# Youth Hunt Sept. 21st



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

The Wildlife Board approved the recommendations.
http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/news/42-utah-wildlife-news/1237-only-two-wood-ducks-a-day.html


----------



## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Posted Friday, 23 August 2013 08:55
Only two wood ducks a day

Wildlife Board approves changes for upcoming waterfowl hunt

Very few hunters know where wood ducks are in Utah. But enough wood ducks are being taken that some hunters are becoming concerned about the health of the population.

To keep a healthy population of wood ducks in Utah, on Aug. 22, the Utah Wildlife Board approved a change to Utah's daily duck bag limit.

Starting this season, you may not take more than two wood ducks a day. And the scaup and canvasback limits have also changed. Your seven-duck bag limit may not include more than three scaup a day. The canvasback limit, on the other hand, has been increased to two canvasbacks a day.

Blair Stringham, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says the number of scaup in North America has been going up and down for years. This year, the population is down. The canvasback population, on the other hand, has been slowly increasing. "Canvasbacks are doing well enough that hunters can now take two canvasbacks a day," he says.

The limit changes are among several changes the board approved for Utah's upcoming waterfowl hunt. All of the changes will be available in the 2013–2014 Utah Waterfowl Guidebook. The digital version of the free guidebook should be available online by Sept. 9.

Here's a summary of the major waterfowl hunting changes the board approved:

If you're a Hunter Education graduate, and you'll be 15 years of age or younger on Sept. 21, mark that day on your calendar — Sept. 21 is the day Utah's special Youth Hunting Day will be held.

Originally, the DWR recommended holding the day on Sept. 28. After receiving input at Regional Advisory Council meetings, however, Stringham told board members it would be fine to hold the day a week earlier.

Held two weeks before the general waterfowl hunt opens on Oct. 5, Youth Hunting Day is an opportunity for young hunters to hunt waterfowl without competition from older hunters.
A new goose hunting zone has been created. The zone should help reduce the number of Canada geese that visit golf courses, parks and other urban areas.

The new zone is called the Urban Goose Zone. It includes Weber, Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties in northern Utah. Washington County in southwestern Utah is also included.

The hunt in the new zone starts Oct. 5 and runs until Oct. 17. The hunt then closes until Nov. 2. On Nov. 2, the season reopens and runs until Feb. 2.

Federal law does not allow Canada goose hunts to run longer than 107 days. Stringham says closing the hunt for two weeks in October, and then reopening it and letting it run to Feb. 2, should help reduce the number of Canada geese that are causing problems in urban areas.

"In January," he says, "geese in urban areas start flying into marshes to establish their breeding territory. This movement puts them in the marshes and fields where the hunters are. As the breeding season approaches, geese are also a little less wary. That often makes it easier to attract them into your decoy spread."
Nonmotorized boat and walk-in hunters will still have a place all to themselves at the Public Shooting Grounds Waterfowl Management Area west of Corrine. But it will be a different spot than it's been in the past.

Over the past few years, Pintail Lake, which sits in the middle of the WMA, has been closed to motorized boats. Starting this fall, you can take a motorized boat onto Pintail Lake. But Wigeon Lake, which sits south of Pintail, will be closed to motorized boats.

Stringham says nonmotorized boat hunters haven't used Pintail much. And that's created changes in how birds distribute themselves on the WMA and the flight paths they take.

"Ducks have been congregating on Pintail Lake," Stringham says. "When someone does finally disturb them, they usually fly directly east, over the WMA's main road and onto Duck Lake, which is closed to hunting."

Opening Pintail Lake to motorized boats should greatly increase the number of hunters who use the lake. The increased pressure should push more birds off Pintail and onto other parts of the marsh. "And that should make hunting better for everyone," Stringham says.
During the February and March portions of Utah's light goose season, you can use electronic calls to call snow, Ross' and other light geese. Also during the February and March portions of the season, you can hunt light geese without a plug in your shotgun.

Stringham says the light goose population in the western United States and Canada hasn't reached the large numbers it has in the central part of the continent. "But it's growing," he says. "There's a real chance that the number of light geese in the western part of North America will reach a point that they start damaging their breeding and nesting grounds in Canada."
For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.


----------



## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Nice!! Love the earlier youth hunt and the extended urban will be awesome too!


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

so it opens up on the 21st for youth, is that the day it opens up for the season?? for us adults who would like to get out and do some scouting is that the day we can start the 21st??


