DNR Announces 2010-2011 Atlantic Population Canada Goose Hunting Dates At Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area

Annapolis, Md. (September 20, 2010) —  The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Maryland State Park Service today announced the dates for migratory Atlantic Population (AP) Canada Geese waterfowl hunting at Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA). As in the past, all hunts will be by permit only.

This year’s dates for migratory AP Canada Goose hunts are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from December 16, 2010, through January 29, 2011 (excluding December 25). All goose hunting permits will be issued through a lottery drawing. Goose hunting applications must be received at Wye Island by the close of business (4:30 p.m.) on October 22. Permits will be selected by random drawing on October 27 at 12 p.m.

Applications for a goose permit can also be downloaded directly from DNR’s website at www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/wyenrmapermit.html, or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Wye Island NRMA, 632 Wye Island Road, Queenstown, MD 21658.

To receive an application, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Wye Island NRMA, 632 Wye Island Road, Queenstown, MD 21658. Only one application will be allowed per hunter; multiple and incomplete applications will be disqualified. Results of the drawing will not be given out over the telephone; successful applicants will be notified by mail.

Permit holders and all members of their hunting parties will be required to have a DNR Managed Hunt Permit (MHP). Hunting parties are limited to a total of four (4) hunters. A MHP costs $35 and is valid statewide where DNR charges for public hunting access. Additional information regarding the MHP can be found on the DNR website at www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/managed_hunt_permit.asp, or on page 57 of the Guide to Hunting and Trapping in Maryland 2010-2011.

Hunting hours will be one half-hour before sunrise until 1 p.m. Permit holders will be assigned a goose pit or blind prior to the date of the hunt, and they must only hunt from the assigned location. A map of the blind site and information will be mailed with each confirmation letter. Hunters should register at the check-in station before 7:30 a.m. and must sign out by 2 p.m.

All Canada Geese harvested at Wye Island will be considered part of the daily and season bag limit. Consult the Guide to Hunting and Trapping in Maryland 2010-11 for details.

Driving and parking is permitted in designated areas only, which will be posted. Each hunt permit must be displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard in open view and is valid for one day only. Keep in mind that weather and ground conditions may prohibit vehicular access, so hunters will have to be prepared to walk and haul all gear to the blind/pit. Hand-drawn carts, wheelbarrows and skid sleds are permissible. Refer to the Guide to Hunting and Trapping in Maryland 2010-2011 for pertinent laws and regulations.

Wye Island NRMA has handicapped accessible waterfowl blinds that meet the specifications for the Americans with Disabilities Act, and will provide service to persons with mobility impairments. To utilize these blinds you must apply for a permit through the general lottery. For more information about hunting opportunities for persons with mobility impairments see DNR’s website at www.dnr.maryland.gov/accessforall.

For more information or details, contact the Wye Island NRMA office at (410) 827-7577 or wye-island-nrma@dnr.state.md.us.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million 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 11 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