Open and closed seasons

Open and closed seasons. Open and closed seasons. A closed season is established year-round for each species of wild animal named in this section, except during the specified open season. Seasons open to legal hunting and trapping apply to the entire locality described, except as otherwise provided in ch. NR 11 . Whenever open and closed season areas are defined by highways, the boundary shall be the highway center line. No person may hunt, take, catch, or kill any animal specified in this section except during the specified open season. (1) Migratory game birds. In accordance with this section, the department may annually select migratory bird season dates and bag limits established in pars. (b) and (L) using the procedures established in par. (a) : (a) Bag limits. The department shall utilize the following procedures in applying a bag limit under this section: 1. ‘Notice.’ The department shall prepare and distribute a notice of its proposed annual migratory bird season dates and bag limit selections. The notice shall be published as a class 1 notice under ch. 985 , Stats., in the official state newspaper. The notice shall include a description of the zone or zones affected, the species affected, the proposed annual selections, and the date the annual selections will take effect. The notice shall invite the public to submit written comments and indicate that a public information meeting will be held on the alternate limit if requested in writing within 10 days after the notice is published. 2. ‘Determination.’ In consideration of facts and information available to it, including comments received from the public, the department shall finalize its annual migratory bird season dates and bag limit selections. The annual selections shall take effect upon the issuance of an order of the secretary and publication in the official state newspaper. (b) Migratory game bird seasons. The department shall, in accordance with the procedures established in par. (a) , annually select migratory bird season dates from the following options: 1. When the U.S. fish and wildlife service establishes that Wisconsin may have a 30-day season for all species of wild ducks the season dates shall be as established in par. (d) . 2. When the U.S. fish and wildlife service establishes that Wisconsin may have a 45-day season for all species of wild ducks the season dates shall be as established in par. (e) . 3. When the U.S. fish and wildlife service establishes that Wisconsin may have a 60-day season for all species of wild ducks the season dates shall be as established in par. (f) . 4. For all other species of migratory birds, season dates shall be as established in Table (1). (L) Migratory bird daily bag limit and possession limit: 1. ‘Possession limit.’ The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit through the entire season except opening day when it is the same as the daily bag limit and the second day when it is twice the daily bag limit. 2. ‘Daily bag limits.’ The bag limit for migratory birds is zero for all species. Following the procedures established in par. (a) , the secretary may annually select a bag limit for each species of migratory bird that is equal to the maximum allowable bag limit established by the U.S. fish and wildlife service, except that for the following species the bag limit shall be selected as provided below: a. Canada Geese and its subspecies: 5 during the season established in par. (g) , 3 during the seasons established in par. (h) , except the bag limit is 5 in the Southern and Mississippi River zones beginning on December 16 th until the close of the season. (m) Falconry special season. Any person possessing a valid falconry permit and hunting license shall be restricted to the following migratory game bird seasons and bag limits: 4. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit through the entire season except opening day when it is the same as the daily bag limit and the second day when it is twice the daily bag limit. (n) Special youth waterfowl hunt event. Persons under the age of 16 may hunt all species of wild duck, mergansers, geese, coots, common gallinules, Sora and Virginia rails, and snipe statewide for 2 consecutive days starting on the Saturday before the beginning of the open season established for the northern duck zone by sub. (1) . Approvals under ch. 29 , Stats., are not required pursuant to s. 29.197 (2) , Stats. Registration in the harvest information program under s. NR 10.12 (11) is required. Daily bag limits are those selected by the secretary under par. (L) and all other waterfowl hunting regulations apply. Hunters shall be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older and be in compliance with s. 29.592 or 29.593 , Stats. One adult may not accompany more than 2 hunters and pursuant to s. 29.592 , Stats., not more than one of the 2 hunters may be age 10 or 11 or be a person who does not possess a certificate of accomplishment under s. 29.591 , Stats., or its equivalent from another state, country, or province. (2) Game birds. See Table (2). (3) Upland game animals. See Table (3). (4) Furbearing animals. See Table (4).