# Reduce the population by half?



## Scaredy-snow (Apr 13, 2006)

Sounds like the liberal limits and the conservation order have helped some but, not much. If anything, this has created a generation gap - old birds vs. juvies. 
Let's say the old birds decide to die (not sure when that's going to happen) and we reach our population goal.
or
Let's say we use a more intrusive measure to reduce the population by half. 
What are we going to do? Reduce fall bag limits and cancel the springCO only to let this get out of control again?
Any thoughts?


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## kaiserduckhelm (May 26, 2005)

Chances are we won't bring the population down to where the feds want it, but we are in some ways keeping it in check. Mother nature will decide the future populations, not us. I think the CO will be around for quite a while.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

As said by KD, I beleive as long as there are a lot more than there traditionally was and they are doing damage to the tundura, they will have liberal seasons, bag, and method of hunting. If there was 3 consequetive bad hatches, there would be a very noticable drop in wintering #s, just like the spike of the last 2 years with the excellent and superb hatches of the last 2 years. Weather plays a huge role. Long term the warming of the Artic will play the key role in theri #s,

If for what ever reason their over all #s of the mid continent Snows drop to "normal" #s, the justifaction will cease to have the SCO season, and thus it would be stopped. There is a direct cause and effect rational by the USFWS. But I juist do not see that happening anytime soon,

If we really want to kill Snows, ban all the stalking (creeping, ditch crawlers, run and guns, etc) of them, as this constant harassing of the geese causes the flock to get very concentrated and also makes them very edgy. Thus overall #s that are killed are not nearly what they could be. When the Snows are relaxed, they are in much smaller flocks and 10 times easier to decoy into point balnk range. Too many guys just do not understand this.


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## headshot (Oct 26, 2006)

> If we really want to kill Snows, ban all the stalking (creeping, ditch crawlers, run and guns, etc) of them, as this constant harassing of the geese causes the flock to get very concentrated and also makes them very edgy.


I noticed this happening this spring here in Sask. Drive within a mile of the flock and they take off. Find a quiet field and they were all over us. I dont think man can keep the population of snow geese down by just hunting. We should enjoy the CO hunt while it lasts because as soon as there is a dollar to be made by raping the arctic breeding grounds for oil and minerals it will be all downhill from there.


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## takem1 (Feb 20, 2007)

Has anyone heard the exact numbers for 07 on light geese yet? I do agree that chasing these birds should be outlawed but that will never happen. I also think that these birds are also changing their wintering patterns because of hunting pressure. Within the last couple of years, I've started to see snow geese in areas that you normally wouldn't see them. I believe this has a lot to do with hunting pressure. So I hope you all that just go crawling ditches feel like the great white hunter because you can pop out of a ditch and kill 50 out of one flock. Boy that's real sportsmanlike!


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

h2ofwlr said:


> If we really want to kill Snows, ban all the stalking (creeping, ditch crawlers, run and guns, etc) .


 :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

takem1 said:


> Has anyone heard the exact numbers for 07 on light geese yet?


http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/repor ... 202007.pdf

Figure 21 on page 44 just shy of 3M for mid continent Snows this past winter.


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## Kaplan (Jan 3, 2006)

While following this thread, two ideas occur to me. First, climate change is likely to increase the survivability rate for snow goose nestings, resulting in an upward trend in population numbers. Second, opening federal and state refuges to hunting during the spring migration might disperse large flocks and result in higher harvest numbers.


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## bjn (Jul 17, 2003)

I have always wondered why if the goal is to really reduce the population on light geese, why not kill them on the tundra while they are nesting and molting. This would be an easier way to eradicate huge numbers of birds, including significant numbers of adults.
I realize that the governments (CA and US) would have to foot the bill rather than us hunters spending all kinds of money to hunt them, but wouldn't it be more effective? As a hunter, I enjoy the spring season, but have always wondered what the true goal was.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

kaiserduckhelm said:


> Chances are we won't bring the population down to where the feds want it, but we are in some ways keeping it in check. Mother nature will decide the future populations, not us. I think the CO will be around for quite a while.


I agree


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

goosebusters said:


> h2ofwlr said:
> 
> 
> > If we really want to kill Snows, ban all the stalking (creeping, ditch crawlers, run and guns, etc) .
> ...


 :withstupid:


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## Scaredy-snow (Apr 13, 2006)

Yeah, It always gets into my wheel house when I hear folks suggest the end of the springCO. It would have to be sheer devestation for that to happen. Over and above this idea, I think that I speak for all snow goose hunters when I say that we hunt them because it's fun and that attempting to keep this earth green is a mere after thought. So goes the joke "we're savin' the tundra" ha ha. I mean we decoyers gotta love it to put the pieces out rain or shine, buy the equipment, manage the equipment, blah blah blah. The loss of the springCO would be a life-changing event for me. I hope I never see the day. I hope my four-year-old never sees the day God willing he turns out to be snow goose fanatic like his daddy and grandpa. Oh Yeah, it runs in the blood


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

bjn said:


> I have always wondered why if the goal is to really reduce the population on light geese, why not kill them on the tundra while they are nesting and molting. This would be an easier way to eradicate huge numbers of birds, including significant numbers of adults.
> I realize that the governments (CA and US) would have to foot the bill rather than us hunters spending all kinds of money to hunt them, but wouldn't it be more effective? As a hunter, I enjoy the spring season, but have always wondered what the true goal was.


It is deemed "socially unacceptable" (PC for it will not happen as viewed like the clubbing of seals) and it is too "costly", it would take a big infusion of $, and Congress will not grant it because of the 1st reason.


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

If the CO ends I will be singing the Blues..... :fiddle:


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