All Outdoors, October 16, 1998

2. Conservation Department offers safe hunting tips

3. Deer/car collision hazard highest now

4. Waterfowl season forecast is promising

5. Outdoor Calendar

"The world used to be big, and men could afford to be small. Now the world is small, and man must be big."-Elliott T. Richardson

1. Overabundant geese threaten arctic ecosystem

In the midst of a historic waterfowl recovery, managers say that too much good news can be bad news.

CHURCHILL, Manitoba--An air of dread permeates conversations among waterfowl biologists from Manitoba to Texas. Words like "inevitable" and "ecological disaster" crop up repeatedly.

It seems ironic in light of the spectacular and continuing success of waterfowl restoration efforts. But Dave Graber, a wildlife research biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, and other experts in waterfowl management agree that North America's burgeoning snow goose population is on a collision course with calamity.

Graber says North America had more than 4 million breeding snow geese-more than at any time in history. That's the trouble. The geese are so numerous, they are destroying the Canadian tundra where they nest. They already have laid waste to hundreds of square miles of land around Hudson and James bays. The damage is so extensive that it's visible on satellite photos.

Even more worrisome, says Graber, is the fact that this damage could be virtually permanent.

Snow geese trying to bulk up for the nesting season will eat any vegetation available to them, including the roots of grasses, sedges and other low-growing plants that cover the Canadian tundra. Once the ground is exposed, evaporation of water speeds up dramatically. Evaporation leaves behind salt, which eventually becomes so concentrated that plants no longer can grow there.

According to Graber, such areas may take hundreds of years to recover, if they ever do. But that doesn't stop the snow geese. They simply move to unaffected areas, where they repeat the cycle.

Eventually, the snow goose population will collapse under its own weight. This could happen when the ecological damage becomes so extensive that the birds no longer have places to eat and nest.

Disease could take down snow goose numbers before their habitat is depleted. Avian cholera and other diseases spread quickly when waterfowl are crowded together. This is most likely to happen in the winter, when snow geese and other waterfowl are concentrated on wetland areas in the central and south-central United States.

But Missourians will see effects that go beyond the inevitable decrease in snow goose numbers. Other migratory birds that nest in the same areas also will suffer from loss of habitat. And any diseases that sweep snow geese also will affect ducks and other birds that share their wintering grounds.

This, in turn, will devastate a thriving tourist industry that has sprung up around wildlife refuges, causing economic as well as ecological losses.

Possible solutions include collecting snow goose eggs for food or disturbing the geese during nesting season. But there are too few people and too many geese in the Northwest Territories for this to be effective.

Hunting is no panacea either. Snow geese are difficult to hunt. Waterfowl managers hope that hunters can harvest enough of the birds to make a difference, but they aren't optimistic. Liberalizing hunting regulations might help, but hunters and waterfowl managers alike have serious reservations about loosening restrictions on hunting methods that traditionally are considered unethical.

Government agencies could use chemical agents to kill large numbers of snow geese, but the cost of such measures would be enormous, other animals would be affected and many citizens would object to such drastic action.

The difficulties accompanying possible solutions make it tempting to "let nature take its course." But Graber says this isn't realistic, either.

To begin with, humans are partly responsible for the situation. Waste grain and other agricultural residues have increased the snow goose's food supplies far beyond historic levels. This enables more birds to survive each winter and sends them back to nesting areas in better condition. Wildlife refuges and managed wintering areas have encouraged their increase, too.

Graber says government officials in Canada and the United States are steeling themselves for the unhappy task of reducing snow goose numbers. He says the only chance for success lies in pursuing as many of the possible solutions as possible.

"Each of the necessary measures will be distasteful to some," says Graber. "But if people appreciate the seriousness of the situation, I hope they will support every reasonable means of meeting this challenge. I would hate for history to record that a disaster occurred on our watch, and we didn't do what we could to prevent it."

- Jim Low -

2. Deer/car collision hazard highest now

Increased activity associated with mating season puts deer and motorists at greatest risk from now through December.

JEFFERSON CITY--The deer mating season or rut is at its peak, and that creates the potential for deer-vehicle accidents to peak. The Missouri Department of Conservation urges you to take extra precautions while driving this time of year.

Defensive driving is necessary during the rut because the urge to mate may override a deer's normal instinct to move out of the path of approaching vehicles, or wait until a car has passed before attempting to cross a road. A few minor adjustments in your traveling habits can reduce the risk of a deer-vehicle collision.

A good first step is to reduce your travel during the evening and early morning hours, when the animals are most active. When you drive, slow down and watch for deer, especially near wooded areas or where deer crossing signs are posted. The sooner you see a deer, the more time you will have to react to its movements.

