Before heading across state lines for geese you want answers to two questions. What does the average hunter bring home over a season there? How much time in the field goes into that bag? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service covers both questions for 48 states in its migratory bird activity and harvest reports.
IFull season
About 8.7 geese apiece in Kansas and 8.4 in California put both states ahead
The five seasons spanning 2020-2021 through 2024-2025 gave Kansas hunters a seasonal average of about 8.7 geese. California's average came to about 8.4. The median across the 48 states stood at 4.61 while the nationwide rate reached 5.18.
A typical Kansas season accounted for 16,260 goose hunters taking 140,800 geese. California's seasonal averages were 29,600 hunters taking 248,300 geese. That gave California the biggest goose harvest nationwide. Survey error surrounding each estimate exceeds the difference separating these two leaders. We therefore place them together at the top. Next come Nebraska and South Dakota with 7.89 apiece. Colorado follows with 7.51 and Oklahoma with 7.47.
Swipe table to see every column
| State | Goose hunters per season | Geese per season | Geese per hunter | Geese per hunter 1999 to 2004 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 16,260 | 140,800 | 8.66 | 7.21 | 1.45 |
| California | 29,600 | 248,300 | 8.39 | 3.4 | 4.99 |
| Nebraska | 13,240 | 104,400 | 7.89 | 5.68 | 2.21 |
| South Dakota | 10,480 | 82,700 | 7.89 | 7.23 | 0.66 |
| Colorado | 10,140 | 76,200 | 7.51 | 5.42 | 2.09 |
| Oklahoma | 13,300 | 99,400 | 7.47 | 4.84 | 2.63 |
| New York | 13,340 | 93,900 | 7.04 | 6.59 | 0.45 |
| Arkansas | 26,420 | 167,800 | 6.35 | 7.93 | -1.58 |
| Connecticut | 1,600 | 10,200 | 6.35 | n/a | n/a |
| Montana | 12,140 | 73,700 | 6.07 | 4.64 | 1.43 |
| North Dakota | 25,460 | 154,000 | 6.05 | 5.63 | 0.42 |
| Illinois | 17,280 | 101,800 | 5.89 | 3.88 | 2.01 |
| Michigan | 28,340 | 164,400 | 5.8 | 3.61 | 2.19 |
| Wyoming | 4,020 | 23,100 | 5.74 | 4.86 | 0.88 |
| Indiana | 10,360 | 59,300 | 5.72 | 3.8 | 1.92 |
| Vermont | 2,060 | 11,600 | 5.65 | 3.44 | 2.21 |
| Ohio | 14,960 | 84,300 | 5.64 | 3.31 | 2.33 |
| Iowa | 8,220 | 45,200 | 5.49 | 4.03 | 1.46 |
| New Jersey | 4,460 | 24,100 | 5.41 | 8.49 | -3.08 |
| Missouri | 14,540 | 77,600 | 5.33 | 5.23 | 0.1 |
| Washington | 12,820 | 66,300 | 5.17 | n/a | n/a |
| Oregon | 9,060 | 45,500 | 5.03 | 4.76 | 0.27 |
| Louisiana | 8,760 | 42,700 | 4.87 | 7.84 | -2.97 |
| Delaware | 3,400 | 16,100 | 4.72 | n/a | n/a |
| Idaho | 9,640 | 43,400 | 4.5 | 4.65 | -0.15 |
| Maryland | 17,540 | 75,200 | 4.29 | 6.22 | -1.93 |
| Kentucky | 7,000 | 29,000 | 4.14 | 2.86 | 1.28 |
| Rhode Island | 600 | 2,500 | 4.13 | 5.74 | -1.61 |
| Mississippi | 5,300 | 21,300 | 4.03 | 4.37 | -0.34 |
| Pennsylvania | 18,040 | 72,200 | 4 | 4.44 | -0.44 |
| Massachusetts | 3,040 | 11,800 | 3.89 | 5.85 | -1.96 |
| Wisconsin | 37,360 | 141,300 | 3.78 | n/a | n/a |
| Minnesota | 38,440 | 143,800 | 3.74 | 3.45 | 0.29 |
| Alaska | 1,840 | 6,800 | 3.68 | n/a | n/a |
| West Virginia | 1,380 | 5,000 | 3.64 | n/a | n/a |
| Texas | 31,640 | 111,900 | 3.54 | 7.31 | -3.77 |
| Maine | 3,660 | 12,800 | 3.5 | 1.98 | 1.52 |
| Georgia | 8,960 | 30,700 | 3.43 | 1.91 | 1.52 |
| Virginia | 10,660 | 36,300 | 3.41 | n/a | n/a |
| Alabama | 4,220 | 13,400 | 3.18 | 1.93 | 1.25 |
| New Hampshire | 1,800 | 5,400 | 2.98 | 2.36 | 0.62 |
| Utah | 8,240 | 24,000 | 2.91 | n/a | n/a |
| Nevada | 1,700 | 4,300 | 2.54 | 2.69 | -0.15 |
| Tennessee | 10,440 | 25,100 | 2.41 | n/a | n/a |
| New Mexico | 1,980 | 4,600 | 2.34 | 4.58 | -2.24 |
| South Carolina | 5,300 | 11,900 | 2.25 | 2.98 | -0.73 |
| North Carolina | 14,960 | 32,600 | 2.18 | 3.06 | -0.88 |
| Arizona | 1,440 | 2,500 | 1.75 | 2.43 | -0.68 |
IIEach day
Kansas produced about 1.8 geese per hunting day against about 1.2 in California
A season's bag alone leaves out the time needed to take it. In Kansas the average goose hunter logged 4.87 days in the field and harvested 1.78 geese daily. California's hunters logged 7.12 days with a daily average of 1.18. The higher seasonal total in California accompanies a longer stretch afield. Kansas produced the larger average bag for each hunting day.
