Wheat
Assessing goose damage on wheat
High numbers of overwintering snow geese have fed in many Mississippi Delta wheat fields.
Topical
grazing will not generally damage wheat until the wheat begins to joint
or stem elongation begins, unless geese extract the entire plants. Snow
geese will often use their bills to grub around the base of plants, allowing
them to extract the growing point, particularly if the soil is soft and
muddy.
After the first node forms at the base of the stem, the growing point begins moving up the stem, making it vulnerable to grazing damage. Thus, producers should attempt to prevent large numbers of geese from congregating and feeding on wheat fields after jointing or stem elongation occurs.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has extended spring light goose seasons to help reduce the excessive goose populations and limit habitat damage.
