Geese in FL...

[NSBsailsntails]

I thought you guys might think this is interesting. I was driving east bound on 528 yesterday afternoon and saw in the sky what i thought were whistling ducks but when i got closer i realized it was 4 geese. Saw them while going over the bridge that crosses i95. the geese were going SW towards the farm land and st. johns. last year i saw 6 geese(2 days in a row) while fishing a pond here is new smyrna. after i saw the geese i was driving in sr44 in new smyrna and saw 3 woodies fly over a tree line and cross over 44. its weird how after you become a waterfowler you notice ducks without looking for them.

[Public Hunter]

There use to be a group of canadians that would hang out by the bridge next to the funeral home just across the street from Causway Marine on the North Causway (the first little bridge before the 2nd little bridge/boatramp) in NSB. I haven't lived there for a while so I don't know if they've been around.

[Keith Yates]

It's been a few years back but we saw a flock of canadas just south of lake Winder and one flock just north of Mary A/Sartori.

[Randy Clark]

your right about after you start hunting them they become more important chris my oldest that lives in ill told me after hunting the stas this past season now he is always checking every lake or pot hole to see whats there.i'll call my kids and tell them about ducks or mergs we see during the day.

[NSBsailsntails]

Hey Hunter this is Danny, Mikes buddy... Someone told me that the geese hung out at the funeral home but i never saw them.

Did you and mike ever get out in his rig? i havnt talked to him since december.

[BlindHog]

Dont you have Canadas on every retention pond and golf course in Central and South Fla?

We do up here in Tallahassee area. Also the small pond I live on (inside Tally city limits) has em almost day and night. Very loud and obnoxious this time of year due to mating/territorialism. They are all around the office building I work in too --- inhabit the stormwater ponds. They poop on the sidewalks all the time.

Havent seen them in huntable public areas much, so not sure having the season opened statewide will do a lot at least where I hunt. Of course they have been legal on Fla part of Lake Seminole for 3-4 seasons. I encountered them this fall on Lake Jackson, just outside Tally in my scouting, but never hunted there. I am sure they were run off after opening day.

Are they rare in the rest of the state?

[novaalex]

In 20 years of hunting nobody I know or hunt with has ever shot a goose in South FL. I would say that qualifies them as rare!

[BlindHog]

I know they havent been shootable (legally) but I mean the "non-migratory" wild Canadas - are they not common?

I know that snows are rare to see, though I have seen them on 4 occasions over past 7 yrs, only 1 to 5 birds at a time at that.

Anyone ever see snowgeese in Central or South Fla?

[Captmako]

Used to see Canadas inside Jax city limits. Saw 2 Canadas on Lake O about 27 yrs ago. One guy in our group shot a white fronted goose this season, from a flock of 5-6. Other than that, I'd call 'em rare indeed.

[Randy Clark]

only time i ever saw them was in a pond on the side of i 55 in ill i was telling my wife i could shoot one with my 41 and my lab at that time( shady ) could fetch it. she said she wouldnt bail me out so we just got back in the truck. havent seen one any where in central fl

[duckbone]

I have seen them almost every year. I didn't this year but that doesn't surprise me. I had about 4 or 5 opportunities last year I could have shot them.

[D Duck]

Season before last there were some at MINWR.

Several years ago, I saw some on Puzzle lake.

[QuackR WhackR]

We have two or three flocks of local Canada's here in Bradenton.. One flock hangs out around the 59th. St. Sports complex, another hangs out around Jessie Miller School playground, and the third flock hangs out somewhere near my private property dove fields.. :occasion14

Next season, if they open Canada's, I should be able to get a few anyhow..:icon_thumr

Dave

[N. Cook]

There is a very good chance for a statewide canada season....UW-F has it in the request stage and Diane has said she will support it.

[Gaddy1]

I have seen them a couple times per year for the last several years, saw a nice bunch close to Lake Kissimmee in November, that was my only sighting this year.

[NSBsailsntails]

saw 3 woodies yesterday in a pond. 2 drakes and 1 hen. one drake was so mature, his head was huge, would have loved to have him on the wall.