Daily rates also ran high in South Dakota and Oklahoma. Both reached 1.69 with hunters spending fewer than five days in the field. Nebraska also stands out for the time its hunters put in. Their average effort of 7.11 days yielded 1.11 geese daily. That leaves Nebraska toward the bottom here even with its top-four seasonal rate.
Looking at each season's rankings gives another angle. California held a top-five position for its per-hunter goose rate throughout all five seasons. Kansas reached that group in four seasons. Oklahoma and Nebraska each qualified in three. North Dakota and Montana rank high for daily returns despite never posting a single top-five season.
Swipe table to see every column
| State | Geese per hunter | Days afield per hunter | Geese per day afield | Seasons in top 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 8.66 | 4.87 | 1.78 | 4 |
| South Dakota | 7.89 | 4.67 | 1.69 | 1 |
| Oklahoma | 7.47 | 4.42 | 1.69 | 3 |
| New York | 7.04 | 4.52 | 1.56 | 1 |
| North Dakota | 6.05 | 4.11 | 1.47 | 0 |
| Montana | 6.07 | 4.23 | 1.44 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 6.35 | 4.44 | 1.43 | 1 |
| Colorado | 7.51 | 5.39 | 1.4 | 2 |
| Wyoming | 5.74 | 4.27 | 1.34 | 1 |
| California | 8.39 | 7.12 | 1.18 | 5 |
| New Jersey | 5.41 | 4.74 | 1.14 | 0 |
| Texas | 3.54 | 3.11 | 1.14 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 6.35 | 5.6 | 1.13 | 1 |
| Washington | 5.17 | 4.59 | 1.13 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 7.89 | 7.11 | 1.11 | 3 |
IIIBirds taken
Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi lean on white-fronts while California favors light geese
For most states near the top on seasonal rates the biggest portion of the harvest comes from Canada geese. Kansas gets 61 percent from Canadas and 13 percent from cacklers. Snow and blue geese along with Ross geese contribute 18 percent. White-fronts supply the remaining 8 percent. Canadas account for 87 percent in Nebraska and 76 in South Dakota. Within this leading group no states depend more heavily on cacklers than Colorado at 26 percent and Oklahoma at 30 percent.
California breaks that pattern among the leaders. Its harvest gets 44 percent from snow and blue geese along with Ross geese. White-fronts contribute 29 and Canadas contribute 19. Arkansas leads this top group in white-front share with 54 percent.
White-fronts account for more than half the birds taken in two additional states. Their share reaches 72 percent in Louisiana and 51 in Mississippi. Those states have lower seasonal rates of 4.87 for Louisiana and 4.03 for Mississippi. Texas and Arizona each get 42 percent of their harvest from light geese. North Dakota gets 35 percent from light geese while Canadas remain its largest share at 58.
Swipe table to see every column
| State | Canada | Cackling | Snow, blue and Ross | White-fronted | Brant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 61 | 13 | 18 | 8 | 0 |
| California | 19 | 8 | 44 | 29 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 87 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| South Dakota | 76 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 0 |
| Colorado | 65 | 26 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Oklahoma | 56 | 30 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| New York | 93 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Arkansas | 17 | 0 | 29 | 54 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 97 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Montana | 92 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| North Dakota | 58 | 2 | 35 | 5 | 0 |
| Illinois | 93 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Michigan | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wyoming | 89 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Indiana | 94 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
IVHunter totals
Minnesota and Wisconsin draw the biggest crowds while California shows the largest gain
Having more goose hunters does not put a state ahead on the per-hunter rate. Minnesota's seasonal average was 38,440 goose hunters with 3.74 geese apiece. Wisconsin averaged 37,360 hunters with 3.78 apiece. In Texas the averages were 31,640 hunters and 3.54 geese apiece. California alone combines a top-five rate with a place among the five biggest hunter crowds.
