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Strange bird or goofy goose?

Started by RSteiner, August 13, 2009, 06:11:11 AM

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RSteiner

Living in the country offers some interactions with nature that are interesting and sometimes leave you a little baffled.  About 1/3 of a mile up the dirt road I live on there is a family who lives in Germany who own about 400 acres of woodland which contains a 32 acre pond.  We have been close friends with this family for better than 25 years. 

Rudy, the land owner had a road bulldozed around the back side of the pond this spring and has hired me to cut the standing dead trees along the road, most were left half chewed by beavers.  As I drove my tractor down the road to their cabin on the pond last Friday I noticed Rudy and his wife standing there with a Canada goose standing between them.  Geese often visit the pond but usually stay at the far end.

This goose stayed right there even as I approached on foot and actually walked towards me in a friendly manner.  They told me it showed up two days ago with a large flock that landed on the far end of the pond.  When this goose saw them it came directly to them and didn't leave with the rest of them it follows them around like a dog would. 

I thought when I start up the tractor it will fly off, it didn't.  Rudy took his seat on the tractor fender for the 3/4 mile ride to where I would be cutting that day, the goose walked along side the tractor the whole distance.  I thought when I start up the chainsaw the goose will take off, it didn't.  I had to tell Rudy to get his goose out of the way a few times when I was ready to drop a tree, it didn't even jump when a tree would hit the ground.  One time as I was limbing out a dead hemlock along the road the goose was close enough to touch.

After working for about 6 hours we loaded the trailer with wood and headed for the cabin and the goose followed right along behind.  I have never seen a Canada goose that friendly before it was probably raised around people and some kind of equipment.  The goose was still hanging around went we visited on Wednesday I am going to try to get some pictures Friday when I go back up to cut some more.

Randy
Randy

gary

The goose was probably fed by people since it was young. Now it has lost all it's fear of humans and expects to get fed by them. We had that problem around here, until people were convinced that not feeding the geese was a good idea. The geese would walk up to everyone and expect food. Sometimes they got upset and would bite if you didn't have food. The thing that was most convincing to not feed them was the goose droppings everywhere.

sprucebunny

A little sideways with the topic..... I saw three (regular, gray) geese riding in the back of a Toyota pickup on an interstate.
I couldn't tell if they were in a cage of some sort.... just saw the three heads sticking up and enjoying the wind and the view  :)

Geese seem like pretty smart birds.
MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

Warbird

Wow.  Around here, depending on the time of year, that goose would get cooked.  Literally.  ;D

Tom

The neighbor has two that are pets.  One is very noisy and stays real close to you, honking all of the time.  The only way it will shutup is for someone to pick it up and hold it.  The kids usually do this task.  It's funny to see a seven or eight year-old with a goose tucked under her arm and a long neck and head extending above hers, looking at the sites as they walk along.

Ron Wenrich

Geese have a thing called imprinting.  They tend to think that their mother is the first thing that they see.  Apparently the first thing that this particular goose saw was a human, and figured it was human. 

This isn't an uncommon occurrence.  With man's encroachment into their habitat, it probably happens more than we know.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

SwampDonkey

I know some time ago we were unloaded with some troublesome geese that came from southern Ontario. These geese are nesting and raising new ones where they would not naturally be staying and can be troublesome. Some seem like pets in people's yards and since hunting is declining here because of gun laws they are becoming a nuisance. Just wait until they get in your garden and herb beds or invade your crop fields, even hay. Darn things graze like cows and leave lots of sign. Our Premier imported 2000 of the nuisance fowl 12 years ago into the province. They are up to around 5000 now apparently. The darn trouble with moving young geese (female ones specifically) is something gets imprinted in their navigation and orientation that bring them back to the same place they learned to fly with a mate in tow. So they come right back to a new place they were set loose in (or parents were), to breed where no goose ever summered before or maybe hasn't for who knows how long. Apparently some are concerned that they are displacing our other waterfowl in some wetlands. They will destroy duck nests for example.


