Wildlife
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2020 Annual Report 33
S O M E T H I N G N E W F O R D U C K H U N T E R S :
T W O - T I E R S Y S T E M
Nebraska duck hunters will have a choice to make before the 2021 season – a six-duck daily
limit or a three-duck limit. But there is a catch. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved
the two-tier Harvest Information Program system in October 2020. The two-tier HIP system
allows a duck hunter to choose between:
Tier 1 – traditional six-duck daily bag limit with species and sex restrictions, or
Tier 2 – three-duck daily bag limit with no species and sex restrictions
The number of waterfowl hunters has declined significantly in the past 10 years. One
contributing factor is the strict harvest restrictions in place for certain species and sexes
of ducks. This puts pressure on hunters to be able to identify waterfowl, and in turn, may
be preventing potential hunters from getting into duck hunting. That's where the two-tier
system comes into play.
Hunters will select their tier – and bag limit – for duck hunting when they complete their
HIP registration at the start of each new hunting season. The two-tier system will be in
place in Nebraska and South Dakota during the duck seasons from 2021 through 2025, with
a possible extension that also may include more states. The hope is the two-tier system
will encourage more potential hunters to join by allowing them to gradually build up their
identification skills without the fear of breaking the law.
The sun rises over Elwood Reservoir as duck hunters set out decoys from a duck boat.
JULIE
GEISER,
NEBRASKALAND
MAGAZINE
