Migratory Bird Hunting 50 CFR Part 20

RST/50 CFR 20 (as of 7/23/99)

FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

50 CFR 20
MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING
SUBPART A -- INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 of 36
§ 20.1 Scope of regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 of 36
§ 20.2 Relation to other provisions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 of 36
SUBPART B -- DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 of 36
§ 20.11 What terms do I need to understand? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 of 36
SUBPART C -- TAKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 of
§ 20.20 Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7 of
§ 20.21 What hunting methods are illegal? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 of
§ 20.22 Closed seasons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 10 of
§ 20.23 Shooting hours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 of
§ 20.24 Daily limit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 of
§ 20.25 Wanton waste of migratory game birds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 of
§ 20.26 Emergency closures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 of

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SUBPART D -- POSSESSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.31 Prohibited if taken in violation of Subpart C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.32 During closed season. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.33 Possession limit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.34 Opening day of a season. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.35 Field possession limit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.36 Tagging requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.37 Custody of birds of another. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.38 Possession of live birds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.39 Termination of possession. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.40 Gift of migratory game birds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SUBPART E -- TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE UNITED STATES . . . . .
§ 20.41 Prohibited if taken in violation of Subpart C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.42 Transportation of birds of another. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.43 Species identification requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.44 Marking package or container. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SUBPART F -- EXPORTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.51 Prohibited if taken in violation of Subpart C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.52 Species identification requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.53 Marking package or container. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SUBPART G -- IMPORTATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 of 36
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RST/50 CFR 20 (as of 7/23/99)

FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

§ 20.61 Importation limits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.62 Importation of birds of another. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.63 Species identification requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.64 Foreign export permits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.65 Processing requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.66 Marking of package or container. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SUBPART H -- FEDERAL, STATE, AND FOREIGN LAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.71 Violation of Federal law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.72 Violation of State law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.73 Violation of foreign law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SUBPART I -- MIGRATORY BIRD PRESERVATION FACILITIES . . . . . . . .
§ 20.81 Tagging requirement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.82 Records required. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
§ 20.83 Inspection of premises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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SUBPART J -- FEATHERS OR SKINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 of 36
§ 20.91 Commercial use of feathers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 of 36
§ 20.92 Personal use of feathers or skins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 of 36
SUBPART K -- ANNUAL SEASONS, LIMITS, AND SHOOTING HOURS SCHEDULES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19 of 36
§ 20.100 General provisions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19 of 36
§ 20.101 Seasons, limits and shooting hours for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19 of 36
§ 20.102 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for Alaska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19 of 36
§ 20.103 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for mourning and white-winged doves and
wild pigeons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20 of 36
§ 20.104 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for rails, woodcock, and common (Wilson's)
snipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20 of 36
§ 20.105 Seasons, limits and shooting hours for waterfowl, coots and gallinules.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20 of 36
§ 20.106 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for sandhill cranes. . . . . . . . Page 20 of 36
§ 20.107 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for tundra swans. . . . . . . . . Page 20 of 36
§ 20.108 Nontoxic shot zones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 20 of 36
§ 20.109 Extended seasons, limits, and hours for taking migratory game birds by falconry.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 of 36
§ 20.110 Seasons, limits, and other regulations for certain Federal Indian reservations,
Indian Territory, and ceded lands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 of 36
SUBPART L -- ADMINISTRATIVE AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 of 36
§ 20.131 Extension of seasons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 of 36

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§ 20.132 Subsistence use in Alaska. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 of 36
§ 20.133 Hunting regulations for crows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 of 36
§ 20.134 Nontoxic shot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 of 36
SUBPART M -- CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTING NONTOXIC SHOT
ZONES FOR THE 1987-1988 AND SUBSEQUENT WATERFOWL HUNTING
SEASONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 31 of 36
§ 20.140 Purpose and scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 31 of 36
§ 20.141 Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32 of 36
§ 20.142 Applicability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 32 of 36
§ 20.143 Criteria and schedule for conversion to nontoxic shot. . . . . . . . . Page 32 of 36
SUBPART N -- SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR ISSUANCE OF ANNUAL HUNTING
REGULATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 34 of
§ 20.151 Purpose and scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 34 of
§ 20.152 Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 34 of
§ 20.153 Regulations committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 35 of
§ 20.154 Flyway Councils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 35 of
§ 20.155 Public file. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 35 of

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AUTHORITY:
AUTHORITY NOTE APPLICABLE TO ENTIRE PART:
16 U.S.C. 703-712 and 16 U.S.C. 742 a-j.
NOTES:
NOTES APPLICABLE TO ENTIRE TITLE:
CROSS REFERENCES: Commercial fishing on Red Lake Indian Reservation, Bureau of Indian
Affairs: 25 CFR Part 242.
Disposal of certain wild animals in national parks, National Park Service: 36 CFR Part 10.
Exchanges of land for migratory bird or other wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management: 43
CFR 2200.0-1--2272.1.
Fishing in coastal waters, lakes, rivers, bays, etc., Corps of Engineers: 33 CFR Part 209.
Fishing, hunting, trapping, and protection of wildlife in national forests and wildlife refuges,
Forest Service: 36 CFR Part 241, §§ 261.8, 261.9.
Fishing, hunting, trapping, and protection of wildlife in national parks, memorials, recreation
areas, etc., National Park Service: 36 CFR 2.2 and 2.3, and Parts 7, 20.
Fishing and hunting in reservoir areas, Corps of Engineers: 36 CFR 327.8.
Free entry of animals, birds and products of American fisheries under specified conditions,
Customs Service: 19 CFR 10.70-10.83.
Grazing areas for wildlife maintenance, Bureau of Land Management: 43 CFR Subpart 4110.
Making pictures, television production, or sound tracks on areas administered by the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Park Service: 43 CFR 5.1.
NOTES APPLICABLE TO ENTIRE PART:

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RST/50 CFR 20 (as of 7/23/99)

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[PUBLISHER'S NOTE: For Federal Register citations concerning Part 20 Frameworks, see: 51
FR 26715, 28950, 32460 (1986); 52 FR 28717, 29187, 35248, 37147 (1987); 53 FR 29902,
36033 (1988); 54 FR 32975, 38614 (1989); 55 FR 33264, 38909 (1990); 56 FR 41608, 42806
(1991); 57 FR 38202, 43856 (1992); 58 FR 44576, 50188 (1993); 59 FR 42474, Aug. 17, 1994;
59 FR 49304, Sept. 27, 1994; 60 FR 45020, Aug. 29, 1995; 60 FR 50042, Sept. 27, 1995; 61 FR
45836, Aug. 29, 1996; 61 FR 49232, Sept. 18, 1996; 61 FR 50662, Sept. 26, 1996; 62 FR 44229,
Aug. 20, 1997; 62 FR 45078, Aug. 25, 1997; 62 FR 46152, 46154, Aug. 29, 1997; 62 FR 46420,
46421, Sept. 2, 1997; 62 FR 50660, Sept. 26, 1997; 63 FR 46124, Aug. 28, 1998; 63 FR 51998,
Sept. 29, 1998.]
[PUBLISHER'S NOTE: For Federal Register citations concerning Part 20 Temporary
regulations, see: 58 FR 65656, Dec. 15, 1993.]
[PUBLISHER'S NOTE: For Federal Register citations concerning Part 20 hunting regulations,
see: 63 FR 46336, Aug. 31, 1998; 63FR 50170, Sept. 21, 1998.]

