There are two options for visiting hunters in the SIQZ -- unless you have a relative who owns farm ground down there. Hunting programs are in place at the three major refuges: Federally-operated Crab Orchard Refuge and DNR-operated Union County and Horseshoe Lake refuges.

Crab Orchard National Waterfowl Refuge in Williamson County allots water blinds on a daily draw basis, and allows freelance hunting in agricultural fields on the property on a first-come basis. Last year, 794 hunters took home 213 geese and 253 ducks. For details, call (618) 997-3344.

Horseshoe Lake Refuge in Alexander County is not worth your trouble, recording a paltry 16 geese and 14 ducks during the 2004-05 season. Perhaps if more geese make it down to this refuge, things will pick up, but there are many better choices. If you must, call (618) 766-5689 for more information. What a shame this area has fallen on such hard times, considering it was once the most famous of all goose hunting destinations.

The Union County Public Hunting Area fared slightly better than Horseshoe, recording a goose kill of 76 to go along with 331 ducks. This area requires a daily permit and then holds a drawing for unclaimed blinds. This refuge will produce much better in years when storms push larger numbers of geese south. It is too late to send for a permit, but there should be no problem drawing a blind in the daily lottery. Call (618) 833-5175 first to learn the time of these drawings.

The following list of recommended clubs is based solely on last season's results and it must be remembered that clubs omitted could do quite well in the future given a better migration.

Let's begin with the Horseshoe Lake area. Based on 2004-05 results, I cannot recommend any club there. The total goose kill for that area was 535 geese spread among 25 clubs and the refuge blinds. There were 1,386 ducks taken there as well, with 298 shot on the Big Cypress Club, which can be reached at (618) 776-5322.

Moving north to the Union County Refuge Area, the only club that stands out is the perennial heavy-hitting Grassy Lake Club (618-833-7890), and home of the famous "Black Hole." Club owner Gerald Cain's hunters harvested 817 geese of the area's total of 1,292. Additionally, 1,714 ducks bit the dust there. Next in line was the public hunting area's 76 honkers.

Crab Orchard National Waterfowl Refuge is the largest in the SIQZ, and the most northerly of the three. As a result, more geese are accustomed to spending winters there, and more geese are shot there each season. A total of 4,576 birds were taken last year, with the greatest quantity -- 682 -- falling at the Crab Orchard Hunting Club. They can be reached at 1-800-934-3373. Other clubs meriting consideration are: Burns Hunting Club, (618) 964-1806 (309 geese, 368 ducks); Bleyer Farms, (618) 997-1331 (217 geese, 144 ducks); Bush Hunting Club (175 geese); D&M Club, (618) 993-8914; Ferrell's Club, (815) 438-3798 (134 geese); L&D Hunting Club (270) 826-4364 or (618) 997-6119; Jake and Norb's, (812) 838-5732 (134 geese); and Pike's Hunting Club (618) 997-1124 (102 geese, 818 ducks). Honkers Corner Club, (618) 985-6542, did not have an eye-popping kill, but it is important to note that 96 hunters took 88 geese for an impressive 0.92 per hunter average. They also shot six ducks.

When contacting the club of your choice, tell the owner that you want to hunt but you don't want to take a stab in the dark at picking the right time to do so. Ask him to phone you when the geese begin to arrive. Today's club owners are well aware of the current state of affairs, and should be willing to help you to be there at the right time. If the operator doesn't want to cooperate, move down the list to one who will work with you.