Snow Goose Population Problem Part I

Addressing The Problem

The are two possibilities for dealing with the overabundance of snow geese: take management action to try to resolve the problem; or do nothing.

If we - states, federal and Canadian governments - do nothing, it seems likely the population will crash or at least decline to a level of low reproductive capacity and poor population health, accompanied by continued destruction of Arctic habitats.

During their spring migration, snow geese don't stop in North Dakota for long. But their time here is important, as they feed heavily in stubble fields on grain left from last fall's harvest.

We believe the responsible course is to do everything reasonable to correct the situation before Mother Nature intervenes. Significant management actions are necessary to prevent further habitat degradation and to minimize impacts to the snow goose population and other wildlife.

In next month's OUTDOORS (part II), we'll look at some of the possibilities for management action, and their probabilities for success.

Previous Section -- The Problem
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