# Season Options



## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

Your disconnect is that the Feds won't allow a duck season to be open in any zone for more than 60 days.

With your choose 60 of 90 days parameter, the minute I decide to start hunting day 1, the season is open - everybody's season is open - and the Feds require it to close after 60 days, but do allow 1 split (assuming we have 3 zones).

We do not have the option of saying to the Feds "there's 40,000 hunters so we are going to have 40,000 different season dates, you guys good with that??"

1 zone, 3 splits
3 zones, 1 split each (and we are one of the few that get that)
4 zones, 0 splits.

Those are the options.


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## jdcherry (May 31, 2012)

just ducky said:


> If I recall (and I'm going back like 3 years now guys, so my memory may not be that good LOL), my proposal was to SIMPLIFY the process, by saying forget about three zones...we're ONE zone, called MICHIGAN. The feds allow the season to start no sooner than "X" date, and end no later than "X" date, so that right there is our season window. Then each hunter chooses their own 60 days. I may have even proposed that each person's choice of dates could include one split (i.e. non-contiguous days) provided they don't exceed 60 days total. Afterall, why not allow that? It would all be computerized anyway, and your license would have a bar code on it that could be read (like they do now). What some of their pushback was about was they feared that suddenly a majority of hunters would choose to be out there hunting only the latter part of the season, or the earlier part, or whatever. My response was they could do that now...a majority of waterfowlers could travel to the UP to start early, then hunt the middle zone opener, then hunt the southern zone opener. The only way to stop that is to have the openers on the same day, such as has happened with the middle and south zones before.
> 
> Geez, I'm sorry I even got into this discussion, because it gets me all fired up again because it makes so much sense...at least to me it does. And the DNR's arguments against it were mostly unfounded.


This is the first time I heard your idea (I'm newer to waterfowl, always hunted upland before), but I love it! If I could have any 60 days in Michigan, I would go September 6-October 19th, and then November 15-30th. That way I could hit the early season birds (teal and woodies) and some of the migration and I could hunt pheasants, grouse, and turkeys from October 20- November 14. That would be the best thing ever for me. 

As for the managed areas, I think they could deal with it fine if they utilized more technology in the daily permit process. If there were an electronic draw system that allowed people to draw remotely the night before - fantasy football style – then you wouldn’t need the guys sitting up front at 4:30am till 1pm – they could be doing other work. It would also make it a lot more convenient for non-locals to hunt.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

jdcherry said:


> This is the first time I heard your idea (I'm newer to waterfowl, always hunted upland before), but I love it! If I could have any 60 days in Michigan, I would go September 6-October 19th, and then November 15-30th. That way I could hit the early season birds (teal and woodies) and some of the migration and I could hunt pheasants, grouse, and turkeys from October 20- November 14. That would be the best thing ever for me.
> 
> As for the managed areas, I think they could deal with it fine if they utilized more technology in the daily permit process. If there were an electronic draw system that allowed people to draw remotely the night before - fantasy football style – then you wouldn’t need the guys sitting up front at 4:30am till 1pm – they could be doing other work. It would also make it a lot more convenient for non-locals to hunt.


oh hell no. you should be banned for even suggesting that ****.


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## jdcherry (May 31, 2012)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> oh hell no. you should be banned for even suggesting that ****.


I wouldn't want to impose those dates on others because I think they wouldn't fit the majority of people. I'm just saying those are the dates I would choose for myself under the particular scenario.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

jdcherry said:


> I wouldn't want to impose those dates on others because I think they wouldn't fit the majority of people. I'm just saying those are the dates I would choose for myself under the particular scenario.


nah i'm referring to the remote draw...


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## jdcherry (May 31, 2012)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> nah i'm referring to the remote draw...


Oh. So why do you say that?


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

i can give a handful of reasons but rather not muck up this thread on seasons.


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## Timber (Jan 1, 2009)

KLR said:


> If I was limited to a 60 day license, I would lose hunting days. Can't be in the UP early and Z3 late under the same 60 day license.
> You also have to consider that goose seasons are covered under the same waterfowl license and there's more than 60 days between Sept 1 and February 15th.
> 
> We have the ability in 2015-16 to hunt waterfowl somewhere in Michigan every weekend from the beginning of September thru the end of December, excluding the weekend of December 19/20. And start killing geese again Jan23-Feb14.
> ...


Now that was funny!


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## Timber (Jan 1, 2009)

This is all way to confusing, Im just hoping I can shoot a few birds in the morning. Good luck!


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

SBE II said:


> ....I now understand the struggles JD was referring to in getting people to understand actual framework. No zone is lost here, each zone would have its 90 day time frame with your 60 day choice.


Yup...exactly


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

KLR said:


> Your disconnect is that the Feds won't allow a duck season to be open in any zone for more than 60 days.....


yup, but there are ways of doing exactly what I proposed. DNR staff thought it was doable...they just didn't want to ruffle feathers or fight the tough fight.

Don't get me wrong...I'm fine the way things are now. I just think this idea would make things better, that's all. But it takes effort, and willpower...neither of which is there right now.

