Pratt ? In much of the state, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has established a Jan. 20-28 duck season to allow hunters the opportunity to take advantage of late migration.

Late-migrating mallards often touch down in Kansas in January. When shallow waters freeze, mallards concentrate on rivers and reservoirs.

The Jan. 20-28 duck season runs in the High Plains Zone (west of U.S. Highway 283) and the Late Zone (most of eastern and central Kansas). To understand the exact boundaries of the Late Zone, a copy of the 2006 Kansas Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations Summary, which contains maps outlining waterfowl boundaries, is required. Booklets are available at most KDWP offices or other places where licenses are sold. They also may be downloaded from the KDWP website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us.

Ducks aren’t the only waterfowl abundant in mid- to late winter. Geese are plentiful at this time of year. Canada goose season runs through Feb. 18 statewide. White-fronted goose season is currently closed, but it re-opens Feb. 10-18. Light geese (Ross’, snow, and blue) may be hunted through April 30.

As of Jan. 8 the reported number of waterfowl in Kansas included 1,055,000 geese and 260,000 ducks statewide, but those numbers can change depending on weather.