I don’t think that it would ever be possible to set the migratory bird seasons so that all factions of the dove, duck, goose, swan, rail, woodcock and snipe hunters are happy.

Someone is always going to complain about the way the seasons are set.

When our own North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) ask for suggestions and comments from the hunters in open meetings it seems like there’s a strange silence from the floor of these gatherings.

Now, thanks to the modern internet, hunters and falconers can sit in the comfort of their own office and review the proposed 2010-11 migratory bird hunting seasons and officially make their feelings part of the public record. As one hunter told me, “Here’s our chance to tell the NCWRC how we feel about our waterfowl seasons and if the hunters don’t speak up while they have the chance to be heard, they should quit complaining later on.”

For those who don’t understand just how the process of setting the waterfowl seasons so that the resources are conserved and yet trying to satisfy the individual states and their sportsmen, in a nutshell, here’s how it works.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conjunction with fish and wildlife agencies of other concerned countries (Canada, Mexico etc.) try to forecast how many birds will be migrating in any one year.

This gives the waterfowl biologists and managers an estimate of just how many birds were raised on the breeding grounds every year as well as the adult populations that produced these young birds.

With these population estimates in hand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service meets with the individual status’s waterfowl biologists and gives each state a framework of the coming years waterfowl seasons and bag limits. It’s then up to the individual states to make some decisions about how they’d like to have their seasons set within the framework that the Feds have sent down to us. (Yes, the feeds even dictate these rules to us individuals.)

With the proposed framework of seasons in hand the NCWRC is now asking our Tar Heel duck and goose hunters to express their opinions about how our migratory bird seasons should be distributed within the USFWS framework.

It’s not easy for the feds, the states and the sportsmen to decide how to set the seasons while allowing hunters to take birds without harming the overall population of the many species of waterfowl. The more northern states like the early seasons while the more southern states like the later seasons because that’s where the birds should be as their migratory patterns vary with the weather among other factors. The wildlife managers have the responsibility of keeping the waterfowl populations at healthy levels while satisfying the wants of thousands of hunters.

Here is the framework that the NCWRC is presenting to our hunters as they anticipate what the frameworks will be.

Several readers have asked about the new North Carolina Boating law that requires that some boat operators take a special boat operator’s course and be licensed to operate certain kinds of boats. Here’s the lowdown on the new NC law (as if we needed more laws and regulations from the government).

Beginning May 1, 2010, anyone younger than 26 years of age, operating a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater on a public waterway must meet the requirements for boating safety education, as set by General Statute 75A-16.2.

“Those boaters must take and pass a National Association of State Boating Law Administrator-approved course before taking the helm, or otherwise be in compliance,” said Capt. Chris Huebner, the state boating safety coordinator.

North Carolina law enforcement agencies will again participate in Operation Dry Water, June 25-27, a national weekend of boating sobriety detection and enforcement aimed at reducing alcohol-related accidents and fatalities.

“Operating a recreational vessel while under the influence of an impairing substance or with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher is against the law,” said Capt. Chris Huebner, the state boating safety coordinator. “Penalties may include fines up to $1,000 and jail. The greater peril is an accident. More than 20 percent of boating-related fatalities are alcohol related.”

Operation Dry Water is organized by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the U.S. Coast Guard, with leadership for the North Carolina campaign by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and assisted by partner law enforcement agencies.

Wildlife officers are charged with enforcing the boating laws and regulations on the public waters of the state, and routinely stop vessels for safety checks or violations. The goal of boating regulation enforcement is always safety.

An ongoing Boat Safe, Boat Sober campaign aims to make North Carolina boaters aware of the dangers of intoxication on the water. Drinking, even at levels below legal intoxication, affects the skills necessary to operate any vessel, including:

▪ Peripheral vision and ability to focus

▪ Judgment and rational decision-making

▪ Balance and equilibrium

▪ Coordination and reaction time

All vessel operators may be asked by law enforcement officers to present a certification card or proof of compliance.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission administers free boating safety education courses that fulfill requirements of the new law.

To check course availability, go to www.ncwildlife.org or call 919-707-0030. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadron and other organizations, including Internet providers, also offer approved courses and can include a fee.