SUBPART A -- INTRODUCTION
§ 20.1 Scope of regulations.
(a) In general. The regulations contained in this part relate only to the hunting of migratory game
birds, and crows.
(b) Procedural and substantive requirements. Migratory game birds may be taken, possessed,
transported, shipped, exported, or imported only in accordance with the restrictions, conditions,
and requirements contained in this part. Crows may be taken, possessed, transported, exported, or
imported only in accordance with subpart H of this part and the restrictions, conditions, and
requirements prescribed in § 20.133.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.2 Relation to other provisions.
(a) Migratory bird permits. The provisions of this part shall not be construed to alter the terms of
any permit or other authorization issued pursuant to part 21 of this subchapter.
(b) Migratory bird hunting stamps. The provisions of this part are in addition to the provisions of
the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act of 1934 (48 Stat. 451, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 718a).
(c) National wildlife refuges. The provisions of this part are in addition to, and are not in lieu of,
any other provision of law respecting migratory game birds under the National Wildlife Refuge
System Administration Act of 1966 (80 Stat. 927, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 668dd) or any
regulation made pursuant thereto.
(d) State Laws for the protection of migratory birds. No statute or regulation of any State shall be
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construed to relieve a person from the restrictions, conditions, and requirements contained in this
part, however, nothing in this part shall be construed to prevent the several States from making
and enforcing laws or regulations not inconsistent with these regulations and the conventions
between the United States and any foreign country for the protection of migratory birds or with
the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, or which shall give further protection to migratory game birds.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
SUBPART B -- DEFINITIONS
§ 20.11 What terms do I need to understand?
For the purpose of this part, the following terms shall be construed, respectively, to mean and to
include:
(a) Migratory game birds means those migratory birds included in the terms of conventions
between the United States and any foreign country for the protection of migratory birds, for
which open seasons are prescribed in this part and belong to the following families:
(1) Anatidae (ducks, geese [including brant] and swans);
(2) Columbidae (doves and pigeons);
(3) Gruidae (cranes);
(4) Rallidae (rails, coots and gallinules); and
(5) Scolopacidae (woodcock and snipe).
A list of migratory birds protected by the international conventions and the Migratory Bird Treaty
Act appears in § 10.13 of this subchapter.
(b) Seasons -- (1) Open season means the days on which migratory game birds may lawfully be
taken. Each period precribed as an open season shall be construed to include the first and last days
thereof.
(2) Closed season means the days on which migratory game birds shall not be taken.
(c) Bag limits -- (1) Aggregate bag limit means a condition of taking in which two or more usually
similar species may be bagged (reduced to possession) by the hunter in predetermined or
unpredetermined quantities to satisfy a maximum take limit.
(2) Daily bag limit means the maximum number of migratory game birds of single species or
combination (aggregate) of species permitted to be taken by one person in any one day during the
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open season in any one specified geographic area for which a daily bag limit is prescribed.
(3) Aggregate daily bag limit means the maximum number of migratoy game birds permitted to be
taken by one person in any one day during the open season when such person hunts in more than
one specified geographic area and/or for more than one species for which a combined daily bag
limit is prescribed. The aggregate daily bag limit is equal to, but shall not exceed, the largest daily
bag limit prescribed for any one species or for any one specified geographic area in which taking
occurs.
(4) Possession limit means the maximum number of migratory game birds of a single species or a
combination of species permitted to be possessed by any one person when lawfully taken in the
United States in any one specified geographic area for which a possession limit is prescribed.
(5) Aggregate possession limit means the maximum number of migratory game birds of a single
species or combination of species taken in the United States permitted to be possessed by any one
person when taking and possession occurs in more than one specified geographic area for which a
possession limit is prescribed. The aggegate possession limit is equal to, but shall not exceed, the
largest possession limit prescribed for any one of the species or specified geographic areas in
which taking and possession occurs.
(d) Personal abode means one's principal or ordinary home or dwelling place, as distinguished
from one's temporary or transient place of abode or dwelling such as a hunting club, or any club
house, cabin, tent or trailer house used as a hunting club, or any hotel, motel or rooming house
used during a hunting, pleasure or business trip.
(e) Migratory bird preservation facility means:
(1) Any person who, at their residence or place of business and for hire or other consideration; or
(2) Any taxidermist, cold-storage facility or locker plant which, for hire or other consideration; or
(3) Any hunting club which, in the normal course of operations; receives, possesses, or has in
custody any migratory game birds belonging to another person for purposes of picking, cleaning,
freezing, processing, storage or shipment.
(f) Paraplegic means an individual afflicted with paralysis of the lower half of the body with
involvement of both legs, usually due to disease of or injury to the spinal cord.
(g) Normal agricultural planting, harvesting, or post-harvest manipulation means a planting or
harvesting undertaken for the purpose of producing and gathering a crop, or manipulation after
such harvest and removal of grain, that is conducted in accordance with official recommendations
of State Extension Specialists of the Cooperative Extension Service of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.

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(h) Normal agricultural operation means a normal agricultural planting, harvesting, post-harvest
manipulation, or agricultural practice, that is conducted in accordance with official
recommendations of State Extension Specialists of the Cooperative Extension Service of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
(i) Normal soil stabilization practice means a planting for agricultural soil erosion control or
post-mining land reclamation conducted in accordance with official recommendations of State
Extension Specialists of the Cooperative Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
for agricultural soil erosion control.
(j) Baited area means any area on which salt, grain, or other feed has been placed, exposed,
deposited, distributed, or scattered, if that salt, grain, or other feed could serve as a lure or
attraction for migratory game birds to, on, or over areas where hunters are attempting to take
them. Any such area will remain a baited area for ten days following the complete removal of all
such salt, grain, or other feed.
(k) Baiting means the direct or indirect placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of
salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for migratory game birds to, on, or
over any areas where hunters are attempting to take them.
(l) Manipulation means the alteration of natural vegetation or agricultural crops by activities that
include but are not limited to mowing, shredding, discing, rolling, chopping, trampling, flattening,
burning, or herbicide treatments. The term manipulation does not include the distributing or
scattering of grain, seed, or other feed after removal from or storage on the field where grown.
(m) Natural vegetation means any non-agricultural, native, or naturalized plant species that grows
at a site in response to planting or from existing seeds or other propagules. The term natural
vegetation does not include planted millet. However, planted millet that grows on its own in
subsequent years after the year of planting is considered natural vegetation.
HISTORY: [53 FR 24290, June 28, 1988; 64 FR 29799, 29804, June 3, 1999]
SUBPART C -- TAKING
§ 20.20 Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program.
(a) Information collection requirements. The collections of information contained in § 20.20 have
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. and
assigned clearance number 1018-0015. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is
not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. The information will be used to provide a sampling frame for the national
Migratory Bird Harvest Survey. Response is required from licensed hunters to obtain the benefit
of hunting migratory game birds. Public reporting burden for this information is estimated to
average 2 minutes per response for 3,300,000 respondents, including the time for reviewing
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instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of information. Thus the total annual reporting and
record-keeping burden for this collection is estimated to be 112,000 hours. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer,
ms-224 ARLSQ, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC 20240, or the Office of Management
and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project 1018-0015, Washington, DC 20503.
(b) General provisions. Each person hunting migratory game birds in any State except Hawaii
must have identified himself or herself as a migratory bird hunter and given his or her name,
address, and date of birth to the respective State hunting licensing authority and must have on his
or her person evidence, provided by that State, of compliance with this requirement.
(c) Tribal exemptions. Nothing in paragraph (b) of this section shall apply to tribal members on
Federal Indian Reservations or to tribal members hunting on ceded lands.
(d) State exemptions. Nothing in paragraph (b) of this section shall apply to those hunters who are
exempt from State-licensing requirements in the State in which they are hunting.
(e) State responsibilities. The State hunting licensing authority will ask each licensed migratory
bird hunter in the respective State to report approximately how many ducks, geese, doves, and
woodcock he or she bagged the previous year, whether he or she hunted coots, snipe, rails, and/or
gallinules the previous year, and, in States that have band-tailed pigeon hunting seasons, whether
he or she intends to hunt band-tailed pigeons during the current year.
HISTORY: [58 FR 15098, Mar. 19, 1993; 59 FR 53336, Oct. 21, 1994; 60 FR 43318, 43320,
Aug. 18, 1995; 61 FR 46350, 46352, Aug. 30, 1996; 62 FR 45706, 45708, Aug. 28, 1997; 63 FR
46399, 46401, Sept. 1, 1998]
§ 20.21 What hunting methods are illegal?
Migratory birds on which open seasons are prescribed in this part may be taken by any method
except those prohibited in this section. No persons shall take migratory game birds:
(a) With a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt gun,
battery gun, machinegun, fish hook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance;
(b) With a shotgun of any description capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is
plugged with a one-piece filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so its total
capacity does not exceed three shells;
(c) From or by means, aid, or use of a sinkbox or any other type of low floating device, having a
depression affording the hunter a means of concealment beneath the surface of the water;

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(d) From or by means, aid, or use of any motor vehicle, motor-driven land conveyance, or aircraft
of any kind, except that paraplegics and persons missing one or both legs may take from any
stationary motor vehicle or stationary motor-driven land conveyance;
(e) From or by means of any motorboat or other craft having a motor attached, or any sailboat,
unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or the sails furled, and its progress therefrom
has ceased: Provided, That a craft under power may be used to retrieve dead or crippled birds;
however, crippled birds may not be shot from such craft under power except in the seaduck area
as permitted in subpart K of this part;
(f) By the use or aid of live birds as decoys; although not limited to, it shall be a violation of this
paragraph for any person to take migratory waterfowl on an area where tame or captive live
ducks or geese are present unless such birds are and have been for a period of 10 consecutive
days prior to such taking, confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility
of their calls and totally conceals such birds from the sight of wild migratory waterfowl;
(g) By the use or aid of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or
electrically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds;
(h) By means or aid of any motordriven land, water, or air conveyance, or any sailboat used for
the purpose of or resulting in the concentrating, driving, rallying, or stirring up of any migratory
bird;
(i) By the aid of baiting, or on or over any baited area, where a person knows or reasonably
should know that the area is or has been baited. However, nothing in this paragraph prohibits:
(1) the taking of any migratory game bird, including waterfowl, coots, and cranes, on or over the
following lands or areas that are not otherwise baited areas -(i) Standing crops or flooded standing crops (including aquatics); standing, flooded, or
manipulated natural vegetation; flooded harvested croplands; or lands or areas where seeds or
grains have been scattered solely as the result of a normal agricultural planting, harvesting,
post-harvest manipulation or normal soil stabilization practice;
(ii) From a blind or other place of concealment camouflaged with natural vegetation;
(iii) From a blind or other place of concealment camouflaged with vegetation from agricultural
crops, as long as such camouflaging does not result in the exposing, depositing, distributing or
scattering of grain or other feed; or
(iv) Standing or flooded standing agricultural crops where grain is inadvertently scattered solely
as a result of a hunter entering or exiting a hunting area, placing decoys, or retrieving downed
birds.

