The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed the 2012-2013 waterfowl seasons at its quarterly meeting Aug. 17.

The commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly and approves all expenditures by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. All recommendations must be approved by legislators before they become law.

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission must place waterfowl seasons within the framework mandated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because all migratory game birds are under federal control.

Beginning with the 2012-2013 seasons, the opening day for both duck and goose season is now Thanksgiving Day annually. This year, Thanksgiving Day is Nov. 22.

Duck, Coot and Merganser

·Duck season opens Nov. 22 and closes Nov. 25. The season opens again Dec. 3, 2012 and closes Jan. 27, 2013.

·Duck hunters may now take four scaup this year as part of their six duck daily bag limit. Previously, hunters could only take two scaup.

·Season dates for mergansers and coots are the same as the duck season dates for the 2012-2013 seasons. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers. The daily limit for coots is 15.

Canada Goose

·Western Goose Zone: Nov. 22, 2012 – Jan. 31, 2013.

·Pennyrile-Coalfield Goose Zone (including West-Central Canada Goose subzone): Nov. 22, 2012 – Jan. 31, 2013.

·Eastern Goose Zone: Nov. 22, 2012 – Jan. 31, 2013.

·Northeastern Goose Zone: Jan. 1 – 31, 2013.

White-fronted Goose, Brant

Statewide: Nov. 22, 2012 – Jan. 31, 2013.

Snow Goose

Regular season: Nov. 22, 2012 – Jan. 31, 2013.

Snow Goose Conservation Order Season

Eastern Duck Zone: Feb. 1 – Mar. 31, 2013.

Western Duck Zone:

Feb. 1 and Feb. 4 – Mar. 31, 2013.

Youth Waterfowl Season:

Eastern Zone:

Nov. 3-4.

Western Zone:

Feb. 2-3, 2013.

The brant daily bag limit was reduced from two brant to one. The total daily bag limit for dark geese (Canada, white-fronted goose and brant) was changed from six birds to five birds to comply with federal frameworks for this season.

In other waterfowl-related business, duck hunters on private lands in the Northeastern Goose Zone may now hunt later than the 2 p.m. daily closure during the Canada goose season. Goose hunters in this zone must still cease hunting at 2 p.m.

Hunters selected for a waterfowl blind at Sloughs Wildlife Management Area (WMA) must complete a hunter survey report or lose eligibility to apply for a blind the following year. The preseason draw for waterfowl hunting at South Shore WMA is now eliminated. Waterfowl hunting on the area is now on a first-come, first-serve basis on South Shore WMA.

Beginning with the 2013-2014 waterfowl seasons, waterfowl hunters on Cedar Creek Lake, Dix River and J.C. Williams WMAs must cease hunting and be off the area by 2 p.m.

In other wildlife-related business, commissioners set the number of quota elk hunt permits at 1,000 for the 2013 season, 100 more than the 2012 season.