OutdoorNebraska

30 | Hunting Info: 402-471-0641 STATUS OF LIGHT GEESE AND THE LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER The Light Goose Conservation Order was established in 1999 with the objective to reduce snow and Ross's goose populations that were damaging subarctic and arctic breeding habitats, as well as wintering and migration areas� Using methods and regulations not allowed during regular waterfowl seasons — such as unplugged shotguns and no daily bag limits — participants began pursuing light geese in unprecedented fashion� Harvest of light geese doubled initially, but quickly leveled off� Indices of light goose populations followed the same pattern� So, where are we with light goose populations and the conservation order? The conservation order appears to have worked for reducing and stabilizing the greater snow goose population in the Atlantic Flyway� Greater snow geese were causing large-scale damage at breeding, migration and wintering areas� With implementation of the conservation order, the harvest rate doubled and carryover effects — such as less frequency of nesting and reduced clutch sizes — resulted in a stable population� Currently, there is no evidence of habitat damage in breeding areas and limited damages in migration or wintering areas� However, for the midcontinent population of lesser snow and Ross's geese (combined, known as light geese), the situation appears quite different� Harvest rates of light geese appear low and population indices have not indicated a discernable decrease� The conservation order may only be a minor factor that populations are not increasing at the same rate as when the conservation order began, and monitoring programs show that habitat damage continues today� The greater effectiveness of the conservation order on greater snow geese than midcontinent light geese is due to a number of factors� First, when the conservation order was initiated in 1999, the population estimates of light geese were around 5-10 million birds� More recent estimates indicate that it may be at least double that� Thus, the effort needed to reduce the population was also underestimated� Also, light geese in the midcontinent appear to be more flexible in their use of breeding, migration and wintering areas than greater snows, which are comparably more static� Consequently, light geese in the midcontinent can avoid the pressures of the conservation order, but greater snows cannot� Finally, recent research indicates that a significant portion of light geese harvested in the conservation order may be the "wrong" birds� Evidence indicates that decoyed birds, which comprise more than 70 percent of geese harvested in Nebraska, are in poorer body condition than those jump or pass shot� Essentially, the conservation order is not removing enough fit adult females, which needs to occur if the population is to be reduced� The conservation order has provided many opportunities to those who pursue the wily snow goose, and to see a large flock of snow geese is still spectacular� The conservation order needs to continue until objectives are met in both population and habitat objectives� Paid Advertisement

• Cover