Waterfowl hunters will find plenty of changes in this year's seasons, boundaries and bag limits. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has closed the season for canvasbacks, modified zone boundaries for Canada geese and bag limits for scaup, and expanded opportunities for wood ducks and Atlantic brant.

Waterfowl seasons are determined by states from a framework established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This year's federal guidelines permit a return of the 60-day duck season with a six-duck daily bag limit. Species restrictions and bag limits remain mostly unchanged except for canvasbacks, wood ducks and scaup. Wood duck limits have been increased to three daily and six in possession. Scaup bag limits have changed to two birds daily for part of the season and one bird a day for the remainder of the season. Three zones have been established for this year's Canada goose hunt: the Southern James Bay Population, the Atlantic Population and Resident Population.

Waterfowl restrictions are numerous and complicated. Find all the details at www.pgc.state.pa.us.

"Recent analysis of wood duck harvest rates and populations by [Fish and Wildlife] suggest wood ducks can tolerate more hunting pressure than currently exists," said Game Commission waterfowl biologist John Dunn. The closing of the canvasback season, he said, is due to a decline in the breeding population and poor habitat conditions in Midwest prairie nesting habitats. Changes in the scaup bag limits were also due to nesting problems.

"The breeding population estimate for scaup was 27 percent below the long-term average," said Dunn. "[Fish and Wildlife] is seeking a 25 percent reduction in the scaup harvest. ... To maintain the diving duck hunting tradition on important scaup harvest areas, such as Lake Erie, we were allowed to implement a hybrid scaup season composed of a two-bird bag for 20 consecutive days during the 60-day duck season."

Final approval from Fish and Wildlife is expected by late September. A Youth Waterfowl Day Sept. 20 is open to hunters 12-15 years of age who hold a junior hunting license.

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will hold one of six regional meetings on the agency's priorities, goals and strategic plan from 2:30-5 p.m. Tuesday at Four Seasons Ski Lodge at Boyce Park, Monroeville.

During an earnings report last week, a representative of Dick's Sporting Goods said ammunition prices might be soon going up. The retailer expressed concern that hunters might balk at the higher prices.

Last chance to throw your name in the hat before the Game Commission's special drawings for limited elk and bobcat licenses.

Elk hunters have until Friday to apply electronically for the Sept. 20 public drawing for 45 licenses. Bobcat hunters and trappers have until Sept. 2 to apply for the Sept. 12 drawing for one of 1,435 bobcat permits.

Applications for both drawings can be found at the Game Commission's Web site at www.pgc.state.pa.us.

Millvale Sportsmen's Club will hold a 3-D archery shoot Sunday.

Registration is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 724-935-9963.