This is an email I intend to send to Mr. Bales in regards to the upcoming pintail season. Keep in mind, I am not focusing on the length or bag limit of the season, rather on the logic behind the season timing. What is you take on this. (Not just for taking good lookin' Bull Sprigs to mount.
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Mr. Bales:
While I realize I may be a little late on submitting this, I would appreciate your consideration of my comments. Specifically, I would like to offer a few thoughts on the upcoming season, with special regard to the 60-day pintail season. I am an avid waterfowl hunter and in spite of being a resident of southwest Washington, I primarily hunt in Oregon. I have been hunting waterfowl for the last 20 years including the Northeast, Southwest and here in the Northwest for the last 6 years.
I found the following information while reviewing the documents to be presented to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission this Friday.
“A reduced pintail season will no doubt be of concern to many hunters. But, population
declines warrant a conservative approach to minimize the chance of closed seasons in the
future. Staff recommends that the pintail season be placed at the beginning part of
seasons in both Zones 1 and 2. In Zone 2, most pintails occur early in the season. In
Zone 1, while pintail harvest might be more desirable in a late season, birds do occur
throughout the season. In many cases young pintails are not fully colored and are
confused by hunters for other species. A pintail season which opens early will protect
hunters who may accidentally harvest a young bird. Many hunters will no doubt desire
late pintail hunting opportunities, but with only 60 days allowed and a minimal bag limit,
pintail hunting opportunities will be significantly reduced no matter what dates are
selected. Washington adopted a similar strategy for its duck season. A different duck
species season within a general duck season approach is not a very common occurrence
and hunter education will be important. Though, duck and goose seasons have had
different season dates over the years. Considering the status of pintails and while still
offering a 60-day season proposal, staff is not promoting to maximize harvest. Separate
date strategies between zones would optimize harvest.”
- Game Bird Program Recommendations for 2002-2003 Game Bird Seasons – Upland Game Birds and Waterfowl. Supplemental Recommendations for Migratory Game Bird Seasons, page 8.
Given the declines in the Northern Pintail population, I was not surprised by last years partial season and am pleasantly surprised by the partial season offered again this year. My concern has less to do with the pintail numbers than with the logic expressed in the above excerpt from the ODFW Game Bird Program. If I understand ODFW’s recommendation correctly, the timing of the pintail season is based on the following:
1. Follow USFWS guidelines, by minimizing pintail harvest with a 60-day season with a 1-bird limit, while still allowing limited hunting opportunity.
2. Place the pintail season at the beginning of the year, as pintails are primarily only found in Eastern Oregon during the first half of the season and still somewhat common in Western Oregon during the same period.
3. Because of pintail molt timing and maturity, distinguishing pintails during the early season may be more difficult. Thus allowing “mistakes” to be made in bird identification with minimal adverse effects on hunters.
While I realize there may be other contributing factors, these are what I see outlined in the paragraph from the recommendations. I would like to comment on these with reference to my numbers above.
1. I couldn’t agree more and am glad to see that last year’s efforts resulted in slightly higher pintail numbers for this year. The strategy seems to be working and I fully support a limited season. Good conservation will result in a greater and/or more consistent opportunity in the future.
2. I can only imagine how difficult it is to balance the needs of the 30,000+ waterfowl hunter’s throughout the state. It is; however, somewhat odd, by this documents own statements to provide opportunity to one-half of the state, while minimizing the opportunity for the other half. Most waterfowl hunters know that the early to mid-season is best in Eastern Oregon and is best in Western Oregon from mid-season until it closes. It is for this very reason that ODFW implemented separate start dates for Eastside and Westside hunters. I applauded this effort, but the logic seems to have been lost when considering pintails in Western Oregon. Eastern Oregon does not have much of a choice when considering the best times to hunt ducks and geese. The ice and cold weather generally produce modest results (at best) by the end of the season. In Western Oregon; however, we have the fortunate pleasure of having an ever-increasing opportunity throughout the season. While I certainly cannot argue the need for Eastern Oregon to hunt pintails early in the season, I do not see this as necessary or beneficial for the Westside.
3. “In many cases young pintails are not fully colored and are confused by hunters for other species. A pintail season which opens early will protect hunters who may accidentally harvest a young bird.” This logic goes against the very heart of everything a good hunter stands for and against everything I hope to instill in my children who pursue waterfowl. Rule number 1: Don’t shoot anything you cannot identify. It can be difficult to identify drake mallards in the early season, as they too can be late to develop many of the marking we rely on for identification. Do I get an extra hen mallard if I make a mistake, too? What kind of logic is this and what does this say about the confidence level that ODFW/OFWC have in hunters? You trust us to differentiate between a hen mallard and a hen pintail in early January but not in October when their individual plumages have not changed? If anything, the argument should be turned upside down. The best time to have the pintail season is when the drakes are EASILY identifiable. This would be the best time for two reasons:
First, because of the drake’s nature to mate with more than one female, harvesting drakes over hens is beneficial to the propagation of the species. (The same basis for allowing a harvest of only two hen mallards, but up to seven drakes). Solid duck biology would support the harvesting of drakes over hens. When is the best time to easily IDENTIFY and harvest a drake pintail? It would be during December and January here in Western Oregon. If the early season were closed to pintail harvest, you would be protecting hens as they ARE NOT always easily differentiated from the drakes.
The second reason for having the pintail season occur later is that I do not believe any greater number of “mistakes” would take place in the early season than does currently in the late season during the closure. A hunter who cannot identify his birds is likely going to be that way for the entire season. The only solution to this is hunter education and maximizing the likelihood a hunter will be able to easily identify his target. By allowing the pintail harvest during the early season, you are enabling these folks to shoot birds without being able to identify them, thus providing no motivation to learn distinguishing features and/or flock patterns. A drake pintail in full plumage has to be one of the easiest ducks on the planet to identify. Their distinctive white markings, the “pintail” and the thin curved wing make it much easier to identify pintails while flying over or decoying, even in poor light conditions. The ultimate result is that you give hunters lacking in bird identification every possible opportunity to identify pintails, rather than just assuming they will shoot anything that fly’s.
While I find it unlikely my letter alone will change the departments position on this, at the very least please consider waterfowl hunters as capable and willing to make the right choice when it comes time to pull the trigger. I don’t know any upstanding waterfowl hunter who likes to have his bird identification skills insulted. It is difficult at times, but that is one part of our sport that makes it so enjoyable.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Regarding Pintails, a letter to Brad Bales
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Bill Monroe
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