Other tips that may help you avoid a deer-related accident include:

--Slow down immediately when you see a deer if you can do so without causing a traffic hazard. Do this even if the deer already has crossed the road. The animal could turn back into your path. Also, deer often travel in groups, and others may follow.

--Deer are often dazed or confused by vehicle headlights. Try to scare the deer away from the roadside by flashing your lights or sounding your horn. Use emergency flashers or tap your brakes to alert vehicles behind you to the danger ahead.

--Some deer-auto collisions are unavoidable, occurring when a deer runs into the side of a moving vehicle or leaps out in front of a car. If this happens and you cannot stop, slow down but don't swerve wildly to avoid the animal. Some of the most severe deer-related accidents result when drivers lose control of their vehicles while trying to avoid deer. It's better to steer straight than to risk losing control.

--Report deer-vehicle accidents to local law enforcement officials. Your report will help the Missouri Department of Conservation track the incidence of deer-vehicle accidents.

--To keep a road-killed deer for its meat, you must contact the Conservation Department. The law requires that you get written authorization from a conservation agent to possess the deer before you can take it home.

-arleasha mays-

3. Conservation Department Offers Safe Hunting Tips

Hunting is a safe sport when compared to other pursuits

JEFFERSON CITY--The Show-Me State's 1998 hunting seasons soon will be in full swing, and while hunters are checking their equipment they should also be checking a mental list of safe hunting pointers.

Bob Staton, protection programs supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, says no game, be it a trophy white-tailed deer or a Canada goose, is worth harming another person. Hunters must not let peer pressure or the excitement of the hunt cloud their judgment. Most of the fatal hunting accidents in Missouri occur during deer or turkey hunting outings. Hunters need to adopt safety practices that are ingrained; they also need to focus all of their mental concentration on sizing up a situation before pulling the trigger. Accidents often occur when a hunter does not fully identify a turkey or deer, but shoots at a movement or color.

"A lot of gun accidents happen around vehicles," says Staton. "Arriving hunters are excited at the start of their day, while returning hunters are tired. They let their guard down and have an accidental discharge. Hunters need to make sure their guns are unloaded and keep them pointed in a safe direction."

The National Rifle Association suggests turkey hunters follow guidelines that also apply to deer hunters.

--Positively identify your target. Use binoculars and not a rifle scope for this purpose.

--Don't shoot at what you think is a "piece of a turkey." You must see the whole bird before you can determine it is safe to shoot. The same applies to deer.

--Don't shoot at movements or sounds.

Most accidents involve shotguns or deer rifles, but archery and handgun accidents also happen. Accidents usually occur when the victim is mistaken for game, when the victim is covered by a shooter swinging on a moving target or when the shooter stumbles and falls. Other accidents happen when firearms are being loaded or when they are bumped or dropped.

The Conservation Department compiles an individual accident summary for each hunting accident reported. Samples from these summaries include an archer mistaking another hunter for a deer and shooting him with an arrow. The victim required some 70 stitches in the right side of his face.

In another accident the shooter shot himself when trying to climb down from his tree stand. He lowered his rifle butt first, with one hand holding the gun by the barrel. The cocked hammer was released by a small branch, firing a bullet into the man's upper leg.

In a tragic "victim mistaken for game" incident, a shooter said he shot at what he thought was a doe he had crippled. Instead, he hit another hunter in the left shoulder, killing the victim. The shooter left the scene without notifying anybody until three hours after the accident. The victim was wearing a bright orange vest and cap.

Guns should be unloaded and cased when carried in a vehicle. Some accidents occur when these rules are ignored. In one case the victim was driving a vehicle. The shooter, carrying a loaded firearm in the vehicle, was seated behind the victim. He cocked the hammer on his firearm for some reason, but his thumb slipped off the hammer and the gun fired. The victim suffered wounds to his left buttock.

The accidental death of a hunter is often a grim reminder that hunting requires the use of lethal tools, be they firearms or archery equipment with razor-sharp arrow points. When a death occurs, hunting seems a dangerous pastime. But how does it compare to other sports?

The National Safety Council, quoted in the September 1998 issue of "Field and Stream" magazine, notes the rate of serious injury for hunters is minute compared with other sports. For each 100,000 participants in the sport, six hunters sought emergency-room treatment. Swimming (217), golf (163), soccer (1,308) and basketball (2,300) all produced many more trips to hospitals.

The article concluded that risk of being killed while hunting compares to the risk of being struck and killed by lightning. In 1996 the report noted that firearms accidents caused 87 fatalities; that same year 85 people were killed by lightning.

