ALEXANDRIA, La. — Conservational efforts are underway west of Highway 167 for the harvesting of snow, blue, and Ross’s geese. The conservational order issued by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries starts on February 7th and lasts until March 6th for the west zone. Electronic calls are allowed as well as unplugged shotguns coupled with a non-toxic shotshell. With the elimination of daily bag limits during this time frame, hunters can do their part to help control wildlife populations at a healthy balance for the habitat.

Ross’s geese are the smallest of the three varieties of geese that are the subject of the conversational effort. The Ross’ goose is a small white goose with black primary feathers. The bill is a deep reddish pink with a paler nail and a variably bluish warty area over the base of the basal area. The legs and feet are rose-pink and the iris is dark brown.

Snow geese are identical in appearance to Ross’s geese, except that the blue variety is characterized by darker feathers on the head of the snow goose may produce a hood giving a blue or blackish appearance. The blue snow goose may be up to one-quarter larger in size than snow and Ross’s geese. In both sexes, this bird is averaging about 2 pounds with a wingspan of approximately 42 inches.

Hunting fees and licensing information may be obtained from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Always remember to check out the local laws and regulations prior to hunting in order to ensure compliance.

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