Canadian Geese

Thanks. Personally, I'd like a year round season on the flying vermin. Maybe we should kill as many as we can and use them to feed the homeless!
 
IF you can get the city or town to allow it, they can be shot at public parks and water supplies due t a law change 2 years ago. On private property they are a federally protected migratory (ya right they never effn leave) waterfowl.

The Town of Wakefield woun't allow them t be shot, but spends 15 grand a year to have 2 dogs work a couple of hours a day to chase them back into the lake.. which does ZERO to curb the doubling of the population every 5 years and the diseases carried in their droppings.

My dogs will do it for 10 grand a year paid in Frosty Paw doggie hoodsies. My Border/Lab loves ducks, and the lab finds them to be entertaining as well

SHOOT THE effn things
 
Last edited:
Glockaholic said:
IF you can get the city or town to allow it, they can be shot at public parks and water supplies due t a law change 2 years ago. On private property they are a federally protected migratory (ya right they never effn leave) waterfowl.
Click to expand...

So, on private property you can't shoot them, but on public property you can?
 
Gary, small point but technically they are not Canadian Geese, they are Canada Geese. They really don't have a nationality.

[smile]
 
Garys said:
So, on private property you can't shoot them, but on public property you can?
Click to expand...

Pretty much

Wakefield was going to oil the eggs in the nest, smothering them before they could hatch, but making the mother think she was sitting on a viable egg so she wouldn't pop out another one, but we found out it was illegal without a federal permit.

Then a couple of years ago they changed the law so that they could be taken under the authority of state/local governments without Federal permits IF they were near reservoirs, public parks,etc.

I found this, I may have been mistaken about the time frame where it is allowed in a previous post

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...iv8&view=text&node=50:6.0.1.1.4.5.1.2&idno=50

also this:
**********

November 21, 2005

Management of Canada goose outlined in EIS


The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the release of a final Environmental Impact Statement that outlines various alternatives to reduce, manage, and control resident Canada goose populations and reduce related damages.

Of the alternatives, the Service's proposed action will allow state wildlife agencies, landowners, and airports more flexibility in controlling resident Canada goose populations.

The Service took this action in response to widespread concern about overabundant populations of resident Canada geese, which can damage property, agriculture, and natural resources in parks and other open areas near water.

“Resident Canada geese populations have increased dramatically over the past 15 years,” said Service Director H. Dale Hall. “These high population levels have been shown to cause problems for natural and economic resources, and we believe increased local management with national oversight is the best approach to reduce conflicts and bring the population under control. Through this approach, the Service will continue working to expand and protect hunting opportunity while providing airports, private landowners, and State and local officials the tools they need to address resident Canada goose issues.”


“Resident Canada goose management is particularly challenging because of the diversity of society's perspectives regarding the year-round presence of these birds, but the growth of these resident populations causes problems that compel population management,” said John Cooper, president of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. “The Service worked closely with the State fish and wildlife agencies in the development of the strategies reflected in the rule to provide a full suite of options to the states to manage resident populations. We sincerely appreciate that close engagement by both the Service and the State fish and wildlife agencies and look forward to continued close cooperation with the Service.”

During the last 10 years, the resident Canada goose population in the Atlantic flyway has increased an average of 1 percent per year to more than 1 million birds. The Mississippi flyway has seen a growth of 5 percent per year to 1.6 million birds.

The preferred alternative in this FEIS consists of three main program components. The first component creates four specific control and depredation orders for airports, landowners, agricultural producers and public health officials. These orders would be targeted to address resident Canada goose depredation, damage and conflict management.

Presently, State and Tribal fish and wildlife agencies or their authorized agents, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Service division, need a Federal permit issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service to control resident Canada geese where they are causing conflicts with public resources. These new orders will allow take of resident Canada geese without a federal permit provided agencies fulfill certain reporting and monitoring requirements.

The second component consists of expanded hunting methods and opportunities and would be targeted to increase the sport harvest of resident Canada geese. Under this component, States could choose to expand shooting hours and allow hunters the use of electronic calls and unplugged shotguns.

The third component consist of a new regulation authorizing a resident Canada goose population control program, or Management Take. Under Management Take, the take of resident Canada geese outside the existing sport hunting seasons (September 1 to March 10) would be authorized and would enable States to authorize a harvest of resident Canada geese during the August 1 through August 31 period. These dates are important because wild migratory Canada geese have not arrived from the breeding grounds in Alaska and Canada.



