Peace Garden News

North Dakota will open its early Canada goose hunting season on August 15 across all three zones, maintaining the same bag limits and licensing requirements as last year. The Missouri River zone will close on September 7, the western zone on September 15, and the eastern zone on September 22.

The daily limit for early Canada goose is set at 15 birds, with a possession limit of 45. These limits, along with shooting hours—one-half hour before sunrise to sunset—differ from those in the regular waterfowl season. Zone boundaries remain unchanged from previous years.

Licensing requirements specify that North Dakota residents must have a $10 early Canada goose license and a general game and habitat license. Residents aged 16 or older are also required to possess a small game license. Nonresidents need only obtain a $50 early Canada goose license. All hunters participating in the early season must have a waterfowl habitat restoration stamp.

Licenses can be purchased online through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at https://gf.nd.gov/. In addition, all hunters must complete Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification before hunting. Starting September 1, hunters aged 16 or older will also need a federal duck stamp. Hunters who registered with HIP for North Dakota’s spring light goose conservation order do not need to register again for this year, as registration is only required once per state annually.