250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-60-00-9.11

Current through December 26, 2024

Section 250-RICR-60-00-9.11 - Waterfowl

A. Possession limit for waterfowl is three (3) times the daily bag limit unless otherwise stated.

1. The field possession limit shall be equal to the daily bag limit.

B. Canada Goose:

1. Special September Season:

a. September 1 - 30 inclusive

b. Daily bag limit is fifteen (15).

c. Shooting hours are one half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one half (1/2) hour after sunset for September Canada goose hunting only.

2. Regular Season:

a. The Saturday preceding Thanksgiving through the Sunday following Thanksgiving and the fourth (4th) Sunday in January and the fifty-one (51) days preceding, inclusive of the 4th Sunday.

b. Daily bag limit is two (2).

c. Special permits and blind reservations required for South Shore Management Area.

3. Late Season:

a. The first (1st) Saturday after the final day of the Regular Season for Canada Goose extending fifteen (15) days, inclusive of the Saturday opening day.

b. Daily bag limit is five (5).

c. Limited to Providence, Bristol and Kent Counties and portions of Washington County as described in § 9.11(B)(3)(d) of this Part. A map depicting the area open to hunting is available on the Division of Fish and Wildlife's website.

d. The area open to hunting during the late season shall be those areas north and west of the line described below:

(1) Rt. 95 at the RI/CT Line, north to Exit 3, Rt. 138 in Richmond.

(2) East along Rt. 138 to Glen Rock Rd., Richmond.

(3) North along Glen Rock Rd. to Mail Rd., Exeter.

(4) East along Mail Rd. to Rt. 2/South Country Trail., Exeter.

(5) North along Rt. 2/South County Trail to Exeter Rd.

(6) East along Exeter Rd. to the intersection of Indian Corner Rd.

(7) East to the merger of Indian Corner Rd. and West Allenton Rd.

(8) East to the intersection of West Allenton Rd. and Rt. 4.

(9) South along Rt. 4 to the intersection of Rt. 4/Rt.1 (Tower Hill Rd.).

(10) South along Rt. 1/Tower Hill Rd. to the intersection of Rt. 138.

(11) East along Rt. 138 to the base of the Jamestown Bridge.

(12) Extending north/northeast along the Washington/Newport county line.

(13) Extending east, one thousand feet (1,000') north of the northerly most point of Jamestown to a point one thousand feet (1,000') offshore of the Melville Boat Launch, Portsmouth.

(14) North following a line one thousand feet (1,000') offshore of Portsmouth's western shoreline to the Mount Hope Bridge.

(15) Extending east/northeast across Mt. Hope Bay from the bridge to the RI/MA border.

e. All areas south and east of the demarcation line are closed to hunting during the February Late Season.

C. Snow Goose (Including blue goose):

1. The final day of the Regular Canada Goose Season in January and the one hundred seven (107) days preceding the final day, inclusive of the final day.

2. Daily bag limit is twenty-five (25). The possession limit is unlimited.

D. Ducks, Coots, Mergansers:

1. The season for ducks, coots, and mergansers shall be: The Friday preceding the second Saturday in October through the Monday following, for a total of four (4) days inclusive of the Friday opener. The Wednesday preceding Thanksgiving Day through the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day, for a total of five (5) days, inclusive of the Wednesday opener. The fourth (4th) Sunday in January and the fifty-one (51) days preceding, inclusive of the 4th Sunday.

2. Ducks - The daily bag limit is six (6):

a. Including no more than four (4) mallards of which two (2) may be a hen mallard, three (3) wood ducks, two (2) redheads, two (2) black ducks, one (1) pintail, two (2) canvasbacks, and a hybrid bag for scaup; one (1) scaup during the first (1st) forty (40) days of the duck season and two (2) scaup during the last twenty (20) days of the duck season and four (4) sea ducks singly or in aggregate, but not to exceed three (3) scoters, three (3) eider of which one (1) may be a hen, and three (3) long-tailed ducks. The possession limit is three (3) times the daily bag limit.

3. Coots - The daily bag limit is fifteen (15).

4. Mergansers (Common, red-breasted and hooded) - The daily bag limit is five (5);

a. Five (5) mergansers may be taken in addition to the regular duck bag of six (6) ducks.

5. Harlequin Ducks - The season is closed.

E. Brant - The season for brant shall be:

1. The final day of the duck season in January and thirty (30) days preceding the final day, inclusive of the final day.

2. The daily bag limit is one (1).

F. Swans - The season is closed.

G. Closed Areas

1. Providence, East Providence, Pawtucket - That portion of the Seekonk River north of the railroad bridge to a line across the Seekonk River running between the intersection of Gulf Road and River Drive (Providence side) to the southerly abutment of the railroad bridge at the outlet of Omega Pond (East Providence side), shall be closed to waterfowl hunting. The discharge of firearms while waterfowl hunting on the Seekonk River is restricted to discharge toward open water (seaward).

2. Warwick - Brush Neck Cove, so-called, in its entirety. Mill Cove, so-called, in its entirety, including the beachfront. Buttonwoods Cove, so-called, in its entirety.

3. North Kingstown - Mill Cove, Wickford, so called, in its entirety. Fishing Cove, Wickford, area west of a line to be determined bisecting Cornelius Island. All discharge of firearms while waterfowl hunting is restricted to discharge in an easterly direction from the above line. The Division of Fish and Wildlife will establish the line of demarcation.

4. Charlestown - Watchaug Pond and Poquiant Brook, or hunting within one hundred (100) yards upland of the shore or bank of same.

