MISSOURI WATERFOWL SEASON ESTABLISHED

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Conservation Commission has approved hunting seasons and bag limits for ducks, coots and geese.

The state will be divided into the same three zones for duck season as last year. Exact zone boundaries are shown in the "1993-94 Missouri Migratory Bird Digest." That pamphlet will be available around mid-October from permit vendors and Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) offices.

Ducks and coots may be taken in the North Zone from Oct. 30 through Nov. 28, in the Middle Zone from Nov. 6 through Dec. 5, and in the South Zone from Nov. 27 through Dec. 26.

The limit is three ducks daily with the following restrictions: No more than two mallards (of which only one may be a female); no more than two wood ducks; no more than one each of black duck, redhead, homed merganser or pintail. The season is closed for canvasbacks. Hunters may take 15 coots daily. Possession limit is double the daily limit but varies by species.

The 1993-94 Canada goose season deals hunters a 10-day reduction in the Swan Lake and Schell-Osage zones. Also, the Swan Lake Zone quota will be 5,000 rather than 10,000 geese. This is because the Eastern Prairie Population of Canada geese is below desired population levels. The remainder of the state still has a 50-day season.

Canada geese, except in the Swan Lake and Schell-Osage zones, may be taken from Oct. 30 to Nov. 7 and from Nov. 20 through Dec. 30 in the North Zone. In the South and Middle zones, Canada geese may be taken from Nov. 27 through Dec. 5 and from Dec. 22 through Jan. 31.

In the Swan Lake Zone, Canada geese may be taken from Oct. 30 through Nov. 7 and from Nov. 20 through Dec. 20 or until 5,000 geese have been killed, whichever occurs first. Hunters in the Swan Lake Zone are limited to 10 shells fired at geese daily.

In the Schell-Osage Zone, Canada geese may be taken from Nov. 20 through Dec. 29.

The number of Missouri-nesting Canada geese remains high, and the second of a three-year experimental central Missouri Canada goose hunt is scheduled for Oct. 2 through 11. The bag limit for this special 10-day season is three Canada geese daily. Hunters must register at either the Department of Conservation headquarters at 2901 W. Truman Blvd. in Jefferson City, or the MDC research center at 1110 S. College Ave. in Columbia.

Successful hunters must check all geese taken at established check stations (locations contained in information packet received when hunters register) and hunt only in the Central Missouri Zone. This zone consists of Boone County and that portion of Callaway County west of U.S. Highway. 54.

Other goose hunting opportunities include blue and snow geese. Hunting for these geese opens Oct. 30 and runs through Jan. 17 in the North and Swan Lake zones. In the Middle and South zones, blue and snow geese may be hunted from Nov. 27 through Feb. 14, and in the Schell-Osage Zone the season is Nov. 20 to Feb. 7.

White-fronted geese may be taken from Oct. 30 through Jan. 7 in the North and Swan Lake zones. The season is Nov. 27 through Feb. 4 in the Middle and South zones and Nov. 20 to Jan. 28 in the Schell-Osage Zone.

The aggregate limit for geese of all species is seven daily. Within the aggregate, hunters may take two Canada geese and two white- fronted geese daily. The possession limit is double the daily limit.

Hunters may use steel shot coated with zinc, copper or nickel. Possession and use of shells and firearms loaded with any material other than steel shot are prohibited while hunting waterfowl. Legal shooting hours for waterfowl are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. In addition to appropriate stamps and permits, all hunters of waterfowl must possess Migratory Game Bird Harvest Information Program Cards.