ALBANY — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has set the tentative schedule for many of New York's 2009-10 waterfowl seasons, allowing hunters to plan outdoor activities well in advance.

As soon as the final federal waterfowl hunting regulations are known, the final season dates and other regulations for 2009-10 waterfowl seasons in New York will be posted on DEC's Web site and announced by a statewide news release. The agency advises that hunters confirm the final season dates before going afield.

Tentative dates for the September Canada goose seasons are:

Northeastern, Southeastern, and Western Zones: Sept. 1 to 25.

Lake Champlain Zone: Sept. 8 to 25.

Long Island Zone: Sept. 8 to 30.

The bag limit for geese during September is eight per day, with the exception of the Lake Champlain Zone, where the limit is five geese per day.

The September season is designed to increase the harvest of local-nesting or "resident" Canada geese, which are causing more problems every year. About 40,000 birds are killed annually by September goose hunters in New York, helping to slow the growth of populations wherever hunting is allowed.

Tentative dates for the youth waterfowl hunting weekends (Saturday through Sunday) are:

Northeastern and Southeastern Zones: Sept. 19 and 20.

Lake Champlain Zone: Sept. 26 and 27.

Western Zone: Oct. 10 and 11.

Long Island Zone: Nov. 7 and 8.

Tentative dates for the regular duck hunting seasons are:

Northeastern Zone: Oct. 3 to 11 and Oct. 23 to Dec. 12.

Southeastern Zone: Oct. 10 to 18 and Nov. 7 to Dec. 27.

Western Zone: Oct. 24 to Dec. 6 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 10.

Long Island Zone: Nov. 25 to 29 and Dec. 8 to Jan. 31.

Overall bag limits for ducks are expected to be the same as last year (six ducks per day), although changes to daily limits for a few species are possible.

Tentative dates for the regular fall Canada goose hunting seasons have not been determined, pending completion of population status assessments later this summer.

However, in upstate New York, excluding the Lake Champlain Zone, the regular Canada goose season is expected to open on Sat., Oct. 24, assuming that is the earliest date allowed by federal regulations.

For more information, visit www.dec.ny.gov/

outdoor/28503.html.