I need to ask one question though...how many of our +/- 40k Michigan waterfowlers currently hunt ALL zones, OR hunt ALL of their allotted days? What...100? 500? I doubt it's any higher than that. Hell, I'm guessing 25% only hunt one or two days at best. Now I know some of you here said you hunt all zones and all 60, and that's fine...you are a definite minority, and you may lose a bit under this idea. But if you think big picture, for the good of the majority, this idea makes sense.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

So I'm really just guessing here, but *YOU*? are the big picture here?

None of the stats I've ever read bear any resemblance to your desires. People only hunt a handful of times a year, they quit when it gets cold, or the holidays intervene, they deer hunt, and they are lousy shots, so their success ratio is low on waterfowl any way. 
Uprooting a well established system to placate the fantasies of someone that evidently won't drive anywhere to take advantage of the current zone dates, won't get much committee airtime.

Of course that's just my opinion.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Let's worry about short term. I didn't hunt yesterday, let's put some effort in figuring out how to tack on an extra day for me at the end of the season.


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## SBE II (Jan 13, 2009)

KLR said:


> S
> 
> So, to simplify and make things better I would need to:
> Buy a license for teal season
> ...



Seriously, you don't get it. Not at all, I'm not sure if I can help you. Nobody is asking you to buy anything extra my lord, can someone draw this guy a picture? TEAL IS NOT AFFECTED BECAUSE IT DOES NOT COINCIDE WITH THE SEASON. EARLY AND LATE GOOSE SEASON ALSO DO NOT COINCIDE, ARE YOU GETTING THIS YET? Maybe this is why people can't think outside the box because they don't have the ability to actually, think.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Gamekeeper said:


> So I'm really just guessing here, but *YOU*? are the big picture here?
> 
> None of the stats I've ever read bear any resemblance to your desires. People only hunt a handful of times a year, they quit when it gets cold, or the holidays intervene, they deer hunt, and they are lousy shots, so their success ratio is low on waterfowl any way.
> Uprooting a well established system to placate the fantasies of someone that evidently won't drive anywhere to take advantage of the current zone dates, won't get much committee airtime.
> ...


Well I'm just gonna say this...how many CWAC meetings have you driven to, on your own time, simply to observe, OR to provide some constructive input? How much of your own time have you spent contacting/meeting with the DNR to discuss these things? How many emails or letters have you sent to the DNR to propose ideas based on input you've received from other hunters? I don't know you from adam, so maybe you have gotten actively involved. But those who know me know MY track record. And YES, I do normally look at the big picture...again, those who know me know my history. It's not about me, because frankly I'm content. But when you hear from ALL the different factions, not just talk on forums like this, then you too will understand what the majority would like to see.


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## SBE II (Jan 13, 2009)

Gamekeeper said:


> So I'm really just guessing here, but *YOU*? are the big picture here?
> 
> None of the stats I've ever read bear any resemblance to your desires. People only hunt a handful of times a year, they quit when it gets cold, or the holidays intervene, they deer hunt, and they are lousy shots, so their success ratio is low on waterfowl any way.
> Uprooting a well established system to placate the fantasies of someone that evidently won't drive anywhere to take advantage of the current zone dates, won't get much committee airtime.
> ...


A "well" established system doesn't service those that actually hunt waterfowl, an average waterfowl hunter throughout the united states hunts 7-9 days a year. If we think this is a well established system then we could say that about the deer hunting bagging requirements as a good analogy, we both know that MI lacks big deer because of poor management. If you want to choose to be content that's fine, but in all honesty there could be exceptional hunting to be done throughout December, if not then everyone would careless about the split.


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## SBE II (Jan 13, 2009)

just ducky said:


> Well I'm just gonna say this...how many CWAC meetings have you driven to, on your own time, simply to observe, OR to provide some constructive input? How much of your own time have you spent contacting/meeting with the DNR to discuss these things? How many emails or letters have you sent to the DNR to propose ideas based on input you've received from other hunters? I don't know you from adam, so maybe you have gotten actively involved. But those who know me know MY track record. And YES, I do normally look at the big picture...again, those who know me know my history. It's not about me, because frankly I'm content. But when you hear from ALL the different factions, not just talk on forums like this, then you too will understand what the majority would like to see.


Quality post, and like I said I now see the battle, because here we're talking about an option of "choice" nobody loses anything, just rely on responsibility of managing your own days in the field and yet we have people that still don't want a "choice." Strangely odd...


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

SBE II said:


> Quality post, and like I said I now see the battle, because here we're talking about an option of "choice" nobody loses anything, just rely on responsibility of managing your own days in the field and yet we have people that still don't want a "choice." Strangely odd...


Quite honestly, I've had some personal losses, and other issues arise in the last year or two which have sapped my energy, leaving nothing left right now to fight these battles on behalf of the masses. It takes a ton of time, money, effort, and patience. But it's gratifying when you see some progress actually happen. It's important work, and I'll be back at it again one day, but not right now.

And I'll just say to those who said "it will never happen...what's the point?" NEVER say never. Again, those who know me, and know some of the issues I've helped work on in the last decade, will understand exactly what I mean.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

Well, I guess I should just say, Good Luck Don Quixote!
Let us know how that works out.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Gamekeeper said:


> Well, I guess I should just say, Good Luck Don Quixote!
> Let us know how that works out.


ha ha. You'd be surprised what a bit of perseverance can do. Many people said the DNR would never ban spinners....


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