Truely Sky Carp ~ No Possession Limit

Hunters can hunt Canada geese in west-central Minnesota from Saturday, Aug. 8, through Sunday, Aug. 23, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Individual hunters are allowed to shoot up to 10 Canada geese per day, but there is no limit to the number of Canada geese a hunter can possess.

“The state’s Canada goose population remains high, and the August management action is one way to control goose numbers,” said Steve Cordts, waterfowl specialist for the DNR. “This harvest helps limit the amount of damage the birds cause to crops in the western portion of the state.”

The August goose harvest will open only in the intensive harvest zone in west-central Minnesota, with shooting hours from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. A small game hunting license, special goose permit and state waterfowl stamp are required. A federal waterfowl stamp is not needed; however, it is required to hunt geese and other waterfowl beginning in September.

This is the third year the DNR has held an August goose management action.

“Last August, about 5,500 hunters harvested about 21,000 Canada geese, compared to 24,000 in 2013,” Cordts said. “Factors like weather and progress of small grain harvest tends to affect hunter success.”

The DNR in August will announce details of fall waterfowl seasons, including the September Canada goose season that runs from Saturday, Sept. 5, through Tuesday, Sept. 22, and the regular Canada goose seasons that tentatively begin Saturday, Sept. 26. Season dates and more information on goose hunting can be found at http://www.mndnr.gov/waterfowl.

Here’s a dumb question: Why do people call them Sky Carp?

Because there’s so many of them?
They are a nusence and like carp in our waterways, they can do a lot of damage to the field crops.

IF that’s a dumb question, I have the dumb answer.

That was actually the perfect answer Brian. Time to collect some bands.
DT

Anybody know any decent public land around the cities? I live too far away to do any scouting of my own. Not looking for anyone’s honey hole just a place where I might be able to shoot a few.

goosehunter wrote:

Anybody know any decent public land around the cities? I live too far away to do any scouting of my own. Not looking for anyone’s honey hole just a place where I might be able to shoot a few.

I don’t, but the August season is only in the intensive harvest area which doesn’t include the twin cities. Might touch the very west border. Have to look closely at the map if you find a spot to go. I don’t know the western suburbs at all.

I’ve been asked to do some population control in the northwest metro with my archery tackle. I’ve passed because I don’t want to deal with the residents who might be tree huggers. And quite frankly, it would be more like target practice than hunting. These stupid things let you walk right up to them.

Lots of fields have been harvested in western MN. I’m assuming all wheat. If I wasn’t heading to pool 2 this weekend I would be good to go. Maybe have to get a couple weekday hunts in.
DT

I noticed the same thing on my way home from Mille Lacs yesterday in central MN. Every harvested field had 3-4 family groups in it too. Makes me want to get the shotgun out already.

kooty wrote:

I’ve been asked to do some population control in the northwest metro with my archery tackle. I’ve passed because I don’t want to deal with the residents who might be tree huggers. And quite frankly, it would be more like target practice than hunting. These stupid things let you walk right up to them.

But as long as you’re doing it legally, so what if somebody objects?

They won’t stay stupid for long anyway. It might be easy to whack the first one, but they smarten up quickly and have long memories. I know one guy who couldn’t shoot the geese that were camped on his dock and lakeshore property due to city regs, but he COULD at least zap them with a paintball gun because there were no restrictions on using one of those on private property.

So he opened season with paintballs, but he only got one good “hunt” in before the geese got smart and spread word around. So after that there was geese sitting on every dock and lawn except his. Something of a victory, but geese are wary as all getout.

Grouse