Snow geese returning north in late winter are much more predictable than they are in fall, and usually new birds are arriving on a daily basis, which results in good hunting opportunities.

The white-fronted geese are on hand for most of the regular goose season, although their population may rise and fall as they trade places with their buddies over the Mississippi River in Arkansas. There aren't enough of this species in southern Illinois to devote a special trip to, but they do make nice bonus birds when they decide to join your decoy spread.

There are always some Canada geese in the major refuges, but often they are local birds that are nearly impossible to fool. However, if you watch the weather in the upper part of the state, you can determine if a surge of migrants has moved south. It takes more than a little snow or cold weather to move the geese, but a major storm and continued cold weather will usually do the trick. It will take at least five inches of snow covering on the agricultural fields the geese feed in, and the same amount of below freezing temperatures to keep it there.

Most of the Canada geese in northern Illinois will endure that situation for less than a week, and then they zoom south in search of more hospitable climes. But the geese only will fly as far as they need to find bare ground and some open water; so don't jump into your car until you see snow as far south as Mount Vernon or below. Once again, having a club operator alert you to the Canada's arrival is the ideal situation.

Once the Canada geese begin to pour in to the southern refuges, and they won't come as they once did, remember the birds will only remain there until the weather breaks back up north. When warmer temperatures melt the snow covering, the flocks will immediately reverse their courses and go back home. My point being, don't hesitate or the opportunity may be lost. Shoot the birds when they are flying.

For what it is worth, here is the Illinois Department of Natural Resources goose report for the 2008-09 seasons. Canada goose migration to southern Illinois and western Kentucky remained well below historical levels. Aerial survey results indicated that populations remained below the most recent five-year average, October through December. On December 2, 2008, only 2,950 Canada geese were estimated on the surveyed area. Small numbers of Canada geese arrived throughout December, and 35,500 were estimated on December 30, 2008. Their numbers continued to increase through January and peaked at 59,800 on

By Jan. 26, 2009, approximately 15,000 geese above the most recent five-year average were estimated for late January (44,810). Geese continued to move into the survey area in early February; 70,350 Canada geese were observed on Feb. 4, 2009. The 2008-09 survey recorded the sixth lowest peak count since surveys began in 1956-57. The three lowest peak counts (55,025, 36,350 and 46,625) occurred in 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08, respectively. The most recent five-year average (2003-2007) peak count was 68,308 (range 36,350-140,370). The five-year average peak count for 1995-99 was 334,190 and the five-year average peak count for 1988-92 was 712,630. The peak white-fronted goose count in southern Illinois was 21,775, which occurred Dec. 22.

Aerial surveys indicated that small numbers of snow geese began arriving in southern Illinois during early November. Snow goose counts increased to 74,500 in late December and ranged between 32,200 and 90,475 during January. This year's peak count of 206,785 was achieved in early February.