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(2) The taking of any migratory game bird, except waterfowl, coots and cranes, on or over lands
or areas that are not otherwise baited areas, and where grain or other feed has been distributed or
scattered solely as the result of manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed on the land
where grown, or solely as the result of a normal agricultural operation.
(j) While possessing shot (either in shotshells or as loose shot for muzzleloading) other than steel
shot, or bismuth-tin (97 parts bismuth: 3 parts tin with <1 percent residual lead) shot, or
tungsten-iron ([nominally] 40 parts tungsten: 60 parts iron with <1 percent residual lead) shot, or
tungsten-polymer (95.5 parts tungsten: 4.5 parts Nylon 6 or 11 with <1 percent residual lead)
shot, or tungsten-matrix (95.9 parts tungsten: 4.1 parts polymer with <1 percent residual lead)
shot, or such shot approved as nontoxic by the Director pursuant to procedures set forth in
20.134, provided that:
(1) This restriction applies only to the taking of Anatidae (ducks, geese [including brant] and
swans), coots (Fulica americana) and any species that make up aggregate bag limits during
concurrent seasons with the former in areas described in Section 20.108 as nontoxic shot zones,
and
(2) Tungsten-iron shot (nominally 40 parts tungsten: 60 parts iron with <1 percent residual lead)
is legal as nontoxic shot for the 1998-99 migratory bird hunting season, except in the
Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta region, Alaska.
(3) Tungsten-polymer shot (95.5 parts tungsten: 4.5 parts Nylon 6 with <1 percent residual lead)
is legal as nontoxic shot for the 1998-99 migratory bird hunting season, except for the
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region in Alaska.
4) Tungsten-matrix shot (95.9 parts tungsten: 4.1 parts polymer with <1 percent residual lead) is
legal as nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coot hunting for the 1998-1999 hunting season only,
except for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta habitat in Alaska.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973, as amended at 38 FR 22896, Aug. 27, 1973; 44 FR
2599, Jan. 12, 1979; 45 FR 70275, Oct. 23, 1980; 49 FR 4079, Feb. 2, 1984; 52 FR 27364, July
21, 1987; 53 FR 24290, June 28, 1988; 60 FR 64, Jan. 3, 1995, as corrected at 60 FR 2177, Jan.
6, 1995; 60 FR 43314, 43316, Aug. 18, 1995; 61 FR 42492, 42494, Aug. 15, 1996; 62 FR 4874,
4876, Jan. 31, 1997; 62 FR 43444, 43447, Aug. 13, 1997; 63 FR 54016, 54019, 54022, 54026,
Oct. 7, 1998; 63 FR 67619, 67624, Dec. 8, 1998; 64 FR 7507, 7517, Feb. 16, 1999; 64 FR
29799, 29804, June 3, 1999; 64 FR 32778, 32780, June 17, 1999]
§ 20.22 Closed seasons.
No person shall take migratory game birds during the closed season.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973; 64 FR 7517, 7527, Feb. 16, 1999; 64 FR 32778,
32780, June 17, 1999]
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§ 20.23 Shooting hours.
No person shall take migratory game birds except during the hours open to shooting as prescribed
in subpart K of this part.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973, as amended at 38 FR 22626, Aug. 23, 1973]
§ 20.24 Daily limit.
No person shall take in any 1 calendar day, more than the daily bag limit or aggregate daily bag
limit, whichever applies.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973, as amended at 38 FR 22626, Aug. 23, 1973]
§ 20.25 Wanton waste of migratory game birds.
No person shall kill or cripple any migratory game bird pursuant to this part without making a
reasonable effort to retrieve the bird, and retain it in his actual custody, at the place where taken
or between that place and either (a) his automobile or principal means of land transportation; or
(b) his personal abode or temporary or transient place of lodging; or (c) a migratory bird
preservation facility; or (d) a post office; or (e) a common carrier facility.
HISTORY: [41 FR 31536, July 29, 1976]
§ 20.26 Emergency closures.
(a) The Director may close or temporarily suspend any season established under subpart K of this
part:
(1) Upon a finding that a continuation of such a season would constitute an imminent threat to the
safety of any endangered or threatened species or other migratory bird populations.
(2) Upon issuance of local public notice by such means as publication in local newspapers of
general circulation, posting of the areas affected, notifying the State wildlife conservation agency,
and announcement on local radio and television.
(b) Any such closure or temporary suspension shall be announced by publication of a notice to
that effect in the Federal Register simultaneous with the local public notice referred to in
paragraph (a) (2) of this section. However, in the event that it is impractical to publish a Federal
Register notice simultaneously, due to the restriction in time available and the nature of the
particular emergency situation, such notice shall follow the steps outlined in paragraph (a) of this
section as soon as possible.
(c) Any closure or temporary suspension under this section shall be effective on the date of
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publication of the Federal Register notice; or if such notice is not published simultaneously, then
on the date and at the time specified in the local notification to the public. Every notice of closure
shall include the date and time of closing of the season and the area or areas affected. In the case
of a temporary suspension, the date and time when the season may be resumed shall be provided
by a subsequent local notification to the public, and by publication in the Federal Register.
HISTORY: [41 FR 31536, July 29, 1976]
SUBPART D -- POSSESSION
§ 20.31 Prohibited if taken in violation of Subpart C.
No person shall at any time, by any means, or in any manner, possess or have in custody any
migratory game bird or part thereof, taken in violation of any provision of subpart C of this part.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.32 During closed season.
No person shall possess any freshly killed migratory game birds during the closed season.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.33 Possession limit.
No person shall possess more migratory game birds taken in the United States than the possession
limit or the aggregate possession limit, whichever applies.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.34 Opening day of a season.
No person on the opening day of the season shall possess any freshly killed migratory game birds
in excess of the daily bag limit, or aggregate daily bag limit, whichever applies.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.35 Field possession limit.
No person shall possess, have in custody, or transport more than the daily bag limit or aggregate
daily bag limit, whichever applies, of migratory game birds, tagged or not tagged, at or between
the place where taken and either (a) his automobile or principal means of land transportation; or
(b) his personal abode or temporary or transient place of lodging; or (c) a migratory bird
preservation facility; or (d) a post office; or (e) a common carrier facility.
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HISTORY: [41 FR 31536, July 29, 1976]
§ 20.36 Tagging requirement.
No person shall put or leave any migratory game birds at any place (other than at his personal
abode), or in the custody of another person for picking, cleaning, processing, shipping,
transportation, or storage (including temporary storage), or for the purpose of having taxidermy
services performed, unless such birds have a tag attached, signed by the hunter, stating his
address, the total number and species of birds, and the date such birds were killed. Migratory
game birds being transported in any vehicle as the personal baggage of the possessor shall not be
considered as being in storage or temporary storage.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.37 Custody of birds of another.
No person shall receive or have in custody any migratory game birds belonging to another person
unless such birds are tagged as required by § 20.36.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.38 Possession of live birds.
Every migratory game bird wounded by hunting and reduced to possession by the hunter shall be
immediately killed and become a part of the daily bag limit. No person shall at any time, or by any
means, possess or transport live migratory game birds taken under authority of this part.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.39 Termination of possession.
Subject to all other requirements of this part, the possession of birds taken by any hunter shall be
deemed to have ceased when such birds have been delivered by him to another person as a gift; or
have been delivered by him to a post office, a common carrier, or a migratory bird preservation
facility and consigned for transport by the Postal Service or a common carrier to some person
other than the hunter.
HISTORY: [41 FR 31537, July 29, 1976]
§ 20.40 Gift of migratory game birds.
No person may receive, possess, or give to another, any freshly killed migratory game birds as a
gift, except at the personal abodes of the donor or donee, unless such birds have a tag attached,
signed by the hunter who took the birds, stating such hunter's address, the total number and
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species of birds and the date such birds were taken.
HISTORY: [42 FR 39668, Aug. 5, 1977]
SUBPART E -- TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
§ 20.41 Prohibited if taken in violation of Subpart C.
No person shall at any time, by any means, or in any manner, transport any migratory game bird
or part thereof, taken in violation of any provision of subpart C of this part.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.42 Transportation of birds of another.
No person shall transport migratory game birds belonging to another person unless such birds are
tagged as required by § 20.36.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.43 Species identification requirement.
No person shall transport within the United States any migratory game birds, except doves and
band-tailed pigeons (Columba fasciata), unless the head or one fully feathered wing remains
attached to each such bird at all times while being transported from the place where taken until
they have arrived at the personal abode of the possessor or a migratory bird preservation facility.
HISTORY: [41 FR 31537, July 19, 1976]
§ 20.44 Marking package or container.
No person shall transport by the Postal Service or a common carrier migratory game birds unless
the package or container in which such birds are transported has the name and address of the
shipper and the consignee and an accurate statement of the numbers of each species of birds
therein contained clearly and conspicuously marked on the outside thereof.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
SUBPART F -- EXPORTATION
§ 20.51 Prohibited if taken in violation of Subpart C.
No person shall at any time, by any means, or in any manner, export or cause to be exported, any
migratory game bird or part thereof, taken in violation of any provision of subpart C of this part.
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HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.52 Species identification requirement.
No person shall export migratory game birds unless one fully feathered wing remains attached to
each such bird while being transported from the United States and/or any of its possessions to any
foreign country.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.53 Marking package or container.
No person shall export migratory game birds via the Postal Service or a common carrier unless
the package or container has the name and address of the shipper and the consignee and an
accurate statement of the numbers of each species of birds therein contained clearly and
conspicuously marked on the outside thereof.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
SUBPART G -- IMPORTATIONS
§ 20.61 Importation limits.
No person shall import migratory game birds in excess of the following importation limits:
(a) Doves and pigeons. (1) From any foreign country except Mexico, during any one calendar
week beginning on Sunday, not to exceed 25 doves, singly or in the aggregate of all species, and
10 pigeons, singly or in the aggregate of all species.
(2) From Mexico, not to exceed the maximum number permitted by Mexican authorities to be
taken in any one day: Provided, That if the importer has his Mexican hunting permit date-stamped
by appropriate Mexican wildlife authorities on the first day he hunts in Mexico, he may import the
applicable Mexican possession limit corresponding to the days actually hunted during that
particular trip.
(b) Waterfowl. (1) From any foreign country except Canada and Mexico, during any one calendar
week beginning on Sunday, not to exceed 10 ducks, singly or in the aggregate of all species, and
five geese including brant, singly or in the aggregate of all species.
(2) From Canada, not to exceed the maximum number permitted to be exported by Canadian
authorities.
(3) From Mexico, not to exceed the maximum number permitted by Mexican authorities to be
taken in any one day: Provided, That if the importer has his Mexican hunting permit date-stamped
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by appropriate Mexican wildlife authorities on the first day he hunts in Mexico, he may import the
applicable Mexican possession limit corresponding to the days actually hunted during that
particular trip.
HISTORY: [40 FR 36346, Aug. 20, 1975]
§ 20.62 Importation of birds of another.
No person shall import migratory game birds belonging to another person.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.63 Species identification requirement.
No person shall import migratory game birds unless each such bird has one fully feathered wing
attached, and such wing must remain attached while being transported between the port of entry
and the personal abode of the possessor or between the port of entry and a migratory bird
preservation facility.
HISTORY: [41 FR 31537, July 19, 1976]
§ 20.64 Foreign export permits.
No person shall import, possess or transport, any migratory game birds killed in a foreign country
unless such birds are accompanied by export permits, tags, or other documentation required by
applicable foreign laws or regulations.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.65 Processing requirement.
No person shall import migratory game birds killed in any foreign country, except Canada, unless
such birds are dressed (except as required in § 20.63), drawn, and the head and feet are removed:
Provided, That this shall not prohibit the importation of legally taken, fully feathered migratory
game birds consigned for mounting purposes to a taxidermist who holds a current taxidermist
permit issued to him pursuant to § 21.24 of this chapter and who is also licensed by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to decontaminate such birds.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.66 Marking of package or container.
No person shall import migratory game birds via the Postal Service or a common carrier unless
the package or container has the name and address of the shipper and the consignee and an
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accurate statement of the numbers of each species of birds therein contained clearly and
conspicuously marked on the outside thereof.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
SUBPART H -- FEDERAL, STATE, AND FOREIGN LAW
§ 20.71 Violation of Federal law.
No person shall at any time, by any means or in any manner, take, possess, transport, or export
any migratory bird, or any part, nest, or egg of any such bird, in violation of any act of Congress
or any regulation issued pursuant thereto.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.72 Violation of State law.
No person shall at any time, by any means or in any manner, take, possess, transport, or export
any migratory bird, or any part, nest, or egg of any such bird, in violation of any applicable law or
regulation of any State.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.73 Violation of foreign law.
No person shall at any time, by any means, or in any manner, import, possess, or transport, any
migratory bird, or any part, nest, or egg of any such bird taken, bought, sold, transported,
possessed, or exported contrary to any applicable law or regulation of any foreign country, or
State or province thereof.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
SUBPART I -- MIGRATORY BIRD PRESERVATION FACILITIES
§ 20.81 Tagging requirement.
No migratory bird preservation facility shall receive or have in custody any migratory game birds
unless such birds are tagged as required by § 20.36.
HISTORY: [41 FR 31537, July 29, 1976]
§ 20.82 Records required.
(a) No migratory bird preservation facility shall:
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(1) Receive or have in custody any migratory game bird unless accurate records are maintained
which can identify each bird received by, or in the custody of, the facility by the name of the
person from whom the bird was obtained, and show (i) the number of each species; (ii) the
location where taken; (iii) the date such birds were received; (iv) the name and address of the
person from whom such birds were received; (v) the date such birds were disposed of; and (vi)
the name and address of the person to whom such birds were delivered, or
(2) Destroy any records required to be maintained under this section for a period of 1 year
following the last entry on the record.
(b) Record keeping as required by this section will not be necessary at hunting clubs which do not
fully process migratory birds by removal of both the head and wings.
HISTORY: [41 FR 38510, Sept. 10, 1976]
§ 20.83 Inspection of premises.
No migratory bird preservation facility shall prevent any person authorized to enforce this part
from entering such facilities at all reasonable hours and inspecting the records and the premises
where such operations are being carried.
HISTORY: [41 FR 31537, July 19, 1976]
SUBPART J -- FEATHERS OR SKINS
§ 20.91 Commercial use of feathers.
Any person may possess, purchase, sell, barter, or transport for the making of fishing flies, bed
pillows, and mattresses, and for similar commercial uses the feathers of migratory waterfowl
(ducks, geese, brant, and swans) killed by hunting pursuant to this part, or seized and condemned
by Federal or State game authorities, except that:
(a) No person shall purchase, sell, barter, or offer to purchase, sell, or barter for millinery or
ornamental use the feathers of migratory game birds taken under authority of this part; and
(b) No person shall purchase, sell, barter, or offer to purchase, sell, or barter mounted specimens
of migratory game birds taken under authority of this part.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973, as amended at 45 FR 70275, Oct. 23, 1980]
§ 20.92 Personal use of feathers or skins.
Any person for his own use may possess, transport, ship, import, and export without a permit the
feathers and skins of lawfully taken migratory game birds.
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HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
SUBPART K -- ANNUAL SEASONS, LIMITS, AND SHOOTING HOURS SCHEDULES
§ 20.100 General provisions.
(a) The taking, possession, transportation, and other uses of migratory game birds by hunters is
generally prohibited unless it is specifically provided for under regulations developed in
accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Consequently, hunting is prohibited unless
regulatory schedules are established for seasons, daily bag and possession limits, and shooting (or
hawking) hours. Migratory game bird population levels, including production and habitat
conditions, vary annually. These conditions differ over North America, and within the United
States, by flyways, States, and frequently areas within States. Thus, it is necessary to make annual
adjustments in the schedules to limit the harvests of migratory game birds to permissible levels.
(b) The development of these schedules involves annual data gathering programs to determine
migratory game bird population status and trends, evaluations of habitat conditions, harvest
information, and other factors having a bearing on the anticipated size of the fall flights of these
birds. The proposed hunting schedules are announced early in the spring, and following
consideration of additional information as it becomes available, as well as public comment, they
are modified and published as supplemental proposals. These are also open to public comment.
Public hearings are held for the purpose of providing additional opportunity for public
participation in the rulemaking process.
HISTORY: [44 FR 7147, Feb. 6, 1979]
§ 20.101 Seasons, limits and shooting hours for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
This section provides for the annual hunting of certain doves, pigeons, ducks, coots, gallinules
and snipe in Puerto Rico; and for certain doves, pigeons and ducks in the Virgin Islands. In these
Commonwealths, the hunting of waterfowl and coots (and other certain species, as applicable)
must be with the use of nontoxic shot beginning in the 1991-92 waterfowl season.
HISTORY: [53 FR 24290, June 28, 1988]
§ 20.102 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for Alaska.
This section provides for the annual hunting of certain waterfowl (ducks, tundra swans, geese,
and brant), common snipe, and sandhill cranes in Alaska. In Alaska, the hunting of waterfowl
must be with the use of nontoxic shot beginning in the 1991-92 waterfowl season.
HISTORY: [55 FR 35267, Aug. 28, 1990]
§ 20.103 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for mourning and white-winged doves and wild
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pigeons.
This section provides for the annual hunting of certain doves and pigeons in the 48 contiguous
United States. The mourning dove hunting regulations are arranged by the Eastern, Central, and
Western Management Units.
HISTORY: [44 FR 7147, Feb. 6, 1979]
§ 20.104 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for rails, woodcock, and common (Wilson's) snipe.
This section provides for the annual hunting of certain rails, woodcock, and snipe in the 48
contiguous United States.
HISTORY: [44 FR 7148, Feb. 6, 1979]
§ 20.105 Seasons, limits and shooting hours for waterfowl, coots and gallinules.
This section provides for the annual hunting of certain waterfowl (ducks, geese [including brant]),
coots and gallinules in the 48 contiguous United States. The regulations are arranged by the
Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific Flyways. These regulations often vary within Flyways or
States, and by time periods. Those areas of the United States outside of State boundaries, i.e., the
United States' territorial waters seaward of county boundaries, and including coastal waters
claimed by the separate States, if not already included under the zones contained in § 20.108, are
designated for the purposes of § 20.21(j) as nontoxic shot zones for waterfowl hunting beginning
in the 1991-92 season.
HISTORY: [53 FR 24290, June 28, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 22102, May 13, 1991]
§ 20.106 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for sandhill cranes.
This section provides for the annual hunting of sandhill cranes in designated portions of the 48
contiguous United States.
HISTORY: [55 FR 35267, Aug. 28, 1990]
§ 20.107 Seasons, limits, and shooting hours for tundra swans.
This section provides for the annual hunting of tundra swans in designated portions of the 48
contiguous United States.
HISTORY: [55 FR 39829, Sept. 28, 1990]
§ 20.108 Nontoxic shot zones.

