Why are the waterfowl abstracts so late in getting to the town clerks offices?
A. Unlike local wildlife such as deer or pheasants, waterfowl are protected by the federal government under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. The regulations for hunting waterfowl undergo a long and thorough review process every year. Regulations are not set until after annual production indices are determined in mid summer. Then, proposed regulations must be published in the Federal Register, followed by a public comment period, after which final regulations must be published in the Register. This entire process means that states don’t know for certain what hunting seasons will be available until late summer. Massachusetts then holds a public hearing (usually at the end of August) after which the date selections must be sent to a printer to have the abstracts printed and then distributed. Immediately, after the public hearing, however, season dates are available from the various MassWildlife offices and are also posted in the Hunting and Fishing area. Q. Why are we not allowed to
