Duck hunting season extended

California’s duck hunting season for Del Norte County will be extended five additional days this season, now closing on Jan. 31.

The California Fish and Game Commission last April unanimously approved Jan. 31, 2020, as the duck season’s end date. The traditional closure is the last Sunday in January.

The extended season maximizes duck hunting opportunity, while staying within the federal waterfowl management regulatory framework, said state officials.

It also provides incentive to keep managed wetlands flooded for just a bit longer, to the benefit of waterfowl and a host of other wetland species.

State-operated wildlife areas will be open for hunting on Jan. 29 to accommodate the extended season.

The extension does not include goose hunting, which closes Jan. 26.

A late-season goose hunt for white-fronted and white geese will open Feb. 8 and end Feb. 12