Misunderstood Regulations
Misunderstood Regulations
District Game Warden Erik Schmidt
When hunting any species of geese in North Dakota during the regular waterfowl season, the season runs from one-half hour before sunrise to 2 p.m. daily.
The exception to this law is on Wednesdays and Saturdays when geese can be hunted from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
In late November, Sunday is added to the list of days when geese can be hunted from one half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
The purpose is to take pressure off geese so they spend more time in state, allowing hunters more opportunities.
A few years back I was patrolling on a Sunday morning in October when I located a group of waterfowl hunters.
I made my way in behind them to watch their hunt.
From my position I was only about 100 yards behind their field shoot but due to the topography, I couldn’t see the hunters themselves.
What I could see was every group of birds that came in right on top of them.
Shortly after settling in, a flock of Canada geese committed to their decoy spread.
The birds were locked up and coming in fast when I lost sight of them.
This was going to be a good shoot I thought.
I waited for the volley of shots that never came.
Before I knew it, I could see the birds again and off they flew.
As the morning progressed, I watched as ducks shot by the hunters fell from the sky when they came in, but every flock of Canada geese was greeted with the silence of guns and geese honking as they flared and flew away.
Now it was a good hour or so into shooting light when I was set up on this group so I thought maybe they hit their goose limit early, or maybe they had a possession limit of geese back at the house, or maybe they just weren’t into shooting geese that morning.
Whatever the reason, geese committing to their decoy spread didn’t seem to have to worry about getting shot that morning.
When I saw one of the hunters going to get the truck, I contacted the group and proceeded to do a compliance check.
To my surprise, the group had their limit of ducks but not a single Canada goose.
When I asked why they had passed on so many opportunities on Canada geese one of the hunters responded by asking “I thought you can’t hunt Canada geese in North Dakota on Sundays.” Hearing this, I broke the news to him that it was legal to shoot geese until 2 p.m. on Sunday and showed him the regulations.
He had some choice words in a joking manner and we all had a good laugh at their multiple missed opportunities that morning.
If you’re ever in doubt about a North Dakota Game and Fish law, feel free to contact a North Dakota game warden.
We’re more than willing to clear up the confusion, maybe explain the basis behind the law and just maybe keep you from missing a hunting opportunity due to a misunderstanding.