----------



## hossblur (Jun 15, 2011)

I was wondering that too. I have had my new lab out to the trap club listening to the shooting, by I wouldn't mind getting her out in the shooting with the sounds, sights, and smells of the swamp. I don't want to screw a hunt, I would pretty much hang out just out of the parking lot down to howards slough, but it would be a good training tool for her.


----------



## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Did the urban goose hunt replace the typical goose split we have for the rest of the state?


----------



## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

toasty said:


> Did the urban goose hunt replace the typical goose split we have for the rest of the state?


Three goose zones, different dates for all three. Northern zone with no break, southern zone with the regular one week off in Oct. to extend it one week latter. Then the "Urban" zone where they took a two week break in Oct. to extend it two weeks further into the begining of Feb. at the end.

Thats my understanding of it.


----------



## travis madden (Sep 29, 2007)

goosefreak said:


> so it opens up on the 21st for youth, is that the day it opens up for the season?? for us adults who would like to get out and do some scouting is that the day we can start the 21st??


No it will open the first Saturday in October for the regular season


----------



## utahshovlerhunter (Aug 8, 2013)

ubran goose in washington county is joke you can not shoot any where in the field out here anymore it all city limits bad mistake by the dwr in washington county


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

travis madden said:


> No it will open the first Saturday in October for the regular season


I know that's when the duck hunt opens up (oct. 5th), but they usually open it up 2 weeks before the duck opener for boaters and scouters, you may have misunderstood my question, when do they open Farmington bay up for the season?? prior to the duck opener
so the youth hunt opens up 0n September 21st for the day, that is 2 weeks before the regular season opener. Is that when they will start letting people into Farmington bay WMA is sept, 21st?? or will they open it up a week before that?? or what?


----------



## travis madden (Sep 29, 2007)

Goose freak 

I did misunderstand your question. Below is taken off the Farmington Bay WMA website. 


Special regulations

Dogs are welcome from Sept. 25 through Feb. 28. Please stay on dikes and roads from March 1 to Sep. 25 to reduce disturbance to wildlife. Boating is allowed two weeks prior to the waterfowl season (starting about Sept. 25). Firearms allowed only during waterfowl hunting season.


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

travis madden said:


> Goose freak
> 
> I did misunderstand your question. Below is taken off the Farmington Bay WMA website.
> 
> ...


2 weeks before the season opens?? wouldn't that be the 21st?? not the 25th. September 21st (youth opener) is exactly 2 weeks before the opener..


----------



## 10Tenner (Oct 7, 2007)

> Nonmotorized boat and walk-in hunters will still have a place all to themselves at the Public Shooting Grounds Waterfowl Management Area west of Corrine. But it will be a different spot than it's been in the past.
> 
> Over the past few years, Pintail Lake, which sits in the middle of the WMA, has been closed to motorized boats. Starting this fall, you can take a motorized boat onto Pintail Lake. But Wigeon Lake, which sits south of Pintail, will be closed to motorized boats.
> 
> ...





> Opening Pintail Lake to motorized boats should greatly increase the number of hunters who use the lake. The increased pressure should push more birds off Pintail and onto other parts of the marsh. "And that should make hunting better for everyone," Stringham says.


Hit the nail on the head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10Tenner


----------



## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

If you going out on the 21st please take a kid with you or sign up to be a mentor. 
Every year we get guys driving around though spreads to scout in the middle of the youth hunt. Please guys respect the day for the kids and wait to scout until Sunday or take a kid out.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Hoopermat said:


> If you going out on the 21st please take a kid with you or sign up to be a mentor.
> Every year we get guys driving around though spreads to scout in the middle of the youth hunt. Please guys respect the day for the kids and wait to scout until Sunday or take a kid out.


Also, if you are launching a boat please learn how to do so before the season starts. The boat ramps at most WMA's are wide enough to launch 2-3 boats at a time. Don't take up the entire ramp, and don't sit there loading/unloading all your gear while there is a line of people waiting to launch or trailer their boats. (Get the hell out of the way-O,-) Also, just a reminder if you launch in the dark you will need navigation lights. You will also need all of the other safety gear required onboard your vessel or you may not be able to launch. If you spend any amount of time around the launching areas I'm sure you have experienced what I am talking about with people that don't have any respect for others. Don't be a chowder head!:grin: I hope all of the youth and their mentors have a fantastic and successful day in the marsh.


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I know this may be a stupid question, but I just have a 14' jon boat with a 13hp LT on it, I just have the battery powered navigation lights, those work too right?, oh and wait until you see the paint job I just gave that boat!!


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

goosefreak said:


> I know this may be a stupid question, but I just have a 14' jon boat with a 13hp LT on it, I just have the battery powered navigation lights, those work too right?, oh and wait until you see the paint job I just gave that boat!!


