Canada geese hunting with PCP?

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markT

markT

Member
Aug 2, 2017
2,166
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sc, United States
My friend called me and asked me I if wanted to hunt Canada geese. I said yes, but they are not in season now. He said his buddy owns a golf course and they have a depredation permit and want the geese gone. Most likely we will hunt from a golf cart. 

Any of you guys hunted geese with pcp’s?

Im in SC. 

Some questions: shot placement, head shots?

are pellet rifles allowed? 

Thanks. 
 
 ALL migratory birds including Mourning Doves, have to be taken with a Shotgun. All waterfowl have to be taken with steel shot. A migratory bird violation could result in your vehicle and gun confiscated, and/or a class C felony charge, and/or jail time. This is considered a federal offence, why? I don't know. It will take an act of congress to change the law for PCP's to be used to shoot doves and the likely possibility for this to happen is slim. I would reccomend that you call your state DNR to confirm what I have said. It's too bad about this as a PCP would be an excellent choice for reducing the population at golf courses in suburban areas.

FYI- Matt Dubber has some videos shooting Egyptian geese if you are still wondering about shoot placement.
 
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I did talk with a farmer one time about hunting nuisance deer. He has a depredation permit. He said he would have to register me and needed a copy of my hunting license. I never did hunt his place or follow up due to schedule. 

I know geese are migratory ( knowing full well these geese have never left the county they were hatched in. Same with mourning dove around here.

Wasn’t sure if the permit would allow exceptions ( pcps / rifles). I guess I’ll check with SCDNR because I don’t want any issues. There are houses around so I would prefer air guns and probably the neighbors too. 
 
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Mark,

Don't expect the authorities to be familiar with the details of the permits. Most enforcement people won't admit they don't know, and will err on the safe side and just say you cannot do it.

When I first contacted the head of the DNR in my area to shoot depredating birds, his response was "let me know what you find out".

Check the code of federal regulations (CFR), it should say.
 
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I live in NY state just north of the New Jersey border. Every now and then the state (I think) uses rocket propelled nets to capture the geese which are baited to get them to bunch up before the nets let go. They butcher the geese and the meat is made available to organizations that feed needy people, I know this as I’m a volunteer at my church in their feeding program but I will add I haven’t seen any goose meat in a couple of years. As a kid we would go to parks and stun the geese with a rubber band released large paper clip which would stun them enough where we could grab them and break their necks. My best friends mother at the time was from Eastern Europe and she would clean and cook them and we had a family feast on a good day.

I also agree that pellet guns for pesting is one of the safest methods for reducing or eliminating these problems that are caused by the elimination of their natural enemy’s. That’s one reason I give coyotes a pass in my immediate area as they are along with raptors the only natural enemies of the overpopulation of geese and rodents.
 
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You may want to go here for a start on other species at least, I did note that airguns can use "toxic" ammunition.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/21.43

I'm sure there is another section for Canada Goose but this at least gets one in the general area of the Fed regs.

I would think the issue is petty well clear in the states permit, or at least references the proper federal reg.



'


 
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ALL migratory birds including Mourning Doves, have to be taken with a Shotgun. All waterfowl have to be taken with steel shot. A migratory bird violation could result in your vehicle and gun confiscated, and/or a class C felony charge, and/or jail time. This is considered a federal offence,
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The Migratory Bird Treaty Federal regulations do not say all birds have to be taken with a shotgun. The regulations state they can be taken by any means except those prohibited by said regulations which do not include air guns. Rifles are specifically prohibited however an air gun is not a rifle as per the Federal definition of rifle. There is a specific regulation for crows which states they can only be taken by firearm, bow and arrow or falconry. Some state laws conflict with these regulations and these Federal regulations include a clause stating that state laws cannot supersede these regulations. 
 
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ALL migratory birds including Mourning Doves, have to be taken with a Shotgun. All waterfowl have to be taken with steel shot. A migratory bird violation could result in your vehicle and gun confiscated, and/or a class C felony charge, and/or jail time. This is considered a federal offence,
Click to expand...

