TIMES ALBANY BUREAU

ALBANY — A tentative schedule for the 2008-09 waterfowl hunting season is out. The state Department of Environmental Conservation said the dates will be finalized later this summer.

Tentative dates for the regular duck hunting seasons are:

■ Northeastern zone: Oct. 4 to 13; Oct. 25 to Dec. 13.

■ Southeastern zone: Oct. 11 to Oct. 19; Nov. 8 to Dec. 28.

■ Western zone: Oct. 25 to Dec. 7; Dec. 27 to Jan. 11.

■ Long Island zone: Nov. 27 to Jan. 25.

Overall bag limits for ducks are expected to remain the same as last year: six ducks daily, although changes for some species are possible.

Tentative dates for the September Canada goose seasons, by zone, are:

■ Northeastern, southeastern and western zones: Sept. 1 to 25.

■ Lake Champlain zone: Sept. 2 to 25.

■ Long Island zone: Sept. 2 to 30.

The bag limit for geese during September is eight per day, except in the Lake Champlain zone, where the limit is five. The September season is designed to increase the harvest of resident Canada geese. Each September, New York goose hunters take some 40,000 birds, which helps slow the growth of populations where hunting is allowed.

Dates for duck and goose seasons in the Lake Champlain Zone will be established by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board after a public hearing in Burlington, Vt. in August.

Tentative dates for the regular fall Canada goose hunting season will not be determined until completion of population assessments later this summer. But two tentative opening dates are available.

In upstate New York, excluding the Lake Champlain Zone, the regular Canada goose season is expected to open on Oct. 25, assuming that is the earliest date allowed by federal regulations. On Long Island, the regular Canada goose season will open on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, the same as opening day for ducks.

Tentative dates for the youth waterfowl hunting weekends are:

■ Northeastern and southeastern zones: Sept. 20 to 21.

■ Lake Champlain zone: Sept. 27 to 28.

■ Western zone: Oct. 11 to 12.

■ Long Island zone: Nov. 8 to 9.

These events offer additional days for junior hunters — those ages 12 to 15 — to hunt ducks, geese and brant, with the intent of encouraging experienced hunters to help teach juniors the techniques and ethics of this sport. The junior hunter must be fully licensed and accompanied by an adult; only the junior may take birds on these days.

Once final federal waterfowl hunting regulations are set, DEC will announce its final season dates. Hunters are reminded to confirm the final dates before going afield. More info on New York's waterfowl hunting seasons is online at: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor

/28503.html.