Geese W/ Bow

[Weathered Horn]

There is a proposal here in Utah to allow archers to take geese off of the golf courses here in Northern Utah this winter. They have had horrible problems with geese taking up residency on the links here for the last few years and causing huge amounts of damage. They are still working out the details, but it could be a huge deal. I would love to get in some bird hunting with my bow. Any one ever heard this happening anywhere else? I know that there arent many guys on here from Utah, but maybe we could put together some trips if this proposal goes through.

Todd

 

[Moosie]

Just like the Other topic on the COOL mount.. Sign me up

 

[BlackTimber]

Thats cool, I'm in!
I was going to do this last year at the Kaysville ponds but they never came in because of the new park they were putting in. Now I doubt I would be able to do it there.

This would be great and it is also something that I have been thinking about asking the club owners for permission anyway. It would be a hoot or maybe a cluck!

I even have some snow blind ideas.

 

[Weathered Horn]

I know Black Timber, my mind has been racing with ideas on blinds, and how to go about hunting honkers with a bow since I heard about the plan. Lets just hope that they give us the OK. I did hear that the plan was presented to the DWR by the golf courses, so I would think that it definately has a chance of getting through the red tape.

Todd

 

[BlackTimber]

To be honest with you I don't know why it would even be a concern except in some areas you might be shooting in "city limits." The way I see it, it is leagle to hunt waterfowl with archery tackle now. If the property owner wants you to hunt geese with bow an arrow, whats the problem? Maybee even give a higher daily bag limit for golf course areas because they are such a problem???? Sounds good to me

If it passes lets get together and arrow a few honkers!

 

[JoseCuervo]

The only problem I could imagine is because I remember seeing a news picture of a hen mallard on TV, with an arrow stuck in her, under both wings.

It seems some kid had flung an arrow at her, hit her, but it did not exit, nor kill her. So she ended up swimming around a pond, with an Easton gamegetter in her.

The problem being, if you hunt in proximity to houses or population, you always have the opportunity to have something look bad, to the non-hunter (not Anti-hunter).

Be careful, aim true...

 

[Moosie]

WELL... We could use a golf cart as a BLIND !!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Sand traps make better blinds...

 

[Moosie]

YAH.. BUT if we're going to HUNT 18 holes...We need a cart !!!

 

[JoseCuervo]

It is probably ok if you get a Birdie, but if you get an Eagle, the game warden is gonna be after you....

 

[Moosie]

SO.. DO you just sit back And giggle at your posts like I do

 

[MEATHEAD]

Being that I'm a Golf Course Superintendent I know just what kind of problems that Geese can cause. I don't let them even land on my Course. It is easier to control that way, just never let them start.

I say shoot,em

 

[BlackTimber]

Aahhh, Yes. I remember seeing that on the 10 O'clock news myself now that you mention it.

 

[MEATHEAD]

Ya'll need a golf course Goose hunting buggy like this.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 05-21-2003 19:11: Message edited by: MEATHEAD ]</font>

 

[BlackTimber]

Cool! New toy. Now, how do I talk the wife into something like that?

 

[Ithaca 37]

If they want the geese killed it would be easier, safer, less likely to cause some kinda situation that would turn off non hunters, and more efficient to trap the geese. Rat traps are a good, cheap way to kill them.

Around Boise they use dogs to harrass the geese.

I think the Fish and Wildlife Service will have something to say about the bow season.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 05-25-2003 10:36: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[mtmiller]

Actually the USFWS would be interesest in any harrassment to the geese. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>I think the Fish and Wildlife Service will have something to say about the bow season.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Establishment of a Federal prohibition, unless permitted by regulations, to "pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, purchase, deliver for shipment, ship, cause to be shipped, deliver for transportation, transport, cause to be transported, carry, or cause to be carried by any means whatever, receive for shipment, transportation or carriage, or export, at any time, or in any manner, any migratory bird, included in the terms of this Convention . . . for the protection of migratory birds . . . or any part, nest, or egg of any such bird." (16 U.S.C. 703)

In some places resident geese need to be controlled. I think there are opportunities to control numbers with hunting, but as you pointed out Ithica, trapping may be less controversial and more efficient.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 05-25-2003 11:09: Message edited by: mtmiller ]</font>

 

[ELKCHSR]

Here could be some new uses for the ATV crowd to use their buggies...LOL...
The cart idea for a blind would be great, you could then just role over to where the geese are at instead of haveing to try and reset any thing...

 

[Weathered Horn]

Ithaca

I believe that the USFWS has already adressed this situation with the following:

A. Firearms and Archery Tackle
R657-9-9 & 50 CFR 20.21

(1) Migratory game birds may be taken only with a shotgun or archery tackle.

(2) Migratory game birds may not be taken with a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fish hook, crossbow, poison, drug, explosive or stupefying substance.

So it seems that the USFWS would have more of a problem with your methods of trapping the geese than with my bow.

I agree that there is a level of caution that must be used in taking these types of steps of wildlife control. Especially in populated areas with a high amount of "non hunters", where public opinion is easily influenced by the few situations that hunting can be shown in poor light.

That being said, if given the chance, I'll stick one of those honkers in a second.

 

[2fastnaz]

Please excuse my western ignorance but do you guys shoot these geeese on the wing or on the ground when bow hunting? I would have starved to death if I'd been born an Indian in the old west.