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Beginning September 1, 1991, the contiguous 48 United States, and the States of Alaska and
Hawaii, the Territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and the territorial waters of the
United States, are designated for the purpose of § 20.21(j) as nontoxic shot zones for hunting
waterfowl, coots and certain other species. "Certain other species" refers to those species, other
than waterfowl or coots, that are affected by reason of being included in aggregate bags and
concurrent seasons.
HISTORY: [56 FR 22102, May 13, 1991]
§ 20.109 Extended seasons, limits, and hours for taking migratory game birds by falconry.
This section provides annual regulations by which falconers may take permitted migratory game
birds.
HISTORY: [44 FR 7148, Feb. 6, 1979]
§ 20.110 Seasons, limits, and other regulations for certain Federal Indian reservations, Indian
Territory, and ceded lands.
This section provides for establishing annual migratory bird hunting regulations for certain tribes
on Federal Indian reservations, Indian Territory, and ceded lands.
HISTORY: [50 FR 35764, Sept. 3, 1985]
SUBPART L -- ADMINISTRATIVE AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
§ 20.131 Extension of seasons.
Whenever the Secretary shall find that emergency State action to prevent forest fires in any
extensive area has resulted in the shortening of the season during which the hunting of any species
of migratory game bird is permitted and that compensatory extension or reopening the hunting
season for such birds will not result in a diminution of the abundance of birds to any greater extent
than that contemplated for the original hunting season, the hunting season for the birds so affected
may, subject to all other provisions of this subchapter, be extended or reopened by the Secretary
upon request of the chief officer of the agency of the State exercising administration over wildlife
resources. The length of the extended or reopened season in no event shall exceed the number of
days during which hunting has been so prohibited. The extended or reopened season will be
publicly announced.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.132 Subsistence use in Alaska.
(a) In Alaska, Eskimos and Indians may take, possess, and transport, in any manner and at any
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time, auks, auklets, guillemots, murres, and puffins and their eggs for food and their skins for
clothing, but the birds and eggs so taken shall not be sold or offered for sale.
(b) In Alaska, any person may, for subsistence purposes, take, possess, and transport, in any
manner and at any time, snowy owls and cormorants and their eggs for food and their skins for
clothing, but the birds and eggs so taken shall not be sold or offered for sale.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.133 Hunting regulations for crows.
(a) Crows may be taken, possessed, transported, exported, or imported, only in accordance with
such laws or regulations as may be prescribed by a State pursuant to this section.
(b) Except in the State of Hawaii, where no crows shall be taken, States may by statute or
regulation prescribe a hunting season for crows. Such State statutes or regulations may set forth
the method of taking, the bag and possession limits, the dates and duration of the hunting season,
and such other regulations as may be deemed appropriate, subject to the following limitations for
each State:
(1) Crows shall not be hunted from aircraft;
(2) The hunting season or seasons on crows shall not exceed a total of 124 days during a calendar
year;
(3) Hunting shall not be permitted during the peak crow nesting period within a State; and
(4) Crows may only be taken by firearms, bow and arrow, and falconry.
HISTORY: [38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973]
§ 20.134 Nontoxic shot.
(a) Approval. (1) The information collection requirements contained in § 20.134 have been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. and assigned
clearance number 1018-0067. The information is being collected to provide a basis for which the
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, can conduct a methodical and objective review to
approve/disapprove nontoxic shot status sought by an applicant. The information will be used for
toxicity assessment of candidate shot submitted for approval by applicant. Response is required to
obtain a benefit.
(2) The Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, shall determine that a specific type of shot
material is acceptable for the purposes of 50 CFR 20.21(j), if after a review of applications and
supporting data submitted in accordance with this section, together with all other relevant
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evidence, including public comment, it is concluded that the spent shot material does not impose a
significant danger to migratory birds and other wildlife or their habitats.
(b) Application and review. Tiered Strategy for Approval of Nontoxic Shot and Shot Coating. (1)
All applications for approval under this section must be submitted with supporting documentation
to the Director in accordance with the following procedures and must include at a minimum the
supporting materials and information covered by Tier 1 in the tiered approval system as follows:
(2) Tier 1. (i)(A) Applicant provides statements of use, chemical characterization, production
variability, volume of use of candidate material and shot sample as listed in paragraphs
(b)(2)(i)(A)(1) through (5), (b)(2)(i)(B)(1) through (5), and (b)(2)(i)(C)(1) through (3) of this
section. The candidate shot or shot coating may be chemically analyzed by the Service or an
independent laboratory to compare the results with the applicant's descriptions of shot
composition and composition variability. Rejection of the application will occur if it is incomplete
or if the composition of the candidate material, upon analysis, varies significantly from that
described by the applicant.
(1) Statement of proposed use, i.e., purpose and types.
(2) Description of the chemical composition of the intact material.
(i) Chemical names, Chemical Abstracts Service numbers (if available), and structures.
(ii) Chemical characterization for organics and organometallics for coating and core [e.g.,
empirical formula, melting point, molecular weight, solubility, specific gravity, partition
coefficients, hydrolysis half-life, leaching rate (in water and soil), degradation half-life, vapor
pressure, stability and other relevant characteristics].
(iii) Composition and weight of shot material.
(iv) Thickness, quantity (e.g., mg/shot), and chemical composition of shot coating.
(3) Statement of the expected variability of shot during production.
(4) Estimate of yearly volume of candidate shot and/or coated shot expected for use in hunting
migratory birds in the U.S.
(5) Five pounds of the candidate shot and/or coated shot, as applicable, in size equivalent to
United States standard size No. 4 (0.13 inches in diameter).
(B) Applicant provides information on the toxicological effects of the shot or shot coating as
follows:
(1) A summary of the acute and chronic mammalian toxicity data of the shot or shot coating

