(fin l,i\iiii^ RcMitfK fs — Hirtis 



subspecies that nested in temperate regions 

 closer to humans were most heavily hunted. By 

 1930 the giant Canada geese, which nested in 

 the northern parts of the deciduous forest and 

 tall-grass prairie, were believed extirpated. 

 Numbers of the large geese that nested in the 

 Great Plains and Great Basin ^B.c. luajfuti) 

 were also severely reduced. Small Canada geese 

 from the remote arctic and subarctic breeding 

 ranges fared somewhat better, possibly because 

 of less exposure to unregulated exploitation, but 

 were also reduced in ntniibcr. 



Although hunting depleted numbers of 

 Canada geese, human activity also created new 

 habitats for these birds. Agriculture led to the 

 clearing of forests and the plowing of prairies, 

 creating the open landscapes preferred by 

 geese. Cereal grains and pastures provided new 

 food sources for geese, and the development of 

 mechanical combines and pickers created an 

 increased supply of waste grain (Hine and 

 Schoenfeld 1968). In addition, uniform hunting 

 regulations and improved wildlife law enforce- 

 ment curtailed goose harvests after the signing 

 of the Migratory Bird Treaty in 1916, and most 

 goose populations increased over the next sev- 

 eral decades (Figure). National wildlife refuges 

 provided key sanctuaries and further assisted 

 recovery of Canada goose numbers. 



The giant Canada goose was "rediscovered" 

 by Harold C. Hanson, a biologist of the Illinois 

 Natural History Survey; the publication of his 

 book The Giant Canada Goose in 1965 initiat- 

 ed a restoration effort that became one of the 

 great success stories of wildlife management. 

 These large aeese were restored to their fonner 



36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 

 Year 



range in the Mississippi and Central flyways 

 and now breed in all states east of the 

 Mississippi River. 



Research and improved scientific manage- 

 ment led to better understanding of diversity, 

 distribution, and population dynamics of 

 Canada geese in the 1970's. Awareness of dif- 

 ferences in distribution and migration among 

 the subspecies allowed managers to effectively 

 control goose harvests. Improved management 

 led to stable or increasing numbers of Canada 

 geese in most populations (Table). The 

 Mississippi Flyway Giant, Hi-line, Rocky 

 Mountain, and Western Prairie/Great Plains 

 populations, all composed mainly of large sub- 

 species (B.C. maxima and mofptti), grew at 

 about twice the rate of other populations that 

 contained mainly smaller subspecies. The pop- 

 ulation numbers of the large geese that breed in 

 the states of the Atlantic Flyway have also 

 increased dramatically, but this trend was 

 masked by declining numbers of 2eese in 



Figure. Total numlx'rs of Canada 

 geese counted on winter surveys, 

 14.16-93. 



"Populations are Atlantic (AP), Southern James Bay (SJBP). Mississippi Valley (MVP), Mississippi 

 Western Praine/Greal Plains (WP/GP), Tall-grass Praine (TGPP). Short-grass Prairie (SGPP), Hi 

 Cackling Canada Goose (CCG) 



Flyway Giant (Max|MF)), Eastern Prairie (EPP), 

 line (H-LP). Rocky Mountain (RMP), Dusky (DSKY). and 



Table. Canada goose population 

 indices (in j.llOD's) based on sur- 

 veys conducted during fall and 

 winter, ]9W-9i. 



