INTRODUCTION 
During the past 15 years considerable attention has been focused 
on research and management problems associated with the Mississippi 
Valley population of Canada geese. As indicated by Hanson and Smith 
(1950), the general breeding, migration, and wintering ranges are well 
defined. Because this flock is closely associated with national 
wildlife refuges and State management areas in Wisconsin, Michigan, 
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and the majority of this population 
winters in southern Illinois and vicinity, it has been possible to 
determine quite accurately annual total population trends, annual 
harvest rates, and the breeding potential of the population sent back 
to the breeding grounds each spring (Smith and Davis, 1958). Based 
on knowledge accumulated for this population, steps are being taken 
to compile similar information for other major continental Canada 
goose populations. 
In certain parts of the country, particularly in the vicinity 
of the major Canada goose concentration areas, equal attention has 
been focused on new management measures being employed to properly 
control the hervest, to improve distribution of the kill, and to 
improve the quality of hunting. Those directly involved in Canada 
goose management programs feel that substantial progress has been 
made during the past 5 years in this respect by State and Federal 
agencies concerned. 
I wish to acknowledge information and suggestions obtained 
through personal discussions and correspondence with Harold C. 
Hanson, Illinois Natural History Survey; Allan Studholme, Arthur S. 
Hawkins, Raymond Buller, R. C. Hanson, and Walter Crissey, Bureau 
of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife; Richard Hunt, Wisconsin Conservation 
Department; George Arthur, Illinois Conservation Department; and 
C. BE. Shanks, Missouri Conservation Commission. Many other Bureau 
and State personnel at the refuges and management areas concerned 
and members of the technical sections of the Mississippi and 
Central Flyway Councils provided additional information. Cecil S. 
Williams, Director of the Denver Wildlife Research Center, generously 
provided a copy of his unpublished manuscript on Canada geese for 
review. 
