Lindberg and Malecki (1994) estimated the vulnerability of large local
Canada geese (mainly Branta canadensis maxima) and smaller migrants (
mainly B. c. interior) to fall hunting in northwestern Pennsylvania, 1
988-89. They reported that local Canada geese were harvested proportio
nately more than their availability in the fall population, and migran
ts proportionately less than their availability, in 9 of 10 e-week per
iods. We evaluated several of the assumptions inherent in Lindberg and
Malecki's (1994) calculations. We then reanalysed their data using mo
dified assumptions and found that vulnerabilities were not consistentl
y different among local geese and migrants. Vulnerability estimates we
re sensitive to relatively small changes in population sizes of local
and migrant geese. We suggest that the apparently high vulnerability o
f local Canada geese was caused by underestimation of their numbers in
the fall population, and overestimation of their numbers in the harve
st.