ATTENTION NEW JERSEY DUCK HUNTERS *URGENT*

Fellow New Jersey waterfowlers, the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife, at the advice of Ducks Unlimited NJ (DUNJ)and the New Jersey Waterfowlers Association (NJWA) have come to an agreement on the proposed 2012-2013 Migratory bird season dates and bag limits. Under the current proposal, the Coastal Zone season will open on November 10 and close again on the 17th. It will then re-open on November 22nd and run until the final closure of January 22nd. What this means to us, is that the New Jersey duck season will END an entire week earlier than any other state in the flyway. Under this current proposal, we will LOSE the last Saturday of January. By losing the last Saturday of January, we lose a tremendous opportunity for productive duck hunting in favor of a longer first week. If any of you are regular hunters of the New Jersey Coastal Zone, you well know that the first week opener is relatively unproductive after a few days. There are few Brant staging on the bay, the buffleheads and other divers have yet to even show up, and the first wave of teal are just passing through.

What Ducks Unlimited and the NJWA fail to realize, is that their voice is the minority among duck hunters in this state. Our opinions on season dates were never on their agenda. Their agenda is political and nothing more. Duck hunters have collectively complained about season dates that are too early and too long and in favor of a shorter early season in order to prolong the season during the large migrations through our state. This is why the Duck Lodge forum is a proud supporter of Delta Waterfowl and our local Barnegat Bay Chapter. Delta is not only interested in the preservation of the migratory waterfowl species, but also for the preservation of the waterfowl hunter. Our hunting season should coincide with the waterfowl migrations, not the agenda's of few individuals.

Fortunately, Mr. Jim Donofrio is not one to let his voice go unheard. Please read this following letter and understand the situation. When a meeting date is set, we will inform you all of the date. We need as many New Jersey duck hunters present as possible, so that OUR voice may be heard! If you are not a Delta Waterfowl member, please join today!

Click on the link below to view the letter to the NJ Fish and Wildlife in PDF format -

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What this means to us, is that the New Jersey duck season will END an entire week earlier than any other state in the flyway.

Thats not entirely accurate many states in the Atlantic Flyway have zones & seasons that end WELL before the 3rd week in January....as early as December 10th. In fact the average season in NY(other then Long Island) does not go past Xmas! Take a look at Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Conn..........

we lose a tremendous opportunity for productive duck hunting in favor of a longer first week

Its not a longer first week, its a SHORTER split

Yes, you are correct Dave. My wording was not very clear. We want to opt for a shorter spilt to extend the season to the last Saturday in January.

I think the short split for coastal IS STUPID and USELESS......


MOVE the date back to the first week in Nov(11/3 -11/10) the 12 day split works great

Dave not many options on the table we are trying to get the 4 sats in january

Please keep us posted on any meeting dates and locations. thanks, Luke

will do Luke

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