The Canada goose hunting season's third of four segments kicks off Dec. 16 and runs until Jan. 18.

With most area corn and soybean fields now harvested, they’re prime feeding fields for geese and ducks. And recently, large flocks have been putting down in the harvested corn fields in the area of Mechanicsville and Ringer roads in Whitehall Township. Further north, the corn fields near Leaser Lake are enticing geese from the lake and small farm ponds nearby. 

So far, hunting pressure seems to be low to non-existent despite having four hunting segments. 

The third of the four seasons for them gets underway Dec. 16 and and runs until Jan. 18. It’s followed by the final segment from Jan. 31-Feb. 22.
 
According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who monitors Canada geese populations, they estimate the number of Canada geese in the U.S. is around 3.2 million with a North American population of over 4.3 million. The population has increased dramatically during the past several decades. Resident Canada goose population exceeds one million in the Atlantic Flyway and 1.6 million in the Mississippi Flyway. Populations in these two flyways has increased an average of one and five percent per year respectively over the last 10 years. The population of resident Canada geese in the Central Flyway is close to one million birds. 

Why have they grown so much you may ask? 

Their increase has been attributed to Canada geese that live in mild climates with stable breeding habitat conditions. They’ve adapted to living in habitats found in suburban and urban developments and they fly short distances to winter compared with other Canada goose populations, said the USFWS. This along with high annual production and survival, the absence of predators and waterfowl hunting in urban areas, also increases survival rates. Given these characteristics, most resident Canada goose populations are continuing to increase in both rural and urban areas. 

This also brings up the problems they create such as denuding grassy areas like parks, pastures, golf courses, lawns and other areas where grass is kept short and where there are ponds, lakes and other bodies of water nearby. 

Goose droppings are also a health concern and have often contributed to temporary closure of public beaches plus degraded water quality. It’s easy to find these areas locally such as the parking lots at Leaser Lake, the walkways at Lake Muhlenberg in Allentown. They’ll also do their duty on high school football and soccer fields where players have to practice and play their games and of course, golf courses. . 

To hunt geese takes an investment in decoys to lure them down near you plus the time needed to scout fields they’ve been hitting to feed. 

As for ducks, their numbers are much lower. They too have a lengthy season as the North Zone season runs Nov. 19-Jan. 11. In the South Zone it’s Nov. 19-Jan. 18. 

FREE FLY-TYING COURSE OFFERED
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Hokendauqua Trout Unlimited organization is offering a fly-tying course beginning Jan. 4. It will run for eight consecutive Saturdays at Northampton Middle School. All materials and tools will be provided. The course is free and open to the public. For more information and to register contact Dale Ott at 610-7598 or check the organizations website at Fly Tying Course/Hokendauqua Chapter #535. 

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