For decades, duck hunters in States such as Mississippi have been calling out for changes to duck hunting season. It now appears that their calls have been heard. This is all due to a bill passed in the Senate that will see the end of the duck hunting season extended to the last day in January.
This in itself may appear a small change but it is a major success for those in the industry across a number of States. Previously, duck hunting season ended on the last Sunday in January. But this resulted in a number of lost days depending on how the dates would change throughout the years. Those against the old limits claimed that it restricted their ability to generate revenue due to the potential number of days in January where they would have needed to stay at home.
However, it seems that the bill put before the Senate seeks to change more than that. Known as the The Natural Resource Management Act, the bill was proposed by Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) and was successful by a count of 92 – 8.
According to the Senator, this bill introduces a number of changes that the industry have been seeking in order to take the sport further. Up until this point, they believed that they were being handicapped in some way due to the tighter restrictions that then resulted in lost revenue.
As well as the extended hunting season, the bill also calls for a special two-day period of hunting specifically for youths. Furthermore, another two-day hunting period for not only active members of the Armed Forces, but also veterans. Hyde-Smith states that this is an attempt at showing those individuals a certain gratitude for their work in protecting the country.
Of course, the changes have come too late for this year, but it does provide the industry that sells great bowie knives, ample time to prepare for the next hunting season. It is hoped that the special two-day periods will also prove to be a success and encourage not only those with a love of hunting to take part, but also bring a new generation to the table as well.
However, only time will tell as to whether or not these changes do result in a major improvement in revenue. After calling for these improvements for some time, the Senate has now placed it back in the hands of the individuals behind the changes.
