An early teal season could be coming for Minnesota hunters

An early September teal season could be coming next fall for Minnesota duck hunters.

"There's a very high probability of having a teal season," said Steve Cordts, Department of Natural Resources waterfowl specialist.

Teal and a potential teal season were among the topics Saturday at the Minnesota Waterfowl Association's 17^th annual Waterfowl Symposium in Bloomington, attended by about 100 people.

The bag limit likely would be six teal, and the DNR might ask to also allow one "mistake" duck.

The DNR is expected to ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to authorize a September season, which has long been offered in other states. Federal officials probably won't decide until June.

Minnesota hasn't had a special teal season because it's a teal-production state.

But the continental blue-winged teal population has been at record highs recently at around 8 million to 9 million, and wildlife officials have said the population could sustain a higher harvest.

But if it comes, it will raise other issues, such as concern that a teal hunt would disturb other waterfowl before the regular season. Also an early teal season could kill Youth Waterfowl Day, which in Minnesota has been held two weekends before the regular opener.

"There's a possibility we'd drop it," Cordts said.

An early season also could conflict with wild rice harvesters, Cordts said.