Aug. 9, 1913- 
FOREST AND STREAM 
169 
Federal Migratory Bird Law 
A Digest of the Rules and Regulations Governing the Protection of Migratory Birds, Promulgated by the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture June 23, 1913, under Authority of the Weeks-McLean Law 
Compiled by E. A. Quarles, Second Vice-President of the American G. P. and P. A. 
(It is important that this be read carefully before an 
attempt is made to use the digest that immediately fol¬ 
lows.) 
T HIS law is revolutionary in its character, 
superseding at one stroke all legislation 
on the statute books of the several States 
that is in conflict therewith and substituting two 
zones with respect to which open seasons are 
prescribed tor fifty that have existed in effect 
under the former system of State protection. 
In view of the facts stated above, it is felt 
that a complete digest of the regulations that 
have been announced is imperative. 
In using the digest it is important to bear 
in mind the following points: 
1. The rules and regulations are not effec¬ 
tive till October 1, 1913, and may be altered be¬ 
tween now and then. 
2. Under the new rules two zones are es¬ 
tablished, a northern breeding zone, known as 
Zone No. 1, and a southern or wintering zone, 
known as Zone No. 2. 
3. States included in Zone No. 1 are: 
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massa¬ 
chusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, 
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illi¬ 
nois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, 
North Dakota South Dakota, Nebraska, Colo¬ 
rado, Wyoming. Montana, Idaho, Oregon and 
Washington. 
4. States included in Zone No. 2 are: 
Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, 
West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennes¬ 
see, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, 
Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, 
Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah. 
5. For the purpose of fixing open seasons 
in Zones 1 and 2. migratory game birds have 
been classified as follows, the open season for 
each class being given herewith: 
Zone No. 1: 1. Waterfowl, Sept. 1 to Dec. 
15. 2. Rails, Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. 3. Woodcock, 
Oct. 1 to Nov. 30. 4. Shore birds, Sept. 1 to 
Dec. 13. 
Zone No. 2: 1. Waterfowl, Oct. 1 to Jan. 
15. 2. Rails, Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. 3. Woodcock, 
Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. 4. Shore birds, Sept. 1 to 
Dec. 15. 
As numerous exceptions are made with re¬ 
gard to the various species of migratory game 
birds and further because of the fact that the 
rules recognize peculiar conditions that obtain 
in various States, it is necessary to consult the 
digest carefully in order to determine the exact 
status of any species in any single State of the 
Union. 
6. In the digest whenever the open season 
on any class or species in any State differs from 
the season accorded such class or species by the 
majority of the States situated in the same zone, 
the fact is indicated by italicizing the first few 
words of the paragraph announcing such open 
season. 
7 - In order that the most comprehensive 
use may be made of the digest, it should be 
borne in mind that it contains, alphabetically 
arranged, the name of every class and species 
of both migratory game birds and migratory 
insectivorous birds that are included in the de¬ 
partment’s rules, together with the exact and 
complete rules and regulations that have been 
prescribed with regard to them. In addition to 
this, under the several States, will be found 
complete the provisions with regard to open 
seasons on every class and species of migratory 
game bird. 
8. Figures that invariably follow each item 
in the digest refer to page and line, respectively, 
on which the particular regulation will be found 
in circular No. 92, Bureau of Biological Survey, 
Department of Agriculture, which is the official 
designation of the publication containing the 
rules and regulations that the department has 
set forth. Thus—“Anatidae—classed as migra¬ 
tory game birds (p. 2—5)”—means that this 
particular provision will be found on page 2, 
line 5, of the rules and regulations described in 
the preceding sentence. 
Alabama— 
a. Zone 2 (p. 3—32). 
b. Open season, black-breasted and golden 
plover, jack snipe and lesser yellow- 
legs, Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 (p. 5—27). 
c. Open season, waterfowl, Oct. 1 to Jan. 
VS (P- 5 — 6 ). 
d. Open season, rails, coots and gallinules, 
Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 (p. 5—12). 
e. Open season, woodcock, Nov. I to Dec. 
31 (p. 5—18). 
Anatidae— 
Classed as migratory game birds (p. 2—5). 
Arizona— 
a. Zone 2 (p. 3—34). 
b. Open season, waterfowl, Sept. 1 to Dec. 
15 (P- 5 — 8 ).. 
c. Open season, rads, coots and gallinules, 
Oct. 15 to Nov. 30 (p. 5—17). 
d. Open season, black-breasted and golden 
plover, jack snipe, greater and lesser 
yellowlegs, Oct. 15 to Dec. 15 (p. 5— 
3 i)- 
e. Open season, woodcock, Nov. 1 to Dec. 
