Source: https://legallabrador.org/california-goose-hunting-seasons/
Timestamp: 2017-11-24 01:48:26
Document Index: 459856666

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 700', '§ 506', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 251', '§ 507', '§ 3003', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 550', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 507', '§ 507']

California Goose Hunting Seasons, Laws, and Locations for Public and Private Land - Legal Labrador
On this page, you’ll find info about California goose hunting seasons for the 2016 – 2017 seasons.
Goose seasons.
Shooting hours.
Hunting planner.
Types of geese.
Hunting methods.
Hunting forum.
There are California goose hunting seasons for “dark” geese, “white” geese, and brant.
Western Canada Goose (“Honker”)
Large, dark Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
“Lessers” behind 3 Cacklers
Large, dark Canada Goose (B. c. parvipes). Smaller than a Honker, but bigger than a mallard. Breast varies from light to dark gray.
Small, dark Canada Goose (Branta hutchinsii). Smaller than a Honker, but bigger than a mallard. Darker breast than Aleutian. Makes a high-pitched cackle instead of a honk.
Small, dark Canada Goose (Branta canadensis leucopaoeia). Smaller than a Honker, but bigger than a mallard. Thin white neck ring. Makes a hight-pitched cackle instead of a honk.
White-front, aka “Speckle belly.”
Dark Goose (Anser albifrons) White band at the base of the bill. Striped bars / speckles on the breast.
White Goose (Anser caerulescens atlantica) Pinkish bills with black grinning patches.
White Goose (Chen rossii) Smaller body and shorter neck than a snow goose. Deep reddish-pink bill.
Large, dark goose (Branta bernicla) Short neck and small head. White necklace around the neck.
FWS Goose & Duck Identification Manual___
California Goose Hunting License
During the California goose hunting seasons, you have to have a hunting license. You have to buy it from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), formerly known as the “DFG.” You can get your license online, a license office, or license agent.
The hunting license fee is less for disabled veterans and recovering service members.
Hunting licenses are g00d from July 1 or the date of purchase through August 31. While hunting geese, you have to keep your license in your immediate possession. See 14 CCR § 700(b).
California Goose Hunting Stamps
2014 Duck Stamp
During the California goose hunting seasons, you need a hunting license (see above), plus a federal “duck” stamp and a California “duck” validation.
California Goose Hunting Seasons and Limits
California goose hunting seasons and limits depend on what Waterfowl Zone you intend to hunt and whether you’re in a Special Management Area. It also depends on the kind of goose you’re hunting and whether you’re a Junior.
Use the map to the right to figure on what waterfowl zone you’re in. If you’re hunting right on the boarder of a zone, use our map of legal boundaries that we plotted from the coordinates. Warning shot!!! The CDFW waterfowl zone map is for general guidance only. Link to the following waterfowl zones: Colorado River, Northeastern, Southern, Southern San Joaquin Valley, and Balance of State.
Colorado River Waterfowl Zone
In this section, you’ll find regular, late, and junior-only seasons in the Colorado River waterfowl zone for dark and white geese, plus bag and possession limits.
The regular seasons for Dark Geese and White Geese are October 21 – January 29, 2017.
Late Seasons
There are no late seasons.
Juniors-Only Season
The species for the juniors-only goose seasons are the same as the regular seasons, and the season is open from February 4 – 5, 2017.
The daily bag limit for geese is 14 per day. However, the bag can’t include more than the numbers listed below.
(10) White Geese.
(4) Dark Geese.
The possession limit for geese is triple the daily bag limit.
In this section, you’ll find regular, late, and junior-only seasons in the Northeastern Waterfowl waterfowl zone for white and dark geese, including white-fronts.
The regular season is for Dark Geese is October 8 – January 15, 2017.
The regular seasons for White Geese is October 8 – December 4, 2016 and January 7 -20, 2017.
The late season for White Geese is February 6 – March 10, 2017.*
The late season for White-Fronts is March 4 – 8, 2017.*
* Hunt is allowed only on private land with permission of the landowner.
The species for the juniors-only goose seasons are the same as the regular seasons, and the season is open from September 24 – 25, 2016.
The daily bag limit for geese is 30 per day. However, the bag can’t include more than the numbers listed below.
(20) White Geese.
(10) Dark Geese with no more than two large Canada geese.
Southern Waterfowl Zone
In this section, you’ll find regular, late, and junior-only seasons in the Southern waterfowl zone for dark and white geese.
The regular season for Dark Geese is October 22 – January 29, 2017.
The regular season for White Geese is October 22 – January 29, 2017.
In the Imperial County Special Management Area, the seasons for White Geese are from November 5 – January 29, 2017 and February 4 – 19, 2017.
The daily bag limit for geese is 23 per day. However, the bag can include no more than the numbers listed below.
(3) Dark Geese.
Southern San Joaquin Valley Waterfowl Zone
In this section, you’ll find regular, late, and junior-only seasons in the Northeastern Waterfowl zone for white and dark geese.
There regular season for Dark Geese is October 22 – January 29, 2017.
There regular season for White Geese is October 22 – January 29, 2017.
The bag limit for geese is 30 per day. However, the bag can include no more than the numbers listed below.
(10) Dark Geese.
Balance of State Waterfowl Zone
In this section, you’ll find regular, late, and junior-only seasons in the “Balance of State” Waterfowl zone for white and dark geese, including large Canada geese and white-fronts. You’ll also find seasons for special managements areas that affect brant.
The early season for Large Canada geese is October 1 – 5, 2016.
The regular seasons for Dark Geese and White Geese are October 22 – January 29, 2017.
Late White and White-Front Seasons
The late seasons for White Geese and White-Fronts are February 11 – 15, 2017.