Here is a little story from Cape Breton.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

easymoney

so many times when humans try to mess with mother nature the results are not good.

Lanier_Lurker

Here on Lake Lanier in north Georgia the Canada geese have definitely become a nuisance.

Big lake, lots of morons to feed them, and nesting sites galore.

Are they any good to eat?

SwampDonkey

Cooked just right and yes they are good eating, very tough to feather though. They tend to be greasy.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Paul_H

Science isn't meant to be trusted it's to be tested

Tom

I can see Gooseburger stands going up all over the country and being paid to get rid of the inundation of Gooses  Gowses Goss Geeses Geese.  :-\

The first thing to happen would be a Goose stamp to buy and put on your license.  Then a limit would put on the harvest and finally, they would be put on the endangered list and you would be put in jail if you harmed one.  The next thing you would know, someone would be transplanting them from where they were to where they weren't and a National Goose Day would be created to worship them.

SwampDonkey

Quote from: Paul_H on August 16, 2009, 12:17:26 PM
Easier to skin than pluck.

Yes, skinning is definitely quicker. Don't expect it to be like turkey meat either, if I remember they are mostly dark meat.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

gary

Tom you have to buy at least two stamps to hunt them now.

Tom

see!!.  I told you......    It's already started.   :P

:D :D :D

Slabs

Yes, skinning is definitely quicker. Don't expect it to be like turkey meat either, if I remember they are mostly dark meat.
[/quote]





Hmmmmmm!!!  Dark meat.  I got to get a bigger smoker. 

When will they be down here?
Slabs  : Offloader, slab and sawdust Mexican, mill mechanic and electrician, general flunky.  Woodshop, metal woorking shop and electronics shop.

SwampDonkey

Quote from: gary on August 16, 2009, 08:53:21 PM
Tom you have to buy at least two stamps to hunt them now.

As for New Brunswick, you buy a Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamps at the post offices. Lead shot is banned from hunting migratory game birds. Some areas you can hunt geese until January 4th here. There is a break in between Sept 18-Oct 15, but it begins Sept 8th. We are only allowed hunting them on farms (Canada and Crackling geese). You can bag 5 per day, 10 in possession. I think that break in between is when there are the largest numbers on migration through here. I'm guessing that is why they close it then. But, it is also the harvest season for crops, so that may have more to bare.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

RSteiner

Well, this goose has no plans to leave any time soon.  We took a swim in the pond Sunday afternoon and the goose joined us.  At one time my sin decided to swim under water to see what the goose would do, it swam under water with him!

The people who own the pond have had about all they can stand of the goose poop and are making plans to relocate the goose where it will be with others of its kind.

It has been an interesting experience.

Randy
Randy

beenthere

Quote from: RSteiner on August 17, 2009, 06:09:17 AM
........................

The people who own the pond.................. are making plans to relocate the goose where it will be with others of its kind.
............

On the dinner table?    food2 digin_2 smiley_beertoast
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

DanG

Quote from: Slabs on August 16, 2009, 09:19:33 PM


When will they be down here?

You're in luck, Slabs!  They are already here, and the only place in Florida that is open for hunting them is not too far from you. ;)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

WDH

Quote from: SwampDonkey on August 17, 2009, 04:35:55 AM
You can bag 5 per day, 10 in possession.

It would be tough to have to eat five of them every day  :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Warbird

Yes, goose is good eating.  And yes, they are mostly dark meat.  You want to make sure to cook it fully.  There are guides to properly cooking a goose that you can google for, if needed.

WDH

I have had my goose cooked before :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

submarinesailor

Quote from: WDH on August 17, 2009, 07:06:18 PM
I have had my goose cooked before :).

Me too - a few too many times as a matter of fact.

Bruce

RSteiner

Quote from: submarinesailor on August 17, 2009, 08:02:17 PM
Quote from: WDH on August 17, 2009, 07:06:18 PM
I have had my goose cooked before :).

Me too - a few too many times as a matter of fact.

Bruce

I don't know what is less appetizing eating crow or having my goose cooked, or is one just the second course?

Randy
Randy

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