2014, are we looking at another August season?

[Night Hawk]

I really think to accomplish what the DNR is trying to accomplish that a number of things should change to meet the goal better and arguably sooner.

-Get rid of the August season and open it Sept 1
-Ease up on the bag limits and possession limits
-Half hour after sunset would put a demise to alot more geese in the early season
-Pull the plugs for the guys that can and do get into the larger flocks
-Offer some sort of city/metro hunt. All the guys that are asking where all the birds went havent went into town yet and seen the neighborhood ponds and run off areas.

These are just a number of ideas that I have discussed with the DNR. Im not advocating for all of them, but willing to look at all options. One thing to note(and im sure i ll be corrected if im wrong) is the August season is run by the state. Once Sept 1 comes around the Federales run the show.

This conversation is always a fun one to see pan out

[maplelakeduckslayer]

The state needed to get approval from the Feds to hold the season...so they had to approve limits, framework, etc. As far as half hour after sunset, that'd be nice. Unplugged guns...well most flocks in August/Sept are in smaller family groups so not sure that would be very beneficial. May lead to a few more birds in the bag. Also, the whole reason for the August season is to target birds in Western MN before they migrate west to the Dakotas before their full on migration. You are absolutely right that birds in the burbs go into the city...and having city hunts may help but the only way they can target the geese in western mn is to shoot them before they migrate west. That was the whole point of opening an August season. Having said that, not sure why the boundary came so far east into MN.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

I really think to accomplish what the DNR is trying to accomplish that a number of things should change to meet the goal better and arguably sooner.

-Get rid of the August season and open it Sept 1
-Ease up on the bag limits and possession limits
-Half hour after sunset would put a demise to alot more geese in the early season
-Pull the plugs for the guys that can and do get into the larger flocks
-Offer some sort of city/metro hunt. All the guys that are asking where all the birds went havent went into town yet and seen the neighborhood ponds and run off areas.

These are just a number of ideas that I have discussed with the DNR. Im not advocating for all of them, but willing to look at all options. One thing to note(and im sure i ll be corrected if im wrong) is the August season is run by the state. Once Sept 1 comes around the Federales run the show.

This conversation is always a fun one to see pan out

I would agree with most of those. I don't think no plugs would be a good idea however. To me, that usually just causes sails and cripples more often because you're lucky to get three solid shots off at a flock let alone 5.

[Night Hawk]

Both good responses...Thanks

Could the three states come together and do a "no boundaries" August season? Crazy...yes but if the intent is to kill geese that aught to give everyone plenty of opportunites to do it.

The other thing I would like to see is a list of farmers/Corps/idividuals who have accepted funds for waterfowl destruction. It would essentially be run exactly like the land owner permits for deer. You take the funds you make the list and its published on the DNR website. Whether or not they let you hunt IS UP TO THEM, but it allows for hunters to contact the people having the problems.

[Waterfowlist]

If they wanna get rid of them, make the limit in the regular season ten the whole time, that would help.

[Night Hawk]

The problem with that, is those arent the birds that need to be killed. At that point your knocking off migrators instead of residents. Its the resident population of geese that they are trying to thin

[emptymag]

This years August hunt was a joke. Theres about 2 fields to shootem in. After the first day most birds were pushed into town. Sept season was also slow. Lots of birds unwilling to leave town/refuge.

[Gordon]

I'm pretty sure the August season allowed shooting until 1/2 hr after sunset.

[h2ofwlr]

Ease up on the bag limits and possession limits

-Half hour after sunset would put a demise to alot more geese in the early season
-Pull the plugs for the guys that can and do get into the larger flocks

One thing to note(and im sure i ll be corrected if im wrong) is the August season is run by the state. Once Sept 1 comes around the Federales run the show.

I think it already is for Aug. It will not happen more so in Sept as there are migrating geese into MN by then. They want to target locally raised geese which are the problem. EG: Not to target EPP and other populations raised elsewhere.

Not sure during the reg season that they can allow the 1/2 hr after sunset and no plugs. I think it states something in the Migratory Treaty Act, but I may be mistaken.

Nope--they both run it all the time.

Also, the whole reason for the August season is to target birds in Western MN before they migrate west to the Dakotas before their full on migration.

not sure why the boundary came so far east into MN

I'm not so sure about that. Since when has MN cared about the Dakotas or vice versa? The main reason is to target birds that were nesting and eating crops in May/June here in MN. Would there be a dividend of less geese going to the Dakota's? Yes, but it is a secondary factor, not the primary factor for having the special season.

I am thinking to target the problematic birds in the Hutch/Willmar region that are eating the crops in the spring.

Could the three states come together and do a "no boundaries" August season?

The other thing I would like to see is a list of farmers/Corps/idividuals who have accepted funds for waterfowl destruction.

Good luck with that cooperation

Good idea, if they accept predation payments, then they must allow hunters to hunt in Aug and Sept seasons.
Here in the metro the DNR forced the cities to accept hunting (if a viable option) to receive permitts to trap and remove problem geese like at parks. Same principle.

If they wanna get rid of them, make the limit in the regular season ten the whole time, that would help.

It will not happen becuase of the influx of non local birds into MN in that time frame.

[Gordon]

Overall, I'd have to say that it's just too tough to come to any real conclusions of an August season's effectiveness after only one year. I'll be looking to shoot 'em in the face come Aug '14.