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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 33 / Monday, February 22, 2021 / Proposed Rule
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American woodcock season length and bag limits while we work to improve monitoring and assessment protocols for this species. The American Woodcock Harvest Strategy is available on our website at https www.fws.gov/birds/
surveys-and-data/webless-migratorygame-birds/american-woodcock.php.
In the October 9, 2020, proposed rule 85 FR 64097, we proposed to change the opening framework date for American woodcock in the Eastern and Central Management Regions to a fixed date of September 13. Framework dates currently are October 1January 31 and the Saturday nearest September 22
January 31 for the Eastern and Central Management Regions, respectively.
Results from an assessment conducted by Service staff suggest that total season harvest would not increase in either management region as a result of these changes. Consistent with our earlier proposal, we agree with the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyway Councils recommendations that the framework dates for the Eastern Management Region and Central Management Region be changed to September 13January 31.
Utilizing the criteria developed for the strategy, the 3-year average for the Singing Ground Survey indices and associated confidence intervals fall within the moderate package for both the Eastern and Central Management Regions. As such, a moderate season for both management regions for the 202021 season is appropriate.
16. Doves Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific Flyway Councils recommended adoption of the standard regulatory alternative as prescribed in the national mourning dove harvest strategy for their respective Mourning Dove Management Units. The standard regulatory alternative consists of a 90-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit for States within the Eastern and Central Management Units, and a 60-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit for States in the Western Management Unit.
The Central Flyway Council also recommended changes to the Special White-winged Dove Area in Texas. They proposed to add 2 days to the existing 4 days allowed in that area, and to codify in Federal regulations that hunting may occur only from noon to sunset during those days. This latter restriction has been in Texas State regulations, so making this provision would involve only codifying the shooting hours in Federal regulations.
Service Response: Based on the harvest strategies and current
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population status, we agree with the recommended selection of the standard season frameworks for doves in the Eastern, Central, and Western Management Units for the 202122
season. We also agree with the Central Flyway Councils recommendation to add 2 days to the existing 4 hunting days permitted in the Special Whitewinged Dove Area in Texas, and to codify in Federal regulations that shooting hours for those 6 days will be from noon to sunset. The additional days will allow more opportunity and flexibility to hunters by providing 3
consecutive days of dove hunting each of the first two weekends in September.
As we have stated in the past 76 FR
54056, August 30, 2011, the Service remains concerned about the effect of early September hunting on late-nesting mourning doves. We note that abundances of mourning doves in the Central Management Unit have declined since 2008, and additional harvest associated with this change could exacerbate that trend. We encourage Texas and the Central Flyway Council to conduct appropriate monitoring of both mourning and white-winged doves that will inform adjustments to the dove harvest management strategy, if necessary, to maintain desired abundances of doves. Such efforts should include contemporary nesting ecology studies to determine the extent of nesting activity in September, various aspects of nesting ecology e.g., nesting rate, clutch size, nest success, and exposure of nesting adults to harvest.
Public Comments The Department of the Interiors policy is, whenever possible, to afford the public an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking process. Accordingly, we invite interested persons to submit written comments, suggestions, or recommendations regarding the proposed regulations. Before promulgating final migratory game bird hunting regulations, we will consider all comments we receive. These comments, and any additional information we receive, may lead to final regulations that differ from these proposals.
You may submit your comments and materials concerning this proposed rule by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We will not accept comments sent by email or fax. We will not consider hand-delivered comments that we do not receive, or mailed comments that are not postmarked, by the date specified in DATES.
We may post all comments in their entiretyincluding your personal identifying informationon http
www.regulations.gov. Before including
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your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying informationmay be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Comments and materials we receive, as well as supporting documentation we used in preparing this proposed rule, will be available for public inspection on http
www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia. We will consider, but possibly may not respond in detail to, each comment. As in the past, we will summarize all comments we receive during the comment period and respond to them after the closing date in the preambles of any final rules.
Required Determinations Based on our most current data, we are affirming our required determinations made in the October 9, 2020, proposed rule; for descriptions of our actions to ensure compliance with the following statutes and Executive Orders, see our October 9, 2020, proposed rule 85 FR 64097:
National Environmental Policy Act NEPA Consideration;
Endangered Species Act Consideration;
Regulatory Flexibility Act;
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act;
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995;
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act;
Executive Orders 12630, 12866, 12988, 13132, 13175, 13211, and 13563.
Authority The rules that eventually will be promulgated for the 202122 hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C.
703712 and 16 U.S.C. 742 aj.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20
Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.
Proposed Regulations Frameworks for 202122 Hunting Seasons on Certain Migratory Game Birds Pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and delegated authorities, the Department of the Interior is proposing the following frameworks for outside dates, season lengths, shooting hours,
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