The 2005-06 light goose hunt on Bosque del Apache was a success with increased harvest. Staff at Bosque worked the 3 day  hunt on the refuge to meet management goals. Bosque is capable of holding a winter population of snow geese of 40,000+ but fears of cholera and other diseases have prompted biologists to disperse geese up the Middle Rio Grande Valley and at Bernardo State Waterfowl Complex. The purpose of the hunt is just that; to encourage birds to move to the state areas where small grains are produced for the maintenance of migratory birds as the Bosque does. The blinds set out in the agricultural portion of the refuge held a total of 71 hunters with 133 geese taken.