When the state had the deer hunts, people protested. Now, officials say they have exhausted all non-lethal methods of dealing with Canada geese, so expect the protesters again:
The Coalition to Prevent the Destruction of Canada Geese, headquartered in New York, contends the public needs to know the real truth about Canada Geese; that humans and birds can get along.
The group's bumper stickers read, "Give geese a chance. Keep 'em flying, not dying!"
The coalition accuses park managers, wildlife biologists, hunters and (ouch!) outdoors columnists of misinforming the public by saying the only way to solve the problem is by lethal means.
Any day, there will be protest marches outside stores that sell ant and mouse traps. Surely we can catch and release all those critters in another county. I have suggested previously that secondhand smoke might be a more humane way than present practices to enforce capital punishment. That wouldn't work for geese, though, unless we could figure out a way to get them all into a tavern in New Haven. We could, however, put out food for them laced with trans fats, there being so much more available after the state fair's ban.
Comments
So how many geese ya figure we can fit in The Trion?
There are other ways to control geese other than killing them off. Lethal methods aren't going to work anyway. The underlying problem in any bird infestation is that the area is attractive to birds. Killing off the current population isn't going to change that, and a new one will quickly take its place.
There are other ways, however, to control geese humanely. Dr. Philip Whitford is a Professor of Biology at Capital University in Columbus OH, and has been studying Canada goose behavior and vocal communications since 1979. He holds a PhD in biological sciences in the field of animal behavior, and BS and MS degrees in wildlife management.
His research led to the development of GooseBuster, which plays recordings of actual goose alarm and alert calls. He obtained these calls in nature after nearly 30 years of field research, and they are the only such calls in the world. They have been very effective at repelling geese permanently.
http://www.bird-x.com/products/gbuster.html
In addition, there are food grade taste aversions like GooseChase, that make any grassy area unpalatable to geese.
http://www.bird-x.com/products/goose.htm