Canada Goose Hunting Dates Set For Sassafras N.R.M.A And Tuckahoe State Park

Queen Anne, Md. (September 16, 2009) – Sassafras Natural Resources Management Area (N.R.M.A.) and Tuckahoe State Park will allow waterfowl hunting for migratory Canada geese on Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays from November 21 through 27, 2009 and December 17 through January 30, 2010 (excluding December 24, 2009).

As in the past, hunting will be by permit only. All goose hunting permits will be issued through a lottery drawing. Goose hunting applications must be received at the Tuckahoe State Park office by the close of business (4:30 p.m.) on October 23, 2009. Permits will be selected by random drawing on October 26, 2009 at 1 p.m.

To receive an application, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Tuckahoe State Park, 13070 Crouse Mill Road, Queen Anne, MD 21657. Applications can also be downloaded from the DNR website at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/eastern/tuckahoe.html. Only one application per hunter is permitted.

Completed applications should be mailed along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Tuckahoe State Park, 13070 Crouse Mill Road, Queen Anne, MD 21657 (if applying for Sassafras NRMA hunt, please address to Sassafras NRMA Goose Hunt c/o Tuckahoe State Park). Permit recipients will be notified of their hunting date and blind location by mail; results of the drawing will not be given out over the telephone.

Hunters must hunt from their assigned pit only. Hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Canada geese, snow geese and other waterfowl harvested at Tuckahoe State Park will be considered part of the daily and season bag limit. Consult the Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping 2009-2010 for details. Hunting parties are limited to four (4) hunters maximum. All members of the hunting party must possess a valid hunting license as well as a Managed Hunt Permit (MHP).

Driving and parking is permitted in designated areas only, which will be posted. Hunting permits must be displayed on the dashboard of the vehicle. Hunters must keep vehicles on designated roadways. Handcarts and sleds are permissible to haul gear to pit.

For more information or details, contact the Tuckahoe State Park office at (410) 820-1668, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov