Waterfowl hunters in South Dakota won’t have much time to regroup between seasons this year.
The Canada goose hunting season in Unit 2, which includes many of the counties on either side of the Missouri River, ends on Friday, Feb. 9. The next day, Feb. 10, marks the statewide start of the Light Goose Conservation Order.
The Light Goose Conservation Order continues through May 8. Species legal to harvest include snows, blues and Ross’ geese with a daily limit of 20 and an unlimited possession limit.
The same requirements and restrictions of the regular state waterfowl seasons apply with these exceptions:
Electronic calls may be used.
Shotguns capable of holding more than three shells are allowed.
Shooting hours are slightly longer in the evening, going from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset.
Except for the Wall Lake Game Bird Refuge in Hand County, Silver Lake in Hutchinson County, and the waterfowl refuges on the Missouri River that include lakes Oahe, Sharpe and Francis Case, the taking of light geese is allowed on state game, game bird and waterfowl refuges. Some refuges include private land and hunters must get landowner permission to hunt in those areas. Some federal refuges may allow light goose hunting in a portion of the refuge. Check with the specific refuges for details.
Resident license requirements include a 2007 combination or small game license plus the South Dakota Migratory Bird Certification. Nonresidents need a spring light goose license. The cost of the state migratory bird certification is included in the price of the nonresident license. A federal waterfowl stamp is not required for this season.
Licenses are available from license agents around the state. To see a listing for those agents or to purchase a license online, go to the department’s Web site at www.sdgfp.info.
The harvest of light geese during the conservation order has averaged 89,617 annually for the past eight years. The conservation order is part of an ongoing effort in the U.S. and Canada to reduce the mid-continent population of light geese that is causing degradation to arctic Canadian breeding grounds.