DWR seeking input on light-goose hunt

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is planning a light-goose hunt this spring.

It would be Utah's first spring light-goose hunt and would provide hunters with a unique opportunity. It would also help light-goose populations (snow, blue and Ross' geese) and reduce damage to grain and alfalfa crops in Utah.

The DWR and Utah's Regional Advisory Councils would like public input on the proposal.

All of the DWR's waterfowl hunting proposals are available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings.

Hunters can share their ideas at one of the five Regional Advisory Council meetings that will be held across Utah.

The Southern and Southeastern Region meetings were held earlier this week. Remaining meetings will be:

• Aug. 12 — Southern Region meeting at 7 p.m. at Millard High School, 200 W. Eagle Ave. in Fillmore.

• Aug. 13 — Southeastern Region meeting at 6:30 p.m. at John Wesley Powell Museum, 1765 E. Main St. in Green River.

• Today — Northeastern Region meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Uintah Interagency Fire Center, 355 N. Vernal Ave. in Vernal.

• Aug. 19 — Central Region meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Springville Junior High School, 165 S. 700 East in Springville.

• Aug. 20 — Northern Region meeting at 6 p.m. at the Brigham City Community Center, 24 N. 300 West in Brigham City.

Hunters can also provide comments to the RAC via e-mail: www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings.

If approved by the board and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the light-goose hunt would run from Oct. 16 to Jan. 17, and from March 2 to March 10, across most of Utah.

One exception would be the North Goose Zone. In the zone, the hunt would run from Oct. 25 to Jan. 17, and Feb. 18 to March 10.

"We don't see many light geese in the fall, but in the spring, more than 50,000 light geese — most of them snow and Ross' geese — stop over in Utah," said Tom Aldrich, migratory game bird coordinator for the DWR.

"In addition to providing hunters with a unique opportunity, hunting light geese in the spring would reduce the agricultural damage the geese are doing," he said. "Most of the damage is happening in Box Elder and Millard counties, where the geese are eating grain and alfalfa that's just starting to grow."