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« Spring preservation crop » is an integrated management plan
Launched since April 1st, 2002, this preservation crop for the snow goose
will be maintained until May 30 (in south Québec) and even until June 30 (in
Québec’s northern region).
The crop was authorized only in farming areas except in regions where there
are intense observation activities such as those of Lac Saint-Pierre (on
both sides of the river) and of Montmagny. A farming area is one being used
for agricultural and breeding productions.
As per the Service canadien de la faune, there is only one minor change in
the actual regulation. Hunters using electronic calls must only use white
decoys. It is specified in the information chart from the organization that,
in such cases, only the beak and end of tails may be of another color but
the body must be white.
There are some regions where hunting is prohibited in Spring. No hunting is
allowed in districts B (Côte-Nord), J (Îles-de-la-Madeleine), F (Québec) and
G (Lac Saint-Pierre). For more information on these measures, please call at
1 (418) 648-7225 or consult the website: www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/chasse/html/oies02fiche.html.
Instaured since only a few years, this spring activity is to insure the
stabilization of the snow goose population and to prevent more damages of
the habitats they share with other animal and plant life species. There was
another article on this matter written by Philippe Dupuis in number 28 of
the Techniques Chasse et Pêche magazine.
As per the most recent informations, the population is stable since Spring
1999, at time of establishment of this exceptional management measure. After
2001 breeding season, the snow goose population was estimated at 837,000
birds, comparatively to Fall 1997 when it was declared overabundant.
At Spring 2002, hunters shut 49,800 snow geese. There were 2 to three times
more adults than juveniles. Best hunting success was in south-west Québec
with a hunting number of 19,000 birds. The reason for this success could be
an early Spring and good feeding possibilities. In 1999 and 2000, the best
hunting success was for the great Québec region.
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