Outdoors digest

Measures are allowed to control goose nuisance

Because they are migratory birds, giant Canada geese are protected by federal law. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes that resident Canada geese can cause problems for people, and the agency has responded to property owners' requests for help. So last year the FWS granted the Conservation Department power to authorize other control measures.

Disrupting goose nests and coating their eggs with corn oil to halt their development are allowed, but only with Conservation Department permission. Last year, the Conservation Department estimated the Canada goose population at 50,500.

To keep goose problems at acceptable levels, the conservation officials want to reduce the statewide population to 40,000 geese.

Youth turkey season goes smoothly across state

Young hunters took advantage of the youth spring turkey season, killing 3,102 birds and completing the two-day season without a single reported hunting accident.

Laclede County led harvest totals with 66 birds brought to check stations. Osage County was second with 63 and St. Clair, Henry and Franklin counties tied for third with 55 birds each.

This is the second year that Missouri has offered the youth hunt. Officials say they don't expect the youth harvest to affect hunter success during the three-week regular turkey season, which opened April 22.