This information is available on DNR's web-site at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/waterfowl.asp along with a lot of other information related to waterfowl populations and surveys.



Mark Hoffman
Associate Director, Administration
Wildlife and Heritage Service




-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Richard Wood
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 10:54 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Illegal duck hunting


I'd like to know what ducks species are allowed to be hunted.  I would think that there aren't many, especially considering the prediction that duck numbers are going to be decreasing over the next few years, due to the changing climate of the planet.
 
 Richard
 
Richard L. Wood, Ph. D. 
 Computational Chemist 
 Cockeysville, MD 21030 
 

----- Original Message ----
From: Jeff Shenot <>
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 10:34:09
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Illegal duck hunting

A word of clarity -  for anyone considering reporting what they perceive 
as illegal hunting activity.  What was observed can and often does happen 
LEGALLY.  It is only illegal, if you know for a fact and can prove it, 
that an UNINJURED bird was harrassed unlawfully, and was shot at initially 
while resting on the water; or while the boat was moving under power.  It 
is LEGAL to pursue and retrieve an injured bird that was shot legally from 
a blind, and in fact it is ILLEGAL NOT to attempt to retrieve it.  Often, 
this means using a boat to go get it, and often the hunter must shoot the 
bird and kill it, in order to be able to pick it up out of the water.  
Most  hunters use the same boat they use for their blind as the chase boat.

Unfortunately, if what you saw was in fact illegal, it is difficult to 
PROVE it unless you have video and can demonstrate that no shot was fired 
legally at the bird prior to the hunter attempting to retrieve it.  The 
sad part is the DNR police must actually witness this activity or have 
positive proof it occurred to write a citation.  Note also: The hunter is 
supposed to have the motor turned OFF and NOT be in motion if they must 
shoot the bird again in order to kill it to retrieve it legally.  This is 
often where well-intentioned hunters cross the line.  It is often very 
difficult to do this legally with injured diving ducks, since they are 
capable of swimming long distances under water.  Often, when an injured 
diving duck is approached by a boat, it will dive and typically the boat 
will wait for the bird to resurface in the vicinity of where it dove.  
However, divers usually resurface out of gun range, and then the boat must 
chase after it.  This is repeated for as long as it takes, and it becomes 
very difficult to get this type of injured duck legally.  Sometimes it can 
take a LONG time to retrieve a duck, and if a non-hunting person observed 
this situation, it is probably awful to watch and could be very disturbing.

Jeff Shenot
Croom MD