Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 14, 1995 TAG: 9508160038
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As it turns out, the goose situation is bleaker than first envisioned. Hunters shouldn't expect a season - period - other than the shots that will be taken at resident birds.
The Atlantic Flyway Council has recommended a closed season on migrant Canada geese in Canada and the United States. For a time, it appeared there would be exceptions, in New England and Canada, but now the council wants everything closed. Last week, Canada went along with the idea, even through it had set its seasons in April.
The public has until Sept. 4 to make comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the proposed closure in the United States, but game officials say they would be surprised if there were any backing off of the idea.
The uniformity is important, said Bob Ellis, assistant wildlife chief of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
``This is a big step toward reducing the harvest on that population,'' he said.
The migrate goose population has declined from 118,000 breeding pairs in 1988 to 90,000 in 1993, 40,000 in 1994 and 29,000 this year, Ellis said.
Poor breeding results and hunting pressure are the major reasons for the decline, he said.
Cutbacks in hunting seasons and bag limits were implemented three years ago and were designed to reduce the kill by 60 percent, but only achieved a 20-to 30-percent reduction, Ellis said. Last season, Virginia had a 60-day season.
The board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is scheduled to meet in Richmond Aug. 24 to set waterfowl regulations under federal guidelines. The previously established Sept. 5-15 resident goose season won't be impacted by the proposed ban. Resident geese have been growing to the point of becoming a nuisance.
Even through the migrant season hadn't been set in Virginia, hunters were preparing for it, Ellis said.
``We are hearing that people have made plans and leased areas for goose hunting, and they are going to be out. But it was felt like we needed to get in front of this thing rather than chase it down the hill all of the time,'' he said.
As for ducks, the federal framework is offering Virginia and other Atlantic Flyway states a 50-day season with a five-per day limit, which is a 100 percent increase over last year.
by CNB