Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...

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Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
                    Migratory Bird
                    and Waterfowl
                    Hunting Digest 2019–2020
NOPPADOL PAOTHONG

                                                                     Wood duck
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Conservation Department Offices

              Director,
    Department of Conservation
          Sara Parker Pauley
   The Conservation Commission
             Don C. Bedell
         Marilynn J. Bradford
           David W. Murphy
        Wm. L. (Barry) Orscheln
      Missouri Department of
            Conservation
             PO Box 180
   Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180
           573-751-4115
            mdc.mo.gov                      Central Region           Northwest Region           Southwest Region
 Equal opportunity to participate in        3500 East Gans Road      701 James McCarthy Drive   2630 N. Mayfair
 and benefit from programs of the           Columbia, MO 65201       St. Joseph, MO 64507       Springfield, MO 65803
 Missouri Department of Conservation        573-815-7900             816-271-3100               417-895-6880
 is available to all individuals without
 regard to their race, color, religion,     Kansas City Region       Ozark Region               St. Louis Region
 national origin, sex, ancestry, age,       12405 SE Ranson Road     551 Joe Jones Blvd.        2360 Highway D
 sexual orientation, veteran status, or     Lee’s Summit, MO 64082   West Plains, MO 65775      St. Charles, MO 63304
 disability. Questions should be directed   816-622-0900             417-256-7161               636-441-4554
 to the Department of Conservation,
 PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102,      Northeast Region         Southeast Region
 573-751-4115 (voice) or 800-735-2966       3500 S. Baltimore        2302 County Park Drive
 (TTY), or to Chief, Public Civil Rights,   Kirksville, MO 63501     Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
 Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department    660-785-2420             573-290-5730
 of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW,
 Washington, D.C. 20240.

                                            To report poaching or game-law violations, call
                                                           Operation Game Thief
                                                              800-392-1111
                                                  Rewards are available for information
                                               leading to the arrest of game-law violators.
                                                      You can remain anonymous.
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Table of Contents
    4 Permits and Stamps
       4    Permit and Stamp Requirements              What’s New for 2019?
       4    Small Game Hunting Permits                 ◾◾ Nontoxic shot is now required for hunting doves
                                                          on 20 conservation areas that have intensive dove
       4    Permit Requirements for Young Hunters         hunting. See Page 8.
       4    Hunter-Education Requirement               ◾◾ Sixteen new conservation areas require nontoxic
       4    Who May Purchase Resident Permits?            shot for all hunting with a shotgun. See Page 38.
       5    MO Hunting App                             ◾◾ Only one pintail is allowed in your daily bag
                                                          limit this season. (Two pintails were allowed last
       5    Where to Purchase Permits                     season.)
       5    Where to Purchase Duck Stamps              ◾◾ Duck season will now close in the South Zone on
       5    Replacing Permits                             Jan. 31 (rather than on the last Sunday in Janu-
                                                          ary as in previous years). The season date formula
       5    Apprentice Hunter Authorization               was updated to match recently changed federal
       5    Social Security Number Requirement            frameworks.
       6    Permit Prices                              ◾◾ Changes have been made to the waterfowl
                                                          reservation system and the morning drawing at
8      Dove Season                                        managed waterfowl hunting areas. See Page 27 for
                                                          more details.
       9    Dove Identification
                                                       ◾◾ Due to spring flooding, some conservation areas
10 Rail, Snipe, and Woodcock Seasons                      may have sections closed for repair and/or have
                                                          reduced habitat for dove and waterfowl hunting.
       11 Rail, Snipe, and Woodcock Identification        For an update on conditions at managed water-
                                                          fowl hunting areas, search “preseason wetland
12 Waterfowl Seasons                                      area status” beginning in August at mdc.mo.gov.
       12   Teal Season
       13   Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
       14   Duck and Coot Seasons                    30 State and Federal Regulations
       15   Duck Hunting Zones and Season Formulas         30 Wildlife Code of MissourI
       16   Goose Seasons                                  36 Federal Regulations Summary
       17   Light Goose Conservation Order
       18   Duck Identification                      38 General Information
       24   Goose Identification                           38     Areas Requiring Nontoxic Shot
                                                           38     Drone Use
17 Falconry                                                38     Proper Handling of Game Birds
26 Waterfowl Hunting Areas                                 38     Watch Your Wake
       27   How the Morning Drawing Works                  38     When Hunting From a Boat
       27   Rules of the Morning Drawing                   38     Help Stop Zebra Mussels
       27   Online Hunting Reports                         38     Report Your Bands
       28   Managed Waterfowl Hunting Areas                39     Sunrise and Sunset Times
       29   Other Waterfowl Hunting Areas                  40     Seasons at a Glance

                                                                Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 3
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Permits and Stamps
PERMITS AND STAMPS

                     Permit and Stamp Requirements                                      Hunter-Education Requirement
                     All hunters age 16 or older must carry the appropriate permits     You must complete an approved hunter-education program
                     in either paper, plastic, or electronic format to pursue, take,    in Missouri or another state to buy firearms hunting permits
                     possess, and transport migratory game birds in Missouri. The       unless:
                     permits you need depend upon whether you are a resident or         ◾ You were born before Jan. 1, 1967.
                     nonresident hunter and the game birds that you plan to hunt.       ◾ You are 15 or younger and hunting in the immediate
                                                                                           presence of a properly licensed adult hunter 18 or older
                     Ducks, Geese, and Coots
                                                                                           who has a valid hunter-education card or was born before
                     Three permits are required.
                                                                                           Jan. 1, 1967.
                     ➊ Small Game Hunting Permit                                        ◾ You are using an Apprentice Hunter Authorization. See
                     ➋ Migratory Bird Hunting Permit                                       Page 5.
                     ➌ Federal Duck Stamp                                               ◾ You have a developmental disability. See Rule 3 CSR
                     Doves, Rails, Snipe, and Woodcock                                     10-5.205 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri.
                     Two permits are required.                                             All hunters, unless exempt, must carry their hunter-
                     ➊ Small Game Hunting Permit                                        education card or a permit with their hunter-education
                     ➋ Migratory Bird Hunting Permit                                    number on it while hunting with a firearm. The Missouri
                                                                                        Conservation Heritage Card or Conservation Permit Card with
                     Snow, Blue, and Ross’s Geese During the
                                                                                        a hunter-education number on it is also acceptable.
                     Conservation Order
                                                                                           A hunter-education card need not be displayed when buy-
                     One permit is required.
                                                                                        ing permits if certification can be verified online. If this is not
                     ➊ Conservation Order Permit                                        possible, some hunters will need to contact the Conservation
                     Small Game Hunting Permits                                         Department to provide proof of hunter-education certifica-
                                                                                        tion. Once in Missouri’s permit database, hunters won’t have
                     The Conservation Department offers a variety of small game         to submit this information again.
                     hunting permits for residents and nonresidents. Only one              For more information on hunter education, including how
                     small game hunting permit is needed to hunt migratory game         to earn certification, visit mdc.mo.gov/huntereducation.
                     birds.
                        Some hunters are not required to possess a small game           Who May Purchase Resident Permits?
                     hunting permit.
                                                                                        ◾ Any person who does not claim resident privileges in
                     ◾ If you are a resident landowner (as defined by the Wildlife
                                                                                          another state or country, and whose actual residence and
                        Code of Missouri), you do not need a small game hunting
                                                                                          legal permanent home address are both in Missouri, and
                        permit to hunt on your own land.
                                                                                          have been for at least 30 days before applying for the per-
                     ◾ If you are a Missouri resident 65 or older, you do not need a
                                                                                          mit. Owning real estate or attending a Missouri school does
                        small game hunting permit.
                                                                                          not in itself make you a legal resident.
                     ◾ If you are an honorably discharged resident or nonresident
                                                                                        ◾ Missouri residents employed by the United States in the
                        veteran having a service-related disability of 60 percent or
                                                                                          District of Columbia or serving in the U.S. armed forces.
                        greater; a member of the U.S. military currently assigned as
                                                                                          (Immediate family members who reside with them also
                        a patient to a Warrior Transition Brigade, Warrior Transition
                                                                                          may purchase resident permits.)
                        Unit, or a military medical center; or if you were a prisoner
                                                                                        ◾ All members of the U.S. armed forces stationed and resid-
                        of war during military service, you do not need a small
                                                                                          ing in Missouri on permanent change-of-station status and
                        game hunting permit. However, you must carry a certified
                                                                                          immediate family members residing with them.
                        statement of eligibility from the U.S. Department of Veter-
                                                                                        ◾ Any honorably discharged military veteran having a
                        ans Affairs or orders showing your assignment.
                                                                                          service-related disability of 60 percent or greater, or who
                     Permit Requirements for Young Hunters                                was a prisoner of war during military service; must carry a
                                                                                          certified statement of eligibility from the U.S. Department
                     If you are 15 or younger, you do not need any permits to hunt        of Veterans Affairs while hunting and purchasing permits.
                     migratory game birds in Missouri. However, you must:               ◾ Any member of the U.S. military currently assigned as a
                     ◾ Hunt in the immediate presence of a properly licensed              patient to a Warrior Transition Brigade, Warrior Transi-
                         adult hunter age 18 or older who has a valid hunter-             tion Unit, or a military medical center; must carry orders
                         education card or was born before Jan. 1, 1967;                  showing such assignment while hunting and purchasing
                     ◾ Or possess a valid hunter-education card.                          permits.
                     Note: During Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days, you must hunt
                     in the immediate presence of an adult, regardless of whether
                     or not you have a valid hunter-education card. See Page 13.

