Early goose season change proposal

[walleyewacker]

Go to the GFP HSOforum under administration and check out the new early goose season proposal to start both zones the second week in September. I think this is outragous and if you feel the same please leave a comment to the GFP because all public comments must be read during the public hearing. I could go on for a long time why I would hate to see this but here you go. Let me know what everyone else thinks because I really dont want to get anymore huntin time cut, early goose is my favorite season and I scouted or hunted 28 days last Sept so I make use of it and would be ticked to see it cut short.

[Rost]

Are they extending the goose season a week later in Dec then?

When is the proposed duck opener? Last year, a few of us emailed the commitee to start the duck season on September 29 (rather than the 22nd) and end it a week later in Dec. It sucks when the northern mallards show up a week after the season.

[walleyewacker]

I dont think I saw anything like that in the proposal but read it and tell me if I am wrong......you would sure think that would help. But that still would help the purpose of the early goose season....the data shows there are less hunters and more geese and more depredation problems every year. The people that are making these proposals are not dedicated hunters, anyone in the GPF will tell you that. I would be up for shifting the duck season 100%, I totally agree with you. That is an issue that needs to be discussed as well especially with the hunters choice bag limits, I would be in favor of a split season or later season. Goose doesnt end till late dec in the east so they are pretty well gone before that. At least we cant hunt till feb along the river.

[Take 'Em]

the whole issue of turning the early season sept 8 is totally talk! A buddy and i went through a ton of trouble to figure out why they where proposing the change for this season. the person reasposible for this is the state waterfowl biologist in brookings. hes a younger guy just tring to make a name for him self. we email him several times about the proposal. we want some data that backed up the change. he could never give us any the only reason he had was to make it easier. total talk again. After this we did a ton of are own research. and found a lot of info that would make one think that the season should either stay the same or be moeved up earlier. we found harvest data for the last five years for each county. the data showed harvest number were about the same but with more hunters. but they want to increase harvest. also found radio collar tracking study that was done in 2004-2006. this data showed that upwards of 30% of the local geese left the state between the second and forth week in aguast after they were done molting. most ending up in north dakota and canada. we showed both the biologist in brookings and watertown this and asked them to justify the proposal. they did not like this! the bottom line is that the ones that make the regulations sit in office all year, hunt only its great if at all. what makes the most upset is that state spends millions of dollars on research, but when it comes making decision like these they dont even care.

[walleyewacker]

You about took the words out of my mouth.....I agree 100% with everything you said. Would you happen to know Austin Dewitt(sp?). I placed my input on the subject. To be honest with you from what I had heard it is official now. The problem for me now is do I hunt MN that first week and actually do some huntin because I can or do I keep scouting and check fields for the 8th? Its hard to say what starting both zones on the same day will do to the pressure. It will spread out the hunters but at the same time there were a number in the south zone that didnt go north for the first and just waited. I imagine it will take at least some pressure off the north, that is where I will be going again regardless because I am more familiar with more areas up there and have had better luck in september No sense speculating now if it is done with but make sure we do as best we can to prevent any sort of trend with this decision and if the numbers speak loud enough maybe get it swtiched for next year again.

Have fun and get after em.