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ranking its toxicity (e.g., LD50<5 mg/kg = super toxic, 5-50 mg/kg = extremely toxic, 50-500
mg/kg = very toxic, 500-5,000 mg/kg = moderately toxic, 5,000-15,000 = slightly toxic, >15,000
mg/kg = practically nontoxic) with citations.
(2) A summary of known acute, chronic, and reproductive toxicological data of the chemicals
comprising the shot or shot coating with respect to birds, particularly waterfowl (include LD50 or
LC50 data, and sublethal effects) with citations.
(3) A narrative description, with citations to relevant data, predicting the toxic effect in waterfowl
of complete erosion and absorption of one shot or coated shot in a 24-hour period. Define the
nature of toxic effect (e.g., mortality, impaired reproduction, substantial weight loss,
disorientation and other relevant associated clinical observations).
(4) A statement, with supporting rationale and citations to relevant data, that there is or is not any
reasonable basis for concern for shot or coated shot ingestion by fish, amphibians, reptiles or
mammals. If there is some recognized impact on fish, amphibians, reptiles, or mammals, the
Service may require additional study.
(5) Summarize the toxicity data of chemicals comprising the shot or shot coating to aquatic and
terrestrial invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
(C) Applicant provides information on the environmental fate and transport, if any, of the shot or
shot coating as follows:
(1) A statement of the alteration of the shot or shot coating, chemically or physically, upon firing.
The statement must describe any alterations.
(2) An estimate of the environmental half-life of the organic or organometallic component of the
shot or shot coating, and a description of the chemical form of the breakdown products.
(3) Information on the Estimated Environmental Concentration (EEC) assuming 69,000 shot per
hectare (Bellrose 1959; Pain 1990) for:
(i) A terrestrial ecosystem, assuming complete dissolution of material in 5 cm of soil. What would
be the EEC and would that EEC exceed existing clean soil standards? (Environmental Protection
Agency [EPA] standards for the Use of Disposal of Sewage Sludge; 40 CFR Part 503). How does
the estimated EEC relate to the toxicity threshold for plants, invertebrates, fish and wildlife?
(ii) An aquatic ecosystem, assuming complete dissolution of the shot or shot coating in 1 cubic
foot of water. What is the estimated EEC, and how does it compare to the EPA Water Quality
Criteria and toxicity thresholds in plants, invertebrates, fish and wildlife?
(D) Service evaluation of an application.

