In addition to allowing light-goose hunting in the early spring, the DWR is proposing an increase in the light-goose bag and possession limits. Hunters could take up to 10 light geese a day. The number of light geese you could have in your possession at home would be limited to 20.

Currently, hunters can't take more than four light geese a day. And they can't have more than eight light geese in your their possession.

Very few light geese use state waterfowl management areas or federal refuges in Utah. Some light geese do visit the Salt Creek, Public Shooting Grounds and Clear Lake waterfowl management areas in the spring, and those areas would be open to light-goose hunting in February and March.

The remaining waterfowl management areas in Utah — Brown's Park, Desert Lake, Farmington Bay, Harold Crane, Howard Slough, Locomotive Springs and Ogden Bay — would be closed to light-goose hunting in February and March.

It's likely that the three federal refuges in Utah — Bear River, Fish Springs and Ouray — would also be closed to light-goose hunting in February and March.

"Most of the light geese are on the private land where the agricultural damage is occurring," Aldrich said. "That's where they feed and rest.

"We have a Walk-In Access program in northern Utah that provides hunters access to private land. We'll continue to work with landowners in Box Elder County to see if we can get more of them enrolled in the program. If we can, that will allow hunters access to their lands."

In addition to helping Utah's farmers, the light-goose hunt would also help the geese.

In the central part of North America, light-goose populations have gotten so large that they're damaging the areas in Canada where they nest and raise their young.

"The population in the western part of North America hasn't become overabundant yet, but it's growing," Aldrich said. "In December 2007, for example, the population exceeded one 1 million birds.

"We want to help stabilize the population before it becomes overabundant. Once the geese become overabundant, it's hard to bring them back."

The early hunt would not affect the state's dark-goose season.

For more information about the meetings, call the nearest DWR office or the Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.