Posted By:
jereme
Guest
09-21-2005 15:05
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Hey guys. It’s good to know I’m not the only one that can’t sleep in anticipation of the coming season.
I just read my Fall 2005 edition of Utah Pentales (Utah DU Newsletter). Page 9 has an article written up by Tom Aldrich, Migratory Game Bird Coordinator Utah DWR. It is titled “The Great Goose Debate” and it outlines the reasoning for the split season.
In a nutshell the article talks about there being 5 to 6 times the number of geese now wintering in Utah than we had in the 60s. The vast majority of geese stay in urban areas and parks through much of the hunting season and this adds to the declining goose harvest rates from year to year. In late January geese start to leave the urban areas and begin looking for suitable nesting areas for the coming months thus exposing them to being harvested.
The state is limited to a 107 day season by Federal rule and cannot extend it without delaying the opener or splitting the season.
Now the reason for picking the proposed closed dates……?
New Utah Waterfowl hunt forecast link below.
http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-09/waterfowl.html
Opening WMA conditions
http://wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl/forecasts/
On another note some buddies and I went up to Snowville this last weekend and shot Hungarian Partridge, Chuckars, doves, and cotton tail. It was a good warm up for my swing and follow through.
Posted By:
Braden-Mitchell
Web Member
Jackson Hole Wyoming 09-20-2005 22:20
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
The early season in Wyoming went pretty well. We had 8 people and we shot 17 geese over 2 days. Early season geese sure are a lot easier to fool than the wary late season honkers around here. We were disappointed to find out that half of the ranch we hunt on is going to be developed. The guy said that the lots will sell for about 10 million a piece, and those type of people aren’t usually too friendly toward hunters. Maybe the geese will overpopulate and defecate all over their yards. (can I say that on here?) Anyway, I need some serious practice with my wingshooting. I hope this season is good so that I can find my stroke again.
Take care and keep your face down,
Braden
Posted By:
cut emnova
Guest
09-19-2005 15:45
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braden,
how did the early season go up in WY?
Darren….daz3825@comcast.net
Posted By:
Braden-Mitchell
Web Member
09-18-2005 22:09
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We took the aiboat out on the Willard spur Sat 9/17 It is pretty tricky getting out of the canal, but once you get out the water level is good. We went out about 4 or 5 miles and then the water got really scarce. We saw a lot of birds. There is more vegetation than I have ever seen growing out into the middle of the lake. It will be interesting hunting from the reeds instead of laying in the open water in coffins. Last week my brother went out and said the goose numbers were way up as well. We did not see as many geese this week. I am hoping that now that the irrigation season is over, the water levels in the marshes will start to rise. Cut em, I have talked to a wide range of people about the split goose season, and they have all said the dates are all about the “money” clubs in box elder county. Anyway, I am already having a hard time sleeping at night and we still have 2 weeks.
Stay safe and keep your face down,
Braden
Posted By:
Kurt-Case
Guest
Bird Counts 09-18-2005 13:22
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Bird numbers are poor in the Uintah Basin Area right now. Very few Ducks anywhere. Does anyone have info on Bird numbers on the great Salt Lake Marshes.
Kurt zeke@bnads.com
Posted By:
cut emnova
Guest
09-16-2005 17:15
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kurt,
how is pariette looking this year? i shot a juvenile snow goose last year up there. but i agree on how strange it would be to see them up there this time of year.
heading up to idaho this weekend to check out some property i have permission to hunt this fall, i will let you all know how it goes.
Darren….daz3825@comcast.net
Posted By:
Kurt-Case
Guest
Snow Geese 09-15-2005 23:35
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I was in the Pierette Wetlands area today and watched about 200 Snow Geese this is a strange time to see Snow Geese.
Kurt zeke@basinnickelads.com
Posted By:
Kurt-Case
Guest
Goose Split 09-12-2005 16:46
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If you want to change things for next year now is the time to talk to your rac chairperson I have already spoken with Clay Hammond our area rac chairperson I keep a field journal that will speak facts not opinions.If you let your rac chairperson speak for you it carries alot more clout. Kurt
zeke@basinnickelads.com
Posted By:
cut emnova
Guest
09-11-2005 20:56
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jereme,
i have had the same gripe since i heard of the split season, from what i have heard, originally the break in the season was planned for early november or late october. in my opinion that would of been a “better” time to close the season, doing so i think would let the resident birds calm back down a little bit and hopefully move them back into the marsh and away from their newly acquired home (golf courses, local parks).
What i have gathered on some other forums is this.
Some of the “More expensive” (bear river) hunting clubs, usually end their hunting in late november early december due to their area freezing up, therefore the “money” clubs had a big fit saying that “their already shorter season would be even shorter if the split was during october or november”.
bottom line=MONEY TALKS.
I’ll still hunt here in utah, but not as much as in years past. Im heading up to Idaho most likely. Not only have i just acquired alot of private property to hunt on up there, including a farm that shares the banks of the Snake, but they seem to take care of the “average” joe more.
I dunno? i just might have been misinformed, but from the info i have gathered, the above reasons is the main reason for the dumb december split! hopefully the DWR proves me wrong.
WE WILL SEE!!!
Darren….daz3825@comcast.net
[Edited By cut emnova on 2005-09-11 20:58]
Posted By:
jereme
Guest
09-11-2005 10:31
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Just looking over the new 05/06 Utah Waterfowl Proclamation…… Hmmmm
Before I say anything that may seem harsh, let me say that I do think that those that decide what the season will shape up to be for Utah waterfowl hunters carefully take into consideration all available information.
With that said, Page 3 first paragraph under HIGHLIGHTS states that the goose season is now split. Not much of a shocker. Kurt (one of our valuable VFEs) mentioned this over a month ago. Yes it is only over a two week period, but it is the last sentence that really gets to me. How do you take two of the peak migration weeks for geese and say “This change is expected to increase harvest opportunity for hunters.” You don’t increase harvest by taking away peak migration days in the field. If we have a decline in goose numbers I would expect a more drastic change in bag limits, dates etc.
I should mention that the goose season closes statewide Jan. 29th a full two weeks later for zones 1 and 2 than it did last year. So from the hunters perspective approximately as many days in the field are available, we just loose potential peak migration times.
I guess I am just looking for a better explanation than “This change is expected to increase harvest opportunity for hunters.” I would like to know what the determining factors were for the change. Just not quite adding up for me.
Oh yes, changes for Pintail are in there also. Get the proclamation and read it.
Jereme
