Snow Geese Headed North

Posted Mar. 25, 2003
Associated Press

FARGO - Thousands of snow geese are making their way through North Dakota on their annual trip to Arctic breeding grounds.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reported flocks of up to 10,000 geese moving into the south central and southeastern parts of the state over the weekend.

Most of those geese already have moved into the northern half of the state, departent officials said Monday.

Hunters, taking advantage of the spring light goose season, which includes snow, blue and Ross' geese, are sure to be in the field as well.

The hunt is in its fifth year in North Dakota. This year's season, which opened Feb. 22, runs through May 11.

The spring hunt was approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce the numbers of snow geese, and stop them from destroying their breeding grounds.

"We certainly haven't achieved our objective," said Mike Johnson, a waterfowl biologist with the Game and Fish Department. "We have a long way to go. But according to our winter surveys, snow goose populations have leveled off after showing quite rapid growth for many years."

Mid-continent snow geese breed in northern Canada and winter in the southern United States and Mexico.

The wintering population index was at about 3 million when spring hunts began. Johnson said the index currently sits at 2.5 million to 2.7 million. Ideally, biologists say, it should be about 1.5 million.

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