Northwest Permit Goose Season

Permit Zone Boundary

All of Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill Cos.

Closed Areas

The following areas are closed to goose hunting during the permit season:

• Fern Ridge WA (including Fern Ridge Reservoir and all Corps of Engineers lands in the Fern Ridge Project)
• E. E. Wilson WA
• Sauvie Island WA, except white geese may be taken by hunters possessing a Northwest Goose Permit while hunting in the Eastside, Westside, and Oak Island Units during WA hunt days within the open periods of the Northwest Permit season
• That portion of Tillamook Co beginning at the point where Old Woods Rd crosses the south shores of Horn Cr, north on Old Woods Rd to Sand Lake Rd at Woods, north on Sand Lake Rd to the intersection with McPhillips Dr, due west (~200 yards) from the intersection to the Pacific coastline, south along the Pacific coastline to a point due west of the western end of Pacific Ave in Pacific City, east from this point (~250 yards) to Pacific Ave, east on Pacific Ave to Brooten Rd, south and then east on Brooten Rd to Hwy 101, north on Hwy 101 to Resort Dr, north on Resort Dr to a point due west of the south shores of Horn Cr at its confluence with the Nestucca Rvr, due east (~80 yards) across the Nestucca Rvr to the south shores of Horn Cr, east along the south shores of Horn Cr to the point of beginning. See map of closure at: dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/waterfowl/
• Other lands closed to game bird hunting as noted in these regulations

Open Season

Oct. 22 - Oct. 30 and Nov. 19 - Jan. 9, 2023 and Feb. 4 - Mar. 10, 2023 except on Sauvie Island WA (Eastside, Westside, and Oak Island Units) where open days for white geese are WA hunt days (Reservation & Permit Application) occurring during the open Northwest Permit season.

Bag Limits for All Areas Except Sauvie Island WA

3 Canada Geese (except dusky Canada geese which are closed to harvest), 10 white-fronted geese, and 20 white geese. A dusky Canada goose is any dark-breasted (Munsell 10 YR color value 5 or less) Canada goose with a bill length between 40 and 50 millimeters.

Bag Limit for Sauvie Island WA

Eastside, Westside, and Oak Island Units

20 white geese only.

Special Regulations

Only persons who have passed a goose identification test provided by the Oregon or Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife from 1996-2022 may be certified to hunt geese (see below). Hunters must possess a valid 2022-23 Northwest Goose Permit while hunting geese in the Northwest Permit Zone during the Northwest Permit Season. A permit is not needed to hunt during the September Goose Season. Dusky Canada geese are closed to harvest, the permit will become invalid for the remainder of the season if the holder takes any dusky Canada goose. Hunters who have their permit invalidated for taking a dusky Canada goose may obtain a new permit for subsequent seasons by retaking and passing the goose identification test.

Obtaining a Permit

To obtain study material and take the goose test, please visit the ODFW website at myodfw.com/articles/hunting-northwest-goose-permit-zone. The test can be taken a maximum of three times per season. If you fail the test a third time in one season you will need to wait until the next season to test again. After successful completion of the test, hunters may obtain a Northwest Goose Permit online or anywhere ODFW licenses are sold. Please allow three days for processing of the Northwest Goose Permit tests.

Hunters who successfully complete a goose test in Washington are eligible to receive a permit in Oregon by providing evidence of being eligible for a permit in Washington. Those hunters can visit the above website to get information needed to show proof of being eligible for a Washington permit. This process can take up to 10 work-days after which time your Oregon permit will be made available online or anywhere ODFW licenses are sold.

Shooting Time

Legal shooting hours for geese in the Northwest Permit Zone during the Northwest Permit Goose Season are listed in the table below.