Alberta Crane and Spring Goose Season

[bobalong]

I was down at Cabelas today and listened to Dr. Jason Caswell's presentation on waterfowl. Very interesting as he has studied waterfowl, specifically Snow/Ross geese from their wintering grounds in Louisanna to their nesting grounds in the Artic.

When the first Conservation Orders for white geese were implemented in Sask and Manitoba about 12 years ago the Ross goose populations that migrated through Alberta were actually declining. The majority of the Ross geese that migrate through Alberta are from Wrangel Island off the coast of Russia, not from the Artic like the majority of the Sask geese. Ross goose populations have since recovered from about 200k in 1985 to the current level of about 1.5 million. There are numerous goose Refuges in the US and especially interesting was a picture of one body of water that had about 1.5 million white geese on it. He also explained there new counting technique, which was also very intersting. With the new counting technique (Lincoln Peterson Index) they have estimated that there are now more than 15 million white geese, with the majority migrating back and forth every year. Dr. Caswell has now established that the white geese populations that migrate through Alberta, are considered to be in over-abundance, and has submitted this information, requesting that a spring white goose season be implemented.

He stated that there are numerous reasons for the increase in white geese populations with a major one being the decline of hunters from a high in 1980 (which is about when the FAC came in) of about 80,000 to the current level which is about 18,000. Another reason is that geese are very risilient with about a 90% survival rate.

White geese normally do not breed until their third year, however even with the Conservation orders that have been in place in both Canada and the US over the past 12 or so in Canada and longer in the US, the numbers continue to climb. Conservation orders in the US have no limit on white geese per day, and they may shoot with un-plugged shotguns, and they have about 10 times the population that we have. On a percentage they have a much higher "hunter" population average than us as well. He did not suggest we were going to be adopting the US regulations, just stated them for information.

Dr. Caswell stated they are looking at a few options to start decreasing the white goose populations. One is to increase our Conservation Order season from a 20 birds per day, per hunter, to possibly 50/day/hunter. They are also looking at removing the possesion limit for white geese, meaning the geese you have in your freezer will not count in your possesion. Having this possesion limit in place limits the amount of geese you can take now, because you must count your "at home" limit in with the total. These are just proposals at this time, and he invited any suggestions anyone would have on reducing the white goose populations.

Including the Ross Goose in the spring season is huge. Even though the Ross has two or three subtle differences, they are almost impossible to distinguish from Snow geese in the air. Currently in Sask and Man there a lot of the blue phase Snow goose and these are the majority of the geese that are shot as no hunter wants to take the chance of shooting a Ross goose instead of a Snow Goose. The Conservation Orders as they are now have no season for Ross geese.

The GOOD news is that we are probably going to be getting a spring White goose season, the not so good news is that it is probably not going to start until the spring of 2015. More GOOD news is that we are probably going to be having a Crane season in Alberta starting this year on Sept 1.

A big shout out to Jason at Cabelas for organizing this Spring Snow Goose event. There were also presentations given on snow goose hunting, gear, decoys, calls, blinds, setup, etc. with lots of slides and videos, which were also good. It was a great way to spend a few hours for a guy who loves goose hunting, with nothing but goose talk going on, and a goose calling symphony playing in the background.

[1000yards]

Thank You for posting this!
I had heard about it but had to work :/

[NKP]

Thanks for sharing! Call of the father interfered for me.

[Benelli1]

Thanks for taking the time to keep us all updated, much appreciated.

[trapshooter]

Thanks a billion for posting, some exciting and great news!

[Pikebreath]

Thanks Bobalong, great report. If you were still in school I am sure you would have gotten an A+ for content.

What will be interesting is to see is to how successful wannabe crane hunters will be in this province.

In Sask, the cranes stage for several days in huge numbers in certain localities and with no afternoon gray goose hunting prior to Oct 15, some hunters specifically set up and target cranes as their "afternoon sport".

Lots of cranes pass through Alberta and many do stop for a bit here and there for a day or two but I am not aware of any area in Alberta where the cranes stage in any numbers for any length of time. Occasionally we get cranes that will decoy into a goose spread, but by and large, I suspect most cranes will be opportunistically shot rather than specifically targetted.

At any rate, we get a few flights of cranes that come into "our lakes" each fall for a day or two and field hop around. Think I'll round up a 100 or so brown northwinds, tape some old nuts and washers to the tail for ballest to keep them drooping in the wind,,, throw them out and see what happens.

[catnthehat]

We have cranes that come into our goose decoys every year, in fact last year we had them vortexing at the same time as the Canadas!

Cat

[cmcclung]

Thanks for this. I am in southern alberta so couldn't make it, but I am glad you posted this to read. I have hunted white geese for a while now, and while it seems tricky, it is actually fairly easy to tell the difference between a ross and snow while they are decoying, mostly from the huge size difference. But I am sure mistakes still happen. Great read

[32-40win]

Interesting about the counting method being changed. I gather that would be why they said 15,000,00 instead of the 25,000,000+ they have been talking the last 5 yrs or so? I know pretty much all the banded birds we have shot were from Wrangel, some were 15+ yrs old, think the oldest was 17. Spring season has far better educated birds coming back from the US, just don't work quite the same way as the juvies in the fall.

[bobalong]

Originally Posted by 32-40win

Interesting about the counting method being changed. I gather that would be why they said 15,000,00 instead of the 25,000,000+ they have been talking the last 5 yrs or so? I know pretty much all the banded birds we have shot were from Wrangel, some were 15+ yrs old, think the oldest was 17. Spring season has far better educated birds coming back from the US, just don't work quite the same way as the juvies in the fall.