                     4   Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
PERMITS AND STAMPS
◾ Nonresidents who are registered students attending a
  public or private secondary, postsecondary, or vocational
                                                                  Where to Purchase Duck Stamps
  school in Missouri and who live in Missouri while attending     ◾ Duck stamps are no longer sold at waterfowl hunting areas.
  school; must carry evidence of a Missouri residence and         ◾ Many permit vendors no longer sell traditional (paper) duck
  student status, such as a student ID, while hunting. Note:        stamps. However, all permit vendors offer electronic duck
  Nonresident students who qualify for resident permits             stamps (see next bullet).
  must purchase them in person, over the phone, or through        ◾ You may now buy duck stamps online at mdc.mo.gov/
  the mail from Conservation Department offices.                    permits, from a retail permit vendor, or through the MO
◾ Immigrants who possess an I-551 Resident Alien Card from          Hunting app. An electronic duck stamp (e-Stamp) will be
  the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and who           issued to you, and a paper duck stamp will be mailed to
  do not claim resident privileges in another state or country,     you. The e-Stamp may be used immediately and is valid for
  and whose actual residence and legal permanent home               45 days. After 45 days, you must sign and carry the paper
  address are both in Missouri, and have been for at least 30       duck stamp that is mailed to you. The cost of an e-Stamp
  days before purchasing a permit.                                  is $28.50, which includes a $3.50 handling fee. This fee is
                                                                    set and fully retained by the federal government. If you do
MO Hunting App                                                      not receive your paper duck stamp, please contact Amplex
The Conservation Department’s free MO Hunting app offers a          customer service at 800-852-4897.
quick, easy, and convenient option for carrying your permits      ◾ Traditional (paper) duck stamps may be purchased for $25
afield. The app, which is available for Android and Apple           at some U.S. Post Offices. Please contact the office before
mobile devices, allows you to:                                      you visit to ask if duck stamps are available.
◾ Purchase permits and duck stamps.
◾ See all the hunting, fishing, and trapping permits you have
                                                                  Replacing Permits
   purchased — even if they were purchased from a tradi-          If you lose your permit, simply download the MO Hunting
   tional vendor, online, or by telephone.                        app to your Android or Apple mobile device, log in with your
◾ Carry valid, electronic permits afield. Note: The MO Hunt-      Conservation Number, and a valid, electronic version of your
   ing app will display your purchase of a Federal Duck Stamp,    permit will appear on the app. Any active, valid permit can
   but you must sign and carry a paper duck stamp afield after    be reprinted at home for free at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits.
   your 45-day e-Stamp has expired.                               Replacement permits can also be purchased from any vendor
   To log in to MO Hunting, you’ll need your Conservation         for $2.
Number. This nine-digit number can be found on any current
or previous permit. For help locating your Conservation Num-      Apprentice Hunter Authorization
ber, call 573-522-0107 during regular business hours, or go to    Hunters age 16 or older who do not have a valid hunter-
short.mdc.mo.gov/ZkH.                                             education card may hunt with firearms, as long as they:
   MO Hunting is available in the Google Play and Apple App       ◾ First purchase an Apprentice Hunter Authorization;
stores. You can also get MO Hunting and learn more about the      ◾ Then purchase permits for the season they want to hunt; and
app at mdc.mo.gov/mobile/mobile-apps.                             ◾ Hunt in the immediate presence of a properly licensed
                                                                     adult who has a valid hunter-education card or was born
Where to Purchase Permits
                                                                     before Jan. 1, 1967.
◾ Over the counter from any permit vendor. No surcharges          Note: The Apprentice Hunter Authorization by itself does not
  will be assessed.                                               allow you to hunt. It only allows those who have not com-
◾ Online at mdc.mo.gov/permits. Use your credit card to           pleted a hunter-education course to purchase firearms per-
  pay. No surcharges will be assessed. Print your permit at       mits. The Apprentice Hunter Authorization can be purchased
  home and have it in hand immediately.                           for no more than two years.
◾ From your smartphone using the free MO Hunting app. Use
  your credit card to pay. No surcharges will be assessed. Your   Social Security Number Requirement
  permit will appear on the app immediately after purchase.       Federal Statute 42 U.S.C. § 666 and Missouri Revised Stat-
◾ By telephone at 800-392-4115. Use your credit card and pay      ute 454.403 require buyers of Missouri hunting, fishing, and
  a $1 surcharge. Allow 10 days for delivery.                     trapping permits to provide their Social Security number.
                                                                  Individuals who do not have a Social Security number will be
                                                                  required to affirm that information. Falsifying a Social Secu-
                                                                  rity number may result in revocation of privileges or criminal
                                                                  charges. Social Security numbers are securely stored and used
                                                                  in support of the Missouri Department of Social Service’s child
                                                                  support enforcement.

mdc.mo.gov                                                                    Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 5
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Permits and Stamps
PERMITS AND STAMPS

                      Resident Small Game Hunting Permit                                                                                    Resident Lifetime Small Game Hunting Permit
                     This permit allows you to take birds (except turkeys), mammals                                                        This permit allows the same privileges as the Small Game
                     (except deer), frogs, and to sell furbearers taken by hunting.                                                        Hunting Permit, Migratory Bird Hunting Permit, and Conserva-
                     Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10    tion Order Permit. Deer and turkey hunting privileges are not
                                                                                                                                           included. A Federal Duck Stamp is required to hunt waterfowl.
                      Resident Small Game Hunting and                                                                                      Age 15 or younger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $275
                      Fishing Permit                                                                                                       Age 16–29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $400
                     This permit allows the same privileges as the Resident Small                                                          Age 30–39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $350
                     Game Hunting Permit, plus it allows you to take fish, mussels,                                                        Age 40–59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300
                     clams, turtles, crayfish, and live bait.                                                                              Age 60 or older  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35
                     Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19    To apply for this permit:
                                                                                                                                           ◾ Go online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZJ4.
                      Resident National Guard and Reserve Service                                                                          ◾ Call 573-522-0107.
                      Small Game Hunting and Fishing Permit                                                                                ◾ Email Lifetime.Permit@mdc.mo.gov.
                     This permit allows the same privileges as the Resident Small                                                           Resident Lifetime Conservation Partner Permit
                     Game Hunting and Fishing Permit. It is for Missouri residents
                     who are mobilized (or have been in the past 12 months) and                                                            This permit allows the same privileges as the Small Game
                     are serving on full-time active duty in the National Guard                                                            Hunting and Fishing Permit, Trout Permit, Migratory Bird
                     (federal status) or U.S. Reserves.                                                                                    Hunting Permit, and Conservation Order Permit. Deer and
                     Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5   turkey hunting privileges are not included. A Federal Duck
                     To apply for this permit:                                                                                             Stamp is required to hunt waterfowl.
                     ◾◾ Go online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZJ9.                                                                                 Age 15 or younger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $550
                     ◾ Call 573-522-0107.                                                                                                  Age 16–29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $800
                     ◾ Write to National Guard Permits, Missouri Department of                                                             Age 30–39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $700
                        Conservation, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180.                                                           Age 40–59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $600
                                                                                                                                           Age 60 or older  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $70
                      Nonresident Small Game Hunting Permit                                                                                To apply for this permit:
                     This permit allows you to take birds (except turkeys), mam-                                                           ◾ Go online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZJ4.
                     mals (except deer and furbearers), and frogs. It is valid from                                                        ◾ Call 573-522-0107.
                     March 1 through the last day of February.                                                                             ◾ Email Lifetime.Permit@mdc.mo.gov.
                     Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $80

                      Daily Small Game Hunting Permit
                     This permit allows you to take birds (except turkeys), mam-
                     mals (except deer and furbearers), and frogs. It is valid for a
                     single day only, but you may purchase additional daily per-
                     mits to hunt additional days.
                     Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11

