Attention NJ Waterfowl Hunters **Must Read**

As you all know the 2012-2013 Coastal Waterfowl season has come to a conclusion. As I write this the weather has turned frigid and the best gunning days of the season will not be. The framework is set so that NJ could have a season up till the end of January; NY, MD, MA and DE ALL have seasons with later ending dates than NJ; Why is This?
I have been told by state biologists, wardens and federal biologists, all 1st hand this is because ‘you guys wanted it this way!’ I challenge that because I for one, along with many other hardcore coastal gunners would like to see the coastal zone season go to the last possible day, given the current framework. Most of my fellow waterfowl hunters are probably not aware that we tried to change this last year but due to our failure to get organized, change did not happen for the coastal zone, but as I write this retention ponds, salt ponds, creeks, rivers and bays are beginning to freeze which would have given us some great waterfowl hunting opportunities this week, for our usual species as well as some exotics. Due to last year’s behind the scenes negotiating a survey was drafted to poll duck hunters on ‘How would you like your season structured?’. 1,000 surveys went out randomly with the expectation of getting 40%-50% of them back, I know hardly anyone who received one. But putting that aside why should 400-500 waterfowl hunters decide the fate of our seasons?

We are trying to put together a unified coalition of serious waterfowl hunters who would like to see change. I feel along with dozens of others that I have spoken to, that we can have true compromise that all could live with. We are in the early stages of putting together a Town-Hall coalition of duck hunters that would like to see the season for coastal zone gunning made later and give us all an opportunity for some quality gunning each year. I ask for everyone’s feedback and suggestions, I would like to see this discussion open to North Zone & South Zone hunters as well and if you want changes too let’s all work together on a unified front. The only thing I ask is that when we announce our Town-Hall meeting that you find the time to come out and show your support on a Unified front. We are not looking for any arguments and want this to be a positive and productive forum. We also will try to get some state officials to attend as well. I ask for your attendance & support when plans are announced.

Thank you

Well you know me Larry, I was pissed off last year when they announced the season dates. So I'm definitely in. We gotta do it right this year. No sides, no organizations involved...just hardcore duck hunters who are tired of watching the weather come late January and sitting home.

exactly Dave this has to be all the organizations and most of the hunters wanting the same thing and then we may prevail
Pretty sad that we have the birds and the weather and we cant hunt and all the states around us are open
Larry lets keep talking// DU will be with us as well as Delta
DU will be talking to NJWA so we all are on the same page

Lets do this, Jimmy you know I'm on the same page, let me know if u need some intros or a sitdown.

John thanks we need all the help we can get

I am getting lots of positive feedback offline from fellow hunters lets keep the momentum going!, make sure you speak to your friends that are not members of our online community I have what I posted in a word document and would be happy to email it to you for distribution

Thanks Larry. Sorry I couldn't return your call yesterday, I should be able to get back to you today.

In all the years I have gunned this state the story has been the same. The north zone would benefit as well from a later closure due to climate change. I would like to see the sea duck area changed as well, all the malarkey with one mile of open water, points of land and emergent vegetation. Allow the seven bird sea duck limit to be added in with the regular limit of puddlers and divers regardless of location.

Denis C wrote:In all the years I have gunned this state the story has been the same. The north zone would benefit as well from a later closure due to climate change. I would like to see the sea duck area changed as well, all the malarkey with one mile of open water, points of land and emergent vegetation. Allow the seven bird sea duck limit to be added in with the regular limit of puddlers and divers regardless of location.

Dennis, I spoke to Jimmy about sea ducks yesterday and the framework for them can go till Jan 30th I think it would be possible to get that but the other things you brought up are within the Federal framework and cannot be changed by NJ that is a Federal issue but haveing Sea ducks open later and close on Jan 30th is a real possibility that we will work on as well

********News Flash******************

Just got off the phone with one of my clients to discuss his support, he informed me that his 16 year old son received the survey that was sent out to 1100 hunters....what kind of survey goes out to children to influence the fate of the waterfowl seasons.....talk about moronic this kid is a nice kid but he can't vote, fight for his country or drive but someone at the state feels he is mature enough to chime in about when the waterfowling seasons shoud be set???

Larry, When I gunned NY the frame work was as I explained. Its my belief that the current regs are NJ born, I could be wrong. Even if we were to get parity with NY, it would be a nice change as the late season brings a lot of birds into the big inlets allowing the use of an otherwise untapped resource by folks who don't own specialty equipment for big water. Regarding the questionnaire, those things are computer generated anyone of any age or experience my get one. I have been hunting waterfowl in this state since 1968 and never received one.

Dennis I understand that they are computer generated but any good stastical survey would be screened for certain criteria. But even if they didnt think of age as a screening factor wouldn't someone think that they should screen out people that have no experience this is the 1st Adult hunting license this kid has ever received. Should 1st time waterfowlers have any input? What do they have to go off of? 1 season? just ludicrious to me if who ever put this survey together was in the private sector they would be fired for being incompetent

Larry i understand your thoughts on the 1st year hunter. They proably pulled the hunting lic #s and sent the survey out by that. A couple years ago when NY went wih the Decal hunting lic. They used the bar code to creat the data base. For Ny ers if you have a dr lic its the same bar code. Guess who showed up in courts for njury duty. Yep 16 and 17 year olds who couldnt be there. There is a glitch. The best route is get several different hunter clubs into this. Good luck on your efforts, stand strong guys.

Rick