No September Canada goose season means more days during regular season

One change in Kansas hunters’ waterfowling opportunity this year is the decision to forego a September Canada goose season.

The season was originally created to help control resident Canada goose populations in urban areas around Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City. However, the harvest of Canada geese during the September season has been very low – well below 1,000 birds taken annually – since it was initated. There was even some sentiment expressed that hunting pressure during the September season moved some geese back into those cities, thereby aggravating the problems associated with these birds, explains Marvin Kraft, waterfowl project leader for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

At the same time, Kansas hunters’ harvest of Canada geese during the regular season later in the year has grown. Since 2002, Kansas hunters have taken about 100,000 Canada geese annually during regular season, more than any other state in the Central Flyway. Other Central Flyway states include Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service this year allows a Canada goose season length up to 107 days. KDWP recommended, and the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission, at its August 16th public hearing approved using all of those days during the regular season. The regular season this year is Oct. 28 – 29 and Nov. 8 through Feb. 18, 2007. In addition, young hunters participating in the two-day youth waterfowl seasons may hunt Canada geese.

Kansas hunters and other interested persons are invited to visit the KDWP blog to comment on this change.

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