Migratory Game Bird Regulations and Flyway Process Dave
Migratory Game Bird Regulations and Flyway Process Dave Luukkonen, Wildlife Division Law Enforcement Division, Waterfowl Enforcement Training September 16, 2014
Presentation Goals Increase your understanding of: • Federal/State Migratory bird regulation setting processes • Biological and social considerations for migratory bird regulations Increase my understanding of: • Law Enforcement issues and concerns relevant to migratory bird regulations
Migratory Game Birds in Michigan Protected Under the Migratory Bird Treat Act Ducks and mergansers Geese Others Black duck Mallard Brant Black scoter Pintail Canada goose Blue winged teal Red breasted merganser Ross' goose Bufflehead Redhead Snow goose Canvasback Ringnecked duck White fronted goose Common goldeneye Ruddy duck Sora rail Common merganser Shoveler Virginia rail Gadwall Surf scoter Greater Scaup White winged scoter Green winged teal Widgeon Hooded merganser Wood duck Lesser Scaup Long-tailed duck American coot American Woodcock Common moorhen Common snipe
Some Interesting Statistics About Migratory Hunting in Michigan • Among U. S. states, Michigan ranked 6 th for Federal duck stamp sales (2010 & 2011 season average). Can you guess the top five states? – TX, MN, LA, WI, CA • Waterfowl hunters spent about $22. 7 million on hunting trips in Michigan (2012 -13 season) • Michigan was 4 th in the nation in harvest behind MN, ND, and MD in harvest of this migratory bird during the 2013 season? • Michigan always leads the nation in annual harvest of what duck and migratory upland bird species?
Michigan Canada Goose and Mallard Harvest Composition Derived From Weighted Band Recoveries Canada geese Mallard
Agency Roles in Regulation Setting • U. S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service – Sets frameworks for migratory bird seasons • Flyway Councils – Provide mechanism for coordinated management and input on federal regulation frameworks • MIDNR – Participate in Flyway process – Gather input from public, including Citizens Waterfowl Advisory Committee – Make Recommendations to Natural Resources Commission – Make season selections through Federal Process
Federal/State/Provincial Cooperative Management of Migratory Birds PACIFIC CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI ATLANTIC Michigan’s Representatives to the Mississippi Flyway Council • Council Representative: – Russ Mason (WLD Chief) • Technical Section: – Dave Luukkonen and Barbara Avers (Game) – Karen Cleveland (Nongame) • Law Enforcement Committee: – Dave Shaw
Waterfowl Hunting Regulations Schedule Early Seasons • February/March – Mississippi Flyway Council – Citizen’s Waterfowl Advisory Committee (CWAC) • June – Regulations for information at NRC – USFWS Regulations Committee • Set early season framework • July – Regulations for action at NRC Meeting – Early Season Selections Due to USFWS Late Seasons • July – Regulations for information at NRC – Mississippi Flyway Council – USFWS Regulations Committee • Set late season framework • August – CWAC Meeting – Regulations for action at NRC – Late Season Selections Due to USFWS
Duck Season Considerations
49. 2 million birds in 2014 Up 8% from 2013 43% above LTA
www. flyways. us
Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) • Adopted by FWS in 1995 • Process of using monitoring data to make “optimal” decisions about regulations • Based on the size of the mid-continent mallard population (including MI, MN, & WI) and the number of Canadian ponds • Current goal to maximize long-term harvest of mid-continent mallards
AHM Matrix for 2014
2014 Duck Framework • Liberal Season (60 days) • Saturday nearest September 24 to the last Sunday in January • Duck bag limit 6 total, 4 mallard, 2 female mallard, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 3 scaup, 2 pintails, 1 black duck, 1 canvasback • Seasons may be set by zone (north, middle, south) allowing one split in each zone
700, 000 in 2014 Similar to 2013 18% above LTA NAWMP Goal
FYI • States can adopt regulations that are more restrictive than Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Season Frameworks – For example, several MF states (including Michigan) allowed only 1 hen mallard daily although the Federal Frameworks allow for 2 – For what other migratory bird do we select regulations more restrictive than Federal Frameworks?
Factors affecting productivity and harvest rates of mallards in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, 1961 -2011 Howard Singer August 25, 2014
Adult female mallard kill rates 0. 35 MI Mean kill rate (± 1 SD) 0. 3 0. 25 0. 2 0. 15 0. 1 0. 05 0 1961 -1996 1997 -2011 MN WI
Juvenile female mallard kill rates 0. 4 MI Mean kill rate (± 1 SD) 0. 35 MN 0. 3 0. 25 0. 2 0. 15 0. 1 0. 05 0 1961 -1996 1997 -2011 WI
1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 Mallards harvested MI annual mallard harvest/hunter 4. 5 4 3. 5 3 2. 5 2 1. 5 1 0. 5 0
Canada Goose Status and Regulation Considerations
MF Canada and Cackling Goose Breeding Ranges 2 Species 5 Management Populations
Canada Goose Abundance in the Mississippi Flyway, 1939 -2014 3, 000 2, 000 Total Canada geese 1, 500, 000 1, 000 500, 000 39 19 44 19 49 19 54 19 59 19 64 19 69 19 74 19 79 19 84 19 89 19 94 19 99 20 04 20 09 20 14 0 19 Population estimate 2, 500, 000 Year
Canada Goose Abundance in the Mississippi Flyway, 1939 -2014 1, 600, 000 1, 200, 000 Temperate-nesting Subarctic-nesting 800, 000 400, 000 0 19 3 19 9 43 19 47 19 5 19 1 55 19 59 19 6 19 3 67 19 71 19 7 19 5 79 19 83 19 8 19 7 9 19 1 95 19 9 20 9 0 20 3 07 20 11 Population estimate 2, 000 Year
Michigan Canada Goose Population Estimates, 1991 -2014 350000 1969 -1999 (Pre-regulation change) 300000 2000 -2014 (Modifications to regulations) 250000 Exponential growth model fit 200000 150000 R 2 = 0. 9358 100000 50000 0 2013 2011 2009 2007 2005 2003 2001 1999 1997 1995 1993 1991 1989 1987 1985 1983 1981 1979 1977 1975 1973 1971 1969
Federal Canada Goose Harvest Estimates for MI, 1961 -2014 225000 MI Canada goose harvest 200000 175000 150000 125000 100000 750000 25000 2014 2011 2008 2005 2002 1999 1996 1993 Year 1990 1987 1984 1981 1978 1975 1972 1969 1966 1963 1960 0
2014 Canada Goose Season Frameworks • • Early season – Upper Peninsula and Huron, Tuscola, and Saginaw Counties • 1 -10 September – Remainder of state • 1 -15 September – Maximum 5 bird daily limit Regular season – Maximum 92 days – No earlier than 16 September – No later than January 31 – Maximum 2 bird daily limit Late season – Maximum 30 days – No earlier than 31 December – No Later than 15 February – Maximum 5 bird daily limit Season splits – Regular seasons may be split into 3 segments
Days Regular Canada Goose Season Length, MVP and SJBP Zones, 1998 -2014 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 MVP Zone SJBP Zone Goose and duck zones merged 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 Year
2014 Federal Frameworks for Other Geese • Snow and Ross: – 107 days – up to 20 -bird daily limit • White-fronted: – 88 days – 1 -bird daily limit • Brant: – 107 days – 1 -bird daily limit
Thank you Great Lakes, Great Times, Great Outdoors www. michigan. gov/dnr
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