Alternating waterfowl hunt seasons have early end this year

Hunting for geese, ducks and other waterfowl in much of Southeast Alaska comes to a close this Monday, December 16.

The region is now under alternating early and late seasons following a change by the Alaska Board of Game during a meeting in Petersburg last January.

This year’s season started September 1^st and ends December 16, like it will on other odd numbered years. On even numbered years like 2020, the season will start on September 16^th and run through the end of December.

The change is an attempt to satisfy competing interests for early and late hunting opportunity. In general, hunters in northern Southeast have lobbied for an earlier start and end to correspond better with the birds’ annual southward migration. Hunters in the southern panhandle have argued for a later season for the same reason. There’s a 107-day limit for the length of the season, which is managed by the state of Alaska but with restrictions from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The alternating seasons apply to game management units one through four, which is most of Southeast Alaska, but doesn’t include Yakutat.