If you prefer to continue to hunt waterfowl, there is still a season for Conservation Order Light Geese.

This includes snow geese. They have become overpopulated and are consuming much of the foliage in the north. There is no limit on these birds, and one can use unplugged shotguns as well as electronic calls. You still will need a hunting license, a state duck stamp and steel shot.

Northern Illinois does not contain many snow geese for whatever reason. I observed some small flocks at Lake Holiday in DeKalb County last year. That area would be hard to hunt, as it is surrounded by subdivisions. Maybe one could get permission on some farm ground where the birds are feeding before they hit the lake. Generally, snow geese congregate in large flocks of as many as 150 birds, so you will need a lot of decoys.

Getting back to gun care, you may need to oil your firearm to keep it functioning reliably, but don’t use too much. Keep your gun clean, and lubricate as little as possible. Oils thicken in cold weather, and rather than helping it run smoothly, they get thick and mix with fouling to create a sludge that can render it inoperable.

When I used to hunt snow geese, I would even leave my shotgun outdoors to eliminate condensation when starting to hunt. If you take a warm gun into the cold or bring a cold one indoors, the temperatures can cause condensation. It can then freeze and cause it to malfunction. At the end of the hunt, wipe it down with an oiled rag to prevent rust.

You may want to even pack an emergency kit. I dropped my new Benneli shotgun into the Illinois River on one occasion. If that happens, when you get home take the stock off and dry all the internal parts under it. If you don’t, it will take on rust. A collapsible cleaning rod to remove weeds, snow, mud or other obstructions from the barrel is also advisable.

An extra gun is the best insurance to avoid cold weather problems. A side-by-side or over-and-under usually will work well under all conditions. I have found them to be reliable under cold conditions. Gas guns are usually the most difficult to keep functioning in very cold weather.

I guess that about covers it. Have a good time hunting light geese. You may have to travel a few miles to find them, but it will probably be worth it.

Fishing report

Ice fishermen are taking a few nice bluegills on area ponds. Again, find the deepest hole in even a small lake, as that’s where the fish tend to winter. Live bait has been best, consisting of wax worms or mousies. No one I have talked to said lures were working.

I am hoping the ice goes off the Illinois River this week so we can start sauger and walleye fishing. It looked like it was starting to move as of this writing Sunday.

Trapping report

I spoke with a local trapper this morning. He seemed very depressed. The bottom fell out of the coyote market recently, and he didn’t like that, as he still had some well-handled furs to sell.

• Fred Krause is a Shaw Media correspondent.