To keep the sport as safe as possible, hunters must familiarize themselves with the Ten Commandments of Firearms Safety. They are:

I. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. If the gun discharges, no one will be hurt if the muzzle is pointed safely.

II. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

III. Always make sure the firearm is unloaded and the action open except when actually hunting or preparing to shoot.

IV. Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions and that you have the proper ammunition for the firearm you are carrying.

V. Be sure of your target before you pull the trigger.

VI. Never point a firearm at anything you do not want to shoot. Avoid all horseplay with a firearm.

VII. Never climb or jump an obstacle with a loaded firearm. VIII. Never shoot at a flat, hard surface or water.

IX. Store firearms and ammunition separately.

X. Avoid alcohol and other drugs before or during shooting.

- Jim Auckley -

4. Waterfowl season forecast promising

With a few exceptions, duck numbers remain high. Missouri could have excellent conditions for the upcoming hunting season.

JEFFERSON CITY--Missouri duck hunters have cause to rejoice again this year. Numbers of many waterfowl species remain near record highs. Natural foods and crops used by waterfowl are abundant in the Show-Me State, and the continuation of the 60-day hunting season practically guarantees that favorable weather and water conditions will coincide some time during the season.

Duck season opens Oct. 22 in Missouri's North and Swan Lake zones, Oct. 29 in the Middle and Schell-Osage zones and Nov. 12 in the South Zone. Most regulations remain unchanged from last year.

Dale Humburg, a wildlife research biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, says the 1998 breeding population of mallards was about the same as in 1997, when they reached an all-time high of 9.9 million. Production declined slightly because of dry weather early in the nesting season, so the fall flight will be down slightly from last year's. But mallard numbers still are well above fall flight figures for most of the past 30 years.

The fall flight of pintails is lower than last year's for the same reason. However, blue-winged teal and redheads increased to record numbers, and numbers of gadwalls and most other duck species continue near last year's high levels.

Wigeons posted numbers similar to 1997, remaining at high, though not record levels. Surveys found no change in the number of canvasbacks. Greenwing teal and shovelers each declined slightly from last year's numbers, but their nesting populations remain above long-term averages.

One area of concern is scaup ducks, which declined from 4.1 million nesting birds in 1997 to 3.5 million this year, remaining below long-term population averages. Humburg says waterfowl biologists don't understand the reason for these birds' continued decline. Hunting doesn't appear to be a key factors. However, habitat conditions, including those in migration and wintering areas, may be part of the problem.

Humburg says the number of ducks won't limit hunters' success this year. "There are plenty of birds," he says. "The critical factor, as always, will be weather."

Humburg says Missouri had average to high water conditions going into fall. Early October rains put too much water on some areas too early to benefit duck hunters. However, he said normal rain between now and the end of duck season could give migrating birds good access to existing food, encouraging them to linger in Missouri.

"We have the prospect of at least a good season," Humburg says. "Habitat conditions will determine how close to excellent it is."

The other important weather factor is temperature. Missouri could have a superb duck season if the mercury drops enough to push birds down from more northerly states, but not enough to push them on south, out of the state.

Humburg says the length of this year's duck season-81 days from the Oct. 22 opener in the North Zone to the Jan. 10 closing date in the South Zone-provides an ample window of opportunity for Missouri hunters to find prime conditions.

Regulation changes are minimal this year. The daily bag limit on pintails has been lowered from three to one to address the decline in pintail numbers.

"There is no evidence to suggest that hunting is responsible for pintails' decline," says Humburg. "Dry conditions and resulting loss of good nesting habitat are the causes. By lowering the bag limit we can ensure the return of more breeders next year."

Young hunters will have special duck hunting opportunities again this year, with a youth-only hunting day on the Saturday prior to the regular season opener in each waterfowl management zone. These dates are for persons less than 16 years of age. Youth hunters must be accompanied by licensed adults at least 18 years of age who are not permitted to hunt. Adults need not be licensed if their young companions have valid hunter education certification cards.

Humburg says the prospects for next year are bright, too. Although the early portion of the nesting season was dry, rains replenished wetland nesting areas by July, and the Canadian prairies, where most pintails nest, went into fall with plenty of water. The improvement in moisture came too late to help this year's waterfowl reproduction, but it still is good news.

"Fall water level is critical," says Humburg. "If there is enough water in the ground to create a good frost seal in the fall, the moisture is trapped throughout the winter. When the ground thaws in the spring, it is still saturated, and spring rains fill the wetlands rather than just soaking in. That means good nesting conditions, and the possibility of pintails regaining lost ground."

- Jim Low -