Flyways.us

The Central Flyway Council (CFC) has placed a high priority on Canada goose management since its inception in 1948. While individual states and provinces worked within their jurisdictions to increase the number of breeding Canadas, the CFC provided an important forum for other management decisions such as those involving inventory and hunting regulations. This is consistent with the Goal of the management plans for each of the five populations of Canada geese that occur primarily in the CF, which is: "Maximum recreational opportunity consistent with the welfare of the population, international treaties, habitat constraints and the interests of all Central Flyway provinces and states."

The CFC considers the restoration of Canada geese a resounding success, given the current population size and amount of recreation being provided hunters and non-hunters alike. However, they have found it necessary to address problems being caused by goose populations that have grown too large, creating conflicts with people. In March 2000, the CFC adopted a document to address this issue entitled Large Canada Geese in the Central Flyway: Management of Depredation, Nuisance and Human Health and Safety Issues. The Goal of that plan is: Manage resident Canada geese in the Central Flyway to achieve maximum benefits from these birds while minimizing conflicts between geese and humans. The Executive Summary can be reviewed here and the entire document is available in PDF (443 KB). You may also view the current issues for the canada goose.