Early Goose Season Offers Expanded Bag Limit

September 1, 2016 hunt results

The Canada geese that are found in the Lowcountry all year long are known as the resident population. Each winter, other migratory Canada geese will visit during winter winter before heading back North during the breeding season. The special September season on resident Canada geese allows hunters to harvest up to 15 Canada geese per day, in hopes of keeping local populations in check. This ample bag provides motivation for early season waterfowlers, but hunters still have to figure out how to blend in to the landscape, before taking their best shot at a limit of honkers.

            

Farm pond habitat like this can attract resident geese

The statewide September season lasts the entire month with legal shooting hours from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset. Keeping legal while hunting waterfowl includes having a S.C. hunt license, S.C. duck stamp, HIP permit for migratory birds and a federal duck stamp. Guns must be limited to 3-shotgun shells and only non-toxic loads like steel and tungsten are allowed. The normal limit on Canada geese harvests during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons is set at 5 geese per day.

            
Scouting for resident Canada geese can take place all year long for veteran wingshooters, but anyone might observe a flock of geese while driving down the road. Sometimes they are observed in hayfields, on fish ponds and in agricultural areas in association with mature crops and harvest time. If you are a goose hunter, then these are exactly the same places that you need to be identifying as a potential hunt location. 

To read the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries on September goose hunting click 2014 - 2013 - 2011.