                      Resident Conservation Order Permit                                                                                    Migratory Bird Hunting Permit
                     This is the only permit you need to hunt light geese during                                                           This permit is required of all resident and nonresident migra-
                     the Conservation Order.                                                                                               tory bird hunters (including landowners), age 16 or older.
                     Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5   Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6

                      Nonresident Conservation Order Permit                                                                                 Federal Duck Stamp
                     This is the only permit you need to hunt light geese during                                                           This stamp is required of all resident and nonresident water-
                     the Conservation Order.                                                                                               fowl hunters, age 16 or older. You may buy duck stamps online
                     Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40    and at some U.S. Post Offices (see Page 5 for more informa-
                                                                                                                                           tion). Paper duck stamps must be signed in ink across the face.
                                                                                                                                           Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25
                     6     Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
NOPPADOL PAOTHONG

mdc.mo.gov
7
             Mourning dove
                                   PERMITS AND STAMPS
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Dove Season
                   Dates                                                        Hunters Provide Valuable Dove Data by
              Sept. 1, 2019, to Nov. 29, 2019                                   Reporting Bands and Collecting Wings
                   Shooting Hours                                               Mourning doves are one of the most widely distributed and
                                                                                abundant game birds in North America. Survival and harvest
              One-half hour before sunrise to sunset                            information is critical for understanding how hunting regula-
                                                                                tions affect mourning dove populations. Banding is an impor-
                   Limits
                                                                                tant tool for obtaining this information.
              ◾ Mourning doves, white-winged doves, and Eurasian                    Captured doves are fitted with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
                collared-doves count toward daily and possession                vice (USFWS) band inscribed with an identification number.
DOVE SEASON

                limits.                                                         Hunters should examine their mourning doves for leg bands.
              ◾ The daily bag limit is 15 doves, combined total of all          By reporting banded doves (see Page 38), you help manage
                three species.                                                  this important migratory bird resource.
              ◾ The possession limit is 45 doves, combined total of all             Missouri also is cooperating with the USFWS in collecting
                three species.                                                  mourning dove wings from hunters. Randomly selected hunt-
                                                                                ers will be asked to save one wing from each dove during the
                                                                                first week of the season and mail the wings (postage free) to
                    Allowed                                                     the USFWS. Hunters using high-use public areas also may be
                                                                                asked to provide dove wings. Data from the wings, in com-
              ◾ Shotguns, must be 10 gauge or smaller and manufactured          bination with information from banded birds, is used to estab-
                or modified so as not to hold more than three shells in the     lish hunting regulations.
                magazine and chamber combined
              ◾ Hunting dogs                                                    Dove Hunting on Public Land
              ◾ Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor
                                                                                Dove hunting fields on conservation areas are planted in
                has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s
                                                                                sunflowers, wheat, millet, buckwheat, corn, or a combination
                progress therefrom has stopped.
                                                                                of crops. To locate dove fields, contact the regional office for
              ◾ Other methods are allowed by state and federal regula-
                                                                                the area you want to hunt. Maps of areas that have dove fields
                tions. Please consult Chapter 7 of the Wildlife Code of
                                                                                are available from the Conservation Department’s website at
                Missouri for more information.
                                                                                short.mdc.mo.gov/ZZ7.
                    Prohibited                                                  Some Dove Hunting Areas Now Require
              ◾ Rifles and pistols                                              Nontoxic Shot
              ◾ Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge
              ◾ Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic fire-     New! Nontoxic shot is now required for hunting doves on 20
                arms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explo-   conservation areas (see Page 38 for a list of areas where non-
                sives, and stupefying substances                                toxic shot is required for all shotgun hunting). Research shows
              ◾ Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing      that doves, waterfowl, and many other species can suffer from
                one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle.            lead poisoning after consuming pellets from spent shotgun
              ◾ Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that        shells. Use or possession of lead shot for hunting doves is
                conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water            prohibited on the following conservation areas:
              ◾ Electronic calls or electronically activated calls              ◾ Bilby Ranch Lake                  ◾ Pony Express Lake
              ◾ Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game      ◾ Bois D’Arc                        ◾ Reed (James A.) Memorial
              ◾ Night vision or thermal imagery equipment                       ◾ Busch (August A.)                   Wildlife Area
              ◾ Live decoys                                                     ◾ Crowley’s Ridge                   ◾ Reform
              ◾ Bait (see Page 36)                                              ◾ Davisdale                         ◾ Talbot (Robert E.)
                                                                                ◾ Harmony Mission Lake              ◾ Truman Reservoir Manage-
                    Permits                                                     ◾ Lamine River                        ment Lands (Bethlehem)
              Two permits are required. See Page 6 for permit details.          ◾ Logan (William R.)                ◾ Weldon Spring
                                                                                ◾ Maintz Wildlife Preserve          ◾ Whetstone Creek
              ➊ Small Game Hunting Permit                                       ◾ Pacific Palisades                 ◾ White (William G. and
              ➋ Migratory Bird Hunting Permit                                   ◾ Park (Guy B.)                       Erma Parke) Memorial
                                                                                ◾ Peabody                             Wildlife Area

              8   Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Dove Identification
Mourning dove
◾ Grayish-brown
◾ Faster wing beat, more
  erratic flight path than
  white-winged dove
◾ 12 inches from tip of beak
  to end of tail
                                                                   Black spots
◾ Call is a soft, inflected
  cooAHoo followed by                         Long, pointed tail

                                                                                                                                                 DOVE SEASON
  several coos

White-winged dove
◾ Grayish-brown
◾ Slightly larger than                                White wing patch
  mourning dove
◾ Call is a soft hoohoo
  hoohoo with the final        Long,
  note descending              moderately
                               rounded tail

Eurasian collared-dove
◾ Gray                                                                                 Thin black
◾ 13 inches from tip of beak                                                           band on
  to end of tail                                                                       neck with
                                                                                       white upper
◾ Call is a three-part coo
                                                                                       border
  with similar tone to a
  domestic pigeon
                                                                                                                              ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARK RAITHEL

                                              Long, squared tail

mdc.mo.gov                                                          Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 9
Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019-2020 - MDC Hunting and ...
Rail, Snipe, and Woodcock Seasons
RAIL, SNIPE, AND WOODCOCK SEASONS

                                                                                                                                                                      NOPPADOL PAOTHONG
                                    Virginia rail

                                          Dates                                                          Shooting Hours
                                    ◾ Sora and Virginia Rails: Sept. 1, 2019, to                    One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
                                      Nov. 9, 2019
                                    ◾ Wilson’s (Common) Snipe: Sept. 1, 2019, to                         Limits
                                      Dec. 16, 2019                                                 ◾ Sora and Virginia Rails: 25 daily (combined total of both
                                    ◾ American Woodcock: Oct. 15, 2019, to                            species)
                                      Nov. 28, 2019                                                 ◾ Wilson’s (Common) Snipe: Eight daily
                                                                                                    ◾ American Woodcock: Three daily
                                                                                                    ◾ Possession limits are three times the daily bag limits for
                                                                                                      rails, snipe, and woodcock.

                                           Allowed                                                       Prohibited
                                    ◾ Shotguns, must be 10 gauge or smaller and manufactured        ◾ Rifles and pistols
                                      or modified so as not to hold more than three shells in the   ◾ Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge
                                      magazine and chamber combined                                 ◾ Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic fire-
                                    ◾ Hunting dogs                                                    arms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explo-
                                    ◾ Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor     sives, and stupefying substances
                                      has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s     ◾ Lead shot is prohibited at some conservation areas. See
                                      progress therefrom has stopped.                                 Page 38.
                                    ◾ Other methods are allowed by state and federal regula-        ◾ Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing
                                      tions. Please consult Chapter 7 of the Wildlife Code of         one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle.
                                      Missouri for more information.                                ◾ Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that
                                                                                                      conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water
                                           Permits                                                  ◾ Electronic calls or electronically activated calls
                                    Two permits are required. See Page 6 for permit details.        ◾ Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
                                    ➊ Small Game Hunting Permit                                     ◾ Night vision or thermal imagery equipment
                                    ➋ Migratory Bird Hunting Permit                                 ◾ Live decoys
                                                                                                    ◾ Bait (see Page 36)
                                    10 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Rail, Snipe, and Woodcock Identification
 LEGAL during migratory bird season

American woodcock                                               Wilson’s (common) snipe
       Buff-colored                          Long pink bill
       body and wings

                                                                Long
                                                                gray bill

                                                                                                                                                    RAIL, SNIPE, AND WOODCOCK SEASONS
                                        Plump body
                                                                            White belly
                                                                                                                Short, dark wings

                                                                               Plump body

Virginia rail                                                   Sora

                                                                            Short
                                                                            yellow bill
                                                Long red bill

                                        Cinnamon-red breast                          Gray breast

               Reddish-orange                                                                      Yellow legs
               legs dangle in flight.                                                              dangle in flight.

