Section 10.125. Canada goose hunting.

 

(1)   Permit requirements.

(a) Permit possession required. No person may hunt Canada geese in any area of the state without having on his or her person a valid Canada goose hunting permit.

(b) Maximum allowable harvest. The total number of Canada goose permits and carcass tags issued by the department annually under this section and under s. NR 19.84 shall be based upon the maximum allowable harvest assigned by the U.S. fish and wildlife service. The assigned harvest shall be distributed within established zones and by time periods based upon historical data on the distribution of geese within the state and hunter success rates.

(c) Validity. All permits are valid only in the zones and for the time periods specified on the permit during the open season established for Canada geese. The department shall use the following procedure when specifying the permit zones:

1. If the maximum allowable harvest is 160,000 birds or less, all permits shall be restricted to one zone.

2. If the maximum allowable harvest is between 160,000 and 210,000 birds, the department may:

a. Issue Horicon zone permits that are also valid for the exterior zone during a time period specified by the department.

b. Issue exterior zone permits that are also valid for the Horicon zone during a time period specified by the department.

c. Establish a permit processing deadline for exterior zone permits receiving the 2 zone authorization described under subd. 2. b.

3. If the maximum allowable harvest exceeds 210,000 birds, all permits shall be valid in any zone.

(d) Permit validation procedures. When a Canada goose is killed and before it is carried by hand or transported in any manner, the hunter shall validate the permit by slitting, tearing or punching holes in the permit in the manner indicated by the department. Failure to follow the validation procedure invalidates the permit and renders any goose in the person's possession illegal.

(2)   Application and issuance requirements.

(a) Forms. Applications shall be on forms supplied by the department.

(b) Deadlines.

1. All applications for the Horicon and Exterior zones shall be postmarked no later than the deadline dates indicated on the forms or received by a department service center location on that date to be considered for selection. The annual application deadlines may not be sooner than July 1.

2. Exterior zone and early goose hunt subzone permits may be obtained at a license vendor or department service center location throughout the open season.

3. Horicon zone permits may be obtained at a license vendor or department service center location throughout the open season unless the department has determined that the special requirements established in sub. (3) are necessary to restrict the harvest of Canada geese.

(c) Application limitations.

1. No person may submit more than one application per year except that:

a. Persons who submitted an invalid permit application for the Horicon zone may reapply, provided the goose season is open, for an Exterior zone permit.

b. Persons applying for an early goose hunt subzone permit may also apply for a Horicon or Exterior zone permit.

2. If 2 or more persons wish to hunt together in the Horicon zone, each applicant shall complete and submit an application form. A group application shall be considered one application.

(d) Selection preference. When applications exceed the number of permits available, successful applicants shall be randomly selected with first preference given to persons who unsuccessfully applied for a permit during the previous year.

(e) Undersubscribed zones. If the number of permit applications is less than the number of permits available for any time period, the department may issue the remaining permits to successful applicants by random selection.

(3)   Special requirements. If the department determines that extra harvest control measures are necessary to restrict the harvest of Canada geese, the following requirements apply to the Horicon zone:

(a) Tagging. When a Canada goose is killed within the Horicon zone, the hunter shall:

1. Completely attach and seal the permit, utilizing its own adhesive, to the neck or leg of the goose before it is carried by hand or transported in any manner.

2. Keep the permit attached to the goose until the meat has been processed for cold storage or human consumption.

(b) Possession. No person may possess or transport a dead wild Canada goose unless it is tagged with a validated permit.

(c) Transportation restrictions. The hunter shall transport any tagged goose in a motor vehicle so that the permit attached to the goose cannot be handled or manipulated by any occupant of the vehicle.

(4)   Reports.

(a) Harvest reports. The department may require each successful applicant to submit a harvest report in a manner prescribed by the department within 48 hours of harvesting a goose.

(b) Season reports. The department may require any permit holder to provide the department a goose hunting report. The selected hunter shall be required to complete the report and mail it within 48 hours of receipt.

