Feds approve new rules to deal with snow goose crisis

Responding to an unprecedented environmental crisis, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has approved changes in the current goose hunting season and also allowed additional hunting for snow geese.

North American snow goose numbers have grown so large in recent years that their nesting habitat around Hudson Bay no longer can support them. Federal, state, provincial and private conservation groups agree that severeCpossibly permanentChabitat damage already is occurring and will grow worse until snow goose numbers decrease. All agree that waiting for this reduction to occur naturally runs the risk of massive environmental damage that will affect many other wildlife species.

In response to what is seen as an ecological emergency, the FWS is allowing hunters to use electronic calls and unplugged shotguns during the part of the regular hunting season when only Alight geese@ (blue, snow and Ross' geese) are hunted. It also has approved a Aconservation order@ that will allow the harvest of light geese beyond the end of the regular snow goose hunting season March 10.

Liberalized hunting regulations have failed to bring about the needed reduction in snow goose numbers, so federal officials issued the conservation order that goes beyond traditional hunting seasons and methods to encourage hunters to take more of the overpopulated geese. The Conservation Department, acting within the guidelines of the federal conservation order, has approved the following regulation changes for hunting light geese to encourage maximum harvest of snow geese in Missouri.

From now through March 10, but only when the regular season is open, snow goose hunters may use electronic calling devices and unplugged shotguns capable of holding more than three shells. Snow goose season dates, bag limits, shooting hours and other regulations published in the 1998-1999 Migratory Bird Hunting Digest still apply.

From March 11 through April 30, hunters may use unplugged shotguns and electronic calling devices. Shooting hours will be from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset, and there will be no daily bag limit. A Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit will be the only license requriement from March 11 through April 30.

Hunters should remember that the regular season in the North Zone opened Feb 19, and it closes in the Swan Lake Zone on March 7 and stays closed for three days before reopening again March 11.