Compared with 1999-2000 through 2003-2004, rates are now higher in 24 of the 39 states covered by both windows. California gained the most by moving from 3.4 to 8.39. Oklahoma rose from 4.84 to 7.47 while Nebraska rose from 5.68 to 7.89. The largest drop belonged to Texas as its rate went from 7.31 to 3.54. New Jersey slipped from 8.49 to 5.41 while Louisiana slipped from 7.84 to 4.87.
The national rate was 4.63 for 2011-2012 and reached 5.68 for 2024-2025. Its peak came at 5.98 during 2013-2014. The estimate for hunters during 2022-2023 was 414,100. It falls well below the estimates for all other seasons shown in the table and calls for caution when reading that year.
Swipe table to see every column
| Season | Goose hunters | Geese | Geese per hunter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-2012 | 622,200 | 2,880,000 | 4.63 |
| 2012-2013 | 593,800 | 3,192,000 | 5.38 |
| 2013-2014 | 561,900 | 3,362,000 | 5.98 |
| 2014-2015 | 616,700 | 3,327,000 | 5.39 |
| 2015-2016 | 583,100 | 2,538,000 | 4.35 |
| 2016-2017 | 636,600 | 3,267,000 | 5.13 |
| 2017-2018 | 647,500 | 3,600,000 | 5.56 |
| 2018-2019 | 588,900 | 2,444,000 | 4.15 |
| 2019-2020 | 555,800 | 2,692,000 | 4.84 |
| 2020-2021 | 580,800 | 2,880,000 | 4.96 |
| 2021-2022 | 545,300 | 2,648,000 | 4.86 |
| 2022-2023 | 414,100 | 1,987,000 | 4.8 |
| 2023-2024 | 627,100 | 3,402,000 | 5.42 |
| 2024-2025 | 613,900 | 3,484,000 | 5.68 |
On this comparison goose hunters seldom take more birds than duck hunters. Colorado averaged 7.51 geese for its goose hunters against 6.81 ducks for its duck hunters. Pennsylvania's comparison was 4.0 geese against 3.64 ducks. Elsewhere no state has a higher goose rate than duck rate. Kansas averaged 11.95 ducks for duck hunters compared with 8.66 geese for goose hunters. For the duck figures see our ducks per hunter by state paper. Our duck country and goose country paper orders states by their overall goose harvest rather than their per-hunter rate.
VSurvey limits
These estimates describe birds hunters reported shooting
The harvest totals and hunter counts used here come from Harvest Information Program surveys. So do the estimates of time afield. None measures how many geese are out there. Each state's main-table rate divides its estimated harvest across five seasons by its estimated hunter count across those same five seasons. Time afield comes from its own estimate. That leaves the daily goose rate carrying error from two estimates.
Looking across five seasons at the harvest estimate's published coefficient of variation gives median values of 32 percent for Kansas and 24 percent for California. That much noise encompasses a gap such as 8.66 versus 8.39. The per-hunter figure describes a goose hunter's total for the season. The per-day figure averages the return on time afield across the state. Neither tells you anything about a daily bag or one hunter's chances.
How long seasons run, what bag limits allow, conservation-order seasons and the geese present in a state all affect these figures. The data leave those influences combined and cannot explain California's rise or Texas's decline. Hawaii has no estimate for geese in these reports. If a season is missing for a state within either window, that state is excluded from the affected window. Only flyway and national tables appear in the 2025-2026 report. That report is excluded here.
VITrip choices
Choose your goose first and favor the state offering the strongest daily return
We see Kansas and California sharing the lead for seasonal bags. Choosing between them comes down to which geese you want. Start your search for Canadas and cacklers in Kansas, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Colorado. Put Arkansas first for white-fronts with Louisiana and Mississippi next. Among the leaders California is the lone choice that pairs light geese with white-fronts.
For a trip lasting a few days we give the daily goose rate more weight than the full-season bag. Kansas, South Dakota and Oklahoma come out ahead by that measure. Before booking check the dates and limits for the season you plan to hunt.
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Hunting Activity and Harvest reports (Harvest Information Program).
- Scope: 48 states with goose harvest and goose hunters printed for all five seasons 2020-2021 through 2024-2025. early comparison window 1999-2000 through 2003-2004.
- Cleaning and exclusions: Hawaii has no goose estimate. States missing a season in a window are left out of that window. The 2025-2026 report prints flyway and national tables only, no state rows, so it is not used.
- Method: Geese per hunter for a window = the five seasons' estimated goose harvest summed, divided by the five seasons' estimated goose hunters summed (DERIVED). Hunters and geese per season are five-season averages, rounded to the nearest 10 hunters and 100 geese. Species shares use the species rows of the same tables. Each report prints two seasons. where a season appears in two reports we use the later report, which carries revisions.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. Fully Drawn Research is an independent data and analysis desk. This paper reports FDR's analysis of public data. Harvest figures describe animals reported or estimated as harvested, not population size, and reflect hunter effort and regulations as well as animal numbers.
Keep reading
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