geese

Sharons numbers sound about right. A good year is to lose 35+% of the breeding population with that number regained or lost in the next breeding season. This includes natural and hunting losses

If Stubblebum sees this post he probably has the DU reports for waterfowl recrutment from year to year.

I wonder if these number reflect total numbers or just resident birds ? We probably have a huge increase in number in Oct Nov when the migration passes through. I have read that Ontario is the largest harvester of Canada geese in North America which I found hard to believe with the number of hunters in some US states I guess we are just good hunters

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Originally Posted by Hardcoreducks

I wonder if these number reflect total numbers or just resident birds ? We probably have a huge increase in number in Oct Nov when the migration passes through. I have read that Ontario is the largest harvester of Canada geese in North America which I found hard to believe with the number of hunters in some US states I guess we are just good hunters

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I would have figured one of the US states would have had a higher harvest rate with the number of hunters and guides.

I was talking to a friend if mine in Tennessee about waterfowl hunting.. He said a lot of people don't like hunting for geese.. For sport.. They prefer ducks.. However they will hunt geese to help out a farmer if requested, but they don't go looking for geese.

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Originally Posted by topher

I was talking to a friend if mine in Tennessee about waterfowl hunting.. He said a lot of people don't like hunting for geese.. For sport.. They prefer ducks.. However they will hunt geese to help out a farmer if requested, but they don't go looking for geese.

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Your friend is mistaken, many people target geese.

-Nick

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hardcoreducks

I wonder if these number reflect total numbers or just resident birds ? We probably have a huge increase in number in Oct Nov when the migration passes through. I have read that Ontario is the largest harvester of Canada geese in North America which I found hard to believe with the number of hunters in some US states I guess we are just good hunters

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I heard Minnesota.

seems to be that guys in the northern especially north central to north east really get after the geese...I think in general a lot of states have shorter seasons than we do as well...I don't know how the MNR tracks these numbers....I don't know about you but they never asked me how many I harvested...I know of the CWS Migratory bird survey, but those are random and probably don't account for many hunters...not to mention the are doing the bird count during mid migration...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hardcoreducks

I wonder if these number reflect total numbers or just resident birds ? We probably have a huge increase in number in Oct Nov when the migration passes through. I have read that Ontario is the largest harvester of Canada geese in North America which I found hard to believe with the number of hunters in some US states I guess we are just good hunters

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I too would think they are referring to resident birds only for population and the harvest would include both resident and migrators.

As for Ontario being the largest harvester I am not surprised... look at our landmass and hunting population compare the the tiny size of many states. Plus we get to hunt them when they are stupid, after we are done with them and they move south only the educated ones are left. Kinda like hunting Snows in the spring, by the time they come back to Canada they have been hunted for 6 months, its not like hunting stupid birds.

What are the bag limits down in the states? Are they mainly hunting the James Bay Migrators where there might be a two bird limit like some areas in Ontario or are they hunting local populations like many areas in Ontario with the 5 to 10 bird limits? Our generous bag limits in most areas could be what increases our numbers?