Duck season structure

State wildlife officials want to hear from duck hunters about this fall's season structure.

The Department of Natural Resources anticipates an overall 60-day season with a total bag limit of six ducks. The complete season structure was scheduled to be available on the DNR's Web site by Aug. 2.

Public meetings on the season and waterfowl management overall started Monday and have been scheduled to run through Thursday in La Crosse, Rice Lake, Appleton and Pewaukee. The Natural Resources Board is expected to set the 2010 structure at an Aug. 11 meeting in Superior.

The DNR says drought conditions this spring have hurt the waterfowl population. The agency estimates the 2010 breeding duck population was around 386,000, down 23 percent from last year. –AP