 ILLEGAL during migratory bird seasons

Lesser and greater yellowlegs                                   Long-billed and short-billed dowitchers
Gray bill, shorter than                                                                                     White wedge
the bills of snipe or                                                                                       extends from tail
woodcock                                                                                                    to middle of back.

                                            Long yellow legs            Long bill

            Lighter-colored
            underwings compared
            to snipe and woodcock

Willet                                                          Stilt sandpiper
                                              White rump,
Gray bill is shorter and                      grayish tail      Slimmer than snipe
heavier compared to                                             and woodcock
snipe and woodcock.
                                                                                                                                    ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAVID BESENGER

            Larger body than
            snipe or woodcock               Grayish-blue legs   Gray bill, pronounced
                                                                droop at the tip,
                                                                shorter than the bills
                                                                of snipe or woodcock

                                                                                                     Long, greenish-yellow legs

mdc.mo.gov                                                                  Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 11
Teal Season

                                                                                                                                                        JIM RATHERT
                    Blue-winged teal

                         Dates                                                             Limits
                    Sept. 7–22, 2019                                                  ◾ Blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, and cinnamon teal
                                                                                        count toward daily and possession limits.
                         Shooting Hours                                               ◾ The daily bag limit is six teal, combined total of all three
WATERFOWL SEASONS

                    Sunrise to sunset                                                   species.
                                                                                      ◾ The possession limit is 18 teal, combined total of all three
                                                                                        species.

                          Allowed                                                           Prohibited
                    ◾ Shotguns, must be 10 gauge or smaller and manufactured          ◾ Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic
                      or modified so as not to hold more than three shells in the       by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For a list of approved
                      magazine and chamber combined                                     nontoxic shot, see Page 37.
                    ◾ Hunting dogs                                                    ◾ Rifles and pistols
                    ◾ Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor     ◾ Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge
                      has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s       ◾ Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic fire-
                      progress therefrom has stopped.                                   arms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explo-
                    ◾ Other methods are allowed by state and federal regula-            sives, and stupefying substances
                      tions. Please consult Chapter 7 of the Wildlife Code of         ◾ Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing
                      Missouri for more information.                                    one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle.
                                                                                        Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that
                    September Teal Season Rationale                                     conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water
                    Blue-winged teal are among the earliest ducks to migrate          ◾ Electronic calls or electronically activated calls
                    south during fall and the latest to head north during spring.     ◾ Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
                    The first teal typically arrive in Missouri during August, and    ◾ Night vision or thermal imagery equipment
                    their numbers usually peak around mid-September. Teal             ◾ Live decoys
                    migrations through Missouri tend to be more sporadic than         ◾ Bait (see Page 36)
                    other waterfowl species. Teal are generally present in signifi-
                                                                                            Permits
                    cant numbers only during and shortly after migration events.
                    These migrations can occur at any time from late August           Three permits are required. See Page 6 for permit details.
                    through early October. Opening the season on the first Sat-       ➊ Small Game Hunting Permit
                    urday after Labor Day provides hunting opportunity during         ➋ Migratory Bird Hunting Permit
                    mid-September, when teal migrations often occur.                  ➌ Federal Duck Stamp

                    12 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
     Dates                                                             Limits
To participate, you must be age 15 or younger. An adult 18        Six ducks daily with species restrictions of:
years or older must accompany you. The adult may not hunt         ◾ Four mallards (no more than two hens)
ducks during Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days, but he or she          ◾ Three scaup (greater and lesser combined)
may participate in other open seasons.                            ◾ Three wood ducks
◾ North Zone: Oct. 26–27, 2019                                    ◾ Two black ducks
◾ Middle Zone: Oct. 26–27, 2019                                   ◾ Two canvasbacks
◾ South Zone: Nov. 23–24, 2019                                    ◾ Two hooded mergansers
                                                                  ◾ Two redheads
     Shooting Hours                                               ◾ One mottled duck
One-half hour before sunrise to sunset                            ◾ New! One pintail
                                                                  15 coots daily
                                                                  20 light geese daily (snow, blue, and Ross’s geese)
                                                                  Three Canada geese and brant daily (combined total of
                                                                     both species)
                                                                  Two white-fronted geese daily
                                                                  Possession limits are three times the daily bag limits for ducks,
                                                                  coots, Canada geese, brant, and white-fronted geese. Light
                                                                  geese have no possession limit.

     Allowed                                                            Permits

                                                                                                                                        WATERFOWL SEASONS
◾ Shotguns, must be 10 gauge or smaller and manufactured          You do not need a permit to participate in Youth Waterfowl
  or modified so as not to hold more than three shells in the     Hunting Days.
  magazine and chamber combined                                   ◾ If you have a hunter-education card, the adult who accom-
◾ Hunting dogs                                                      panies you does not need a hunter-education card or a
◾ Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor       hunting permit.
  has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s       ◾ If you don’t have a hunter-education card, the adult who
  progress therefrom has stopped.                                   accompanies you must be hunter-education certified
◾ Other methods are allowed by state and federal regula-            unless they were born before Jan. 1, 1967. The adult also
  tions. Please consult Chapter 7 of the Wildlife Code of           must have a Missouri small game hunting permit or be
  Missouri for more information.                                    exempt.

     Prohibited                                                   Timing of Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
◾ Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic    Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days are typically offered the week-
  by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For a list of approved   end before the regular duck season opens. In the North and
  nontoxic shot, see Page 37.                                     Middle zones, this timing often falls on the same weekend
◾ Rifles and pistols                                              as Early Youth Firearms Deer Season. When this occurs, the
◾ Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge       Conservation Department shifts Youth Waterfowl Hunting
◾ Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic fire-     Days a week earlier in the affected zones, which gives young
  arms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explo-   hunters the opportunity to fully participate in both youth
  sives, and stupefying substances                                seasons. This option received nearly as much or more support
◾ Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing      from North and Middle Zone hunters as any other alternative
  one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle.            presented in the 2016 Waterfowl Post-Season Survey. Further-
◾ Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that        more, this option was favored by a sizable majority of Middle
  conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water            Zone hunters responding to surveys in 2010 and 2015.
◾ Electronic calls or electronically activated calls              The Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days in the South Zone will
◾ Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game      continue to be offered the weekend before Thanksgiving as
◾ Night vision or thermal imagery equipment                       this option received the most support in the 2016 Waterfowl
◾ Live decoys                                                     Post-Season Survey.
◾ Bait (see Page 36)

mdc.mo.gov                                                                   Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 13
Duck and Coot Seasons
                         Dates                                                             Limits
                    ◾ North Zone: Nov. 2, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2019                      Six ducks daily with species restrictions of:
                    ◾ Middle Zone: Nov. 9–15, 2019, and Nov. 21, 2019, to             ◾ Four mallards (no more than two hens)
                      Jan. 12, 2020                                                   ◾ Three scaup (greater and lesser combined)
                    ◾ South Zone: Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, 2019, and Dec. 7, 2019, to       ◾ Three wood ducks
                      Jan. 31, 2020                                                   ◾ Two black ducks
                                                                                      ◾ Two canvasbacks
                         Shooting Hours                                               ◾ Two hooded mergansers
                    One-half hour before sunrise to sunset                            ◾ Two redheads
                                                                                      ◾ One mottled duck
                                                                                      ◾ New! One pintail
                                                                                      15 coots daily
                                                                                      Possession limits are three times the daily bag limits for ducks
                                                                                      and coots.

