Aug. 29, 2013

Teal may be the smallest duck, but they are a fast and challenging quarry for waterfowl hunters

PRATT ­– It’s waders and whistles, it’s the sound of the marsh waking up, it’s what thousands of hunters around the state have been waiting for – it‘s teal season. An early migrant, teal are the first waterfowl to pass through Kansas each fall, and come Sept. 7, waterfowl hunters will be waiting.

Using U.S. Highway 283 as a dividing line, Kansas is split up into two teal hunting zones: Low Plains and High Plains. The Low Plains Zone (anything east of U.S. Highway 283) will kick off the season Sept. 7, and run through Sept. 22, while the High Plains Zone (anything west of U.S. Highway 283) will open Sept. 14 and end Sept. 22.

As if recent rains filling the marshes weren’t enough of a bonus for early season waterfowl hunters, regulations now allow hunters to take six of these puddle ducks in a daily bag limit, a two-bird increase from the traditional early teal season daily bag of four. Also new this year, migratory bird possession limits have increased to three times the daily bag limit.

All hunters participating in teal season who are required to have a hunting license must also possess a Kansas HIP permit and State Waterfowl Permit. All hunters 16 and older must have a Federal Waterfowl Stamp. Hunters age 65-74 are reminded that they now need the state HIP permit and State Waterfowl Permit, in addition to the Federal Waterfowl Stamp. Kansas HIP permits and State Waterfowl Stamps can be purchased online at ksoutdoors.com, and Federal Waterfowl Stamps can be purchased at your local U.S. Post Office and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism regional offices.

For more information on migratory bird regulations, visit ksoutdoors.com and click “Hunting / Migratory Birds.”

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