By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff
The application period for permits to participate in the second annual city authorized Canada goose hunt at Sandpoint City Beach is open until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15, with a drawing to be held Thursday, Oct. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers (1123 Lake St.).
City councilors approved the 2023 hunt to take place twice weekly for four weeks next month: Wednesday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 4; Tuesday and Friday, Nov. 7 and 10; Wednesday and Saturday, Nov. 15 and 18; and Monday and Wednesday, Nov. 22.
The inaugural City Beach goose hunt took place from mid-December 2022 to mid-January 2023 and resulted in the taking of one animal, which city officials attributed to an exceptionally hard cold snap that resulted in few of the birds being present at the beach. The sole goose shot in the 2022-’23 hunt did not bear one of the leg bands indicating that it had been a return visitor to the beach.
A couple walks through Sandpoint City Beach surrounded by Canada Geese in 2020. Photo by Jane Fritz.
The hunt has been intended as one method of reducing the number of geese that gather at City Beach, which have long been considered a problem by the city due to the amount of feces they leave in their wake. Almost 200 of the birds were captured and euthanized under a U.S. Fish and Wildlife depredation permit in late June, spurring vocal opposition from those in the community who also opposed the hunt.
Meanwhile, Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon told councilors in February that more than 100 people signed up to take part in the 2022-’23 hunt, but again the frigid temperatures kept many participants away from the beach.
When the City Council approved the 2023 hunt for November, it was with the intention that it should take place during less inclement weather.
Participating hunters will be selected in a blind drawing.
According to the city’s guidelines, prospective hunters must be 21 years of age or older with proof of a valid Idaho hunting license, Federal Migratory Bird Stamp and Migratory Bird Permit at the time of application. Each applicant is allowed to list up to three additional hunters to join them in their blind, which will be assigned in three zones from north to south facing east toward the water.
Completed applications must be submitted by the deadline and the applicant must be present at the time of the drawing on Oct. 19 to receive a permit. Additional hunters listed on the application do not need to be present at the drawing but must still provide all necessary documentation to authorities on the day of the hunt.
To find the application, rules and regulations for this year’s hunt, visit bit.ly/3ZPc22P.
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