WARE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois hunters have bagged about more than 24,000 geese in the four-county Alexander, Union, Jackson and Williamson quota zone since the start of the 1991-92 Canada goose season started Nov. 9.

The majority of birds were harvested in Williamson and Jackson counties, where an aggregate total of 10,945 birds have been harvested. The Alexander County harvest total is 6,064 and 4,769 geese have been killed in Union County.

Many of the Southern Illinois geese have moved on. As many as 600,000 geese have been counted in the area this year, but this week's census showed only 440,000 and more than 60,000 of those were in the immediate West Kentucky area.

The largest concentration of geese are at the Horseshoe Lake area in Alexander county, at 145,000. About 60,000 are at Union County Wildlife Refuge, and about 65,000 are located in the Crab Orchard Lake area.

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JEFFERSON CITY Missouri artists have until March 31 to submit entries for the 1993 Missouri Trout Stamp Design Competition sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

The competition is open to Missouri residents only and MDC employees are ineligible. Each entrant may submit only one entry. Paintings or drawings in any medium are acceptable. The subject material must closely relate to Missouri trout or Missouri trout fishing. It must be the contestant's original creation, and a signed certificate affirming this must accompany each entry.

Entries must be horizontal format in proportion and not larger than 14 inches high by 21 inches wide or smaller than 7 inches high by 10.5 inches wide. They may be mounted on a mat with margins not to exceed 3 inches and protected by acetate or cellophane. Entries will not be accepted in frames or under glass.

Send entries to Missouri Trout Stamp Design Competition, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, Mo., 65102-0180

Selection of the winning entry will take place April 15 at MDC headquarters.

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Coming up:

Jan. 31 Conservation Commission, 9 a.m. Jan. 31, Mariott's Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach.

Feb. 7-9 Spring Sports & Recreation Show, SIU Arena, Carbondale, Ill.

March 13-15 Conservation Federation of Missouri, Lodge of the Four Seasons.

March 27-28 Forest conference, Cape Girardeau.

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CARBONDALE, Ill. Boats, hunting, fishing and other outdoor equipment will be on exhibit at the 8th annual Spring Sports & Recreation Show, to be held at Southern Illinois University Arena Feb. 7-9.

Show hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 7; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 8 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 9.

Door prizes will be awarded each hour throughout the weekend.

Admission is $3.

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"Missouri Fishing Regulations" and "Missouri Hunting & Trapping Regulations," 32-page publications created by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), are available for Missouri sportsmen.

"The two publications have been distributed in quantity to all vendors of Missouri hunting and fishing licenses," said Jerry J. Presley, MDC director. "These are summaries of the `Wildlife Code of Missouri,' which is still available."

Presley said the new summaries will be easier for most people to use.