The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area participates each year in a special urban Canada goose season designed to reduce local populations of giant Canada geese before other subspecies of Canada geese migrate through Iowa in the fall. This year’s season is Sept. 5 – 13.
These special urban hunts take place in specific areas and one of the boundaries runs through the Hawkeye Wildlife Area with the east half being opened to hunting and west of Greencastle Road being closed. Since the wildlife refuge lies in the east half, and the purpose of this season is to reduce goose numbers, the wildlife refuge will remain open for hunting during this season.
With the special teal duck season also opening on Sept. 5 but running through Sept. 20, the wildlife refuge will remain open to avoid confusion of closing it midway through that season.
On Sept. 21, the refuge will again be closed for hunting and trespass through the remainder of the waterfowl seasons. Usually in mid-December when the regular duck season closes, the refuge again is opened to hunting and other public use.