The daily bag limit for geese is 30 per day. However, the bag can include no more than the numbers below. There are excepts for the Brant Special Management Areas.
There are several Special Management Areas located within the Balance of State waterfowl zone that further restricts duck and goose seasons, including brant, Canada geese, and white-fronts (speckle-bellies). Each SMA has it’s own bag limits.
Black Brant (Goose)
In the Northern Brant Special Management Area, the season is open from November 8 – December 14, 2016. In the Balance of State Brant Special Management Area, the season is open from November 9 – December 15, 2016. The bag limits two per day.
The North Coast Special Management Area season for Canada Geese is from November 7 – January 29, 2017 and February 18 – March 10, 2017. The bag limit is 10 per day within only one Large Canada Goose. (Large Canada goose season is closed during the late season.)
Waterfowl (All Species)
The Humboldt Bay South Spit Special Management Area is closed to all waterfowl hunting during brant season. The Martis Creek Lake Special Management Area is closed to all waterfowl hunting until November 16, 2016. The Morro Bay Special Management Area season for all waterfowl opens concurrently with the brant season and only in designated areas.
White-Front (Specklebelly)
The Sacramento Valley Special Management Area season for white-fronted geese opens at the same time as the general goose season through December 21, 2016. The bag limit is three per day.
No. Cal. Shoot Times
So. Cal. Shoot Times.
In general, the shooting hours for California goose hunting seasons are from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise until sunset. There are exceptions in certain areas, like Morro Bay and some public hunting areas. California is so big, that shooting hours depend on where you’re hunting.
See 14 CCR § 506 and and summary for shooting times for birds.
During the California goose hunting seasons, you can only shoot a certain number of geese per day. This is known as a “daily bag limit.” In general, you ca have no more than three daily bag limits at home, which is called “possession limit.” These limits depend on things like where you’re hunting, how you’re hunting, and what type of geese you shot. For daily bag and possession limits, go to “California Goose Hunting Seasons” above.
Authorized Methods of Goose Hunting
During the California goose hunting seasons, there’s more to consider than just what type of shotgun shells you’re gonna use. You can actually kill them with a bow and arrow and muzzleloader. There are also rules for hunting from a boat, and for using goose calls, decoys, and dogs.
For most migratory game birds, you can only use arrows or crossbows bolts with “flu- flu fletching.” For waterfowl, including geese, you can use regularly fletched arrows to shoot them on the water from a boat or kayak. See 14 CCR § 507(a)(2).
To kill a goose with a crossbow, you’ll need a Disabled Archer Permit.
Warning shot!!! If you’re hunting with a bow or crossbow during archery season, you cannot carry a firearm.* See our summary for archery-specific rules.
* Proposed Regulation: there is a proposal to delete the part of 14 CCR § 507(a)(2) that says “Archers hunting during any archery season may not possess a firearm while in the field engaged in archery hunting.”
In general, you can hunt geese from a boat during the California goose hunting seasons. However, you can only use your motor motor for goose up dead or injured birds. While hunting, make sure your motor is removed from the mountings before even approaching a bird. Make sure you’re either beached, anchored, drifting, or using a paddle to move forward. See 14 CCR § 251(a), 14 CCR § 507.5, and FGC § 3003.5.
When calling geese and ducks, you can’t use the calls listed below. See 14 CCR § 507(c).
Mechanically-operated calls
Sound-reproducing devices
ROTATING WINGS
During the beginning of California goose hunting seasons, you cannot you electric decoys with rotating wings or blades. You can use them no earlier than December 1st. See 14 CCR § 507(c).
You can’t use live birds to hunt geese or ducks. See 14 CCR § 507(d).
In general, you can use dogs to hunt, take, and retrieve geese during California goose hunting seasons. Warning shot!!! The use of dogs may be restricted on public hunting areas. See 14 CCR § 507(b), and click here for more California hunting dog laws, including hunting and training.
Muzzleloading shotguns are allowed for hunting geese. See 14 CCR § 507(a)(3).
During the California goose hunting seasons, you have to be careful with what type of shotgun and shells you use.
In general, you can use a 10-gauge or smaller to shoot geese in California.
In some public hunting areas, you can only use a 12-gauge or smaller (e.g. Morro Bay and Type A and Type B Wildlife Areas.)
See 14 CCR § 507(a)(4) and 14 CCR § 550(cc)(4)(A).
You can only use a shotgun capable of holding no more than three shells. If you use a plug, it has to be one piece that can’t be removed without taking the gun apart. See 14 CCR § 507(a)(4).
You can only shoot shotgun shells at geese. The shot itself has to be loose in the shell. See 14 CCR § 507(a)(4).
SHELL CAPACITY
You can only use a shotgun that is capable of holding no more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. See 14 CCR § 507(a)(4).
For geese, you can only use steel or other nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The steel shot has to be size “T” or small. For all other migratory migratory game birds, lead shot has to be “No. BB” or smaller. See 14 CCR § 507(a)(4).
To help with planning during the California goose hunting seasons, choose one of the options below:
Area Types.
Disabled Hunters.
Hunt Days.
Hunting Clubs.
ATV/OHV’s.
Boats, canoes, & kayaks.
Camping & trailers.
Opening Weekend.
Party Size.
Private Land (SHARE program).
Waterfowl Zones.
Southern San Joaquin Valley.
Special Management Areas.
Northern Brant.
Balance of State Brant.
Humboldt Bay/ South Spit.
Martis Creek.
Sacramento Valley.
California Goose Hunting Forum
For tips during the California goose hunting seasons, feel free to ask or answer a question in the comment section below.
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