The start of Canada goose season was great for Nick Zatorski, Don Salemi and Jack Forbes. Their good shooting led them to bag their goose limits last weekend on nearby waterways. Submitted photo

Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts alike reflect on what makes this time of year so special. It’s not just about fishing and hunting — it’s about crisp mornings on the water, the camaraderie of shared hunting blinds and the satisfaction of living in rhythm with the land. Amidst the draw of the NYS Southern Zone early archery season (which now allows crossbow use), the five “Steelhead Alley” streams of Chautauqua County that are filled with steelhead at the moment, there are those familiar honking calls of migrating Canada geese.

They echo through the morning air. For local hunters, that sound marks the exciting autumn chapter of another waterfowl season that includes a blend of patience, tradition and respect for the natural world. No matter if you are wading Chautauqua Creek and casting a woolly bugger for steelhead, sitting high up in your tree stand looking for your next whitetail, or shoulder-to-shoulder in the goose blind with your hunting buddies, there is nothing like the sound of those morning honkers.

The NYS Southern Zone Canada goose season is divided into two periods. The early Canada goose season is over (Sept. 1-25, daily limit 15) but opening day for the regular season started last Saturday, Oct. 25, and will run through Jan. 12, 2026, with a daily limit of five birds. Locally, as the geese have been on the move for weeks, the flocks will thin out as winter air moves in, so too do morning sits in the blind, which is why so many take part in this enduring pursuit early in the season. For Nick Zatorski, Don Salemi and Jack Forbes, their good shooting led them to bag their goose limits last weekend on Chautauqua County waterways. Despite the adage about something “being as tough as a goose,” a properly cooked Canada goose can rival fine beef in flavor and tenderness. The key, like venison, is in the preparation.

A classic favorite is pan-seared goose breast — scored, seasoned and cooked just to medium-rare, right before slicing thin. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. Others prefer slow-roasted or smoked goose, often brined overnight and cooked over applewood or hickory for a mellow, game-rich aroma. The legs, with their deeper flavor, can shine in stews, braises, or confit, where low, slow heat brings out their best. Whatever the recipe, the experience of cooking a wild goose is as much about appreciation as it is about taste — a full-circle moment that ties together the season, the effort and the landscape itself.

For those who take part, the harvest is a reminder that food can still come from the wild — a sustainable, ethical act of stewardship that honors both nature and tradition. And for those who simply watch the skies, the passing flocks of Canada geese remain a timeless symbol of the changing seasons across Western New York.

Stay informed and responsible. Be sure to check the syllabus for changes to goose and other waterfowl seasons and limits, which, when combined, are closely regulated federally and by the state.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Oct. 28: Children in the Stream — Youth Fly Fishing program, free, Costello Room, Rockefeller Art Center, SUNY Fredonia, 7-8:30 p.m., 12 years old and older, info: 716-410-7003 (Alberto Rey).

Oct. 28: WNY Chapter of Trout Unlimited, monthly meeting, 4545 Transit Road, Williamsville, 5 p.m. fly tying, 6 p.m. meeting w/guest speaker, DEC Jarrod Ludwig on “State of WNY Steelhead.”

Oct. 31: Last day of NYS Southern Zone turkey season.

Nov. 1: Leftover deer permits go on sale; check dec.ny.gov for details.