light goose harvest begins

[Lee Borgersen]

  2017 spring light goose harvest begins March 1


  .......
A spring conservation harvest of light geese will open Wednesday, March 1, and run through Sunday, April 30, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Light geese are snow geese, blue-phased snow geese and the smaller Ross�s goose.

A federal conservation order permits the take of light geese during the spring to reduce the population of snow geese and Ross�s geese that breed in Arctic coastal areas and around Hudson Bay. High populations of the birds have caused considerable habitat damage to these fragile ecosystems.

The conservation order is authorized by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which allows harvest of specific bird species during times when other waterfowl seasons are closed. Minnesota has participated in this spring conservation harvest each year since 2000. Harvest of light geese in Minnesota has varied from a few hundred to several thousand birds each spring.

To participate, a spring light goose permit is required and may be obtained wherever Minnesota hunting licenses are sold, via telephone at 888-665-4236 or online at mndnr.gov/buyalicense. There is a $2.50 application fee to cover the cost of issuing the permit. No other license, stamp or permit is required.

A summary of regulations is available at mndnr.gov/waterfowl, from license vendors, DNR wildlife offices or by calling the DNR Information Center at 888-646-6367 or 651-296-6157.

[snow1]

This early spring has'em migrating early,way early this year,buddies in sodak and neb have been whackin-n-stackin for the past two weeks,leading edge of the migration has reached nodak already.Scattered all over the darn place.

[Bobberineyes]

We hunted them bastages for many Springs, a lot of fun and work but it is worth it.  That's one migration every hunter should witness, truly amazing.

[snow1]

Agreed,truely a grand spectacle 2nd to none,mass migration of all waterfowl,laying in my layout watching all the different breeds of ducks/geese buzzing our spread is breath taking in the spring,more so than in the fall.