COLUMBUS, OH - The 2013-14 waterfowl hunting season dates were approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council at its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 21, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Changes for the upcoming waterfowl seasons include a decrease in the scaup bag limit to three, an increase in the canvasback bag limit to two and the youth waterfowl season will now be Oct. 5-6 statewide. See the 2013-2014 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons for more waterfowl hunting information, including zone maps.

Ohio is divided into three zones for duck, coot and merganser hunting. The seasons are split in each zone during the following dates:

• Duck hunting season in the Lake Erie Marsh Zone is Oct. 12-27 and
  
• Nov. 9 - Dec. 22.
  
• Duck hunting season in the North Zone is Oct. 19 - Nov. 3 and
  
• Nov. 30 - Jan. 12, 2014.
  
• Duck hunting season in the South Zone is Oct. 19 - Nov. 3 and
  
• Dec. 14 - Jan. 26, 2014.

The daily bag limit for ducks is six, which may not include more than four mallards (no more than one may be female), three wood ducks, one black duck, two redheads, three scaup, two canvasback, two pintails and one mottled duck. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, of which no more than two may be hooded mergansers. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. Possession limits after the second day are three times the daily bag limit.

Ohio is also divided into three zones for goose and brant hunting. The seasons are split in each zone during the following dates:

• Goose hunting in the Lake Erie Canada Goose Zone is Oct. 12-27 and
  
• Nov. 9 - Jan. 9, 2014.
  
• Goose hunting in the North Zone is Oct. 19 - Nov. 3 and
  
• Nov. 30 - Jan. 30, 2014.
  
• Goose hunting in the South Zone is Oct. 19 - Nov. 3 and
  
• Nov. 30 - Jan. 30, 2014.

The daily bag limit for Canada geese is three. Light geese (snows, Ross's and blues) have a daily bag limit of 10, white-fronted geese have a daily bag limit of one and brant have a daily bag limit of one. The possession limit for brant and geese is three times the daily bag limit after the first day.

Hunters 15 years of age and younger will have the opportunity to enjoy a statewide special youth waterfowl season Oct. 5-6. Bag limits established during the regular season apply.

Licensed falconers can hunt ducks, geese, mergansers and coots statewide from Feb. 8 - March 4, 2014, and in the Lake Erie Marsh, North and South Zones whenever they are open to duck hunting.

Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification is required of all waterfowl hunters prior to hunting. Migratory game bird hunters must call 877-HIPOHIO (447-6446) and answer a few survey questions to complete the HIP certification requirement. Once the survey has been completed, hunters will be provided a certification number to write on their Ohio hunting license.

Waterfowl hunters age 18 and older must also purchase an Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp, available at any hunting license agent or wildohio.com. In addition, all waterfowl hunters age 16 and older must possess a signed federal duck stamp, which can be purchased at most post offices.

Copies of this season's waterfowl hunting regulations, which include maps of the zones, will be available at wildohio.com or available at all license agent outlets by late September.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.

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For more information, contact:
Eileen Corson, ODNR Office of Communications
614-265-6860

Vicki Ervin, ODNR Division of Wildlife
614-265-6325