The special conservation measures implemented in the spring of 1999 appear to have increased the harvest rate of adult Snow Geese. The estimated harvest rates vary from 10% to 15% for each of the seven seasons held until now (according to the harvest made in Canada and the United States during regular season and including the special conservation season in effect only in Canada). These rates are much higher than those for the 1985 to 1997 period (average harvest rate of 6%).

Spring aerial surveys of the main staging area in the St.Lawrence River System have been conducted since 1965. The survey has been conducted on April 25 2008. Due to this species tendency to form smaller groups and to stage over a larger territory, 5 planes were deployed over the territory from eastern Ontario to Baie des Chaleurs and from Lake Champlain to Saguenay-Lac-Saint- Jean/North Shore. The population estimate from the spring survey was 1 019 000 ± 75 000 geese which is the same the 2008 estimate of 1 004 000 ± 124 000 geese.

Regulations in Force in Spring 2009

• Hunting and hunting equipment are allowed only on farmland.
• If using decoys when hunting with recorded bird calls, decoys must consist only white phase Snow Geese in adult or juvenile plumage (white or gray). It is not allowed to use Canada geese or Snow Geese in blue phase decoys.
• Hunting is authorized on farmland only, with the exception of District A;
• hunting is prohibited in Districts B and J;
• in District F, hunting is prohibited south of the St. Lawrence River and north of the road right-of-way of Route #132 between Forgues Street at Berthier-sur-Mer and the eastern boundary of the municipality of Cap-St-Ignace;
• in District F, hunting is prohibited south of the St. Lawrence River and north of the railroad right-of-way near Route #132 between the Nicolet River to the east and Lacerte Road to the west;
• in District F, hunting is prohibited north of the St. Lawrence River and south of a line located at 1 000 m north of highway no. 40 between Montée St-Laurent and the Maskinongé River;
• hunters are permitted to use recorded bird calls of the Greater Snow Goose and Lesser Snow Goose throughout Québec;
• the use of bait (grain, corn) is authorized in Districts E and F, provided a written authorization from the Canadian Wildlife Service;
• the daily bag and possession limits that apply to the spring conservation harvest have been set at 20 birds and 60 birds respectively