5. Tiverton - That unnamed estuary in Tiverton, north of Seapowet Avenue and east of Jack's Island, bounded on the west, south, and east shore by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island Emile Ruecker Wildlife Refuge, and as posted by Audubon Society of Rhode Island and Department of Environmental Management signs. The affected area includes the inlet of this estuary and marshland on the north side of this outlet.

6. Middletown - Sachuest Point (NWR) shoreline below mean high water to mean low water surrounding the National Wildlife Refuge property is closed to all hunting. No hunting along shoreline.

7. Lincoln/Central Falls - Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-49.1, discharge of a firearm within the Blackstone Valley Flood Plains or Marshes, also known as "Valley Marshes" is prohibited.

H. Additional Restrictions

1. Barrington - The Barrington River between Central Bridge at Massasoit Avenue and Barrington Bridge #123 at County Road is closed to hunting, except for that section on the river east of Puritan Avenue (41.745873° N, -71.309876° W) and west of the point southwest of Seabrook Court (41.744189° N, -71.306622° W). Hunting shall be restricted to the water areas below the vegetation line. Discharge of firearms while waterfowl hunting is restricted to discharge toward open water (seaward).

2. Bristol - Walker Island - discharge of firearms while waterfowl hunting is restricted to discharge toward open waters (seaward).

3. East Providence - Check local ordinances for restrictions. The discharge of firearms while waterfowl hunting is restricted to discharge toward open water (seaward).

4. Warwick - Rock Island and its adjacent groin extending northward off Narragansett Parkway. The discharge of firearms while waterfowl hunting is restricted to discharge toward open water (seaward).

5. Cranston - Washouset Point (Pawtuxet Cove) north to Fields Point including Stillhouse Cove, the discharge of firearms while waterfowl hunting is restricted to discharge towards open water (seaward). No hunting within five hundred feet (500') of occupied buildings (R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-13-7) from the shoreline or from a watercraft.

6. Little Compton - All waterfowl hunters must have the following to hunt the Simmons Mill Pond only in the Simmons Mill Management Area:

a. Waterfowl decoys;

b. A method of retrieval including but not limited to; a retrieving breed of hunting dog or a non-motorized vessel.

7. North Kingstown - Waterfowl hunting on Belleville Pond is restricted to the northwest segment of the large pond as designated by DEM signs. The discharge of firearms is restricted toward open waters. Waterfowl hunting is permitted after November 15 by Town Ordinance. Firearms must remain cased until individual reaches hunting area (Blind or boat).

8. Great Swamp - All waterfowl hunters must have with them a method of retrieval including but not limited to; a retrieving breed of hunting dog or a non-motorized vessel.

I. Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days - The last full weekend (Saturday & Sunday) in October.

1. Youth hunters must be twelve (12) to fifteen (15) years of age.

2. Youth hunters may take ducks, mergansers, coots, Canada and Cackling geese, light geese, and brant following daily bag and possession limits for the regular seasons. The scaup bag limit will be two (2).

3. All youth hunters shall hunt only in the immediate company of a qualified, licensed adult, twenty-one (21) years of age or older on Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days.

4. The accompanying adult(s) and all adults are prohibited from hunting on Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days.

5. All youth hunters and those adults accompanying youth hunters must have current Rhode Island hunting licenses and State Harvest Information Program (HIP) permits.

6. The accompanying adult must also possess a valid Rhode Island State Waterfowl Stamp and Federal Duck Stamp.

J. Tagging: No person shall give, put or leave any migratory game birds at any place or in the custody of another person unless the birds are tagged by the hunter.

1. Tags must include all of the following information:

a. The hunter's signature

b. The hunter's address

c. The total number of birds involved, by species

d. The dates such birds were killed

2. No person or business shall receive or have in custody any migratory game bird belonging to another unless such birds are properly tagged.

K. Non-toxic Shot Requirements

1. No person shall hunt, pursue, shoot or attempt to take waterfowl, rails, or snipe within the State of Rhode Island, including associated jurisdictional tidal waters which extend from mean high water to the seaward limit of three (3) miles, while possessing shells loaded with any shot other than non-toxic shot (e.g., steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-matrix, and tungsten-nickel-iron-shot) and other shot as approved by United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

2. All shot larger than BB is prohibited; including duplex loads containing shot larger than BB.

3. Tin shot is prohibited.

L. Allowed methods of taking and prohibited methods of taking migratory birds and waterfowl, are the same as set forth in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, 16 U.S.C. §§ 703 - 712, as amended, made under the provisions of an Act of Congress relating to migratory birds and waterfowl.

M. A Harvest Information Program (HIP) Permit is required for hunting all migratory birds. HIP permits are available through the online licensing and permitting system.

N. In addition, all hunters except youths ages twelve (12) to fifteen (15) must purchase a Federal Duck Stamp and Rhode Island State Waterfowl Stamp to hunt waterfowl.

O. Shooting Hours - Shooting hours for all waterfowl species are one half (1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset daily, unless otherwise specified.

P. Archery Equipment

1. All hunters using archery equipment to take migratory game birds must have taken and successfully completed a bow hunter education course. Crossbows are prohibited for taking of game birds. See R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-14-7(d).

250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-60-00-9.11

Amended effective 7/31/2019
Amended effective 8/2/2020
Amended effective 7/31/2021
Amended Effective 11/17/2021
Amended effective 7/31/2022
Amended effective 6/28/2023
Amended effective 8/2/2023
Amended effective 8/8/2024