                          Allowed                                                     Federal Frameworks Change
                    ◾ Shotguns, must be 10 gauge or smaller and manufactured          The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) establishes guide-
                      or modified so as not to hold more than three shells in the     lines for opening and closing dates for duck season. States
                      magazine and chamber combined                                   cannot establish seasons earlier or later than the guidelines
                    ◾ Hunting dogs                                                    allow. Recently, the USFWS changed the closing date for a
                    ◾ Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor     60-day season from the last Sunday in January to January 31.
WATERFOWL SEASONS

                      has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s       This change prompted the Conservation Department to adjust
                      progress therefrom has stopped.                                 Missouri’s South Zone season date formula. The 60-day season
                    ◾ Other methods are allowed by state and federal regula-          formula for the South Zone now includes an ending date of
                      tions. Please consult Chapter 7 of the Wildlife Code of         January 31, rather than the last Sunday in January. The season
                      Missouri for more information.                                  date formulas and duck zone boundaries established in 2017
                                                                                      are shown on Page 15.
                          Prohibited
                                                                                      Input Needed to Set Season Dates and Zone
                    ◾ Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic
                      by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For a list of approved   Boundaries
                      nontoxic shot, see Page 37.                                     The Conservation Department will conduct a waterfowl hunter
                    ◾ Rifles and pistols                                              opinion survey during fall 2019 and will hold public workshops
                    ◾ Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge       during winter 2020. Hunter input is a critical consideration for
                    ◾ Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic fire-     setting duck season dates that strive to accommodate hunter
                      arms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explo-   preferences and various styles of hunting. The Department
                      sives, and stupefying substances                                will consider results from the survey and the workshops to
                    ◾ Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing      make potential adjustments to season date formulas and zone
                      one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle.            boundaries.
                    ◾ Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that
                      conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water            Duck Season Rationale
                    ◾ Electronic calls or electronically activated calls              The season date formulas now in place provide a middle
                    ◾ Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game      ground among those hunters who have earlier and later season
                    ◾ Night vision or thermal imagery equipment                       date preferences. The formulas result in season timing that
                    ◾ Live decoys                                                     varies by about a week over a seven-year period. During some
                    ◾ Bait (see Page 36)                                              years, it benefits those who desire earlier seasons. In other
                          Permits                                                     years, it benefits those who desire later seasons. Maintaining
                                                                                      season date formulas for five years provides a more realistic
                    Three permits are required. See Page 6 for permit details.        opportunity for hunters to evaluate how well they like the
                    ➊ Small Game Hunting Permit                                       season dates under a range of weather conditions. It also helps
                    ➋ Migratory Bird Hunting Permit                                   hunters who need to set dates for their hunting trips well in
                    ➌ Federal Duck Stamp                                              advance.

                    14 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Duck Hunting Zones and Season Formulas

                                                                                               For a written descripton of
                                                                                               zone boundaries, see Page 30.

                                                                                                                                       WATERFOWL SEASONS
Zone      Liberal (60 Days)                     Moderate (45 Days)                       Restrictive (30 Days)
          ▪ Opens on first Saturday in          ▪ Opens on second Saturday in            ▪ Opens on Saturday nearest Nov. 14
North
            November                              November
          ▪ Opens on Saturday nearest Nov. 6 ▪ Opens on Saturday nearest Nov. 15         ▪ Opens on Saturday nearest Nov. 19
            for seven days
Middle
          ▪ Closes for five days
          ▪ Opens again for 53 days
          ▪ Opens on Thanksgiving Day for       ▪ Opens on Saturday nearest Dec. 10      ▪ Opens on Saturday nearest Dec. 15
            four days                           ▪ Closes Dec. 20–25                      ▪ Closes Dec. 19–25
          ▪ Closes as long as necessary to      ▪ Opens again on Dec. 26 and runs        ▪ Opens again on Dec. 26 and runs
South
            avoid an excess of 60 days            until last Sunday in January             until Sunday nearest Jan. 20
          ▪ Opens again and runs until
            Jan. 31
Each year’s regulation recommendation is based on the status of the mallard breeding population and the condition of prai-
rie ponds in Canada. A three-tiered package of open seasons includes liberal (60 days), moderate (45 days), and restrictive (30
days) options. For more information, go to: www.fws.gov/birds/management/adaptive-harvest-management.php.

mdc.mo.gov                                                                  Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 15
Goose Seasons

                                                                                                                                                      JIM RATHERT
                    Canada goose

                         Dates                                                           Limits
                    ◾ Early Season (Canada geese and brant only):                   ◾ 20 light geese (snow, blue, and Ross’s geese)
                      Oct. 5–13, 2019                                               ◾ Three Canada geese and brant (combined total of both
                    ◾ Regular Season (all legal species): Nov. 11, 2019, to           species)
WATERFOWL SEASONS

                      Feb. 6, 2020                                                  ◾ Two white-fronted geese
                                                                                    ◾ Possession limits are three times the daily bag limits for
                         Shooting Hours                                               Canada geese, brant, and white-fronted geese. Light geese
                    One-half hour before sunrise to sunset                            have no possession limit.

                          Allowed                                                        Prohibited
                    ◾ Shotguns, must be 10 gauge or smaller and manufactured        ◾ Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic
                      or modified so as not to hold more than three shells in the     by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For a list of approved
                      magazine and chamber combined                                   nontoxic shot, see Page 37.
                    ◾ Hunting dogs                                                  ◾ Rifles and pistols
                    ◾ Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor   ◾ Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge
                      has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s     ◾ Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic fire-
                      progress therefrom has stopped.                                 arms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explo-
                    ◾ Other methods are allowed by state and federal regula-          sives, and stupefying substances
                      tions. Please consult Chapter 7 of the Wildlife Code of       ◾ Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing
                      Missouri for more information.                                  one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle.
                                                                                    ◾ Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that
                    Goose Season Rationale                                            conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water
                    Missouri’s goose regulations are intended to be simple and      ◾ Electronic calls or electronically activated calls
                    provide ample opportunity when hunters most desire to hunt      ◾ Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
                    geese. The early goose season in October is timed to take       ◾ Night vision or thermal imagery equipment
                    advantage of molt-migrant Canada geese returning to the         ◾ Live decoys
                    state and provides waterfowl hunters additional opportunity     ◾ Bait (see Page 36)
                    after the September teal season and before the regular water-
                                                                                         Permits
                    fowl seasons. The regular goose season is timed to provide
                    concurrent duck and goose hunting as well as late-season        Three permits are required. See Page 6 for permit details.
                    goose hunting after the duck season closes. Hunters pursuing    ➊ Small Game Hunting Permit
                    light geese (snow, blue, and Ross’s geese) can take advantage   ➋ Migratory Bird Hunting Permit
                    of more liberal hunting methods after the Conservation Order    ➌ Federal Duck Stamp
                    begins on Feb. 7, 2020.
                    16 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Light Goose Conservation Order
     Dates                                                           Limits
Feb. 7, 2020, to April 30, 2020                                 During the Conservation Order there is no daily bag or pos-
                                                                session limit for light geese (snow, blue, and Ross’s geese).
     Shooting Hours
One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

      Allowed                                                        Prohibited
◾ Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller. During the Conservation        ◾ Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic
  Order, you may use shotguns that are capable of holding         by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For a list of approved
  more than three shells.                                         nontoxic shot, see Page 37.
◾ Electronic calls or electronically activated calls            ◾ Rifles and pistols
◾ Hunting dogs                                                  ◾ Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge
◾ Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor   ◾ Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic fire-
  has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s       arms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explo-
  progress therefrom has stopped.                                 sives, and stupefying substances
◾ Other methods are allowed by state and federal regula-        ◾ Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing
  tions. Please consult Chapter 7 of the Wildlife Code of         one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle.
  Missouri for more information.                                ◾ Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that
                                                                  conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water
      Permits                                                   ◾ Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
One permit is required. See Page 6 for permit details.          ◾ Night vision or thermal imagery equipment

                                                                                                                                      WATERFOWL SEASONS
➊ Conservation Order Permit                                     ◾ Live decoys
                                                                ◾ Bait (see Page 36)

Falconry
     Dates                                                           Limits
                                                                ◾ The daily bag limit is three birds, combined total of doves,
Doves
                                                                  ducks, and coots.
◾ Statewide: Sept. 1, 2019, to Dec. 16, 2019, from one-half
                                                                ◾ The possession limit is nine birds, combined total of doves,
  hour before sunrise to sunset
                                                                  ducks, and coots.
Ducks and Coots
◾ Statewide: Sept. 7–22, 2019, from sunrise to sunset                Additional Regulations
◾ North Zone: Oct. 26–27, 2019, and Nov. 2 to Dec. 31, 2019,    This is an incomplete listing of falconry regulations. For a
  from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset                   complete listing, see Rule 3 CSR 10-9.442 in the Wildlife Code
◾ Middle Zone: Oct. 26–27, 2019; Nov. 9–15, 2019; and Nov.      of Missouri, which can be found online at www.sos.mo.gov/
  21, 2019, to Jan. 12, 2020, from one-half hour before sun-    adrules/csr/current/3csr/3csr.asp.
  rise to sunset
◾ South Zone: Nov. 23–24, 2019; Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, 2019; and
  Dec. 7, 2019, to Jan. 31, 2020, from one-half hour before
  sunrise to sunset
◾ Statewide: Feb. 11 to March 10, 2020, from one-half hour
  before sunrise to sunset

mdc.mo.gov                                                                 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 17
Duck Identification
                    Mallard
                                                                                                                                       Green head
                                                                                                                   Drake

                                                                                                                                       Dark
                                                                                                                                       brown
                                                                                       Both sexes have                                 breast
                                                                                       a blue speculum
                                                                                       bordered with white

                                                                    Hen
                                                                               Orange bill with
                                                        Tan body               dark blotches

                    American Black Duck                                                           Mottled Duck

