You comment brings up another good point. That is, why did the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) allow electronic callers for geese only seasons, but not for other waterfowl seasons?
In the State of AZ, turkey, quail, chukar, and all other upland game birds can be taken with the aid of electronic callers. However, migratory birds cannot due to the USFWS regulations. There is no science behind migratory birds being more attracted to recorded sounds than non-migratory birds. I do not see the logic behind why the USFWS considers geese an exception.
Here is a link to the USFWS regulations for taking migratory birds.
Below is paragraph (g) which I think should be repealed.
Quote:50 CFR 20.21 What hunting methods are illegal?
Migratory birds on which open seasons are prescribed in this part may be taken by any method except those prohibited in this section. No persons shall take migratory game birds:
(g) By the use or aid of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds. However, this restriction does not apply during:
(1) A light-goose-only season (greater and lesser snow geese and Ross' geese) when all other waterfowl and crane hunting seasons, excluding falconry, are closed.
(2) A Canada goose only season when all other waterfowl and crane hunting seasons, excluding falconry, are closed in the Atlantic, Central, and Mississippi Flyway portions of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, as set forth below:
(i) During the period of September 1 to September 15, when approved in the annual regulatory schedule in subpart K of this part; and
(ii) During the period of September 16 to September 30, when approved in the annual regulatory schedule in subpart K of this part.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/20.21
I believe that 50 CFR 20.21 (g) is a federal law that we don't need. I'm wondering if the law is based on social reasons. For example, to minimize the noise in the field as a courtesy to other people nearby. If so, paragraph (g) should still be repealed and left up to the states to determine where electronic callers are a conflict, not for the feds to prohibit using electronic callers everywhere in the USA for migratory birds.