Shotguns will roar Sept. 1 both in Mississippi fields and on the water under a plan announced Wednesday by the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
The panel voted to open both the dove and resident Canada goose seasons on the first day available under the North American Migratory Bird Treaty.
Dove season will provide 70 days of shooting with a 15-bird limit and will be split between north and south zones again, using the same geographical lines as in previous years.
The north zone will be all areas north of U.S. Highway 84, plus those areas south of 84 that are west of Mississippi Highway 35. The three season segments are Sept. 1-Sept. 23, Oct. 13-Nov. 11 and Dec. 15-31.
The south zone, that area south of U.S. 84 and east of Mississippi 35, will have a shorter first season but enjoy a longer and later third segment. The seasons are Sept. 1-Sept. 9, Oct. 6-Nov. 11 and Dec. 21-Jan. 13.
At least one hunter in the Delta area of the north zone was disappointed that no January days will be open.
“If they based it on last year, then yeah, there was no reason to have a late season into January,” said David Wilson of Greenwood. “We didn’t have a ton of birds come in late last year and didn’t have that much of a third season. But, it’s not always like that.
“When we do have a good migration of doves from the upper Midwest and they get here late, then January hunting is the best of the year. It can be crazy, and when we pair duck hunting in the morning with dove hunting in the afternoon, that’s pretty cool. I know it’s a crap shoot and the odds aren’t great, but I just wish the opportunity existed just in case we have birds.”
Before Wednesday’s vote, the south zone was also going to be without a late third season, but commission chairman Jerry Munro, who represents the coastal region that is the south zone, pushed for and received a change.
“I know our guys down my way want it to be as late as possible,” said Munro. “I think they’d take it to the last weekend available.”
The special resident Canada goose season will be 15 days throughout the state, with a few closed areas. It opens Sept. 1 and ends Sept. 15 with a limit of five per day.
With an abundance of blue-winged teal — 94 percent higher than the long-term average since 1955 — hunters are eagerly anticipating a shot at the early migrating ducks. They will get their chance when the 16-day season opens Sept. 15 and ends Sept. 30.
“Last year was the best teal season we’ve had in decades,” Wilson said. “As soon as I heard the duck count numbers a few weeks ago, I knew we were looking at a repeat. It ought to be fun.”
Other seasons set Wednesday include:
Snipe: Nov. 14-Feb. 28.
Woodcock: Dec. 18-Jan. 31.
Rails, gallinules and moorhens: Sept. 22-Nov. 30.
In other news Wednesday, Bill Deviney became the first commissioner in Mississippi history to take the oath of office for a third term.
“I love wildlife, I love this agency and I love the opportunity to work with the quality of people that we have on staff,” said Deviney, of Jackson.
Said MDWFP executive director Sam Polles: “Bill Deviney has been appointed by three different governors. That is pretty amazing.”
Commissioners are chosen by governors, one a year, to serve five year terms. When reappointed to his second term, Deviney said it was important to serve more than once because in reality it takes three years to learn the system. “That means you are only an effective commissioner for two years,” he said. “In a second term, you already know the system and are effective five years.”
With the June 30 close of the business year, the commission got its first full report on license sales for the 2012 fiscal year. The news was good.
“For the first time since 2008, we show an increase,” Polles said.
Resident license sales increased two percent, showing a net increase of $113, 437 in income. Fishing licenses were up five percent and sportsman licenses up two percent.
That was offset by a one percent drop in non-resident licenses, which represents a $65,780 decrease in revenue.
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