successful in bagging any ducks or geese this season, remember who gave you all of this useful information. Hint! Hint!

For information, call the Nevada Department of Wildlife at 688-1500 during regular business hours.

• Bet Your Favorite Pigeon

Bet your favorite pigeon that he can't tell you a popular spot for waterfowl hunters in this area.

If he grins and says, "It's at Washoe Lake, between Carson City and Reno. And, that explains the many trucks parked along the highway in the early morning hours," he could be one of those hunters.

• Don Quilici is the Outdoors editor for the Nevada Appeal.