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(1) In reviewing the submission, the Service will use an exceedence of 1 LD50/square foot as the
level of concern (U.S.E.P.A. 1992) as a criteria in the risk assessment.
(2) In cooperation with the applicant, the Service will conduct a risk assessment using the
Quotient Method (Environmental Protection Agency 1986): Risk = EEC/Toxicological Level of
Concern Compare EEC in ppm to an effect level (e.g., LD50 in ppm. If Q < 0.1 = No Adverse
Effects; If 0.1 > Q > 10.0 = Possible Adverse Effects; If Q > 10.0 = Probable Adverse Effects.
(3) Upon receipt of the Tier 1 application, the Director will review it to determine if the
submission is complete. If complete, the applicant is notified within 30 days of receipt that a
thorough review of the application will commence. A Notice of Application will appear in the
Federal Register announcing the initiation of review of a Tier 1 application. Complete review of a
Tier 1 application will occur within 60 days of the date the Notice of Application is published in
the Federal Register.
(E) If, after review of the Tier 1 data, the Service does not conclude that the shot or shot coating
does not impose a significant danger to migratory birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, the
applicant is advised to proceed with the additional testing described for Tier 2, Tier 3, or both. A
Notice of Review will inform the public that Tier 1 test results are inconclusive, and Tier 2, Tier
3, or both testing are required before further consideration.
(F) If review of the Tier 1 data results in a preliminary determination that the candidate material
does not impose a significant danger to migratory birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, the
Director will publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule stating the Service's intention to
approve this shot or shot coating based on the toxicological report and toxicity studies. The
rulemaking will include a description of the chemical composition of the candidate shot or shot
coating, and a synopsis of findings under the standards required for Tier 1. If, at the end of the
comment period, the Service finds no technical or scientific basis upon which to alter its
conclusion, the candidate material will be approved by the publication of a final rule in the Federal
Register. If, after receiving public comment, the Service determines that all available information
does not establish that the shot and/or shot coating does not impose a significant danger to
migratory birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, Tier 2, Tier 3, or both testing will be required
and a Notice of Review will appear in the Federal Register. If only one of these two Tier tests are
required, the Service will explain in the notice why the other is not required. If the applicant
chooses not to proceed, the determination denying approval will appear in the Federal Register.
(ii) Reserved.
(3) Tier 2.
(i) If Tier 2 testing is required, the applicant must submit a plan that addresses paragraph (b)(3)(ii)
requirements. The Director will review the Tier 2 testing plan submitted by the applicant within
30 days of receipt. The Director may decline to approve the plan, or any part of it, if deficient in
any manner with regard to timing, format or content. The Director shall apprise the applicant

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regarding what parts, if any, of the submitted testing procedures to disregard and any
modifications to incorporate into the Tier 2 testing plan in order to gain plan approval. All testing
procedures will be in compliance with the Good Laboratory Practices Standards (40 CFR part
160) except where they conflict with the regulations in this section or with a provision of an
approved plan. The Director, or authorized representative, may elect to inspect the applicant's
laboratory facilities and may decline to approve the plan and further consideration of the candidate
shot if the facility does not meet the Good Laboratory Practices Standards. After the plan is
accepted, Tier 2 testing will commence. Required analyses and reports, in accordance with the
regulations in this section, must be sent to the Director. The applicant will ensure that copies of all
the raw data and statistical analyses accompany the laboratory reports and final comprehensive
report of this test.
(ii) Evaluation of the candidate shot or shot coating will first be in a standardized test under in
vitro conditions (see paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A)) that will assess its erosion and any release of
components into a liquid medium in an environment simulating in vivo conditions of a waterfowl
gizzard. Erosion characteristics are to be compared with those of lead shot and steel shot of
comparable size. Following the erosion rate testing, the applicant must conduct a 30-day acute
toxicity test in mallards, and a test to determine the candidate shot and/or shot coating effects on
selected invertebrates and fish and include the results in the report for the Director.
(A) In Vitro Erosion Rate Test. Conduct a standardized in vitro test to determine erosion rate of
the candidate shot or shot coating using the guidelines in Kimball and Munir (1971), unless
otherwise provided by the Service.
(1) Typical test materials:
Atomic absorption spectrophotometer; Drilled aluminum block to support test tubes;
Thermostatically controlled stirring hot plate; Small Teflon<(R)> -coated magnets; Hydrochloric
acid (pH 2.0) and pepsin; Capped test tubes; and Lead, steel and candidate shot/coated shot.
(2) Typical test procedures. Add hydrochloric acid and pepsin to each capped test tube at a
volume and concentration that will erode a single #4 lead shot at a rate of 5 mg/day. Place three
test tubes, each containing either lead shot, steel shot or candidate shot and/or coated shot, in an
aluminum block on the stirring hot plate. Add a Teflon<(R)> coated magnet to each test tube and
set the hot plate at 42 degrees centigrade and 500 revolutions per minute. Determine the erosion
of shot or coated shot daily for 14 consecutive days by weighing the shot and analyzing the
digestion solution with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Replicate the 14-day procedure
five times.
(3) Typical test analyses. Compare erosion rates of the three types of shot by appropriate analysis
of variance and regression procedures. The statistical analysis will determine whether the rate of
erosion of the shot and/or shot coating is significantly greater or less than that of lead and steel.
This determination is important to any subsequent toxicity testing.

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(B) Acute Toxicity Test -- Tier 2 (Short-term, 30-day acute toxicity test using a commercially
available duck food.). Over a 30-day period, conduct a short-term acute toxicity test that
complies with the guidelines described as follows or as otherwise provided by the Service:
(1) Typical test materials: 30 male and 30 female hand-reared mallards approximately 6 to 8
months old (mallards must have plumage and body conformation that resemble wild mallards); 60
elevated outdoor pens equipped with feeders and waterers; Laboratory equipped to perform
fluoroscopy, required blood and tissue assays, and necropsies; Commercial duck maintenance
mash; and Lead, steel and candidate shot.
(2) Typical test procedures. House mallards individually in pens and give ad libitum access to food
and water. After 3 weeks, randomly assign to 3 groups (10 males and 10 females/group), dose
with eight pellets of either No. 4 lead shot (positive control), steel shot (negative control), or the
candidate shot or coated shot. Fluoroscope birds at 1 week after dosage to check for shot
retention. Observe birds daily for signs of intoxication and mortality over a 30-day period.
Determine body weight at the time of dosing, and at days 15 and 30 of the test. On days 15 and
30, collect blood by venipuncture, determine hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration and other
specified blood chemistries. Sacrifice all survivors on day 30. Remove the liver and other
appropriate organs from the sacrificed birds and from birds that died prior to sacrifice on day 30
for histopathological analysis. Analyze the organs for lead and compounds contained in the
candidate shot or coated shot. Necropsy all birds to determine any pathological conditions.
(3) Typical test analyses. Analyze mortality among the specified groups with appropriate
chi-square statistical procedures. Analyze physiological data and tissue contaminant data by
analysis of variance or other appropriate statistical procedures to include the factors of shot type
and sex. Compare sacrificed birds and birds that died prior to sacrifice whenever sample sizes are
adequate for meaningful comparison.
(C) Daphnid and Fish Early-Life Toxicity Tests. Determine the toxicity of the compounds that
comprise the shot or shot coating (at conditions maximizing solubility without adversely affecting
controls) to selected invertebrates and fish. These methods are subject to the environmental
effects test regulations developed under the authority of the Toxic Substances Control Act (15
U.S.C. 2601 et seq.), as follows:
(1) The first test, the Daphnid Acute Toxicity Test (conducted in accordance with 40 CFR
797.1300), is a guideline for use in developing data on the acute toxicity of chemical substances.
This guideline prescribes an acute toxicity test in which Daphnid exposure to a chemical in static
and flow-through systems, with the agencies assessing the hazard the compound(s) may present to
an aquatic environment.
(2) The second test is the Daphnid Chronic Toxicity Test (conducted in accordance with 40 CFR
797.1330). This gathers data on the chronic toxicity of chemical substances in which Daphnids
(Daphnia spp.) are exposed to a chemical in a renewal or flow-through system. The data from this
test are again used to assess the hazard that the compound(s) may present to an aquatic

