TABLE 11. Numbers of Canada geese observed during aerial censuses in the Early 



Fall Resident Period 



Section 



Billings to Huntley 

 Huntley to Worden 

 Worden to Pompeys Pillar 

 Pompeys Pillar to Custer 

 Custer to Bighorn 

 Bighorn to Hysham 

 Hysham to Sanders 

 Sanders to Forsyth 

 Forsyth to Rosebud 

 Rosebud to Hathaway 

 Hathaway to Miles City 

 Miles City to Kinsey 

 Kinsey to Zero 

 Zero to Powder River 

 Powder River to Terry 

 Terry to Fallon 

 Fallon to Gl endive 

 Glendive to Intake 

 Intake to Savage 

 Savage to Sidney 

 Sidney to Fairview 



CONVERSIONS: 1 goose/km = 1.61 geese/mi 



NOTE: Nine flights from time of departure of most spring migrants until 

 arrival of large numbers of fall migrants. 



a All flights 



Movement . Movements of neck-banded geese were first intensively studied 

 during this period. Geese were observed feeding in winter wheat fields in the 

 general vicinity of where they were banded on the river. However, some of the 

 geese banded between Miles City and Terry fed for a period in winter wheat 

 fields 48 km (30 mi) north of Miles City. Movement to these fields accounts 

 for the high value of the mean furthest distance observed from banding location 

 exhibited by most age classes (table 12). The geese which fed 48 km north 

 of Miles City were later observed on the river near where they were captured, 

 indicating the tendency of families and/or individuals to limit movements up- 

 and downstream. 



Loafing geese utilized open gravel islands during this period. Where 

 gravel islands were unavailable, such as between Terry and Fallon, geese loafed 

 on lateral and point bars of the main bank. Loafing sites selected usually 

 provided geese good visibility of their surroundings in all directions. 



40 



