SPECIAL TEAL SEASON SCHEDULED

All Missouri Department of Conservation areas will be open for a special teal season to be held Saturday through Sept. 20.

"Most of the areas will be open on a first-come, first-serve basis," said David Wissehr, wildlife biologist at the Southeast Missouri Regional DOC office. "But, there will be exceptions at Duck Creek, Otter Slough and Ten-Mile Pond areas for weekends.

"Portions or all of these areas will be open only to holders of a daily area use permit on weekends, allocated through a drawing held each Saturday and Sunday morning at 5:30 a.m.," he added.

Maps showing the areas designated as "open to hunting" will be posted at the hunter sign-in station at the area headquarters of each site.

All hunters will be required to sign in and sign out, and to assist in recording the harvest of waterfowl during this special season.

Blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal will be the only legal waterfowl during the special, nine-day season. Shooting hours will be from sunrise to sunset each day and steel shot is required. The daily limit is four teal, with a possession limit of eight birds after the first day.

All regular waterfowl season permits will be required, including a Missouri small game hunting permit, federal waterfowl stamp, Missouri state waterfowl stamp and a Migratory Bird Harvest Information Card.

"This new card is required for any hunting of all migratory birds," said Wissehr. "That includes duck, geese, mourning doves, woodcock, coots, rail and snipe."

The cards are available anywhere that licenses are sold. The fee for the card is $2.