Syracuse.com - Wanted: Stories about resident Canada geese and problems they cause in Central New York

[HuntingNY-News]

I'd like to hear from readers about their observations concerning resident Canada geese in Central New York and any problems they might be causing.

Prior to last month's Canada goose hunting season, which is designed to cull the number of Canada geese across the state, the state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a press release about the status of this bird.

"When DEC established the September goose hunting season in the early 1990s, New York's resident Canada goose population was estimated to be around 130,000 birds, but today we have more than 200,000 birds," Commissioner Martens said. "New York waterfowl hunters annually take more than 50,000 Canada geese during the September season, and we hope the changes adopted this year will enable hunters to take even more to help reduce the population."

Resident Canada geese are those that remain here throughout the year. They're different from those who migrate through each year from up north on their way to warmer climes during the winter. The reason the special season is in September is because in most cases the migration of the birds from up north has not started.

Among the changes in regulations, the DEC upped the daily take limit to 15 birds a day per hunter. (The previous daily take limit was . See the press release concerning this.

It seems, judging by comments from some readers of this blog, that some don't get or understand the extent of the problem -- and why the DEC has taken the actions it has.

I'd like to hear from readers about their observations concerning resident Canada geese in Central New York, places where great numbers congregate -- and specifically, any problems they might be causing.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog