Duck seasons approved last week by the Wildlife and Parks Commission are similar to past years, with one significant change in the timing of the second segment of duck season in the late zone, which covers eastern Kansas.

Duck seasons will be Oct. 9 through Dec. 12 and Dec. 25 through Jan. 2 in the early zone; Oct. 30 through Jan. 2 and Jan. 22 through Jan. 30 in the late zone; and Oct. 9 through Jan. 4 and Jan. 22 through Jan. 30 in the high plains zone.

More restrictive seasons were set for pintails and canvasbacks, reflecting Central Flyway surveys. The seasons for pintail and canvasback will be Oct. 9 through Nov. 16 in the early zone, Oct. 30 through Dec. 7 in the late zone, and Oct. 9 through Nov. 16 in the high plains zone.

Waterfowl seasons for U-15 hunters are Oct. 2-3 in the early zone and high plains zone, and Oct. 16-17 in the late zone.

During those two-day seasons, youngsters may hunt waterfowl if they are accompanied by hunters 18 or older.

Bag limits for the youth season are the same as for the regular season, but light geese may not be taken.

The daily limit is six ducks, and may include no more than one mottled duck, one canvasback, one pintail, two scaup, two redhead, two wood ducks, or five mallards (no more than one hen mallard).

Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Shooting hours for duck hunting are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Goose seasons are split into two segments. The Canada goose season is Oct. 23-24 and Nov. 6 through Feb. 6, with bag and possession limits of 3 and 6, respectively.

White-fronted geese may be taken Oct. 23-24, as well as Nov. 6 through Jan. 28, with bag and possession limits of 2 and 4, respectively.

The dark geese (Canada and white-fronted) season is Dec. 18 through Feb. 6 in both the Marais des Cygnes Valley and Southeast dark goose units. Additional permits are not required to hunt those units.

Light goose (snow, blue and Ross’) season has been set for Oct. 23 through Feb. 6, with a daily bag of 20 and no possession limit.

In addition, the conservation order of light geese will automatically open on Feb. 7 and run through April 30, allowing additional hunting opportunity for this high-population species.