Yes, those navigation lights are fine. Just make sure you have both bow (red&green) and stern (White) and you will be set. 
Life jackets for all persons
Paddle
Whistle
Bale bucket/bilge pump
Throwable floating device (seat cushion)
Fire extinguisher
Registration/insurance

Usually the Park Service/DWR is out there on the youth hunt and the regular opener checking boats. THEY WILL NOT LET ANYONE LAUNCH WITHOUT THE PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT.


----------



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> Yes, those navigation lights are fine. Just make sure you have both bow (red&green) and stern (White) and you will be set.
> Life jackets for all persons
> Paddle
> Whistle
> ...


you forgot shotgun, and decoys!! does a 14' jon boat need insurance???


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

goosefreak said:


> you forgot shotgun, and decoys!! does a 14' jon boat need insurance???


No. I believe it's 50 HP motor or bigger before you need insurance.


----------



## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Fowlmouth, Boating laws and rules page.

http://stateparks.utah.gov/resources/boating/laws-rules

Some of the things listed you do not need on board for an outboard motor. And will give everyone an exact list of what the guys on the ramp on the opener are going to want on your rig. 
My own opinion is the swamp is allot different from the lakes they govern over, I have never needed a life preserver in the swamp but I have two throwables in boat at all times. I don't need navigation lights because I very rarely hunt the interior ponds. I always have two paddles. and something to bail water if needed. Navigation lights on a boat that is doing over 10mph I can see needing the lights. but under that I don't understand why head lamps or some kind of a flash light wouldn't work? 
Looking forward to the season everyone be safe.
fnf8)


----------



## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

Oh, and remember, if you have a youth hunter on your boat, even though the water is only 2 feet deep, if they are under 13 they are required to wear a pfd during travel. Silly I know, but a definite revenue generator.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Here is some good information for the youth hunt.

http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/news/42-utah-wildlife-news/1254-take-a-young-person-duck-hunting.html


----------



## chuck harsin (May 1, 2011)

fish-n-fool said:


> Fowlmouth, Boating laws and rules page.
> 
> http://stateparks.utah.gov/resources/boating/laws-rules
> 
> ...


IMO one of the main reasons you need the proper lighting "even if your not doing over 10mph" is so that boats that are traveling faster can see you and not run you over. I have seen many guys (paddlers and motor boats) in motorized units with no light whatsoever and have come close to hitting a couple because of it. So please get the right lights on you boat to avoid ruining both of our hunts at the very least. Be safe fellas and don't forget to have some fun.

Chuck


----------



## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

chuck harsin said:


> IMO one of the main reasons you need the proper lighting "even if your not doing over 10mph" is so that boats that are traveling faster can see you and not run you over. I have seen many guys (paddlers and motor boats) in motorized units with no light whatsoever and have come close to hitting a couple because of it. So please get the right lights on you boat to avoid ruining both of our hunts at the very least. Be safe fellas and don't forget to have some fun.
> 
> Chuck


I have to agree with the rules they are there for that reason and even in my scanoe I have almost ran into people in small flat bottoms with outboards because they didn't even have a flash light on board. I always run some kind of light and am aware of everything around me. I watch behind me all the time for faster boats and flash at them so they can see me, because I don't run a bigger motor I don't have a charging system and really have no need for a battery on my boat so running lights are a pain for me. I will run them from now on and just get the clamp on type that run off AA batteries and just run some rechargeable batteries in them when running turpin and the more popular hyper drive area's most the time I don't hunt the area's you all launch in  
Rob didn't mean to discredit anything you had to say just some thing are not needed on smaller water craft running lights are important to keep everyone safe out their in the dark.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

fish-n-fool said:


> I have to agree with the rules they are there for that reason and even in my scanoe I have almost ran into people in small flat bottoms with outboards because they didn't even have a flash light on board. I always run some kind of light and am aware of everything around me. I watch behind me all the time for faster boats and flash at them so they can see me, because I don't run a bigger motor I don't have a charging system and really have no need for a battery on my boat so running lights are a pain for me. I will run them from now on and just get the clamp on type that run off AA batteries and just run some rechargeable batteries in them when running turpin and the more popular hyper drive area's most the time I don't hunt the area's you all launch in
> Rob didn't mean to discredit anything you had to say just some thing are not needed on smaller water craft running lights are important to keep everyone safe out their in the dark.


Get the battery operated LED navigation lights, they work good and the batteries last a long time. (Attwood brand)


----------

