Tags:
| Updated: 11/30/2011 3:13 pm |
Published: 11/28/2011 10:36 pm |
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR – The North Little Rock City Council approved a 3-day goose hunt to be held in Burns Park from Dec 20th to Dec 22nd.
The park will be closed from 6:30am to 9:30am on those days, with law enforcement making sure the public can not get in. Hunters will be escorted into the park in groups. Police will be stationed at all the park entrances as well at along the River Trail to make sure the park is empty during the hunt.
Hunters are limited to two birds, the first one goes to the Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry, the second one hunters can keep. 100 hunters will be allowed to apply for permits to participate in the goose hunt, must go through a safety course, and must have the appropriate hunting licenses.
Animal rights activists spoke out at the meeting Monday night, saying killing the geese is not the answer. Those opposed to the hunt say alternatives to killing the geese need to be looked into.
Park Ranger Kate Finefield says the goose population needs to be thinned out for health reasons. Finefield says there are about 200 geese in the park, when 50 would be a much more manageable number. The problem is people feed the geese, and the geese defecate on the trails, golf course, and soccer fields, which is a health hazard. Finefield says the hunt will be heavily regulated to make sure the public is safe.
How to participate in the hunt
Participants are chosen from an application process (available at the Parks and Recreation Administration Office and
www.nlrpr.org) and would attend an orientation before being allowed to participate.
Additional requirements include:
- Current valid state and federal migratory bird stamps at the orientation;
- Be registered with The Harvest Information Program;
- Attend one of the two Burns Park Goose Hunt orientations held at the North Little Rock Community Center. After completing the orientation each hunter will be given a Burns Park Hunting Permit (their “golden ticket”), which will allow them into the closed area of the park on their assigned hunting day. Orientations are on Dec 13th at 6:30pm and Dec 15th at 6:30pm.
- Pay a $10.00 permit fee at the Orientation;
- Present all permits and licenses, and a state issued photo ID to enter the hunt area on their assigned hunting day.
- At least half of the goose meat
