Hunting the Northwest Goose Permit Zone

The Northwest Permit Zone and Northwest General Zones were combined in 2015. The zone is now called the Northwest Permit Zone and includes all of Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill counties.

All goose hunters in the Northwest Permit Zone are required to have taken and passed the Northwest Goose Permit Exam. The Northwest Goose Permit Exam is not an annual exam; if you have taken and passed the test any time after 1996 then you do not need to retest, and your permit will available annually to purchase in your account. Please note that you are required to carry the following items with you on your Northwest Goose hunt: Oregon Hunting License, State Waterfowl Validation, Federal Duck Stamp (if 16 years of age or older) and Northwest Goose Permit. Goose hunters need to observe the shooting hours on page 23 of the Oregon Game Bird Regulations and in the table below.

A Northwest Goose Permit must be purchased annually to hunt during the Northwest Permit Goose Season.

• The permit costs $2.00 and is printed separately from the hunting license.
• A permit is not needed to hunt during any September Canada Goose Season.
• The season for Dusky Canada Geese is closed.  It is a wildlife violation to shoot a Dusky Canada Goose.
• Legal shooting hours for geese in the Northwest Permit Zone are listed in the shooting timetable (sunrise to sunset). 
• All days of the week (during the open NW Permit season) are open to goose hunting.
• Geese must be intact and fully feathered in the field and while in transit to the place of permanent residence of the possessor.
• Click here to view a map of the Tillamook County goose hunting closure area.

TAKE THE TEST ONLINE

HOW TO TAKE THE TEST:

1. Log into your MyODFW online account

a. Need help logging into your MyODFW account? Please contact the License Services Division at 503-947-6101.

2. Under “Customer Account” tab click “Certifications”

3. Click “Exams”

4. Click “Take Test”

5. Complete test as prompted.

a. If you need help with testing, please contact the Wildlife Division at 503-947-6301.

The average time to take the test is 30-35 minutes. After you submit the test, you will be notified whether you have passed or failed. You have up to three chances per season to pass the exam with an 80% or better. If you pass the test, your permit will be immediately available to purchase online or anywhere ODFW licenses are sold. Please note a $2.00 agent fee does apply. There will not be a harvest card attached to your permit as it is no longer needed.

Please see the study booklets and all other test materials below. Persons who do not have the ability to take an online test should call (503) 947-6301 for further assistance.

“Northwest Goose Test Materials”

• Pacific Northwest Goose Management Video. Video is also available to purchase through Videoland Productions, Inc., 1-800-845-9448.  
• Pacific Northwest Goose Management Study Booklet (692 kb pdf)
• Geese of Willamette Valley and Lower Columbia River Study Booklet - entire document (7.93 meg pdf)

If you have difficulties downloading the large Study Booklet file, above, please download the document in sections using the files below:

• Front, Table of contents, introduction and identification parameters (179 kb pdf)

Cackling and Canada Goose Identification:

• Cackling Goose (1.18 meg pdf)
• Aleutian Goose (392 kb pdf)
• Taverner's Goose (1.18 meg pdf)
• Lesser Canada Goose (1.18 meg pdf)
• Dusky Canada Goose (1.20 meg pdf)
• Vancouver Canada Goose (88 kb pdf)
• Western Canada Goose (869 kb pdf)
   
• Other Goose Species in the Willamette Valley and Lower Columbia River (2 meg pdf)
• Comparing Goose Subspecies (2 meg pdf)
• Neck Collar Photos and Sources of Information and Photos (1.53 meg pdf)

Header photo by Dave Budeau