2013 Minnesota duck opener

Shooting hours: A half-hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. through Oct. 4; until sunset thereafter.

Prospects: Steve Cordts, DNR waterfowl specialist, expects a season similar to last year, when hunters killed 835,000 ducks, the highest in nine years. Because the season begins earlier than usual, teal and wood ducks likely will make up the bulk of the early-season harvest. "We'll have a pretty good opener,'' Cordts predicted.

New this year: The number of scaup (bluebills) in the daily bag has been reduced from four to three. Also, the waterfowl possession limit now is triple the daily bag limit. Meaning a hunter could have 18 ducks in possession after three days of hunting.

doug smith