3/19/2007

New Federal Goose Management Rule Will Have No Impact on 2007-08 Waterfowl Seasons in Illinois

Permits from IDNR still required for nuisance goose control

IDNR to review new federal goose management rule

SPRINGFIELD, IL – A new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service final rule on Canada goose management will have no impact on the upcoming 2007-08 waterfowl hunting seasons or nuisance permit procedures in Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has decided not to implement any changes in Canada goose permit procedures for 2007. All current Canada goose permit procedures in Illinois remain in effect and state permits are required for all lethal goose control activities, including nest and egg destruction. In the meantime, the IDNR will continue to review the new options available for dealing with issues related to Canada geese in the state.

“Some hunters and landowners in Illinois may have heard or read about the new federal rule and believed we would be immediately changing the way we manage goose populations, but Illinois is keeping current regulations in place for now,” said John Buhnerkempe, chief of the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources. “We will review the new rule and decide in the future whether to recommend any changes in Canada goose management.”

In August 2006, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a record of decision and final rule on resident Canada goose management, which took effect last September. The rule is intended to give states additional options for managing human-goose conflicts. The options are divided into three main components:

1.) A series of depredation orders which will allow airports, landowners, agricultural producers, and public health officials to take Canada geese and their eggs without a federal permit, provided reporting requirements are met;
2) States may choose to allow the use of expanded hunting methods for geese, including unplugged shotguns, expanded hunting hours, and the use of electronic calls during early September seasons;
3) The creation of a management take program which would allow the harvest of Canada geese during the month of August.

An important provision of the final rule is that state wildlife agencies like the IDNR will make final decisions on which components of the new rule to implement. States can choose to implement all, some, or none of the provisions contained in the final rule.

The earliest a state could use the August management take program would be in 2008. Any changes that might be implemented in the coming years regarding hunting season dates or methods of take in Illinois would be intended to deal with human-goose conflicts, not merely to provide more recreation opportunities. Only those areas of the state with significant problems regarding Canada geese will be considered.

“We want to emphasize that at this time the IDNR has made no decisions on which provisions, if any, of the new rule to implement,” Buhnerkempe said. “Our staff will continue to review the rule and consider making changes to current practices. But for now, current Illinois regulations and permit requirements remain in place.”

In addition, no changes in Canada goose hunting regulations for the 2007 September season will take effect until further notice. Hunters in Illinois must continue to use plugged shotguns and cannot hunt geese using electronic calls or hunt geese after sunset during the 2007 September season.

Anyone with questions regarding Canada goose management should call the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources at 217/782-6384.

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