ALBANY – Hunting season for Canadian Geese is set to open on Tuesday, September 1, throughout most of the state, according to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos.
Seggos also announced that in addition to the season’s start, for the first time DEC has incorporated the Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration into the DEC Automated Licensing System (DECALS) licensing system.
HIP is a federal legal requirement that began in 1991. Anyone who hunts migratory game birds, including woodcock, must have proof of participation whenever they go afield. Failure to carry proof is a violation equal to hunting without a license. HIP provides the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) with a national registry of migratory game bird hunters from which they can select participants for harvest surveys. Only a small percentage of HIP participants will be selected for harvest surveys, which will be mailed to them by the USFWS. This information helps USFWS and DEC monitor the harvest of migratory game birds and is used to establish annual hunting regulations. To register for HIP, log-in to DEC’s online licensing website and complete the listed steps.
“New York’s resident Canada goose population remains above our population goal throughout the state,” said Commissioner Seggos. “The state’s goose hunters are partners in DEC’s efforts to manage the resident goose population and reduce their negative impacts on property owners and public health. September goose seasons provide hunters with an excellent and early opportunity to get out and pursue resident geese before most other hunting seasons begin.”
“Resident” Canada geese are those that do not migrate significant distances to breed in northern Canada. Typically, resident geese are the birds commonly associated with nuisance situations in urban and rural areas. Over the past 25 years, New York’s estimated resident Canada geese population has grown from 80,000 birds in 1995, to more than 360,000 today.
The September Canada goose season occurs in all goose hunting zones except the Western Long Island zone. All upstate areas open September 1 and run through September 25. Canada goose seasons in the Central and Eastern Long Island zones begin on the Tuesday following the Labor Day holiday (Sept. 8, 2020) and run through September 30. In the Western Long Island zone, the season opens on October 10.
The September season includes liberal bag limits (eight to 15 birds per day, depending on zone), extended shooting hours, and other special regulations to maximize hunter success. Additional information about waterfowl hunting regulations, season dates, hunting area boundaries, and bag limits can be found on DEC’s website.
For a list of ways to purchase a hunting license, visit DEC’s website.