(5)   Bag and possession limits.

(a) Bag limit. The aggregate daily bag limit for persons hunting in both the exterior zone and a subzone within the exterior zone in the same day is equal to the larger of the respective daily bag limits established in s. NR 10.01 (1) (g) .

(b) Daily possession limit. No person may possess or transport more than the daily bag limit or aggregate daily limit, whichever applies, of migratory game birds, tagged or not tagged, at or between the place where taken and either the person's permanent abode or temporary or transient place of lodging; or a commercial preservation facility.

(6)   Season closure. The secretary of the department may close a portion or all of any Canada goose season established in s. NR 10.01 (1) (g) upon a finding by the department that the harvest for that season will exceed the level authorized by U.S. fish and wildlife service. Closure shall become effective upon issuance of an order and publication in the official state newspaper.

Cr. (1) to (5), (6) renum. from NR 10.01 (1) (h), Register, July, 1988, No. 391 , eff. 8-1-88; emerg. am. (1) (c), eff. 9-21-88; am. (1) (c), Register, January, 1989, No. 397 eff. 2-1-89; am. (5) (a) 2., Register, July, 1989, No. 403 , eff. 8-1-89; emerg. renum. (1) (c) to be (1) (c) 1., cr. (1) (c) 2. and 3., r. and recr. (1) (d) 5. intro., r. (1) (d) 5. a. and (5) (a) 1., am. (1) (e) and (5) (a) (intro.) and (b), eff. 9-15-89; renum. (1) (c) to (1) (c) 1., cr. (1) (c) 2. and 3., r. and recr. (1) (d) 5. intro., r. (1) (d) 5. a. and (5) (a) 1., am. (1) (e) and (5) (a) (intro.) and (b), Register, March, 1990, No. 411 , eff. 4-1-90; r. and recr. (1) (b), (d) to (e), am. (5) (a) (intro.), r. (5) (a) 2., renum. (5) (b) to be (5) (b) 1., cr. (1) (f) to (h) and (5) (b) 2., Register, July, 1990, No. 415 , eff. 8-1-90; emerg. am. (1) (e) 1., cr. (7), eff. 9-15-90; am. (1) (e) 1., cr. (7), Register, March, 1991, No. 423 , eff. 4-1-91; r. (3) and (4), renum. (5) to (7) to be (3) to (5), Register, April, 1992, No. 436 , eff. 5-1-92; r. and recr. Register, August, 1992, No. 440 , eff. 9-1-92; emerg. am. (4) (a), eff. 9-1-95; am. (4) (a), Register, February, 1996, No. 482 , eff. 3-1-96; am. (2) (b) 1., 2. and (4) (a) 1., r. (4) (a) 2., Register, December, 1997, No. 504 , eff. 1-1-98; am. (3) (a) 1., Register, December, 2000, No. 540 , eff. 1-1-01; CR 02-018 : am. (2) (c) 2. Register September 2002 No. 561 , eff. 10-1-02; CR 05-031 : am. (2) (b) 1. and 2. Register October 2005 No. 598 , eff. 11-1-05; CR 10-066 : am. (1) (c) 2. a., (2) (b) 1., (c), (3) (intro.), (a) (intro.), r. (2) (f) Register December 2010 No. 660 , eff. 2-1-11; CR 13-052 : cr. (2) (b) 3., am. (3) (intro.), (4) (a) Register March 2014 No. 699 , eff. 4-1-14.

Note

The department conducts extensive publicity on the application deadlines beginning several months prior to any deadline. Application deadline dates are published in news releases, the department web site at http://dnr.wi.gov , license outlet handouts, and pertinent regulation pamphlets. Department service center hours may vary by location. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Department service center office hours may vary by location. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 The Canada goose harvest reports are used to calculate total harvest estimates in those zones where hunter participation is unlimited. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 The hunting report forms will be mailed to certain hunters only. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1