Hunting and Conservation of Taiga Bean geese in the Nordic Countries from Hunters perspective.

Niklas Liljebäck & Ere Grenfors

Hunting on Bean Goose in Finland and Sweden

• Very highly valued game species in Finland: BIG GAME

• Considered one of the hardest catch when hunted in breeding area

--> very alert and shy species• Traditional way to hunt in Northern and

Eastern Finlands breeding areas– One hunter and his dog alone in

wildernessMinimum risk for overharvesting

• Hunting season traditionally has started in 20. August nowadays season starts much later because of the restrictions

• Highly valued but few hunters focus on the species- more “exotic” than Greylag- and Canadagoose

• Normally hunted over decoys in agricultural areas

• More attracted to decoys than Greylags.

• High pressure on hunters to reduce agricultural conflict- TBG one of other species

1 = North Lapland breeding area: Hunting season starts on 1. September2 = South Lapland and North Karelia: Hunting season starts on 10. September3 = Rest of Finland: Hunting season starts on 10. October4 = South-East Finland: Hunting season starts on 1. October (A. fabalis rossicus migration rest area)

Hunting period in Finland and Sweden 2013

Latest change in 1992 (?) whentwo weeks open season in Norrbotten was closedNo changes in last review on periods (2011)

Finland – Bean Goose (Anser fabalis)

• Finnish Hunters’ Association official statement on the new restrictions:– Conclusions

• The area division is artificial and complicated• The restrictions stop bean goose hunting almost completely• Annual game bag method now is not valid because it is highly

inaccurate

– Our suggestion• Game bag quota: 1 goose / 1 hunter / year• Tagging the caught goose (North American model)• Duty to report and send wing samples to the research institute• Work for flyway management and training to identify subspecies• Russians also have to get involved in conservation work

Look a like-issue

More education needed. New methods!?

For Anser-species; more focus on calls/voice of sp.

For ssp of bean geese not applicable during hunting. Regulation of hunting of ssp have to be on species level and adequate geographical scale

Bag statistics in Finland and Sweden- from hunters point of view

Random sample method (inquiry to hunters, 5000?, per post, made by Finnish Game and Fisheries Research

Hunters trust in the system low

Judgment on bean goose data- Low quality

Data collected by Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management since 1939

Two parallell systems since 2000.- inquiry to individual hunters (11

000 in 2012)- Volontary reporting by hunting

team/club (30-40% of Sweden covered)

Hunters trust in system high

Judgment on bean goose data- Reasonable for actual number- Good for indicator of trend

Denmark hunters obligated to report

Norway hunters obligated to report

Finland Mean 6350

Sweden Mean 3150

Swedish and Finnish bag of Bean Geese 1997-2011/12

Crippling!Both Swedish and Finnish Hunters NGO’swork with the problem

• Critical mass of shooting ranges

• Decreasing numbers of shooting ranges- Expensive and administrative burdenMore important that single hunters are aware of their capability than increasing “overall shooting skills”

• Education- hunting methods in focus

• Danish experiences/studies

• Matter of attitude- TBG as a valued game or a problem (protective hunting)

• Find crippling rates presented for different species of geese and swans extremely high and hard to explain!? Who is shooting on swans?

Adaptive Management is a good idea!

BUT: “Are all geese equal, or are some species more equal than others?”

Conclusions on hunters’ view on Taiga Bean Goose Management

Valuable ecosystem services- high status game

Russia have to be on the bus!

Sustainable use have to be in focus

Hunters are a resource in the system but with limitations- Funding countings- Collecting data- Funding research

Avoid a new Barnacle Goose problem!

Commitment of hunters is crucial

Sustainable use of TBG the way to reach successful conservation and fun for the next generation…

Thank you!