Daylight shortens, air temperatures cool, and Minnesota’s hunting season for waterfowl (ducks, coots, geese, and woodcock) begins Sept. 24, 2016. Make sure you know the latest waterfowl hunting regulations. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) “2016 Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting Regulations” provides detailed information about licensing, season dates, bag limits, and other regulations designed to manage wildlife while allowing hunters to safely stalk game birds in the great outdoors.  Among the great features in the 2016 hunting regulations booklet is an illustrated guide to the ducks and geese of Minnesota, resources for hunters with disabilities, youth hunting, and much more.

A few items of particular interest to waterfowl hunters in the Vermillion River Watershed:

• On Sept. 10, 2016, waterfowl hunters age 15 and younger, when accompanied by a non-hunting adult, may take ducks, Canada geese, mergansers, coots and moorhens from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. Motorized decoys may not be used. Bag limits are the same as the regular duck season. Five Canada geese may be taken statewide. Hunters ages 13 to 15 must have a firearms safety certificate or apprentice hunter validation in their possession.
• Wildlife Management Areas in the watershed open to hunting include Gores Pool #3 WMA, Hastings WMA, Spring Lake Islands WMA, Vermillion Highlands Research, Recreation and WMA, Vermillion River WMA and Spartina WMA (New Market Township in Scott County).
• Dakota County Parks offers parking permits for waterfowl hunting access from Bud’s Landing in Spring Lake Park Reserve to the Spring Lake Island WMA. Bud’s Landing is located on the Mississippi River and can be accessed from the far north end of Fischer Avenue in Nininger Township. Nine parking permits are available each day during the season.
• Special regulations and seasons pertain to migratory waterfowl, such as mourning doves, sora and Virginia rail, and common snipe.