                                                                 Drake                                                         Drake
                                                                                                                                    Pale underwing
WATERFOWL SEASONS

                                                                    Dark body
                                                                    contrasts with
                                                                    pale underwing
                           Blue speculum
                           without white                                                                                            Buffy head
                                                                                             Blue speculum
                           border                                                                                                   contrasts with
                                                                                             with very narrow
                                                                                                                                    darker body
                                                                                             white border

                                                                                    Olive bill
                                                    Body darker than hen mallard                                                                Yellow bill

                    Wood Duck
                                                                                                                         Chestnut
                                                                                                                                            Green head
                                                                                                                         breast
                                                                                                                 Drake

                                                                                                                                       Bright white
                                                                                                                                       chinstrap
                                                                 Blocky head
                       Long,
                       squared tail

                                                                   Hen

                    18 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Northern Pintail
                                                                                                   Brown head

                                                                        Drake
                              Long, spiked tail

                                                                                                    Slender
                                                                                                    white
                                                                                                    neck

  Long tail

                                           Both sexes have
                       Hen                 long, slender bodies

American Wigeon

                                                                                          Green eyestripe
                                                                         Drake

                                                                                                                                               WATERFOWL SEASONS
                                      Slightly pointed tail

                       White center
                       on underside
                       of wings

                      Hen           Stubby bill

Gadwall

                                                                        Drake

                   Pale underwing

                                                      Both sexes
                                                      have a white
                                                      speculum
                                                                                                                             ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARK RAITHEL

                        Hen

mdc.mo.gov                                                        Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 19
Duck Identification
                    Northern Shoveler
                                                                                                                            Green head
                                                                                     Pale blue
                                                                                     shoulder patch             Drake

                                                                                                                            Chestnut belly
                                                                                                                            contrasts with
                                                                                                                            white breast

                                                                      Hen            Both sexes have a large,
                                                                                     shovel-shaped bill

                    Blue-Winged Teal
                                                                               Small size

                                                                                                                Drake
WATERFOWL SEASONS

                                                                                                                           Both sexes have
                                                                                                                           a pale blue
                                                                                                                           shoulder patch

                                                                  Hen

                    Green-Winged Teal
                                                                               Small size
                                              Hen

                                                                                                                             Rufous head with
                                                                                                                             green eyestripe

                                                                                                                        White bar
                            Both sexes
                            have a green
                            speculum

                                                                                                                            Drake

                    20 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Canvasback
                                                                                     Rusty red head
                                                            Drake

              In both sexes,
              forehead slopes                                                       Extensive
              to long black bill                                                    white on
                                                                                    body and
                                                                                    wings

                     Hen

Redhead
                                                                                       Brighter red head
                                                                                       than canvasback
                                                            Drake

                                                                                                                                 WATERFOWL SEASONS
             In both sexes, head
             is much rounder
             than canvasback                                                       Gray body
                                                                                   and wings

                  Hen

Ruddy Duck
                               Small and stocky
                                                            Drake

                                   Both sexes
                                   have long tail

             In both sexes, head                                                  White cheek
             looks large for body
                                                                                                               ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARK RAITHEL

                   Hen

mdc.mo.gov                                          Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 21
Duck Identification
                    Ring-Necked Duck
                                                                                       Darker body                         Black head
                                                                                       than scaup
                                                                                                               Drake

                                                                                                                                   White ring
                                                                                                                                   at tip of bill

                                                                     Hen                Both sexes have
                                                                                        gray wing stripes

                    Greater and Lesser Scaup

                                                                                                                           Black head
                                                                                                               Drake
WATERFOWL SEASONS

                                                                        White at
                                                                        base of bill

                                                                                          Both sexes have
                                                                      Hen                 white wing stripes

                    Common Goldeneye

                                                                                                                       Large, dark head
                                                                                                               Drake

                                                                                                                             White spot
                                                                                                                             near bill
                                                                  Brown head
                                                                                          Large white
                                                                                          wing patch

                                                                       Hen

                    22 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Bufflehead
                                         Small and compact                            White patch on
                                                                                      back of head
                                                                         Drake

                                                                                              Dark head
                                             Large white
                                             wing patch
                                                                                             Bright white body

                                         Oval-shaped
                     Hen                 white patch

Hooded Merganser
                                       Long and slender body                              White patch on
                                       with narrow wings                                  back of head
                                                                         Drake

                                                                                                                                             WATERFOWL SEASONS
                                                                                                 Black head

                             Hen                 Both sexes have long, thin bills

Common Merganser
                                       Long and slender body
                                       with narrow wings                                       Green head
                                                                         Drake

                                                                                                          Orange bill
                                             Large white
                                             wing patch
                                                                                            Pink wash on belly
                            Hen
                                                                                                                           ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARK RAITHEL

                                                           Both sexes have
                   White chin contrasts with brown head    long, thin bills

mdc.mo.gov                                                      Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 23
Goose Identification
                    Canada Goose                                                              Greater White-Fronted Goose

                                                                 Large size

                                                                        Black head,
                                                                        bill, and neck

                                                                                      White                                                           White base
                                                                                      cheek
                                                                                      patch
                                                  Brownish-gray body
WATERFOWL SEASONS

                                                                                                                                                       Pinkish-
                                                                                                                                                       orange bill

                                                                                                                   Dark bars on belly

                    Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose
                                                                                              Ross’s geese appear nearly identical to white snow geese
                                                                                              except Ross’s geese are slightly smaller and have shorter bills.

                                                                                                                                         Black wingtips
                                                                                                                                         contrast with
                                                                                                                                         white body

                                                                         White head

                                                                                  Pink bill                                                               Pink bill

                                       Blue phase of
                                       snow goose

                                                                                                            White phase of              White body
                                                                                                            snow goose

                    24 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Trumpeter Swan

                  White wingtips

                                                   Trumpeter swans are twice the size of
                                                   Canada geese and four times the size
                                                   of snow geese.
                                                   Note: Young swans are gray.

                             White wing and body

                                              Long white neck

                                                                                                                          WATERFOWL SEASONS
                                                                                    Black bill

                             Large size

                 Trumpeter swans are
                 protected by federal and state
                 laws and may not be shot!
                                                                                                        ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARK RAITHEL

mdc.mo.gov                                   Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 25
Managed Waterfowl Hunting Areas
WATERFOWL HUNTING AREAS

                                                                                     NOPPADOL PAOTHONG

                          26 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
The Conservation Department offers managed waterfowl
hunting on 15 conservation areas (see Page 28). Some of
                                                                   Rules of the Morning Drawing
these areas have permanent blinds, and others provide              ◾ You must be a Missouri resident and properly licensed to
opportunities for hunters to wade in or hunt from boat blinds.        apply for a reservation.
Most have ADA blinds. There are three ways to obtain a hunt-       ◾ You must be properly licensed prior to participating in the
ing spot on a managed waterfowl hunting area:                         poor-line drawing.
◾ Missouri residents may apply online for a reservation. A res-    ◾ Reservation holders must check in before official draw time,
   ervation guarantees successful applicants a place to hunt          and adult hunters must present a form of identification
   on a specific day at a specific area.                              other than their hunting license.
◾ Residents and nonresidents can hunt with a reservation           ◾ All party members must register prior to draw time. Parties
   holder. Hunting parties are limited to four people.                not registered before draw time will not be allowed to
◾ Residents and nonresidents can arrive at a managed                  enter the drawing. If hunting spots remain after the draw-
   waterfowl hunting area and draw for a spot in the morning          ing, they may be allocated to other hunters.
   drawing or “poor line.”                                         ◾ Hunting party members may participate in only one morn-
Hunters may reserve ADA blinds using the pre-season online            ing drawing on the same day. Participation includes having
reservation system. When arriving at an area to claim a blind,        another member submit a Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag for
hunters must show a Hunting Method Exemption or Depart-               you in your absence.
ment of Revenue hangtag. For additional information, visit         ◾ You may not be registered for more than one location or
short.mdc.mo.gov/Z4e.                                                 possess more than one valid Daily Waterfowl Hunting Tag
                                                                      at the same time. You must check out prior to registering
How the Morning Drawing Works                                         for another unit or area.
New! Based on hunter input, changes have been made to the          ◾ Parties who have reserved an ADA blind are not eligible to
waterfowl reservation system and the morning drawing at               enter the in-person drawing unless they first forfeit their
managed waterfowl hunting areas.                                      ADA blind reservation for that day.
◾ Half of all available spots at each area will go to hunters      ◾ A maximum party size of four is allowed on managed
  with a reservation. The other half will be allocated through        waterfowl hunting areas (except during youth season). All
  the poor-line drawing.                                              observers and hunting or non-hunting youth count toward
◾ For the spots allocated by reservation, half of those will be       the maximum party size of four.
  allocated through a pre-season drawing, and half will be         ◾ All members of your party must hunt over the same decoy

