Bag Limit

Outdoors - Duck season has its limits By BILL ANDERSON Both West Virginia and Maryland have released the final season dates for the 2000-2001 waterfowl seasons. The duck season dates and bag limits reflect the generally good reports from the major breeding areas. Hunters will also enjoy a long and liberal season and bag limits for taking resident Canada geese, which have reached the problem stage in many areas. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources estimates that the resident or non-migratory Canada goose population has now reached approximately 70,000.

I read with great sadness and much disgust about the shooting of the female black bear and the death of her cubs. The depths to which humanity can lower itself to have ceased to amaze me. A crime of this magnitude defies logic and should be punished beyond all limits. It seems like not so long ago that many put in an extraordinary amount of effort in trying to prevent black bear hunting in Maryland from ever becoming a reality. It was at that time that I personally faxed Gov. Robert Ehrlich several times.

When many people hear the phrase “hunting season,” the first animal they think of is deer. Deer hunting is the most popular form of hunting in this area, and Washington County is a hot spot for it. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 8,587 deer were harvested in the county in 2009, the most of any county in the state. But there are plenty of other hunting opportunities that residents can take advantage of in the area, from game birds to small mammals to larger mammals.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police charged a Hagerstown man with several hunting violations Monday. James Michael Mazingo, 39, was charged with nine counts of exceeding the bag limit of antlered deer, one count of failing to obtain a bonus antlered deer stamp and five criminal counts of making a false entry into public record, police said. Mazingo allegedly killed 15 antlered deer - nine more than the combined deer season's bag limit of six, police said. He allegedly checked the extra deer into public record on his 15-year-old daughter's hunting license.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia's squirrel season opens Saturday, Oct. 10, according to Bernard F. Dowler, chief of the Division of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Section. The season continues through Saturday, Jan. 2, 1999. The daily bag limit of squirrels is six, with a possession limit of 24. Hunters can check the 1998-99 Hunting and Trapping Regulations for information.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has released the proposed season dates and bag limits for the late portion of the 2008-2009 waterfowl seasons. The seasons are established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and each state then sets season dates within a framework that they receive from the feds. The general hunting picture for waterfowl hunters in 2008 is a positive one. The proposed 2008-2009 duck season will be a 60-day season with a daily bag limit of six. The bag limits for each species are based upon population status and breeding habitat and brood success in the major prairie nesting areas in the U.S. and Canada.

Last week's first segment of the Maryland duck season is in the books, and reports from around the state indicate good duck populations. The second and third segments of the Maryland duck season will be Nov. 12-26 and Dec. 14-Jan. 29. The general bag limit is five ducks per day, which can include no more than: Four mallards (maximum of two hen mallards); two wood ducks; two redheads; three scaup; four scoters; one black duck (during black duck season, Nov. 13-26 and Dec. 14-Jan.

ANNAPOLIS - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced that archery hunting for deer opens Sept. 15 and continues through Jan. 31. Several changes have been made regarding deer hunting in Maryland for the upcoming season. Two deer management regions have replaced the original four regions (Regions A, B, C, D) established in 1998. Region A now consists of Allegany and Garrett counties and Region B includes all of the remaining counties in Maryland. Region A's white-tailed deer archery bag limit is two deer, and no more than one of them can be an antlered deer.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has released the proposed dates for the 2007-08 waterfowl season. The season dates are referred to as the late waterfowl season dates, because the September dates for resident Canada geese were already out there. Keep in mind that the late-season dates are still listed as proposed because they are awaiting final approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As most know, all states establish waterfowl seasons from within a framework provided by the federal officials.

Crime Solvers seek information about overnight attempted burglary at drug store GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- Franklin County (Pa.) Crime Solvers is seeking information about an overnight attempted burglary at Carl's Drug Store on U.S. 11. A man broke a rear door's window while trying to get inside late Oct. 15 or early Oct. 16, according to a Crime Solvers press release. Information leading to an arrest could result in a reward of up to $2,000. To provide information, call Crime Solvers at 717-263-3000.