The agricultural depredation order, the expanded hunting opportunity and the Management Take component of the FEIS will not include Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Utah and parts of

Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and New Mexico. Only State wildlife agencies and Tribal entities in the Atlantic, Central, and Mississippi Flyway could implement these components for resident Canada geese. The Pacific Flyway requested these states not be included because they have fewer issues with resident Canada geese. For agricultural issues, states in the Pacific Flyway will continue to apply for federal permits.

The Service received more than 2,900 submitted written comments on the 2002 draft EIS and more than 400 people attended 11 public meetings across the country. Written comments were received from 2,657 private individuals, 33 state wildlife resource agencies, 37 non-governmental organizations, 29 local governments, 5 Federal/State legislators, 4 Flyway Councils, 4 Federal agencies, 3 tribes, 3 businesses, and 2 State agricultural agencies.

Based on comments on the draft EIS, the Service modified the perferred alternative by removing some areas from some components of the program (Pacific Flyway States), adding some affected publics (airports), and changing some of the program administration (State administration to Federal administration).

For the most part, resident Canada geese generally stay in the same area or migrate only short distances. There is no evidence that resident Canada geese breed with migratory Canada geese that nest in northern Canada and Alaska. The rapid rise of resident Canada geese populations has been attributed to a number of factors. Key among these is that most resident Canada geese live in temperate climates with relatively stable breeding habitat conditions.

They tolerate human and other disturbances, have a relative abundance of habitat such as mowed grass and waterways, and fly relatively short distances for winter compared with migratory Canada goose populations. The virtual absence of waterfowl hunting and natural predators in urban areas provides additional protection to those portions of the resident population.

Expansion of existing annual hunting season and the issuance of control permits have all been used to reduce resident goose numbers with varying degrees of success. While these approaches have provided relief in some areas, they have not completely addressed the issues.
 
I am surprised that no one else has asked this question yet.

What gun/round do you use/recommend for Canada Geese?

Next on Regis and Kathy: My best Canada Geese recipes.
 
I hunt geese from September till February and the best load is 3 or 3.5in BB loads with a modified choke. Get them in 25 yard range and aim for the white patch.
 
They taste ok. Not the best but I suppose it depends on how you cook them.

These two came in our duck spread and responded to calls. They dropped after a 20 yrd shot with 3" #2 steel.

With geese, hitting them in the chest will usually do nothing as they have some very thick down padding them. Shots are generally high too. I found that you need to bring them down with wing shots (look at the second one on the right) and then dispatch them with a followup or grab them then they are down.

geese.jpg
 
Last edited:
IIRC, there are two different seasons for geese here in MA. The early season is for resident geese and the late season is for resident and migratory.
 
Close M1911 - there's actually 3 seasons listed

Early season = Sept and bag limits are high
This is to help drop the non-migrating birds

Reg season = late Oct to Jan
Bag limits are small to help the migrating population

Late season = Jan to Feb and bag limits again go up to get rid of the locals

There are more details & specifics but this is the basics. Check the MA DWF regs for more info

Good steel loads are #2 & BB's - 3" BB's has them land tits up inside of 35 yards. I have no use for 3.5" loads, too many pellets to pick out.

Outside of 35 yards to about 45 yards can be iffy - I lead through them and try to hit them in the lips.

There are other loads out there that do not use steel but I haven't tried them - no need if you know your range and are where they want to be...
 
Serves me right for not checking the Mass Wildlife web site [laugh]. Thanks for the correction, Sprocket. I wasn't aware of the late season.
 
I didn't realize others on this board hunted geese as well. We should consider planning a hunting group for the early season next year. We'll wear golf shirts and bermuda shorts. Geese flare when they see camo.
 
Glad to help out 1911

Here's a link - follow to migratory regs
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regulations/abstracts/abstracts.htm

We hunted in long sleeve tees and almost shorts - funny hunting geese wearing spring turkey gear - something not quite right there - we laughed about it

as for a forum hunt - do you really think a waterfouler would give up a field? Better odds on finding a trout fisherman mention a hole or finding an AR at last years prices...
 
FPrice said:
Gary, small point but technically they are not Canadian Geese, they are Canada Geese. They really don't have a nationality.

[smile]
Click to expand...

Canada geese may be Canadian, depends upon where they were born. Then they would be Canadian Canada Geese.

Not all Canada Geese are Canadian and not all Canadian Geese are of the Canada variety.
 

Similar threads

Getting rid of some geese
Replies
25
Views
1K
whacko
whacko
Coyotes kill Canadian woman
Replies
7
Views
1K
Maj. Boom Boom
Maj. Boom Boom
Back
Top Bottom