# Why No Early Goose Season?



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

There are plenty of resident geese in the Northern part of the state.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

I'm totally with you. A nice late August or early sept would be great.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

A couple blocks from home, I watched a wheat field last night that had 250+ geese.

It would be interesting. The problem I see (where I am at any ways), is that the dove hunters always bump a lot of them back to the lake or golf courses all through September.. Wouldn't want it shortening the urban zone extended dates either.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

utahbigbull said:


> A couple blocks from home, I watched a wheat field last night that had 250+ geese.
> 
> It would be interesting. The problem I see (where I am at any ways), is that the dove hunters always bump a lot of them back to the lake or golf courses all through September.. Wouldn't want it shortening the urban zone extended dates either.


The regular season could have a longer split to accommodate for the early season. This way the extended urban zone would not change.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Not against the longer split. Id like to see it go to the end of February ;-)


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

I love the idea of a longer split. February hunting would be awesome, but September is hot and I would rather have extra days later if I had to choose. 
Hunting geese in September, while wearing short pants and a camo tank top seems odd, but then again, I once shot some geese while wearing nothing but my underwear during one warm October day a few years back.
R


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

A longer split would help eliminate more of the urban geese. The birds don't start showing back up on the WMA's until late January and early February. I don't know how many guys would support this though, most seem to like to hunt when it's warmer.

I would only support a early goose season if the WMA's were included in the boundary. Most guys don't have private ground to hunt, and they would lose goose hunting days in the marsh.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

We'll get you on some fields this winter Rob. Just seen this article in yesterdays paper. Glad Rich took over the OB area and is doing all he can to keep growing the goose hunting up here.

http://www.standard.net/Environment...-mean-early-fall-migration-officials-say.html


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Fowlmouth said:


> I would only support a early goose season if the WMA's were included in the boundary. Most guys don't have private ground to hunt, and they would lose goose hunting days in the marsh.


I don't necessarily disagree with that opinion (I know I don't want to be locked out of any of my goose season), but I think many of our local ducks would get pushed out of Utah before we could hunt them if the WMA's opened up early for goose season. I'm sure the opening week of an early goose season would be nearly as crowded as the duck opener is, and I doubt the ducks would care for the disturbance and the boat traffic.

I'm with all of those who think the dark goose season should go later into February. Things really started to get good right as last year's urban zone season closed.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

I'd love an early goose season - I just drove past a field with 200+ honkers in it and would love to have a crack at them in late August instead of early October. Where I live, the crops get harvested around the second week of August, and by the time the goose season opens, a lot of the fields have been picked clean and the geese are constantly hopping fields trying to find food.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Rich's quote is funny. Val was an unusual guy. And Rich loves geese.


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## MuscleWhitefish (Jan 13, 2015)

Simple Solution. 

Drive to Wyoming and hunt geese during labor day weekend. 

Early Season: September 1st -7th


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

MuscleWhitefish said:


> Simple Solution.
> 
> Drive to Wyoming and hunt geese during labor day weekend.
> 
> Early Season: September 1st -7th


I have done the Wyoming early season. A lot of private property to deal with, at least where we went.


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## MuscleWhitefish (Jan 13, 2015)

Fowlmouth said:


> I have done the Wyoming early season. A lot of private property to deal with, at least where we went.


There are quite a few places to shoot geese, but I can see how that would go.

Flaming Gorge and Fontenelle have a few geese wondering around... 

I have my eyes on a few spots on the river.


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## brettb (Aug 23, 2009)

I spoke with Tom Aldrich about having an early goose season a few years ago, I think it was his last year on the job. He said it was dependent upon numbers of breeding adult pairs. He said that Utah has a fair amount of geese, but that stat was too low to allow an early season.

That was a few years ago and it sounds like the RMP Goose is doing quite well. But I would also prefer to have the season run later in February. Too many other things to hunt in September


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

brettb said:


> But I would also prefer to have the season run later in February. Too many other things to hunt in September


I would also prefer to have the season run later in February. I don't know what the hold up is on this. Maybe certain clubs that only hunt geese during certain months? I believe there are a few in the Northern zone that work like that. I'm not aware of any South shore clubs that do it that way.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

An early goose season would accomplish one thing. Push geese out of Davis County and into Salt Lake County golf courses and parks that much sooner. 

If you want an early season goose shoot drive north of the boarder. Pick a area buy some landowner maps and start knocking on doors. Meet some friendly people and have gravy on your fries. It isn't that expensive of a trip when you freelance. 

(Warning) If you do go. Turpin and the Turpin flow will loose its luster.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I have never done the early season there, but I have done the regular season and you are correct about the luster. It is inexpensive for the quality of hunting you get.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Fowl, there are no geese in Hooper this time of year anyways. I have permissions on this field but come October and latter, I'll never see anything in it.


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