Laws

Canada geese are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which means that federal authorization is required in order to kill, capture, hunt, breed, handle, harm, sell or move them permits (USFWS, n.d). The following summaries are intended to describe federal and state laws pertaining to Canada geese. The full contents of each law can be found within the code of federal regulations.

Code of federal regulations

Title 36- Parks, Forests, and Public Property PART 2—Resource Protection, Public Use and Recreation §2.2-Wildlife Protection In all U.S. parks holding, handling, feeding, touching, or killing wildlife is a violation of federal law (National Park Service (NPS), n.d.). Hunting and trapping of wildlife is permitted with federal authorization only, and equipment must be in accordance with federal regulations (NPS, n.d.).

Title 50- Wildlife and Fisheries §21.49-Control order for resident Canada geese at airports and military airfields This control order grants permission to all U.S. airports to create and employ Canada goose management programs if they are determined to be a danger to aircraft operation (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), n.d.). The programs may include a variety of management techniques including harassment, trapping, egg oiling, and lethal methods, so long as more than one method is used (GPO, n.d.) The use of each method must adhere to time frames when they are authorized (GPO, n.d.). Egg and nest management can only occur between March 1 and June 30 of each year, while capture, the use of pharmaceuticals, trapping, and other lethal methods can only occur from April 1 to September 15 (GPO, n.d.).

Title 50- Wildlife and Fisheries §21.50- Depredation order for resident Canada geese nests and eggs This depredationorder grants permission to people who own land privately or publicly to manage resident Canada geese on their property through the destruction of eggs or nests (GPO, n.d.). Landowners and staff can only engage in such practices after registering for a permit online (GPO, n.d.). Depredation techniques can only be used to protect people or property and cannot be used if they have a negative impact on species listed under the Endangered Species Act (GPO, n.d.).

Title 50- Wildlife and Fisheries §21.51- Depredation order for resident Canada geese at agricultural facilities This depredation order grants permission to agricultural facilities to employ non-lethal and lethal management strategies in order to mitigate harm to agriculture related properties (GPO, n.d.). Egg and nest management can only occur between March 1 and June 30 of each year, while capture, the use of pharmaceuticals, trapping, and other lethal methods can only occur from May 1 to August 31 (GPO, n.d.).

Title 50- Wildlife and Fisheries §21.52- Public health control order for resident Canada geese In this public health control order, permission is granted to wildlife departments in state and Tribal governing bodies to utilize non-lethal and lethal management strategies for resident Canada geese if it is determined that they are hazards to public health (GPO, n.d.).

Hunting Regulations

The following is a summary of hunting information for Canada geese on Long Island and is not extended to be exhaustive. Visit the NYSDEC website for complete details. Hunters wishing to hunt Canada geese on Long Island must abide by federal guidelines regarding equipment (GPO, n.d.). Hunting geese also requires that the hunter be registered with the Harvest Information Program so that the USFWS can select people to take harvest surveys (USFWS, n.d). The survey information contributes to data regarding the species and quantities of birds that are being harvested (USFWS, n.d). Registration can be done by phone by calling 1-888-427-5447 or visiting www.ny-hip.com (NYSDEC, n.d.). Hunters must also use ammunition that is not poisonous to birds and abide by bag limits (NYSDEC, n.d.). The seasons in which hunting Canada geese is allowed may change from year to year, and there are four areas on Long Island where hunting geese is permitted (NYSDEC, n.d.). Each of the areas has very specific boundaries which divide them, and the hunting season varies between each one (NYSDEC, n.d.). The areas are Western Long Island, Central Long Island, Eastern Long Island, and Special Late Hunting Area, which is smaller than the former three and lies within the Central Long Island Hunting Area (NYSDEC, n.d.).

A timeline of hunting regulation changes for hunting Canada geese on Long Island

1981

Bag Limit: 3 per day (Bryant, 1981) Notable season changes: Accor ding to an ar ticle published in the New Yor k times in 1981, the NYSDEC extended the hunting season by 20 days to prevent Canada geese from settling in one area for too long (Lederer, 1981).

1994

1995

Bag Limit: 1-3 per day (Lederer, 1981)

Notable season changes: Accor ding to an ar ticle published in the New Yor k times in 1994, the bag limit for migratory Canada geese started out as just one for the beginning of the season, then increased up to two or three by the end of the season, because the migratory Canada goose population had decreased (Lederer, 1981)

Bag Limit: N/A Notable season changes: The fall hunting season for migr ator y Atlantic Population Canada geese was suspended in most states in the Atlantic Flyway, including New York, due to population declines (Dunn & Jacobs, 2000)

1996

1998

2002

2004

2013

Bag Limit: Unknown Notable season changes: The fall hunting season for Atlantic Population Canada geese was suspended due to population declines, with the exception of selected states which were permitted to hold special seasons for resident geese (Snow & Rose, 1996). On Long Island, hunting Canada geese was permitted in only one area in Nassau County (Kellerman, 1996).

Bag Limit: Unknown Notable season changes: Accor ding to a 1998 New Yor k Post article, the Long Island zone was one of a few areas in New York State where the fall hunting season for Canada geese was not suspended (Moran, 1998).

Bag Limit: 2 for some ar eas in New Yor k (Long Island unconfir med) (Mor an, 2003)

Notable season changes: Nine goose hunting ar eas wer e cr eated for New Yor k to specify where Canada geese could be hunted (Moran, 2004). Previously, hunters could choose locations to hunt Canada geese within the five waterfowl hunting zones (Moran, 2004).

Bag Limit: 8 per day (Moran, 2004)

Notable season changes: Incr eased bag limit of eight geese per day (Mor an, 2004). Bag Limit: 15 per day (NYSDEC, n.d)

Notable season changes: Sever al changes wer e made to this hunting season in the name of attempting to reduce resident Canada goose population numbers (NYSDEC, n.d). The bag limit was increased from 8 to 15, daily hunting hours were extended, and the use of additional specified types of hunting equipment was allowed (NYSDEC, n.d)