Longer snow-goose season

Conditions calling for reconsideration

By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist

The snow geese returned to the Champlain Valley a couple of weeks ago, prompting more than a few waterfowl hunters to ask: Why does the special spring snow goose season end March 10, just before the flocks arrive?

The answer is that migratory waterfowl seasons are set within the parameters of an International Agreement, and March 10 is the last allowable date, but that will likely change in 2003.

Bryan Swift, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation waterfowl specialist in Albany, says, "The light goose numbers still have not been brought down to the point where they are in balance with their habitat, so the states may get more flexibility in setting seasons." Swift goes on to say a late March or early April spring hunt is not out of the question.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently doing an environmental impact statement that may not only recommend later seasons but also allow hunters the use of electric callers and unplugged shotguns (now only three shells are allowed in the shotgun for waterfowl hunting).

All of this comes on the heels of a Ducks Unlimited report that the mid-continent light goose (snow and Ross) take is down, and that the 2008 target date for decreasing their numbers by half will not be met. One reason given for the half million fewer birds harvested in 2000-2001 compared to 1999-2000 is fewer younger geese using the flyway; these young birds are easier to hunt.

There have been calls for hunter input for season-setting process in two Migratory Bird Zones in New York state, the Western and Southeastern, but there is no advisory committee set up for the Northeast Region. Bob Inslerman, DEC wildlife head in Ray Brook, says that there has been no great call for such a committee in the past, and the Lake Champlain Zone group meets in Vermont.