The Migratory Bird Treaty Federal regulations do not say all birds have to be taken with a shotgun. The regulations state they can be taken by any means except those prohibited by said regulations which do not include air guns. Rifles are specifically prohibited however an air gun is not a rifle as per the Federal definition of rifle. There is a specific regulation for crows which states they can only be taken by firearm, bow and arrow or falconry. Some state laws conflict with these regulations and these Federal regulations include a clause stating that state laws cannot supersede these regulations.
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Waterfowl and dove fall under Federal regulation and the regulations state Waterfowl must be taken by steel shot and if you are in violation, the penalty is severe. I am uncertain about crows. I would be 100% clear on the regulations if you deviate from shooting waterfowl or doves (excluding collared-doves) other that a shot gun. BE aware, on many state properties, steel shot is required for doves and here in New Mexico, steel is required for Quail on the Federal Refuge areas. 

I am not trying to rain on anyone's party but merely making you aware that "Migratory Birds" are regulated at the Federal level. Penalties are sever, so you need to be 100% sure and I would carry the regulation "where you can" when you are hunting so that you can educate the DNR. Again, I don't believe Crows fall under these regulations but you need to know the regulations before you shoot! Over the years (almost every year), I see guys getting written up by the DNR for waterfowl violations. I personally made an error back in Indiana (screwed up the start of the 2nd season for the south zone) and had to go in front of a Judge. Because, I didn't have a duck on me, the judge gave me slap on the wrist but said if I had a duck he would have had to send me to jail. 
 
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Waterfowl and dove fall under Federal regulation and the regulations state Waterfowl must be taken by steel shot and if you are in violation, the penalty is severe. I am uncertain about crows.
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The Federal regulations do not state that "waterfowl must be taken by steel shot". They state that you cannot posses any shot other than steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-matrix or such shot approved as nontoxic. This restriction only applies to ducks, geese, swan and coots. It does not apply to doves or crows and others. You must know the Federal regulations as well as your state regulations. In my state of Maryland, the regulations clearly state that air guns cannot be used to hunt migratory birds except that air guns that shoot arrows may be used to take dove and woodcock. 
 
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Agree with you, the phrase is Non-toxic shot, I've always shot steel. I also agree that you have to check both regs. In Indiana, many of the dove fields double for waterfowl areas. In these fields, it is required to shoot "non-toxic shot", they. also happen to be the best areas to hunt doves. I would again reccomend that having the regs available to show the DNR where you can hunt with an Airbow just in case you are stopped and he is a "Barney Fife"
" 
 
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I hunt crows all the time. I keep a copy of 50 CFR 21.43 with me. Clearly states they can be killed/ harvested in any way. 

This golf course has been hunted for geese before so I’ll just speak with owner and also local DNR officer and let him or her know what the plan is. 



I visited my local Fish and Wildlife office to get clarification on CFR 21.43. In Ca, you can only shoot crows in season with a shotgun. The warden I talked to said 21.43 allows you to use an air gun BUT , under (b)(6) you MUST attempt to control the problem with non lethal methods BEFORE you use lethal control. He stated a person CANNOT just go into a farm or field and randomly shoot crows without first using non lethal methods of control, such as sirens, horns. netting, etc. The best thing to do wold be to check the laws in your state.
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Wanted to provide an update.DNR would not allow air rifles to hunt geese. We did end up hunting the golf course and picked up 15. That was 3 weeks ago. The geese are now back and we plan on hunting it again. 

I got yelled at by one home owner asking “what are doing.” I said hunting geese under depredation permit from the owner. i could hear him on the phone with DNR or police. Neither showed up. I did have to retrieve ive a dead goose from the small pond behind his house. I sure he wasn’t happy. 

Another location I shot was a 2.5 acre pond where the geese were on. It backs up to a guys place with a huge house. I was in the woods just behind his house and my buddy went to the other side of the pond drive the geese back toward me. The owner walked out unaware is was in the woods with his two show dogs to pea. No way I could let him know what I was going to do with out spooking the geese. He was about 55 yds behind me when I rapid fired my 12 ga with number 2 steel shot. I killed 5 with 3 shots. I immediately went up to the fence and told him what I was doing and said I was sorry. He was not happy at first but ended up ok after I apologized over and over. Was a great morning.

i suppose the moral of all this is no geese hunting with air rifles! 
 
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