The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department now has information on its website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) about the 2022 controlled waterfowl hunts at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison and Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area in Alburgh.
Applications for hunting at Mud Creek on October 18 and 20 may be downloaded from the website. Applications must be submitted electronically to Tammy.Gratton@vermont.gov or postmarked and returned no later than August 26, 2022 to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, 111 West Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452.
Hunting on October 18 and 20 at Mud Creek will be by lottery drawing only, and blind sites will be assigned at the time of the permit lottery. Any vacancies due to “no-shows” on those days will be filled on the morning of the hunt with a self-check-in process. All other Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during the open seasons will be self-registration days with permits available at the Mud Creek operations building.
A drawing to award hunting permits will be held Friday, September 2, at 12:00 Noon at the Fish and Wildlife Department office at 111 West Street, Essex Junction. Attendance is not required. Successful applicants will be notified by mail.
Controlled goose hunting at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area will be by lottery drawing with hunting zones assigned at the time of the permit drawing. Any vacancies due to “no-shows” on hunting days will be filled on the morning of the hunt with a self-check-in process. Self-registration permits will be available at the Dead Creek check-in kiosk.
Friday, October 21, is a junior hunter day at Dead Creek. Only hunters 17 years of age or younger on October 21 may self-register.
Duck season opens on October 15 in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones, and on October 4 in the Connecticut River Zone. The Lake Champlain Zone has a split season (October 15-23; October 29-December 18); the Interior Vermont Zone is a straight season (October 15-December 13); and the Connecticut River Zone has a split season (October 4-November 6; November 23-December 18).
A statewide early hunting season to control Vermont’s population of resident Canada geese will occur September 1-25. A second Canada goose hunting season will be held October 15-November 13 in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones. A late resident Canada goose season will run from Dec. 1 to Jan. 21 in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones and Dec. 19 to Jan. 21 in the Connecticut River Zone (land portion only, not CT River waters). Canada goose hunting in the Connecticut River Zone will occur October 4-November 6 and November 23 -December 18.
Snow goose hunting is open from October 1- December 31 in the Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones and October 4-December 18 in the Connecticut River Zone.
Be sure to read the 2022-2023 Syllabus of State and Federal Hunting Regulations for Migratory Birds available on Fish and Wildlife’s website.