Limits

[Lip RIPPER!]

This topic may have been beaten to death already but I would like to hear your thoughts on the goose limits that are set for us. In the northwest zone where I hunt, we are allowed only 1 goose during the regular season. It really takes the fun out of it when you spend time setting up decoys and happen to get one 1 bird and then you are done. During the late season though we can shoot 5 and this is when there is a foot of ice on on every lake, river and pond. I know other areas of the state have great goose hunting during the late seasons but it just doesn't happen up in this area. Does anbody else hunt in this area under the same cirsumstances? If so, let's hear you thoughts.

[This message has been edited by Lip RIPPER! (edited 10-01-2002).]

[Guest]

Hey lip ripper,I hunt the west zone I go thru the samething!! The main reason they only have 1 is to protect the eastern prairie population of geese that migrate thru the western half of the state!! I really hate that they close it early!!! Usally the first part of nov. there is so many geese you don't know which way to look! I would like to see it stay open with a 1 limit thru out the season!

[Lip RIPPER!]

Thanks duckhunter. There are so many birds around that I think that is a crock. If I go about 15 miles to the east, the limit changes, so does the eastern prairie population know where the line is? Don't think so. I think something needs to get changed. There are a lot of frustrated goose hunters in this area. Anbody else have any thoughts? Thanks for the reply.

[ds]

Leave it to the DNR they keep complaing about als the geese that are around, and all the trouble they cause, so they have and early goose hunt, but then put a bunch of restrictions on, like no hunting on water, and you have to use steel shot, even though you might be 5 miles from any water. Then the limit drops again during duck opener, I also think they underestimate the Easter Prarie Goose number, I live around St. Cloud, and I saw lots of EP Geese.

[Fisher Dave]

ds...

I like to hunt geese in the early season myself. I am glad we cant hunt the water because that would likely push most of the ducks out before the duck season. The reality is I dont think too many of us would mind hunting the land primarily in the early season if it were easier to gain access to decent land for hunting. Its tough getting permission to hunt if you dont live in the area in most cases. The most of us dont have time to be running days on end trying to seal down permission in various locations. So either we are related, or know someone that knows the owner that can put us on land most the time. There are lots of us who would love to early season hunt but have no decent land to hunt... And not everyone enjoys going to LQP to * wait in line * to try to get into a state blind to be limited to 6 shells .. I dont see the point, especially for 1 goose.

I dont see any good reason for the 1 goose limit in the reg season at LQP. I lived in the area for a while around 8 years ago .. I'll never forget the *smog* from all the geese that died of disease that year due to too many birds confined in an area more or less. The disease was being spread by geese feeding .. on each others fecees (sp?) .. or *dump* in easier spelling words.

Nothing smells quite like a small mountain of dead birds that have been set a blaze .. I suppose thats one way to get rid of a bunch of birds .. natural causes ... but I would rather see the birds harvested and consumed than just go to waste.

[Michael8129]

Yes these limits make a whole lot of sense when you hunt on the border with SD which allows 3 geese per day the whole season and you watch geese get up on the Minnesota side fly over to SD and get there A** shot off while the season was either closed or limited. I asked the DNR about that and he said "Well that is the central flyway over there and we are Mississippi" Well don't those geeseknow who they are? LOL
Michael

[CANOPY SAM]

Heh Lip,
I agree completely! The rules need to be looked at a little more closely. It's a lot like having really conservative bag limits in the northern states where the birds move through in a flash, and having really liberal bag limits down south where the birds spend all winter.
Who are we spending DU, DNR, F & G tax dollars and donations to raise ducks and geese for? The northern part of the state gets ripped off - especially when the flight goes like it did in the last couple years and everything moves through in a couple days in November and never even stops for a rest!