He actually went into detail about the counting method, really quite interesting and some of the slides he had from snow goose populations in the US Refuges were amazing. Dr. Caswell said that it is not un-usual at all to see white geese that are 15-17 years old, and I believe he said that they had aged one at 22 years old.

With regard to educated birds, it was interesting,and I had never really thought about it, but by the time the white geese show up in Canada in about April or so they have been hunted for about 9 months straight. The white geese get about three months "off" June, July, and August every year, the other months they are hunted.

Dr. Caswell also mentioned that the farther North they get, closer to the Boreal forest area they start to feed very aggressively. There are very few areas for them to feed when they hit the Boreal area, and in some instances they have seem them travel east all the way to Hudson Bay, and then travel North up the west coast of the Bay, as there is usually lots of feed on the coast and the snow is gone a bit earlier. If they continue straight North of Ab, Sk, they may have to go up to 30 days or more with little or no feed, so they "bulk" up before leaving the cereal grain areas of the prairie provinces.

The problem with white geese is the way they feed. Unlike other species of geese who eat the top of the grasses, white geese pull the grasses they eat in the Artic out by the roots, as the base of the grasses are very rich in protein. Dr. Caswell showed some slides of the nesting areas of the birds that are now completely void of any vegetation what so ever, they almost look desolate. I had seen pics of these areas before, but none quite like these, miles and miles of just dirt and rock, with small pockets of water. Without any vegetation the earth is turning a black color from the sun, this in turn heats the perma frost more, melting it down a few more inches every year. This melting causes these small pockets of water that are saline, where nothing will grow.

I forget to mention that one of the reasons the Ross geese have had such a dramatic recovery is where they nest now. Dr. Caswell said that there are literally millions of white geese nesting in the Artic and that the Ross geese used to end up nesting on the outside of the main flocks of snow geese. There is lots of predation in the Artic as the geese have virtually no cover. Over time the Ross geese have "evolved" or learned that landing in the middle of the snow geese is safer, as the predators (with the exception of some birds) usually never get to the middle of the flock, as they have gotten their "meal" long before they get to them.

[Jimboy]

Cant wait fer some bar ,bied crane specialy the legs , yum

[Kokanee9]

Spotted these yesterday while driving from Med Hat. Was going to post in general, but then I saw this thread and figured these would be relevant here instead.

[bobalong]

Originally Posted by Kokanee9

Spotted these yesterday while driving from Med Hat. Was going to post in general, but then I saw this thread and figured these would be relevant here instead.

Looks like there might be a shoot or two there

[Matt L.]

Thanks for the report Bobalong, very interesting stuff. Really wish I could've made it there now.

[Zekeland]

On a side note, even though we can't shoot Ross in the spring , they are fabulous live decoys. They are usually the first white birds into a spread and suck the rest into the decoys.
For guys that have hunted snows for a while...Ross geese can be picked out in the air. You just have to watch a lot of snows to be able to consistently ID Ross geese.

Would have liked to hear Jason's report on snow geese. He has studied and hunted them hard for years. Guys can learn a lot from his knowledge.....

Great pics by the way...would love to be hunting those birds in April!

[birdman]

I live here in Alberta and as far as the cranes go leave them alone, were just starting to see a few come back around where I live, its nice to see them each spring return. I'm sure there are places that might be overrun with them but here in Southern Alberta, lets enjoy them.

[Pikebreath]

Originally Posted by Zekeland

On a side note, even though we can't shoot Ross in the spring , they are fabulous live decoys. They are usually the first white birds into a spread and suck the rest into the decoys.
For guys that have hunted snows for a while...Ross geese can be picked out in the air. You just have to watch a lot of snows to be able to consistently ID Ross geese.

Would have liked to hear Jason's report on snow geese. He has studied and hunted them hard for years. Guys can learn a lot from his knowledge.....

Great pics by the way...would love to be hunting those birds in April!

Yeah, the comment was made at the presentation that the closest and first in birds will be ross geese!!!

And yes,,, Jason does know his white geese all right.

[Kaz Dog]

It will be nice to hunt the "whites" close to home here in AB. I have hunted them every fall in Sask. for 13 years, and have enjoyed the hunts, in all types of weather.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Thats excellent news.

[brobones]

Looks like no season for cranes this year (2013) As for spring snow goose season we will have to wait on that one. CWS takes their time with these decisions, as for the 50 snow limit not happening north of the 49th either for this year.
The central flyway council has decided to open it up to 50 for many states that are in the central flyway.
Here is the link for the updates.
http://www.ec.gc.ca/rcom-mbhr/defaul...18502AF-1#_003

[Winch101]

Is the centre of the flyway coming and going still in Western Sask
Or has it moved a little west into Alberta

For years in west Manitoba we hunted them both seasons ,then suddenly disappeared supposedly moved west to east Sask .

There are a variety of opinions on Spring hunts up here.
As to success...would be something to do ,could go back to Mb.
And get my snow decoys ...

[brobones]

Originally Posted by Winch101

Is the centre of the flyway coming and going still in Western Sask
Or has it moved a little west into Alberta

For years in west Manitoba we hunted them both seasons ,then suddenly disappeared supposedly moved west to east Sask .

There are a variety of opinions on Spring hunts up here.
As to success...would be something to do ,could go back to Mb.
And get my snow decoys ...

Here is a link that will explain the central flyway that I mentioned.
http://central.flyways.us/

[Travis Schneider]

Thanks for the reasd, i enjoyed it. Can't wait for this fall.