Flocks of geese have been filling the air over Lawrence and Douglas County in recent weeks and, remember, they’re still legal game.

Thanks to a special conservation order first issued in 1999 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the snow geese season runs through April 30.

The USFWS made the move to address an ecological crisis caused by an explosion in mid-continent populations of lesser snow geese and Ross’ geese.

These populations grew from an estimated 800,000 geese in the 1960s to more than 3 million today. USFWS biologists consider this to be a conservative estimate, too. The actual population may be as high as 5 million.

Scientists and wildlife managers across North America agree that snow geese nesting in the central and eastern Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Canada have become so numerous that their nesting habitats cannot support them.

Without this action, the health of the arctic breeding grounds and of many of America’s migratory bird populations are at risk.

Snow geese not only threaten to eat themselves out of house and home, but many bird species that nest in the same areas as the geese show signs of decline or otherwise have been affected.

In Kansas, the conservation order went into effect Feb. 13. From now through April 30, there will be no bag or possession limits on light geese.

In addition, participants will be allowed to use unplugged shotguns and electronic calls and take light geese from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

Snow geese are typically hunted when they fly to grain fields to feed. Veteran snow goose hunters normally spend a day scouting in order to spot where flocks are feeding and then acquire permission to hunt. Almost all hunting opportunities are on private land, so permission is required.

Steel No. 2 shot is preferred when hunting snow geese.

For the waterfowl enthusiast who is not ready to call it a season, snow geese can offer opportunities well after other waterfowl seasons have closed.