                                                                                                                                         WATERFOWL HUNTING AREAS
  allocated through an in-season drawing. For example, if an          spread. You may not split your party into smaller parties or
  area has 20 hunting spots, 10 will be allocated through the         combine with other parties after the drawing.
  poor line, five through pre-season reservations, and five        ◾ Your party must hunt in its assigned location, as designated
  through in-season reservations.                                     during the morning drawing. Hunting in an unassigned
◾ Applications for the pre-season drawing will be accepted            location is prohibited.
  from Sept. 1–18. Hunters may apply for pre-season reserva-       For additional information on morning drawing procedures,
  tions at up to three managed waterfowl hunting areas.            visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zxs.
◾ The in-season drawing will occur once a week. Hunters may
  apply for one area each day during the weekly application
                                                                   Online Hunting Reports
  period.                                                          For hunting reports that are updated twice a week, results of
◾ All reservation holders, both pre-season and in-season, will     waterfowl counts conducted every other week, and a wealth
  be randomly assigned a pill number electronically after the      of other information about waterfowl hunting in Missouri, go
  weekly in-season drawings are completed.                         to short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoJ.
◾ The poor line will have one member from each hunting
  party pull a pill to determine the hunting party’s place in
  line. Positions from reservation holders who do not show
  will be included in the poor-line drawing.
◾ After the pills are drawn, the lowest number (from both
  poor-line hunters and reservation holders) gets first choice
  of the available hunting locations, followed by the second-
  lowest number, and so on until all available hunting spots
  are assigned.
◾ On some days, there may be more hunters than hunting
  locations, so it’s possible that not everyone in the poor line
  will get a spot to hunt.

mdc.mo.gov                                                                    Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 27
Managed Waterfowl Hunting Areas

                                                                    Wade-and-Shoot Hunting

                                                                                                                                    Field Hunting for Geese
                                                                                             Temporary Blinds Only

                                                                                                                                                              Number of ADA Blinds

                                                                                                                                                                                             Boats for Blinds Only

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Boat Launches

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Closing Time
                                                                                                                     Water Blinds

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Camping
                                                                                                                                                                                     Boats
                               Location
                               B.K. Leach — 4,307 acres
                           ➊   Lincoln County                         ✓                                               ✓                                            1                 ✓                                                              1 p.m.
                               573-898-5905
                               Bob Brown — 3,307 acres
                           ➋   Holt County                            ✓                        ✓                                                                   1                                                  ✓              ✓              1 p.m.
                               660-446-2694
                               Columbia Bottom — 4,318 acres
                           ➌   St. Louis County                       ✓                        ✓                                                                   1                                                  ✓                             1 p.m.
                               314-877-6014
                               Duck Creek — 6,318 acres
                               Bollinger, Stoddard, and Wayne                                                                                                                                                                                  1 p.m. closure in
                           ➍                                          ✓                                               ✓                                            1                           ✓                      ✓              ✓
                               counties                                                                                                                                                                                                        designated areas
                               573-222-3337
                               Eagle Bluffs — 4,428 acres
                           ➎   Boone County                           ✓                        ✓                                                                   2                                                  ✓                             1 p.m.
                               573-445-3882
                               Fountain Grove — 7,983 acres
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               1 p.m. closure in
                           ➏   Linn and Livingston counties           ✓                        ✓                      ✓               ✓                            1                           ✓                      ✓              ✓
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               designated areas
                               660-938-4124
                               Four Rivers — 13,929 acres
WATERFOWL HUNTING AREAS

                           ➐   Vernon and Bates counties              ✓                        ✓                                      ✓                            1                                                  ✓              ✓              Sunset
                               417-395-2341
                               Grand Pass — 5,301 acres
                           ➑   Saline County                          ✓                        ✓                                                                   1                                                  ✓              ✓              1 p.m.
                               660-595-2444
                               Marais Temps Clair — 918 acres                                                                                                                                                                                   1 p.m. closure;
                           ➒   St. Charles County                     ✓                                                                                            1                                                                           waterfowl hunting
                               573-898-5905                                                                                                                                                                                                     Fri.–Mon. only
                               Montrose — 2,750 acres
                           ➓   Henry County                           ✓                                               ✓                                            1                                                  ✓              ✓              Sunset
                               660-693-4666
                               Nodaway Valley — 3,881 acres
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               1 p.m. (west side)
                           ⓫   Holt and Andrew counties               ✓                                               ✓                                            1                                                  ✓              ✓
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Sunset (east side)
                               660-446-3371
                               Otter Slough — 4,866 acres
                           ⓬   Stoddard County                        ✓                        ✓                      ✓               ✓                            1                           ✓                      ✓              ✓              1 p.m.
                               573-624-5821
                               Schell-Osage — 8,633 acres          No morning drawing will be held on Schell-Osage for the 2019–2020 season. The Waterfowl
                           ⓭   Vernon and St. Clair counties       Hunting Only areas will be open for opportunistic waterfowl hunting through self-registration at
                               417-432-3414                        the area headquarters, but portions of these areas may be closed for construction.
                               Ted Shanks — 6,705 acres
                           ⓮   Pike County                            ✓                                               ✓                                            1                                                  ✓              ✓              1 p.m.
                               573-248-2530
                               Ten Mile Pond — 3,755 acres
                           ⓯   Mississippi County                     ✓                        ✓                                      ✓                            0                                                  ✓                             Sunset
                               573-649-2770

                          28 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
Other Waterfowl Hunting Areas
The following Department areas offer waterfowl hunt-
ing in addition to the managed waterfowl hunting
                                                                                                       ⓰ Bilby Ranch Lake CA                                             •• Perry (Ralph and Martha)
areas. Other opportunities can be found on Missouri’s
                                                                                                       ⓱ Black Island CA                                                      Memorial CA

rivers, streams, and reservoirs. Please note:
                                                                                                       ⓲ Coon Island CA                                                   •• Prairie Slough CA
◾ Some of the areas listed have special regulations for
                                                                                                       ⓳ Cuivre Island CA                                                 •• Rebel’s Cove CA
   waterfowl hunting.
                                                                                                       ⓴ Deer Ridge CA                                                    •• Schifferdecker (W.L.)
◾ At many of these areas, waterfowl habitat is depen-
                                                                                                       •• Diana Bend CA                                                       Memorial

   dent on precipitation or river levels.
                                                                                                       •• Fountain Grove CA (south of                                     •• Settle’s Ford CA
                                                                                                           Grand River)                                                   •• Thomas Hill Reservoir CA
◾ You are encouraged to scout the area before going
   out to hunt.
                                                                                                       •• Four Rivers (Units 3 and 4)                                     •• Thurnau (H.F.) CA
   For area-specific regulations, visit mdc.mo.gov/atlas.
                                                                                                       •• Little River CA                                                 •• Upper Mississippi CA (Bay
                                                                                                       •• Manito Lake CA                                                     Island Unit)
                                                                                                                                                                          •• ellow Creek CA
                                                                                                                                                                              Y
                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                           28
                                 WORTH                                         PUTNAM
   ATCHISON                                                                                    SCHUYLER SCOTLAND
                                                            MERCER                                                          CLARK
               16   NODAWAY                HARRISON                        SULLIVAN
                                                                                               ADAIR
                                                                                                                 KNOX
     32                          GENTRY
                                                                                                                           20
          HOLT   11                                        GRUNDY
                                                                           North Zone                                        LEWIS

           2          ANDREW                   DAVIESS
                                 DEKALB                                            LINN
                                                          LIVINGSTON                           MACON                            MARION
                                                                                                                  SHELBY
                                                                                                                                             33
                                CLINTON    CALDWELL                 22 6
                    BUCHANAN
                                                                           34                  31
                                                            CARROLL             CHARITON        RANDOLPH          MONROE
                                                                                                                                     RALLS             14
                       PLATTE
                                                RAY       29                                                                                          PIKE
                                  CLAY
                                                                       8                                                                                           27
                                                                                                                            AUDRAIN
                                                                       SALINE             HOWARD
                                                                                                                                   MONTGOMERY
                                                                                                                                                                   1
                                                  LAFAYETTE                                                                                              LINCOLN

                                JACKSON                                                         21      BO
                                                                                                                                                                          19 9
                                                                                                           ON
                                                               26                                            E
                                                                                                       5

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       WATERFOWL HUNTING AREAS
                                                                                       COOPER                           CALLAWAY
                                                                                                                                                                ST
                                                                                                                                                                                         3
                                                  JOHNSON             PETTIS                                                                         WARREN     CHARLES
                                  CASS                                                                                                                                   ST             ST LOUIS
                                                                                           MONITEAU
                                                                                                                                         GASCONADE

