Late goose

[Duckgtr]

Do people not hunt late goose season because of the test or the just simply not know where to go? It is a very enjoyable part of the season especially since there isn't constant blasting around as during the regular season. I had a pretty good season for late goose compared to last year that not only resulted in a few honkers but we also got a couple "rare" ones like a speck and a few snows.

[hunt4life]

Where does all this late goose take place? Where I’m from late goose lands ya on king 5 news!!

[h2ofowlr]

Where does all this late goose take place? Where I’m from late goose lands ya on king 5 news!!

In SW Washington in Zones 2A / 2B they have a late season goose that starts in Feb. and runs through first week of March.

[Mfowl]

Less participation because the hunts must occur on private property. Public lands are not open or available to hunt during the late goose season.

[h2ofowlr]

Less participation because the hunts must occur on private property. Public lands are not open or available to hunt during the late goose season.

I think that part changed slightly.  You can confirm this in the regs.  You can't hunt on WDFW owned property for late goose.  Public lands on the Columbia or various navigable waterways between high and low water mark are fair game to the best of my knowledge.  This was a recent change.

[Mfowl]

Less participation because the hunts must occur on private property. Public lands are not open or available to hunt during the late goose season.

I think that part changed slightly.  You can confirm this in the regs.  You can't hunt on WDFW owned property for late goose.  Public lands on the Columbia or various navigable waterways between high and low water mark are fair game to the best of my knowledge.  This was a recent change.

Good to know, I hadn't realized that changed.

[Duckgtr]

4 geese out of the pictures were taken on my lease. The others were on legal property that anyone could hunt.

[ballstothewaal]

Less participation because the hunts must occur on private property. Public lands are not open or available to hunt during the late goose season.

I think that part changed slightly.  You can confirm this in the regs.  You can't hunt on WDFW owned property for late goose.  Public lands on the Columbia or various navigable waterways between high and low water mark are fair game to the best of my knowledge.  This was a recent change.

I wish I would have looked into this!

[Duckgtr]

Less participation because the hunts must occur on private property. Public lands are not open or available to hunt during the late goose season.

I think that part changed slightly.  You can confirm this in the regs.  You can't hunt on WDFW owned property for late goose.  Public lands on the Columbia or various navigable waterways between high and low water mark are fair game to the best of my knowledge.  This was a recent change.

I wish I would have looked into this!

Its a fun time. Getting to the spot setting up and then hanging out until about 9 or so when the geese fly.

[MonstroMuley]

Never knew about it ... property access and the Zone 2 Goose "Dusky" ID Test!
Thanks for the post and update Duckgtr!  You've got me pumped for next late season... and hopefully can participate...

WDFW Goose Mgmt Area 2 Identification & Testing
https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/canada_goose/

Even after taking the Training and Passing the Test ... How do you guyz tell the difference between a Dusky or Taverner "Tav" ... they all look similar in morning or evening and overcast dim light conditions and hard to identify the body feather contrasts when in flight? ... and the sub-species will sometimes intermix when they decoy or hit the ground... that is really tough to ID and separate the legal from non-legal!  I've seen "Blues" and "Specs" intermix with "Snows"!  I'd be afraid to shoot any Canada Goose Sub-Species ... for fear of targeting the wrong one and loosing my hunting privileges... guess that is the risk for SW WA Goose Area 2?

Any special Tips or Tricks on ID'ing... aside from the training video info?

I did do the training and took the test and would have to say is still a challenge to make correct ID for those "first timer's" who do not see alot of Dusky's in the air or field ...  but, do have a new appreciation for all the Legal Lesser Canadian Goose Sub-Species and won't be targeting them even in other WA Goose Mgmt Areas.     

Don't get me going on that test (a biased test!)... or I'll have to throw out my on WDFW!   

[Dan-o]

I took the training, but I've never done the late goose hunt.

I'm just afraid that I couldn't tell a Dusky until I walked up to it.

[MonstroMuley]

I took the training, but I've never done the late goose hunt.

I'm just afraid that I couldn't tell a Dusky until I walked up to it.

I Agree!

[lokidog]

I've never even heard of it, though I have avoided the Test.  Now I don't live nearby anyways.

[Duckgtr]

This past late season is the first time I really got a good look at some dusky's that were in the field across the road from my lease. They are noticeably darker. Even with the naked eye, I pulled up the binos just to confirm. I mainly got westerns during late season. I cant wait for early season!

[YoungFowler]

Dusky's are really dark, the only goose that can be dark like that is a cackler and they are tiny, so take size, and noise into consideration as well as color.