Wisconsin's youth waterfowl and regular season Canada goose hunt set to open
With Wisconsin's first ever early teal season complete, waterfowl
hunters are reminded that Wisconsin's regular Canada goose seasons and youth
waterfowl hunt will begin soon.
Regular season Canada goose hunting in the Exterior and Horicon zones opens
Monday, Sept. 16, followed by a statewide two-day youth waterfowl hunt on
Sept 20 and 21.
Youth Waterfowl Hunt
The youth waterfowl hunt<http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/youth.html> provides
boys and girls age 12-15 (or those 10 or over hunting under the mentored
hunting law) with an opportunity to learn valuable hunting skills from an
adult without the pressure encountered during the regular season.
During the youth waterfowl hunt, normal season bag limits apply. All license
and stamp requirements are waived, although participants still need to be
HIP registered (free of charge). If youth hunters would like to hunt geese
during the youth hunt, they will need to possess a goose permit for the zone
in which they are hunting. Licensed adults may also hunt geese, since the
regular goose seasons are open during these dates.
"While many youth enjoy this special hunt alongside a parent or relative,
each year many are able to participate solely because a family friend,
neighbor, or volunteer mentor was generous enough to take the time to teach
them safe and ethical hunting," said Kent Van Horn, DNR migratory game bird
ecologist.
While mentoring is a great way to learn more about waterfowl hunting, the
department's Learn to Hunt waterfowl
clinic<http://dnr.wi.gov/education/outdoorskills/lth.html> provides another
opportunity to learn more about the sport.
Regular Goose season
In 2014, resident Canada goose breeding numbers are similar to recent years.
With the addition of improved production from Ontario breeders, hunters
should have ample opportunities this year, and will again enjoy a full 92
days of hunting in the Exterior zone with a two bird daily bag limit.
"When combined with the 15-day early Canada goose season, this puts
Wisconsin at 107 days of Canada goose hunting," said Van Horn. "Wisconsin
takes great pride in being fortunate enough to allow the maximum season
length allowed by international treaty and provide a number of quality
hunting opportunities."
Van Horn reminds Exterior and Horicon zone hunters that opening day shooting
hours for ducks (9 a.m.) also applies to goose hunters during the regular
season duck opener in each respective zone.
Exterior Zone Canada goose seasons
The Exterior Zone Canada goose season is as follows:
* Northern Zone - Sept. 16 to Dec. 16;
* Southern Zone - Sept. 16 to Oct. 12 and Oct. 18 to Dec. 21; and
* Mississippi River Subzone - Sept. 27 to Oct. 5 and Oct. 18 to Jan. 8.
It is important to note that the goose season is closed during the duck
season split in both the South Zone (closed Oct. 13-17) and Mississippi
Subzone (closed Oct. 6-17).
Horicon Canada goose season
The Horicon zone Canada goose season has two time periods:
* Horicon Period 1 - Sept. 16 to Nov. 2; and
* Horicon Period 2 - Nov. 3 to Dec. 16.
The daily bag limit for Canada geese in the Horicon Zone remains at two, but
in 2014 the season harvest limit has been increased to 12 total Canada
geese.
New in 2014, the Horicon Zone boundary has changed. Areas west of Hwy 73
and north of Hwy 23 are no longer part of the Horicon Zone, and are included
within the Exterior Zone. Also new for the Horicon Zone, hunters who
harvest a goose must punch/slit the permit for the date of kill with the
total not to exceed the season limit.
Hunters are required to report each goose harvested in the Horicon Zone
within 48 hours, by calling 1-800-99-GOOSE (1-800-994-6673). This system is
similar to reporting in the Exterior Zone and the Early Canada goose
seasons.
For information on-the-go using your mobile device, check out the official
DNR hunting and fishing application to gain access to useful fishing,
hunting and wildlife watching information. Users are able to easily locate
great places to enjoy the outdoors and view on-the-spot species profiles,
rules, regulations, and permit and license details. For more information,
visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords "mobile
apps<http://dnr.wi.gov/mobileapps/>."
First-time waterfowl hunters and those who have not hunted in the last ten
years are reminded to purchase a discounted first-time
buyer<http://dnr.wi.gov/permits/residentlicense.html#residenthunting>
license. For more information, search keyword
"license<http://dnr.wi.gov/Permits/>."
Waterfowl hunters are reminded to carefully identify all birds before
shooting during early Canada goose and teal seasons. Both wild swans and
whooping cranes are protected species in Wisconsin and illegal to shoot.
Young trumpeter and tundra swans (or cygnets) are grayish and may be easily
mistaken for a Canada goose or snow goose.
The best way to distinguish each species is through call identification.
Observers have described the trumpeter's call as resonant, deep, loud, and
trumpet-like. The snow goose has a high-pitched, quavering call. More tips
and photos to help identify swans are available through Identifying Swans
[PDF].<http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/documents/swancomparison.pdf>
For more information regarding youth waterfowl and Canada goose hunting in
Wisconsin, search keywords "youth
hunt<http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/youth.html>" and
"waterfowl<http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/hunt/waterfowl.html>" respectively.