The annual report of the Federation of Anglers and Hunters issued in March contains a few items of interest that should please waterfowlers. In the report is news about possible changes in the September goose season, for one thing.

No stats are available to tell us if many hunters participated in the September goose season last year but I suspect the turnout was low. Few, if any, of my waterfowling friends hunted geese during the September season. The big drawback on the September season? Hunting for geese was restricted to farmland only – at a time when most farm fields weren’t harvested and you couldn’t hunt on them. Compared to all the harvested fields you can hunt on in late season, there weren’t many place open in September.

However, the folks at the Canadian Wildlife Service must have listened to feedback from waterfowlers re the farmland restriction. The CWS is proposing a longer September goose season this year and best of all, it also proposes removing the farmland hunting only restriction.

The proposed season (“proposed” to me meaning it might or might not happen) in Hants, Kings and Annapolis County will run from September 4 to September 18 inclusive. I didn’t see anything on bag limit changes for the longer season. But the time you can legally keep possession of the birds you bag in September may be changed. The way I read it, geese bagged in the September 4 to 18 season may be kept in the hunter’s possession until the end of September.

Acting on behalf of waterfowlers, the local wildlife association has pushed for a later (mid-October) opening of the waterfowl season and extending it into mid-January. According to changes proposed by CWA, this may be happening in some areas but not in Hants, Kings and Annapolis County. I repeat, it may not be happening here. This is too bad. Many waterfowlers would like to see the season opening in October two weeks later than usual and running to about mid-January.

I see by the annual report Waterfowl Heritage Day will be held again this year. The date for the day is Saturday, September 15 province wide.