                                                                                                                                                                        LOUIS             CITY
                                                                                          25
                                                      HENRY                                                COLE
                                          30                                       MORGAN
                                                                                                                           OSAGE                     FRANKLIN
                                  BATES
                                                 10                  BENTON
                                                                                                       Middle Zone                                                      JEFFERSON

                                                         ST CLAIR

                                                                                                       MILLER      MARIES
                                  23 7     13                        HICKORY           CAMDEN
                                                                                                                                         CRAWFORD WASHINGTON
                                                                                                                                                                                       STE
                                                                                                                            PHELPS                                                  GENEVIEVE
                                                                                                             PULASKI
                                 VERNON
                                                  CEDAR                                    LACLEDE                                    DENT                                                         PERRY
                                                                                                                                                                IRON       ST FRANCOIS
                                                                    POLK                                                                                                                                   CAPE
                                                                                DALLAS                                                                       REYNOLDS                                   GIRARDEAU
                                                                                                                                                                                 MADISON
                              BARTON              DADE                            WEBSTER         WRIGHT                TEXAS
                                                                                                                                         SHANNON
                                                                                                                                                                                           BOLLINGER
                                                                    GREENE

                              JASPER            LAWRENCE                                 South Zone                                                                                          4
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   SCOTT
                                                                                                                                                                                WAYNE
                                                                           CHRISTIAN
                                                                                                                                                                                                        STODD

                                                                                                DOUGLAS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           M

                                 NEWTON                                                                                                                   CARTER
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           IS
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           SI
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             SS
                                                                                                                                                                                                              AR

                                                                                                                         HOWELL
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                IP

                                                               STONE                                                                                                            BUTLER                                     15
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   P

                                                                                                                                                                                             12
                                                                                                                                                                                                           D

                                                  BARRY
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I

                                                                                                                                         OREGON                  RIPLEY
                                MCDONALD                                        TANEY                OZARK
                                                                                                                                                                                                          NEW
                                                                                                                                                                                    18                   MADRID

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   17
                                                                                                                                                                                                   24
                                                                                                                                                                                                    PEMISCOT
                                                                                                                                                                                          DUNKLIN
    Note: Due to flooding that occurred during the spring of 2019, some
    conservation areas may have sections or pools closed for repair.

mdc.mo.gov                                                                                                                         Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020 29
Wildlife Code of Missouri
                                                                                 Note: According to rule 3 CSR 10-5.216 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri, if you
                                Chapter 7                                        have been convicted of multiple or major violations of the Code in the past
                                                                                 five years, the Conservation Commission may consider suspending or revok-
                                3 CSR 10-7.440 Migratory Game Birds
                                                                                 ing your hunting, trapping, and/or fishing privileges regardless of any previous
                                and Waterfowl: Seasons, Limits
                                                                                 court action. The point system the Commission uses to assess Code violations is
                                (1) Migratory game birds and waterfowl           explained at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZkV.
                                may be taken, possessed, transported,
                                and stored only as provided in federal
                                regulations and this Code.                        to I-70; west on I-70 to U.S. Hwy. 63;      nearest December 10, close Decem-
                                (2) The head or one (1) fully feathered           north on U.S. Hwy. 63 to U.S. Hwy. 24,      ber 20–25, and then re-open on
                                wing must remain attached to all water-           west on U.S. Hwy. 24 to Mo. Hwy. 10,        December 26 through the last Sun-
                                fowl while being transported from the             west on Mo. Hwy. 10 to U.S. Hwy. 69,        day in January. During years when
                                field to one’s home or a commercial               north on U.S. Hwy. 69 to Mo. Hwy.           the federal framework prescribes
                                preservation facility.                            116, west on Mo. Hwy. 116 to U.S.           a thirty- (30-) day duck season, the
                                                                                  Hwy. 59, south on U.S. Hwy. 59 to the       North Zone season will open on the
                                (3) Seasons and limits are as follows:
                                                                                  Kansas border. The South Zone shall         Saturday nearest November 14, the
                                    (A) Mourning doves, Eurasian                  be that portion of Missouri south of        Middle Zone season will open on the
                                    collared-doves, and white-winged              a line running west from the Illinois       Saturday nearest November 19, and
                                    doves may be taken from one-half              border on Mo. Hwy. 74 to Mo. Hwy.           the South Zone season will open on
                                    (1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset           25; south on Mo. Hwy. 25 to U.S.            the Saturday nearest December 15,
                                    from September 1 through Novem-               Hwy. 62; west on U.S. Hwy. 62 to Mo.        close December 19–25, and then re-
                                    ber 29. Limits: fifteen (15) doves daily      Hwy. 53; north on Mo. Hwy. 53 to            open on December 26 through the
                                    in the aggregate; forty-five (45) in          Mo. Hwy. 51; north on Mo. Hwy. 51           Sunday nearest January 20. A person
                                    possession;                                   to U.S. Hwy. 60; west on U.S. Hwy. 60       possessing the appropriate state and
                                    (B) Sora and Virginia rails may be            to Mo. Hwy. 21; north on Mo. Hwy.           federal permits may take ducks in
                                    taken from one-half (1/2) hour                21 to Mo. Hwy. 72; west on Mo. Hwy.         accordance to the season lengths,
                                    before sunrise to sunset from                 72 to Mo. Hwy. 32; west on Mo. Hwy.         bag limits, and species-specific
                                    September 1 through November 9.               32 to U.S. Hwy. 65; north on U.S. Hwy.      opening and closing dates estab-
                                    Limits: twenty-five (25) rails daily in       65 to U.S. Hwy. 54; west on U.S. Hwy.       lished annually by the Conservation
                                    the aggregate; seventy-five (75) in           54 to the Kansas border. The Middle         Commission.
                                    possession;                                   Zone shall be the remainder of Mis-         (H) Ducks and coots may be taken
                                    (C) Woodcock may be taken from                souri not included in other zones.          from one-half (1/2) hour before sun-
                                    one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise            (G) During years when the federal           rise to sunset as follows:
                                    to sunset from October 15 through             framework prescribes a sixty- (60-)             1. Ducks and coots may be
                                    November 28. Limits: three (3) wood-          day duck season, the North Zone                 taken from November 2 through
STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS

                                    cock daily; nine (9) in possession;           season will open on the first Satur-            December 31 in the North Zone;
                                    (D) Wilson’s snipe may be taken from          day in November, the Middle Zone                from November 9 through
                                    one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to         season will open on the Saturday                November 15 and November 21
                                    sunset from September 1 through               nearest November 6 for seven (7)                through January 12 in the Middle
                                    December 16. Limits: eight (8) snipe          days, close for five (5) days, and then         Zone; and from November 28
                                    daily; twenty-four (24) in possession;        re-open for fifty-three (53) days, the          through December 1 and Decem-
                                                                                  South Zone season will open on                  ber 7 through January 31 in the
                                    (E) Blue-winged, green-winged, and
                                                                                  Thanksgiving Day for four (4) days,             South Zone; and
                                    cinnamon teal may be taken from
                                                                                  close as long as necessary for the
                                    sunrise to sunset from September 7                                                            2. Duck and coot limits are as
                                                                                  second segment to remain open
                                    through September 22. Limits: six (6)                                                         follows: The daily bag limit of
                                                                                  through January 31 (as late as the
                                    teal daily in the aggregate; eighteen                                                         ducks is six (6) and may include
                                                                                  federal framework allows). During
                                    (18) in possession.                                                                           no more than four (4) mallards
                                                                                  years when the federal framework
                                    (F) Waterfowl Zones: The North Zone                                                           (no more than two (2) of which
                                                                                  prescribes a forty-five- (45-) day
                                    shall be that portion of Missouri                                                             may be female), three (3) wood
                                                                                  duck season, the North Zone season
                                    north of a line running west from the                                                         ducks, two (2) redheads, two (2)
                                                                                  will open on the second Saturday in
                                    Illinois border at Lock and Dam 25;                                                           hooded mergansers, three (3)
                                                                                  November, the Middle Zone season
                                    west on Lincoln County Hwy. N to                                                              scaup, one (1) pintail, one (1)
                                                                                  will open on the Saturday nearest
                                    Mo. Hwy. 79; south on Mo. Hwy. 79                                                             mottled duck, two (2) canvasback,
                                                                                  November 15, and the South Zone
                                    to Mo. Hwy. 47; west on Mo. Hwy. 47                                                           and two (2) black ducks. The
                                                                                  season will open on the Saturday

                                30 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest 2019–2020
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