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environment.
(3) A third test, Fish Early Life Stage Toxicity Test (conducted in accordance with 40 CFR
Section 797.1600), assesses the adverse effects of chemical substances to fish in the early stages
of their growth and development. Data from this test are used to determine the hazard the
compound(s) may present to an aquatic environment.
(iii) After the Tier 2 testing, the applicant will report the results to the Director. If, after review of
the Tier 2 data, the Service determines that the information does not establish that the shot or shot
coating does not impose a significant danger to migratory birds, other wildlife, and their habitats,
the applicant is advised to proceed with the additional testing in Tier 3. A Notice of Review
advises the public that, in conjunction with Tier 1 data, Tier 2 test results are inconclusive and
Tier 3 testing is required for continued consideration.
(iv) If review of the Tier 2 test data results in a preliminary determination that the candidate shot
or shot coating does not impose a significant danger to migratory birds, other wildlife, and their
habitats, the Director will publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule stating the Service's
intention to approve this shot and/or coating and why Tier 3 testing is unnecessary. The
rulemaking will include a description of chemical composition of the shot or shot coating, and a
synopsis of findings under the standards required at Tier 2. If, at the end of the comment period,
the Service finds no technical or scientific basis upon which to deny approval, the candidate shot
or shot coating approval is published as a final rule in the Federal Register. If, as a result of the
comment period, the Service determines that the information does not establish that the shot
and/or shot coating does not impose a significant danger to migratory birds, other wildlife, and
their habitats, Tier 3 testing will be required and a Notice of Review published in the Federal
Register. If the applicant chooses not to proceed, the determination denying approval of the
candidate shot or shot coating will appear in the Federal Register.
(4) Tier 3.
(i) If the Director determines that the Tier 1 or Tier 2 information is inconclusive, the Director
will notify the applicant to submit a Tier 3 testing plan for conducting further testing as outlined in
paragraphs (b)(4)(i) (A) and (B) of this section. Review, by the Director, of the Tier 3 testing plan
submitted by the applicant will occur within 30 days of receipt. The Director may decline to
approve the plan, or any part of it, if deficient in any manner with regard to timing, format or
content. The Director shall apprise the applicant regarding what parts, if any, of the submitted
testing procedure to disregard and any modifications to incorporate into the Tier 3 plan in order
to gain plan approval. All testing procedures should be in compliance with the Good Laboratory
Practices Standards (40 CFR part 160), except where they conflict with the regulations in this
section or with a provision of an approved plan. The Director, or authorized representative, may
elect to inspect the applicant's laboratory facilities and may decline to approve the plan and further
consideration of the candidate shot and/or shot coating if the facility is not in compliance with the
Good Laboratory Practices Standards. After acceptance of the plan, Tier 3 testing will commence.
Required analyses and reports must be sent to the Director. The applicant will ensure that copies

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of all the raw data and statistical analyses accompany the laboratory reports and final
comprehensive report of this test.
(A) Chronic Toxicity Test -- Tier 3 (Long-term toxicity test under depressed temperature
conditions using a nutritionally-deficient diet). Conduct a chronic exposure test under adverse
conditions that complies with the general guidelines described as follows unless otherwise
provided by the Service:
(1) Typical test materials: 36 male and 36 female hand-reared mallards approximately 6 to 8
months old (Mallards must have plumage and body conformation that resembles wild mallards);
72 elevated outdoor pens equipped with feeders and waterers; Laboratory equipped to perform
fluoroscopy, required blood and tissue assays, and necropsies; Whole kernel corn; and Lead, steel,
and candidate shot or coated shot.
(2) Typical test procedures.
(i) Conduct this test at a location where the mean monthly low temperature during December
through March is between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.6 and 4.4 degrees centigrade,
respectively). Assign individual mallards to elevated outdoor pens during the first week of
December and acclimate to an ad libitum diet of whole kernel corn for 2 weeks. Randomly assign
birds to 5 groups (lead group of 4 males and 4 females, 4 other groups of 8 males and 8
females/group). Dose the lead group (positive control) with one size No. 4 pellet of lead shot.
Dose one group (8 males and 8 females) with eight size No. 4 pellets of steel shot (negative
control) and dose the 3 other groups (8 males and 8 females/group) with one, four and eight size
No. 4 pellets of candidate shot or coated shot.
(ii) Weigh and fluoroscope birds weekly. Weigh all recovered shot to measure erosion. Determine
blood parameters given in the 30-day acute toxicity test. Provide body weight and blood
parameter measurements on samples drawn at 24 hours after dosage and at the end of days 30 and
60. At the end of 60 days, sacrifice all survivors. Remove the liver and other appropriate organs
from sacrificed birds and birds dying prior to sacrifice on day 60 for histopathological analysis.
Analyze organs for lead and other metals potentially contained in the candidate shot or shot
coating. Necropsy all birds that died prior to sacrifice to determine pathological conditions
associated with death.
(3) Typical test analyses. Analyze mortality among the specified groups with appropriate
chi-square statistical procedures. Any effects on the previously mentioned physiological
parameters caused by the shot or shot coating must be significantly less than those caused by lead
shot and must not be significantly greater than those caused by steel shot. Analyze physiological
data and tissue contaminant data by analysis of variance or appropriate statistical procedures to
include the factors of shot type, dose and sex. Compare sacrificed birds and birds that died prior
to sacrifice whenever sample sizes are adequate for a meaningful comparison.
(B) Chronic Dosage Study -- Tier 3 (Moderately long-term study that includes reproductive

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assessment). Conduct chronic exposure reproduction trial with the general guidelines described as
follows unless otherwise provided by the Service:
(1) Typical test materials: 44 male and 44 female hand-reared first year mallards (Mallards must
have plumage and body conformation that resemble wild mallards); Pens suitable for quarantine
and acclimation and for reasonably holding 5-10 ducks each; 44 elevated, pens equipped with
feeders, waterers and nest boxes; Laboratory equipped to perform fluoroscopy, required blood
and tissue assays, and necropsies; Whole kernel corn, and commercial duck maintenance and
breeder mash; and Lead, steel and candidate shot or coated shot.
(2) Typical test procedures. (i) Randomly assign mallards to 3 groups (Lead group = 4 males and
4 females; steel group = 20 males and 20 females; candidate shot/coated shot group = 20 males
and 20 females) in December and hold in same-sex groups until mid-January (dates apply to
outdoor test facility only and will reflect where in the U.S. tests are conducted). Tests conducted
in the southern U.S. will need to be completed in low temperature units. After a 3-week
acclimation period with ducks receiving commercial maintenance mash, provide birds with an ad
libitum diet of corn for 60 days and then pair birds (one pair/pen) and provide commercial breeder
mash. Dosing of the 3 groups with one pellet of No. 4 lead shot (positive control); eight pellets of
No. 4 steel shot (negative control); and eight pellets of No. 4 candidate shot or coated shot will
occur after the acclimation period (day 0) and redosed after 30, 60, and 90 days. Few, if any, of
the lead-dosed birds (positive control) should survive and reproduce.
(ii) Fluoroscope birds 1 week after dosage to check for shot retention. Weigh males and females
the day of initial dosing (day 0), at each subsequent dosing, and at death. Measure blood
parameters identified in the 30-Day Acute Toxicity Test in this test using samples drawn at time
of weighing. Note the date of first egg and the mean number of days per egg laid. Conclude laying
after 21 normal, uncracked eggs are laid or after 150 days. Sacrifice adults after completion of
laying period. Remove the liver and other appropriate organs from sacrificed birds and from other
birds that died prior to sacrifice for histopathological analysis. Analyze organs and the 11th egg
for compounds contained in the shot or shot coating. Necropsy all birds to determine any
pathological conditions. Check nests daily to collect eggs. Discard any eggs laid before pairing.
Artificially incubate eggs and calculate the percent shell thickness, percent eggs cracked, percent
fertility (as determined by candling), and percent hatch of fertile eggs for each female. Provide
ducklings with starter mash after hatching. Sacrifice all ducklings at 14 days of age. Measure
survival to day 14 and weight of the ducklings at hatching and sacrifice. Measure blood
parameters identified in the 30-Day Acute Toxicity Test using samples drawn at sacrificing.
(3) Typical test analyses.
(i) Any mortality, reproductive inhibition or effects on the physiological parameters in paragraph
(b)(4) by the shot or shot coating must not be significantly greater than those caused by steel shot.
Percentage data is subject to an arcsine, square root transformation prior to statistical analyses.
Physiological and reproductive data is analyzed by one-tailed t -tests ([alpha]=0.05), or other
appropriate statistical procedures by the applicant.

