Snow goose hunting serves purpose for fish and wildlife service

    Hunting seasons have virtually all ended with the exception of the Light (Snow) Goose Conservation Season which opened Feb. 14, the day following the regular goose season.
    Colorado is on the far western edge of the prime snow goose migration route but covers sufficient migration corridor to attract millions of snow geese that are moving slowly northward to their summer nesting grounds. The conservation season extends through April 30, with an unlimited daily bag, ability to use mechanical calling devises, unplugged shotguns and no limit on possession.
      Most snow goose hunters rely on hunting guides. Southeastern Colorado in the Lamar/John Martin Reservoir area is a popular gathering spot for migrating snows, as is the northeastern corner of the state in the Sterling/Julesburg/Jumbo and North Sterling Reservoir region. Here are some suggested regional guides; Crook/Julesburg area, 303-947-7424, Loveland area, 970-219-3913, Fort Morgan-Brush region, 303-659-8665 and Sterling area, 303-838-0724. Prime Colorado snow goose hunting period falls in March to mid-April. Early reservations are suggested.
    The snow goose has experienced an exploding growth in population over the past four decades. Getting familiar with the uniqueness of snows is a must and will help meeting the challenge of matching wits with these wary waterfowl.
     Snows migrate well beyond the geographic limits of the Canada goose. Snow geese typically travel more than 3,000 miles from breeding and nesting grounds in far northern Canada, Greenland, Alaska and Siberia to wintering regions in Texas, some into Mexico. Snow geese are philopatric, meaning they return to the place they hatched or breed. The female will lay three to five eggs which she will incubate over a 25 day period. The goslings eat immediately and are ready for flight in about 50 days. The average snow has a life span of eight years.
     Snow geese move in large flocks and are far more skittish than the Canada goose. As a result it takes a lot more decoys, exceptional concealment and loud and actuate calling to entice Snows within shooting range. Those who hunt on their own, use inflatable “rags” as the decoys are referred to. The rags look much like an all-white grocery store bag. Each rag is attached to a small dowel stick and inflates from the natural breeze. To gain the attention of the massive flocks of snows a typical decoy spread of 400 or more is required.
     The problem for the snows is the expanding numbers that are slowly destroying nesting grounds. The snow goose population has tripled since the 1960s. It is estimated current population exceeds 5 million birds, which is an increase of 300 percent since the mid-1970s, with a continuing annual increase in snows of 5 percent.
    Snow geese have few predators in their nesting regions beyond the Arctic Fox and Skuas.
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service studies indicate the population is forcing snows to move into new nesting regions, which itself results consumption of more of the fragile and diminishing age old tundra nesting and food sources. The service has also found the snows have changed their feeding habits over the past 40 years. Rather than relying on Southern rice fields, Snow geese have turned to wasted corn, wheat and grain fields, and the growth of protected national wildlife refuges and private wetlands preserves.
    Other migratory birds and other waterfowl are being threatened as the snows consume and damage traditional nesting and feeding areas both in the far north as well as along the migration routes.  In addition an unfortunate conflict is developing. The preserves and wildlife refuges sorely needed by other less populous migrating birds and waterfowl is encouraging and supporting the expanded and threatening snow goose population.
     The service looks to sport hunting as one of the main tools in attempting to manage the snow goose populations. With nearly six weeks remaining in the Colorado Conservation Snow goose season, why not give the Service some support and plan a snow goose hunt.

    Contact the author at Ron-Hellbusch@comcast.net.