MINUTES

BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Telephone Conference Call Meeting

Friday, July 24, 1998

10:00 a.m.

The telephone conference call meeting of the Board of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 24,. Notice of the date, time and place of the meeting was posted and mailed to the news media. Dr. George Graham presided over the meeting. Board Members present by telephone included Tommy Miller, Campbell Coxe, Edwin Oxner, Mary Pope Waring and Edward Lee. Board Member Marion Burnside was present at Rembert C. Dennis Building, Room 335. Dr. Paul A. Sandifer and staff members of the Department of Natural Resources were present by telephone and at Rembert C. Dennis Building, Room 335.

I. Call to Order

Chairman Graham called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.

II. Items for Board Action

A. 1998 Early Teal Season

Chairman Graham read the recommendation of staff concerning the proposed season.

"The staff recommendation is to accept the offer from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to have an experimental early teal season in South Carolina for a period of three years for evaluation and to have this season in accordance with guidelines. It will be considered an experimental season and the Department will be required to conduct 15 spy blinds during the season each year to evaluate the success and problems associated with this experimental early teal season in the Atlantic Flyway. Staff have recommended that South Carolina accept this offer beginning in 1998 and running for three years and the proposed season be accepted during the window between September 1 and September 30 for nine days from September 18 through September 26, 1998, that the season in South Carolina be held east of Highway 17 only, that shooting hours be from 30 minutes before sunrise until 12:00 noon, and the limit be 4 teal with legal birds being all species of teal."

Mr. Miller made a motion that the Board accept staff recommendations on the early teal season with the following amendments:

1. To make the season statewide.
2. To open each day of the season at official sunrise rather than 30 minutes before.

Mr. Lee seconded the motion. After several questions were addressed and much discussion, Mr. Miller called for question on the motion and the motion carried unanimously.

III. Adjournment