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(ii) After conclusion of Tier 3 testing, the applicant must report the results to the Director. If after
review of the Tier 3 data (completion 60 days after receipt of material) the Service determines
that all of the information gathered and submitted in accordance with Tiers 1, 2, and 3, as
applicable, does not establish that the shot or shot coating does not impose a significant danger to
migratory birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, the applicant will have the option of repeating
the tests that the Director deems are inconclusive. If the applicant chooses not to repeat the tests,
approval of the candidate shot or shot coating is denied. A Notice of Review will inform the
public that Tier 3 results are inconclusive, the applicant's decision not to repeat Tier 3 testing, and
the Service's subsequent denial of the shot or shot coating.
(iii) If review of either the initial or repeated Tier 3 test data results in a preliminary determination
that the shot or shot coating does not impose a significant danger to migratory birds, other
wildlife and their habitats, the Director will publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule stating
the Service's intention to approve this shot or shot coating and providing the public with the
opportunity to comment. The rulemaking will include a description of the chemical composition
of the shot or shot coating and a synopsis of findings under the standards required by Tier 3. If at
the end of the comment period, the Service concludes that the shot or shot coating does not
impose a significant danger to migratory birds, other wildlife, or their habitats, the shot or shot
coating will be approved as nontoxic with publication of a final rule in the Federal Register.
(5) Residual lead levels. The Service's maximum environmentally acceptable level of lead in shot is
trace amounts or <1 percent. Any shot manufactured with lead levels equal to or exceeding 1
percent are considered toxic and, therefore, illegal.
(6) Field Detection Device. Before approval of any shot for use in migratory game bird hunting, a
noninvasive field testing device must be available for enforcement officers to determine the shot
material in a given shell in the field.
(Information collection requirements approved by the Office of Management and Budget under
control no. 1018-0067)
HISTORY: [51 FR 42100, Nov. 21, 1986; 62 FR 63608, 63611, Dec. 1, 1997]
SUBPART M -- CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTING NONTOXIC SHOT
ZONES FOR THE 1987-1988 AND SUBSEQUENT WATERFOWL HUNTING SEASONS
§ 20.140 Purpose and scope.
The regulations of this subpart apply to the designation, implementation and enforcement of
nontoxic shot zones for waterfowl hunting in the United States for the 1987-1988 and subsequent
hunting seasons. The regulations of this subpart do not apply to the issuance of regulations under
part 21 of this title or under subparts A through J and L and N of this part.
HISTORY: [51 FR 42107, Nov. 21, 1986]
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§ 20.141 Definitions.
As used in this subpart:
(a) Nontoxic Shot means any shot-type that does not cause sickness and death when ingested by
migratory birds as determined by criteria established under § 20.134. The only nontoxic shot
currently approved by the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is steel shot.
(b) Nontoxic Shot Zones means all land and water areas within the boundaries of the United
States where the use of nontoxic shot is required for waterfowl hunting. A zone may be all or part
of a county designated and/or established for nontoxic shot use.
(c) Waterfowl means the Anatidae (ducks, geese [including brant], and swans) and coots (Fulica
americana).
HISTORY: [51 FR 42107, Nov. 21, 1986]
§ 20.142 Applicability.
This subpart applies to persons of all ages engaged in waterfowl hunting in the established
nontoxic shot zones and to all of the boroughs, counties, or parishes within the separate States,
without exception. Possession and use of nontoxic shot (including shotshells and loose shot for
use in muzzleloading), for all legal gauges of shotguns, is required for waterfowl hunting in
nontoxic shot zones. The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Fish and Wildlife Service,
will not open a zone to waterfowl hunting where the Fish and Wildlife Service is prevented from
establishing the zone as a nontoxic shot zone under the criteria of this subpart.
HISTORY: [51 FR 42107, Nov. 21, 1986]
§ 20.143 Criteria and schedule for conversion to nontoxic shot.
The criteria and procedures specified below will be followed in the conversion nationwide to the
use of nontoxi shot for waterfowl hunting. As of the 1991-1992 season, nontoxic shot will be
required in all waterfowl hunting in the United States.
(a) Beginning in the 1987-1988 water fowl hunting season, implementation of nontoxic shot
zones is on a decremental basis with regard to the intensity of average annual waterfowl harvest
per square mile of a particular county; the initial harvest level triggering monitoring/conversion is
20 or more birds per square mile, decreasing by 5 birds per square mile each successive waterfowl
hunting season until the nationwide ban season is reached in 1991-1992. Data on average annual
waterfowl harvest are from Carney et al. 1983; data on county size have been obtained from the
U.S. Bureau of the Census. Table I illustrates the schedule for conversion to nontoxic shot.

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Hunting season in which --

Average annual
waterfowl harvest per
mi2* (by county)

Monitoring must
begin to defer
implementation

Qualifying areas
converted

Nontoxic shot
required in deferred
areas

20 or more

1985-86

1987-88

1991-92

15 or more

1986-87

1988-89

1991-92

10 or more

1987-88

1989-90

1991-92

5 or more

1988-89

1990-91

1991-92

less than 5

1989-90

1991-92

1991-92

* Average harvest is based on Carney et al. 1983 (Distribution of waterfowl species harvested in
states and counties during 1971-80 hunting seasons. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special
Scientific Report -- Wildlife No. 254).
(b) If States, through monitoring, demonstrate during annual Fish and Wildlife Service
Regulations Committee meetings that neither of the following two decision criteria are met in a
county scheduled for conversion to a nontoxic shot zone, that conversion can be deferred until
(but not beyond) the 1991-92 hunting season (monitoring of the latter must include a sample of at
least 100 birds of waterfowl species susceptible to lead poisoning):
(1) Dead waterfowl; 3 or more individual specimens confirmed as lead-poisoned during the
monitoring year, nor
(2) Ingested shot in gizzards; 5 percent or greater of the sample have gizzards with 1 or more lead
shot, and
(i) Liver lead; 5 percent or greater of the sample have livers with concentrations of lead 2 ppm or
higher (wet weight), or
(ii) Blood lead; 5 percent or greater of the sample have blood with concentrations of lead 0.2 ppm
or higher (wet weight), or
(iii) Protoporphyrin; 5 percent or greater of the sample have blood with protoporphyrin
concentrations of 40 ug/dl or higher.
(c) Established nontoxic shot zones will not be eligible for deferral or rescission from conversion
in any manner.
(d) There is no deferral past the 1991-1992 nationwide conversion year. States may elect to forgo
monitoring and/or otherwise convert to nontoxic shot zones on an accelerated basis, i.e., less than
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a county, countywide or statewide.
(e) States may accelerate conversion on less than a county basis for purposes of completing a
biological or enforcement/management unit; however, the minimum conversion schedule [set out
in the June, 1986, Final Supplemental Environmental Statement on the use of lead shot for
hunting migratory birds in the United States, Appendix N] will be adhered to.
(f) Where a portion, but not all, of a county is included in nontoxic shot zones for the 1986-87 or
later waterfowl hunting season, the remainder of the county will convert in the year that it would
otherwise be converted on the basis of its total county waterfowl harvest density.
(g) When a county is converted to nontoxic shot status under this paragraph, it will be added to
the list of nontoxic shot zones contained in § 20.108 and all the prohibitions of § 20.21(j) will
apply.
HISTORY: [51 FR 42107, Nov. 21, 1986]
SUBPART N -- SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR ISSUANCE OF ANNUAL HUNTING
REGULATIONS
§ 20.151 Purpose and scope.
The rules of this subpart N apply to the issuance of the annual regulations establishing seasons,
bag limits, and other requirements for the seasonal hunting of migratory birds. The rules of this
subpart N do not apply to the issuance of regulations under part 21 of this title or under subparts
A through J and L through M of this part 20.
HISTORY: [46 FR 62079, Dec. 22, 1981]
§ 20.152 Definitions.
As used in this subpart N:
(a) Flyway Council means the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, or Pacific Flyway Council;
(b) Regulations Committee means the Migratory Bird Regulations Committee of the Fish and
Wildlife Service; and
(c) Significant, as used in reference to a communication or other form of information or data,
means related to the merits of the regulation and received, utilized, or transmitted by an official of
the Department who is or may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process on
the regulation.
HISTORY: [46 FR 62079, Dec. 22, 1981]
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§ 20.153 Regulations committee.
(a) Notice of meetings. Notice of each meeting of the Regulations Committee to be attended by
any person outside the Department will be published in the Federal Register at least two weeks
before the meeting. The notice will state the time, place, and general subject(s) of the meeting, as
well as the extent of public involvement.
(b) Public observation and written comment. Each meeting of the Regulations Committee for
which notice is published pursuant to paragraph(a) of this section will be open to the public for
observation and the submission of written comments.
(c) Public participation. Except for the mid-summer meetings held in Washington, DC, in
conjuction with the public hearing on waterfowl and other late season frameworks, the public may
participate in any meeting of the Regulations Committee for which notice is published pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this section through the submission of oral statements that comply with the rules
stated in the notice.
(d) Minutes of meetings. Minutes will be made of each meeting of the Regulations Committee for
which notice is published pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section.
HISTORY: [46 FR 62079, Dec. 22, 1981]
§ 20.154 Flyway Councils.
(a) Notice of meetings. Notice of each meeting of a Flyway Council to be attended by any official
of the Department will be published in the Federal Register at least two weeks before the meeting
or as soon as practicable after the Department learns of the meeting. The notice will state the
time, place, and general subject(s) of the meeting.
HISTORY: [46 FR 62079, Dec. 22, 1981]
§ 20.155 Public file.
(a) Establishment. A public file will be established for each rulemaking to which this subpart N is
applicable.
(b) Contents. Except for information exempt from disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552, a public file
established pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section will contain:
(1) The minutes of Regulations Committee meetings made pursuant to paragraph (d) of § 20.153;
(2) Any written comments and other significant written communications which occur after the
notice of proposed rulemaking;

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(3) Summaries, identifying the source, of any significant oral communications which occure after
the notice of proposed rulemaking; and
(4) Copies of or references to any other significant data or information.
HISTORY: [46 FR 62079, Dec. 22, 1981]

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