2009 Spring Light Goose Hunting Regulations

(Conservation Order)

Licensing on the Web and Telephone, Downloadable Applications, & Regulations

For North Dakota state laws go to www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/T201.html.

2009 Spring Light Goose Hunting Regulations (225Kb PDF)
2009 Spring Light Goose Hunting Proclamation (8Kb PDF)

• Residents must have either a 2008-09 or 2009-10 resident hunting license (fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate, and a combination license, or a small game, plus general game and habitat license).
• Nonresidents must have a 2009 nonresident spring light goose season license ($50). This license is valid statewide for the entire spring season, and does not affect the eligibility to purchase a nonresident waterfowl hunting license for fall 2009.
• Required licenses may be purchased through the Department’s Bismarck office, website, or toll-free phone licensing system (800-406-6409).
• All 2009 spring light goose hunters must register with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting. Resident hunters with valid 2008-09 licenses can get HIP registered through the Department’s website, or by calling 888-634-4798. Residents or nonresidents buying a new license can register with HIP through any of the Department’s three licensing options. HIP registration for the spring season is also valid for hunting migratory birds in fall 2009.
  • Check your HIP number if you have already registered.
  • Register with HIP.
• A federal waterfowl stamp is not required.
• Electronic and recorded calls, as well as shotguns capable of holding more than three shells, may be used to take light geese.
• Waterfowl rest areas designated for 2008 are not in effect during this season; however, private lands within a rest area may be posted.
• Nontoxic shot is required for hunting light geese.
• Driving off established roads and trails is strongly discouraged during this hunt because of the likelihood of soft, muddy field conditions, and winter wheat that is planted across the state. To encourage positive landowner/hunter relations, please seek permission before attempting any off-road travel. Sprouted winter wheat is considered an unharvested crop, therefore hunting or off-road travel in winter wheat is not legal without landowner permission.
• Wanton waste of migratory game birds. No person shall hunt any migratory game bird without making a reasonable effort to retrieve downed birds, and retain them in his/her possession until processing.

Only snow geese, blue geese, and Ross's geese are legal. The following graphics show some identification characteristics of these species.

	BLUE GOOSE (top) SNOW GOOSE (bottom)
	SNOW GOOSE ADULT (left), IMMATURE (right)
	BLUE GOOSE ADULT (left), IMMATURE (right)
SNOW AND BLUE GEESE: Snows and blues are medium-sized geese measuring 25-31 inches from beak to tail, and weighing 4-6.5 pounds. They are different color phases of the same species, and have the same harsh, high-pitched call. Adult bill is pink with whitish tip, and feet are pink. Immature bill and feet are gray. Adult snow geese are all white except for black wing tips. Immature snow geese are dusky white with black wing tips. Adult blue geese have a white head and slate gray body color with some white on lower chest and abdomen. In spring, immature blue geese have all slate-gray bodies but head may be white or gray. Wings are slate gray with darker tips in both adult and immature.

ROSS’S GEESE: Ross’s geese are identical to snow geese in coloration, but they have a shorter bill and neck, and are much smaller, weighing 3-4 pounds. Adults have a wart-like tissue at the base of the bill.

Learning to properly identify waterfowl before shooting is a hunter’s responsibility. Only snow geese, blue geese, and Ross’s geese are legal during the spring season, but Canada geese, white-fronted geese and tundra swans may be in the same area, or traveling in the same flock. Whooping cranes may also be present in the same area. A waterfowl identification booklet is available from the Game and Fish Department upon request.

THESE ARE NOT LEGAL SPECIES...

	TUNDRA SWAN: Tundra swans are large white birds with long necks, weighing 10-23 pounds, more than twice as big as snow geese. Unlike snow geese, they do not have black wing tips, but their black feet and bill are evident in flight.
	WHOOPING CRANE: Snowy white and stands more than four feet tall. In flight, its black wingtips are visible, its neck is extended and its long dark legs extend beyond the tail. It has a wingspan of 7.5 feet. Whoopers usually are found in small groups of seven or fewer.
ADULT (left) IMMATURE (right) Immature: No barring on breast, overall grayish in color, similar in appearance to immature blue geese.	WHITE-FRONTED GEESE: Medium-sized goose 27-30 inches long and 4.5-7 pounds. The body is grayish brown. Adults have black barring on breast and white on face around bill. Feet are yellow-orange. Bill is orange with adult showing some pink at base and tip. The call is a high-pitched ke-lee-lee-le. In flight the yellow-orange feet and black-barred breast of adults are evident.
	CANADA GEESE: Several subspecies ranging from 2.5 to more than 15 pounds. Has a dark brown back and sides. Chest and belly vary from brownish to pearl gray, with larger subspecies usually lighter. Head and neck are jet black with white cheek and throat patch. Bill and feet are black. The call is a deep-throated honk. In flight their black head and neck with white cheek and throat are evident.

Refer to the 2008 North Dakota Waterfowl Hunting Guide for additional information.  This guide is provided for informational purposes and is not intended to be a complete listing of regulations. If you desire specific information on regulations and laws, visit the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov (for season proclamations) or for North Dakota state laws go to www.legis.nd.gov/cencode/T201.html.

Top

Back