# 15 Goose Limit for North Dakota



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

*Increased Bag Considered for Early Canada Goose Season*

The State Game and Fish Department is considering an option to increase the daily limit for the early Canada goose season from eight to 15, following recent action by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regulations Committee.

The service regulations committee is allowing an increase in the bag limit from last year in response to recommendations from North Dakota and South Dakota to allow greater harvest on resident Canada geese. "A daily limit of 15 would give hunters an opportunity to take more birds when they are available," said Randy Kreil, wildlife division chief for the Game and Fish Department. "We are looking at every option we can to increase hunter harvest of our resident Canada goose population."

Game and Fish first held an early Canada goose season in 1999. Since then, the open area and season length have expanded.

In 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service authorized states to expand their resident goose management seasons into August. While the season could open as early as Aug. 1, most landowners and hunters are comfortable with starting a couple of weeks after that, to allow for small grain harvest to open up stubble fields for hunting. In addition, weather conditions are generally more favorable for hunting as the month progresses.

Until last year, the daily limit in the early season was five, and last year Game and Fish increased the limit to eight, which under federal regulations was the maximum allowed during the September portion of the early season.

"Our resident goose population is at record levels," Kreil said. "We understand that nearly doubling the early season daily limit isn't going to double the harvest, but it certainly would help increase the harvest."

The small game proclamation that will set season dates and limits for the early goose season will not be finalized until late July. The season is tentatively set to open Aug. 15.

Last year the early Canada goose season opened Aug. 13 and ran through Sept. 15, except in a special Missouri River zone where the season closed Sept. 8. The seven fewer early season days in the Missouri River zone are added to the end of the regular goose season in December.


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## Anas Strepera (Nov 10, 2004)

Does anyone have easy access to the early season goose harvest year by year?

I'd be willing to bet that the harvest was higher in the early years when the season opened September 1st and the limit was five. They're losing out on hunter participation by watering down the season by opening it earlier and upping the limits.


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## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

Anas Strepera said:


> Does anyone have easy access to the early season goose harvest year by year?
> 
> .


Not the early season, but overall harvest...

http://flyways.us/regulations-and-harve ... est-trends


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Though it would be fun there is no way I can use that many geese. It gets to the point where it just promotes wanton waste.. I'm happy to go out and get 3-5 per outing. Thats about all I can handle.


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## CrazyWalsh81 (Nov 30, 2011)

I'll be making jerky for weeks...


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## Finlander (Jul 3, 2012)

Got to buy more goose loads!!! :sniper:


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## 6162rk (Dec 5, 2004)

more promotion of wanton waste!


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## Gunny (Aug 18, 2005)

Think Jeff Foiles is pizzed?


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## coyote sniper (Apr 15, 2009)

With a limit like that to bad we can't get rid of our plugs also. If it actually materializes.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

If they want to have people hit the 15 per guy mark they need to let us use extentions too. A 15 bird limit would be more realistic with more fire power.


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## EllendaleND (Dec 25, 2011)

Does anyone know if we can have 2 guns in the blind? That might solve some of our problems.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

You can have any number of loaded guns in your blind. It becomes a safety issue.


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## coyote sniper (Apr 15, 2009)

pretty sure that by the time ya swapped out guns they would get out another 30 yrds min on ya. they sure cover the distance in a hurry!!!!!


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## ATA BOY (Feb 14, 2007)

6162rk said:


> more promotion of wanton waste!


YEP!


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

shooteminthelips said:


> If they want to have people hit the 15 per guy mark they need to let us use extentions too. A 15 bird limit would be more realistic with more fire power.


Not really........3 birds per flock x 5 flocks = 15 birds............You just probably won't get it done in an hour ...... It might take me a little longer..... sometimes 3 shots is all I can get off with my double................


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## FLOYD (Oct 3, 2003)

I like to go as much as anyone, but honestly I feel like things are getting a little out of hand here. Do we really need to shoot 15 geese per person? Do we really need to be out there when there's still yolk dripping off their beaks? If others get into that, more power to them, but for some reason this whole subject and the direction its taken the last few years has kind of caused me to sour on it.

So now we're going to have groups laying out in stubble fields until noon, trying to scratch out every last bird they can, meanwhile all 30 geese they have laying around their blinds are completely rotten and of no use after laying in the August sun for 4 hours. Lets be honest, limits would be tough to come by for the most part.

Another thing is that if we throw a 15 bird limit on the early season, I would think that would act like a gigantic magnet to all the MN guys. Hard to believe there won't be utterly countless groups from MN running around trying to get a bonus trip (or three) in. Honestly if the early goose season is going to turn into a s&*t show like the late season sometimes does, I think this guy will just keep the boat out for a while longer.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

FLOYD said:


> I like to go as much as anyone, but honestly I feel like things are getting a little out of hand here. Do we really need to shoot 15 geese per person? Do we really need to be out there when there's still yolk dripping off their beaks? If others get into that, more power to them, but for some reason this whole subject and the direction its taken the last few years has kind of caused me to sour on it.
> 
> So now we're going to have groups laying out in stubble fields until noon, trying to scratch out every last bird they can, meanwhile all 30 geese they have laying around their blinds are completely rotten and of no use after laying in the August sun for 4 hours. Lets be honest, limits would be tough to come by for the most part.
> 
> Another thing is that if we throw a 15 bird limit on the early season, I would think that would act like a gigantic magnet to all the MN guys. Hard to believe there won't be utterly countless groups from MN running around trying to get a bonus trip (or three) in. Honestly if the early goose season is going to turn into a s&*t show like the late season sometimes does, I think this guy will just keep the boat out for a while longer.


I agree with most everything you said.....However, the 15 bird limit isn't for us, it's for the farmers. Nobody needs to shoot 15 geese everytime they go out during early season. But the point of the early season is to bring local goose populations down. Apparently a 5-8 bird limit wasn't cutting it, so now we're looking at 15...

Also, yes, it will soon turn into a major gong show. I would suspect next legislative session all of ND will be opened up to NRs for early season, not just the 7 counties. Then ND will become the circus SD is during the early season.

Last year I hunted very little during early season due to late harvest and other opportunities. I will continue that trend. Since the inception of early goose, and with the exception of last season, I loved the peace and quiet it offered and hunted during it quite a bit. It was a nice break from our regular season **** show. Now it's becoming more and more like a Spring snow goose season, and I don't care to participate anymore.


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## FLOYD (Oct 3, 2003)

Yep, I'm right with you.....I was going to mention the farmers in my first post but I was sick of typing.

I would say I'm somewhat skeptical about whether or not hunter harvest can have a significant impact on resident goose numbers in ND. I personally don't think there are many people who will harvest any more per day than they always have. Certainly there will be those who do, I'm just saying I don't know that the net difference in harvest will be much vs. an 8 bird limit.


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## teamflightstoppersND (Feb 20, 2009)

My best early season hunts had the opportunity to shoot more that 8 birds per person, and we could have easily shot 10-15 birds per person. Most of the time my hunts were a challenge to shoot a full limit with a bunch of guys. This limit allows those who can and want to take a larger amount of birds. If hunters do not shoot these birds then the farmers will shoot them and let them lay. I rather see hunters try to shoot and eat as much meat as they can. Who knows the game and fish might even be forced to perform some non hunting population control if the birds are not reduced.


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## BigT (Feb 19, 2008)

SD allows the birds to be donated to a processor whole in order to promote higher harvest. It gets processed and turned to the food banks. There is no reason to waste the birds you shoot with this opportunity. Maybe ND should look into it


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## mntwinsfan (Oct 8, 2010)

IMO, there will not be that many limits shot in ND or SD. I don't think bumping the limit will change the total harvest. Mother nature is what will lower the breeding population.


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## hwdeuce (Apr 6, 2010)

IMO i think canada geese will be just as bad as snow/blues population is in 10-20 yrs from now


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## FoldEmXtreme (Jan 3, 2010)

This early season provides a great opportunity to introduce youth to the sport we all love so much. I don't think I will have to worry much about the proposed limit, we typically hunt in smaller groups these days and don't worry too much about quantity but focus on quality of the hunt. With that said I enjoy a fast and furious hunt and have no issue with the early season or the bag limits. I like to pile up a bunch of honkers just like the next guy!

Good luck to all of those out there chasing next month, and introduce some people to the sport especially youth while the weather is not freezing and wet and you can show them a great time getting giants feet down right on top of them.


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## mshutt (Apr 21, 2007)

FoldEmXtreme said:


> This early season provides a great opportunity to introduce youth to the sport we all love so much.
> Good luck to all of those out there chasing next month, and introduce some people to the sport especially youth while the weather is not freezing and wet and you can show them a great time getting giants feet down right on top of them.


I couldn't have said it better myself! This is absolutely the best time to get youngsters out! I guarantee some of your "group" dont like going when its 80 degrees at 9 am in a stubble field, but I guarantee any youngster out there will have way more other things flying through his head than the heat and mosquitos!

I've taken out many youngsters the past 4 youth weekends, and every time they ask when the next time they can come out and hunt with me again...the phone calls from the parents are never fun though.."my boys all they talk about is goose hunting this and goose hunting that, they want these decoys and these coffin looking things to hide in and calls and ammo and flags..they dont shut up about killing geese!" maybe those calls are actually kind of fun to get!


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

I think it is a good thing. Not just for guys who really love to bag geese. Most of the time 15 birds won't be taken by every hunter. The important thing to remember is that you get to help out the guys who are kind enough to allow you to hunt. The early season is referred to as a "nuisance" hunt for a reason. The geese are causing trouble. Shoot the snot out of them and make lots of hamburger (really good with a little bacon ground in!). Don't feel guilty about it if you or others can use the birds. Just because it is more than some folks want to keep, doesn't mean that there aren't others who don't want/need them. I used to give a good number of them to a family of ten. Now one of them hunts the geese with me. As long as they go to use, it all good. Looks like I need to save some gas money and take up my friends who keep inviting me...even if it is "only" the eight bird limit! :thumb:


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## teamflightstoppersND (Feb 20, 2009)

Anyone hear an official update on the ND opener date?


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## snow123geese (Feb 3, 2008)

My buddy was talking to a warden the other day and the warden said it was going to open the 15th. They need to get this stuff figured out earlier. I'm trying to plan a trip but have no official dates in front of me!


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## ValleyHunter (Jun 19, 2012)

Im not sure why they wait til the very end of the month to decide. and why do they wanna open it on the 15th...in the middle of the week...really? would it hurt to move it to the saturday before??

but all is good, just an extra day to :beer:


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