There is plenty of time to fill your freezer with Canada Geese this winter. In addition to the regular season, which has been open in parts of Indiana since October 15 and doesn’t close in the Ohio River Zone until January 31, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has again decided to offer a late season for hunting Canada Geese.
The late season runs Feb. 1-15 in the following 30 counties: Steuben, LaGrange, Elkhart, St. Joseph, La Porte, Starke, Marshall, Kosciusko, Noble, DeKalb, Allen, Whitley, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Hendricks, Marion, Hancock, Morgan, Johnson, Shelby, Vermillion, Parke, Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, and Greene.
Few things, calculus included, are more confusing than trying to understand Canada Geese seasons in Indiana. First of all, the state is divided into three waterfowl zones: North Zone, South Zone and Ohio River Zone. Secondly, all three zones have multiple seasons. Early seasons have come and gone, and we are now in the regular seasons. Late season in select counties is still coming.
The North Zone is defined as, “That part of Indiana north of a line extending east from the Illinois border along State Road 18 to U.S. 31; north along U.S. 31 to U.S. 24; east on U.S. 24 to Huntington; and southeast on U.S. 224 to the Ohio border.” The Canada Geese season in the North Zone is currently open until Jan. 8, 2012. It reopens Jan. 14, 2012 – Jan. 17, 2012.
The Ohio River Zone is defined as, “That portion of the state south of a line extending east from the Illinois border along Interstate 64 to New Albany; east on State Road 62 to State Road 56; east on State Road 56 to Vevay; along State Road 156 along the Ohio River to North Landing; north on State Road 56 to U.S. 50; and northeast on U.S. 50 to the Ohio border.” The Canada Geese season in the Ohio River Zone is currently open until Jan 31, 2012.
The South Zone is defined as, “That portion of the state south of the North Zone boundary and north of the Ohio River Zone.” The Canada Geese season in the South Zone is currently open until Jan. 26, 2012.
The reason the DNR has elected to hold another late season is to, “…control the population of the breeding “giant” subspecies of Canada geese around urban areas, a common issue in Indiana and surrounding states.”
“In 2011, the state issued late-season Canada goose permits to 3,906 hunters, and 2,577 of them hunted,” said DNR waterfowl biologist, Adam Phelps.
According to the DNR, Indiana hunters harvested 6,500 Canada geese during the 2011 late season, 800 more than in 2010, according to estimates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The total late season harvest for Indiana across all four years is estimated at 25,400 geese.
To legally hunt the late Canada Geese season in one of the selected 30 counties, a hunter must possess a valid hunting license, Indiana waterfowl stamp privilege, signed federal duck stamp, and a HIP (Harvest Information Program) number, and a free late-season Canada goose permit. The free permit is available at hunting.IN.gov , by phone (317-232-4200), or at any state Fish & Wildlife Area, field office, or reservoir during regular hours in January.
See you down the trail…
