Canada goose season opens Oct. 28
With the opening of duck season in the Western Zone this weekend, waterfowlers wait with anticipation for the opening of Canada goose season that will be underway in most of upstate New York on Oct. 28. Instead of zones, goose regions are divided into “areas.” For Western New York, the South Area will be open Oct. 28 through Nov. 11 and Nov. 25 to Jan. 21, with a five-bird daily limit, the same limit as last year.
For the West Central and East Central areas in the Finger Lakes Region, regulations are more liberal this year due to an increase in bird populations. For 2023-24, the season length for Canada goose will be 45 days (both opening on Oct. 28), and the daily limit will be three birds. West Central dates are Oct. 28 to Nov. 26 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 9. East Central dates are Oct. 28 to Nov. 17 and Nov. 25 to Dec. 18. Next year, the daily limit probably will remain three birds per person per day, but the season length could drop to 30 days long depending on how population numbers fare. For more information on Canada goose seasons, boundary lines for the various areas and daily limits, visit dec.ny.gov.
People are also reading…
NYS Birding Trail adds new locations
The New York State Birding Trail has added several locations in Western New York, as well as other birding spots around the state to its long list of bird watching hotspots.
In the Greater Niagara Region, there are eight locations, including the Commons/Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park, South Park/Buffalo Botanical Gardens, Unity Island, Broderick Park and Bird Island Pier. Another Erie County location is the Amherst Veterans Canal Park.
Other new locations around the state include Baltimore Woods Nature Center in Onondaga County, within the Central-Finger Lakes Region; Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Nassau County, part of the Long Island Region; and the Audubon Community Nature Center in Chautauqua County, part of the Southern Tier Region.
The New York State Birding Trail map is available at ibirdny.org. A beginner’s guide to birding can be found at https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/ibirdnybooklet.pdf.
Trapping permit applications open for local WMAs
The trapping permit application period for Oak Orchard, Tonawanda and John White Wildlife Management Areas in Region 8 is open through Nov. 30. Applications may be picked up at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge office, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. You also can call the office at 585-948-5182.
It is important to note that trapping seasons in these three wildlife management areas are more restrictive than the overall seasons for Western New York. Muskrat and mink trapping for these public areas will run from Dec. 2 to Feb. 15 and are limited to 25 traps at water sites. Beaver trapping dates follow the statewide seasons. Upland trapping at the John White WMA does not begin until Nov. 1. Upland trapping at Oak Orchard and Tonawanda WMAs follows the statewide seasons. Permitted trappers are required to report their harvest and trapping efforts in each area for all species. For more information on seasons and regulations, check out dec.ny.gov.
Walleye School open for registration
The Greater Niagara Fishing Expo, scheduled for Feb. 15-18 at the Niagara Falls Convention Center, has opened registration for its innovative Walleye School, set for Feb. 16-18 within the Expo framework. The school is designed for experienced anglers who want to improve and expand their fishing knowledge for walleye fishing in Lake Erie from spring to fall. Instructors this year will be Capt. Lance Valentine, founder of “Teachin Fishin,” a Lake Erie walleye skipper and a marine electronics guru; Capt. Craig Sleeman of Midnight Express, a Lake Erie walleye pro tour participant and a charter captain; and Capt. Don Ruppert of Wave Tamer Sportfishing, founder of the Sunset Bay Walleye Shootout and a local charter captain.
Admission for the school is $100. You will be entitled to a Friday night social with appetizers and beverages from 5:30 to 8 p.m.; an eight-hour school session on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. that includes lunch; and a one-hour question-and-answer session on Sunday with the instructors from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. to cover anything they may have missed. The package will include a four-day pass to the Expo. Sign up online in advance (preregistration only) at niagarafishingexpo.com.