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Brant goose hunting season to open in Whatcom; remain closed in Skagit

Skagit County geese were under the 3K-bird minimum requirement for hunting

By Annie Todd Criminal Justice/Enterprise Reporter

Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny can rest easy: Brant goose season opens Saturday, Jan. 18, in Whatcom County. However, hunting will remain closed in Skagit County.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife made the open season announcement Tuesday. Brant geese hunting will be allowed in Whatcom County on Jan. 18, Wednesday, Jan. 22 and Saturday, Jan. 25. Open season will also happen in Clallam and Pacific counties.

Brant geese counts in Skagit County were well under the 3,000-bird minimum requirement leading to the decision not to allow hunting, said Kyle Spragens, WDFW’s waterfowl section manager.

“These winter surveys, conducted over Padilla, Samish and Fidalgo bays, tallied 1,992 brant,” he said.

The aerial surveys allow WDFW biologists to monitor the winter population in relation to the estimated harvest pressure that can occur in Skagit County. The number of hunting days is directly related to how many brant are counted during the surveys.

“While we strive to provide harvest opportunity when appropriate, winter counts below the 3,000-bird threshold in Skagit County require us to restrict hunting opportunities for this unique coastal waterfowl species to meet our conservation objectives,” Spragens said.

Hunters going out for brant geese season must have a valid migratory bird authorization and brant harvest report card, according to WDFW.

Brant geese are migratory and tend to winter in coastal bays, estuaries and lagoons, feasting on eelgrass, sea lettuce and other aquatic vegetation. They have a sleek black head, white “necklace” markings and distinct brown and black body feathers with white flank feathers.

Hunters in Whatcom County should review Lummi Nation boundaries relevant to Bellingham and Lummi bays.


Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.

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