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adopting one season or the dates which most nearly conform 

 with the seasons in adjoining States. A slight change in a 

 few of the State laws would make it possible to eliminate most 

 of the exceptions and apparent inequalities in the seasons. 



SEASONS IN ZONE NO. 2 



In most cases the close seasons in Zone No. 2 end on the 

 same dates as the seasons under the State laws, but eliminate 

 spring shooting after January 15. This avoids confusion in 

 the opening of the hunting season and provides shooting in the 

 autumn or early winter, when the birds are in the best condi- 

 tion. In four States — Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, 

 and South Carolina — the seasons for waterfowl do not open 

 until November 1 , and the season is consequently extended to 

 February 1. The difference of 15 days in the length of the 

 season in these States as compared with the seasons elsewhere 

 is more than offset by the fact that the birds are present 

 practically throughout the open season, whereas in the northern 

 zone and in some States in the southern zone they are present 

 only part of the time. 



HEARINGS 



The object of the hearings is to afford persons interested an 

 opportunity to present evidence showing the necessity for 

 readjustment of some of the seasons so as to adapt them better 

 to local conditions and to submit new data regarding local 

 abundance of birds and times of migration. The department 

 already has ample information regarding the seasons provided 

 under existing laws and the changes which have been made 

 from time to time. The desire to have the hunting seasons 

 as long as possible is natural, but as such seasons have hereto- 

 fore been too long, the question is merely one of adjustment 

 within certain maximum limits. Consequently, if the birds 

 are to be restored, some curtailment of the season in each 

 State is essential. In such an effort general welfare should 

 take precedence over private or local interests. In recom- 

 mending changes the condition of each species should be con- 

 sidered throughout its range rather than in any one locality, 