31 (p. 5—18). 
Arkansas— 
a. Zone 2 (p 3—33)- 
b. Open season, waterfowl, Oct. 1 to Jan.’ 
15 (P- 5 — 6 ). 
c. Open season, rails, coots, gallinules, 
Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 (p. 5—12). 
d. Open season, woodcock, Nov. 1 to Dec. 
31 (p. 5—18). 
e. Open season, black-breasted and golden 
plover, jack snipe, greater and lesser 
yellowlegs, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15 (p. 
5 — 23 ). 
Avocets— 
Classed as migratory game birds (p. 2—11). 
Closed season till Sept. 1, 1918 (p. 3—3). 
Birds, Migratory Game— 
a. Species placed in this classification (p. 
2—4). 
b. No shooting between sunset and sunrise 
(p. 2—23). 
c. May be shot only in November and De¬ 
cember on Mississippi, Missouri and 
Ohio rivers (p. 3—10). 
Birds, Migratory Insectivorous— 
a. Species placed in this classification (p. 
2—15)- 
b. Perpetual closed season (p. 2—25). 
c. May be killed for scientific purposes 
(p. 2—27). 
Birds, Perching— 
Classed as migratory insectivorous if they 
feed entirely or chiefly on insects (p. 
2— 21). 
List of those whose killing at any time is 
specifically prohibited (p. 2—17). 
Bismarck, N. D.— 
Northern limit of Missouri River territory 
on which shooting is prohibited, ex¬ 
cept in November and December (p. 
3- i6). 
Bobolinks—- 
Classed as migratory insectivorous birds (p. 
2—17). 
(p- 
Brant- 
a. 
b. 
Classed as migratory game birds 
2— 5 ). 
General open season Zone 1, Sept. 1 to 
Dec. 15 (p- 4 — 5 )- / N „ 
c. Exceptions. Zone 1 (p. 4— 7 )• Special 
open seasons: 
1. Massachusetts, Sept. 15 to Dec 31. 
2. Minnesota and North Dakota, Sept. 
7 to Dhc. IS- 
3. South Dakota, Sept. 10 to Dec. 15. 
4. New York other than Long Island 
and Oregon, Sept. 16 to Dec. 15. 
5. New Hampshire, Long Island, New 
Jersey, Washington, Oct. 1 to 
Jan. 15. 
d. General open season Zone 2, Oct 1 to 
Jan. 15 (p. 5—6). nN _ . , 
e. Exceptions, Zone 2 (p. 5—8). Special 
open seasons: 
1. Kansas, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15. 
2. Oklahoma, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15. 
3. New Mexico, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15. 
4. Arizona, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15. 
5. Maryland, Nov. 1 to Jan. 31. 
6. Virginia. Nov. 1 to Jan. 31. 
7. N. and S. Carolina, Nov. 1 to Jan. 31. 
Bullbats— 
Classed as migratory insectivorous birds (p. 
2— 18). 
Perpetual closed season (p. 2—25). 
California— 
a. Closed season, rails, till Sept. 1, 1918 (p. 
3 — 9 b 
b. Zone 2 (p. 3— 34 b 
c. Open season waterfowl, Oct. 1 to Jan. 
15 (p- 5 — 6 ). 
d. Open season woodcock, Nov. 1 to Dec. 
31 (p. 5—18). , ,, 
e. Open season black-breasted and golden 
plover, jack snipe, greater and lesser 
yellowlegs, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15 (p. 
5 — 2 3 b . 
f. Coots, gallinules, open season. Sept. 1 
to Nov. 30 (p. 5—12). 
Catbirds— 
Classed as migratory insectivorous birds (p. 
2—17). 
Perpetual closed season (p. 2—25). 
Chicadees— 
Classed as migratory insectivorous birds (p. 
2—17). 
Perpetual closed season (p. 2—25). 
Colorado— 
a. Zone 1 (p. 3—27). 
b. Open season, waterfowl, Sept. I to Dec. 
15 (P- 4 — 5 )- . _ 
c. Open season, rails, coots, gallinules, Sept. 
1 to Nov. 30 (p. 4—17). 
d. Open season, woodcock, Oct. 1 to Nov. 
30 (p. 4—26). 
e. Open season, black-breasted and golden 
plover, jack snipe, greater and lesser 
yellowlegs, Sept. 1 to Dec. 15 (p 
4 — 35 )- 
