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North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer^s July 26 signing of the North Dakota 2000-2001 Small Game and Furbearer proclamation provides a new Canada goose opportunity for North Dakota hunters. This year, a statewide early September Canada goose season is set for Sept. 2-22, according to Mike Johnson, waterfowl biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
This season is permitted under new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service frameworks allowing a September experimental season for Canada geese for the next three years. The season is intended to help control resident Canada geese populations.
The giant Canada goose population continues to expand statewide, with numbers at or above population goals. "The resident Canada goose population has increased substantially since water conditions improved in 1993," Johnson said, "and it continues to grow." The spring 2000 index showed 162,000 resident Canada geese, up from 104,000 last year.
The growing population has resulted in increased reports from landowners concerning depredation on crops and nuisance problems. An early season can specifically address these resident goose populations, Johnson said. "We believe this will help keep Canada goose numbers within population objectives, provide for increased sport hunting, and address depredation and nuisance concerns."
The department has liberalized regular Canada goose seasons during the past decade to contain resident goose population growth, including: increasing Canada goose hunting season length; allowing maximum bag limits; and eliminating Canada goose closure areas.
Game and fish held its first early Canada goose season last year in Sargent and Richland counties in southeastern North Dakota. "The season was considered a success," Johnson said. More than 1,000 hunters harvested an estimated 1,900 Canada geese during the early season.
This year^s early September season will have a daily limit of five Canada geese and a possession limit of 10. "We recognize a bag limit of five is new to hunters and might seem high," Johnson added, "but based on the growing population and past harvest figures, we don^t believe it will result in an over harvest. On the other hand, we hope harvest will be high enough to reduce numbers closer to objective levels."
Shooting hours will be one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily. The limits and shooting hours are different from the regular season, Johnson said. "The regular season regulations have not yet been established," he added, "although we expect them to be unchanged from 1999, which would mean a daily limit of three and a possession limit of six."
Waterfowl rest areas, which are closed to hunting during the regular season, will be open to hunters during the early September season. Most land in these rest areas is private land, Johnson noted, so hunters need to be aware that private land within rest areas could still be closed to hunting. Even though the early September Canada goose season in North Dakota has liberalized regulations, Johnson doesn^t want persons to underestimate the significance of this bird. "We need to reduce the Canada goose population," Johnson said. "However, we understand this trophy bird is an important resource respected by hunters and nonhunters throughout North Dakota."
All migratory bird hunters must register with the Harvest Information Program at 1-888-634-4798. Those who registered to hunt the spring light goose season do not have to register with HIP again, as it is required only once per year. Normal licensing requirements for the regular season, including a Federal Duck Stamp, apply to the September Canada goose season.
Uploaded: 8/16/2000
Uploaded: 8/16/2000