Published: July 19, 2009 12:14 am      

Martino: Canada geese — just learn to love ’em

Some birds remain in urban areas throughout the year

Ahh, it’s summertime in the park. Fresh air, kids playing, families picnicking and Canada geese, eating, loafing and leaving droppings.

Large flocks of Canada geese have become all too common in parks. Where there are geese there are of course, droppings. Where there are droppings there are of course patron complaints.

As a child growing up in Indiana, wild geese were seldom seen. But over the past several decades they have become an all too common occurrence. Once reduced through unregulated hunting and habitat loss, Canada geese have made a remarkable rebound to the point where they have in some cases become a nuisance. This is especially true of resident birds that remain in our urban areas year round.

Canada geese are a valuable natural resource that provides recreation to bird watchers, hunters and the general public. The beautiful site of the distinctive “V” formation of migrating birds soaring high overhead is a sure sign of changing seasons. But in recent years large flocks of resident geese have become year round inhabitants of our parks, waterways, golf courses and residential areas.

Geese do not hatch knowing exactly when, where and how to migrate. They learn from their parents and flock. So hatchlings that are born to resident geese have no knowledge of flying north to Arctic breeding grounds in the spring then south to warmer climes in during the winter. Instead they hang around our cities throughout the year.

Why do these birds love these types of areas so well? Geese are grazers. Our well cut grass provides the ultimate free buffet, not mentioning the people who take it upon themselves to regularly feed them. Geese also need to feel safe as they fill their stomachs and these open areas provide them with adequate sight lines to see predators coming. When threatened they often times have easy access to water. In essence, parks provide food and safety, everything geese need to settle in and raise families.

Initial attempts to deal with geese involved a “trap and transfer” technique where birds were trapped then trucked off somewhere else. Although some of the young geese settled in to their new location, many adults simply flew back to start the whole process again. In some cases birds beat the truck back to where they were originally trapped.

Another technique involved harassment where resident birds were forced to leave park areas. This involved using loud noisemakers like propane cannons, lasers lights, and dogs. The idea was to force them to nest somewhere else. Geese are extremely loyal to nest sites returning year after year to the same spot. If you force them to abandon a nest site they usually just find another nearby. This was also met with limited success as the birds simply moved to nest in adjoining residential areas only to return to parks and golf courses.

Have you ever wondered why you see so many geese during the months of June and July? Goslings can not fly until fall and parent birds will not readily abandon them. Also, during the middle of summer, adult geese molt, dropping their primary flight feathers so they can grow new ones. During the molt adult birds can not take to the sky either. All this takes place during the busiest time of year for parks.

Park professionals and wildlife biologists have tried many things to rid parks of geese, which can basically be divided into three categories. First you can limit the growth of flocks by preventing hatching. This is done by treating eggs early in development. This can help, unfortunately all geese do not nest in the same general area and finding nests can at times be difficult especially when scattered among urban areas. Second is harassment with loud noisemakers, geese distress calls and dogs that simulate predators. Third is to completely change the habitat replacing grass with alternative plantings or treating grass with a chemical repellent. Besides being very expensive, these types of deterrents offer limited success especially in large areas which contain a linear waterway like a creek or river.

Although limited to rural areas only, another measure to help reduce population numbers is the institution of our early goose hunting season. Each year our Department of Natural Resources expands this season which targets resident birds as opposed to the later season which is aimed primarily at migratory flocks.

Let’s face it, Canada geese are thriving and it’s because we have created the perfect situation. Some level of tolerance for many of our state’s residents, including Canada geese is to be expected.

Tournament results

• Les Whitaker and Randy Voke came out on top at the Anglers Dream team bass fishing tourney held on Mississinewa Reservoir. They won the event with five largemouth bass dropping the digital scales at 8.79 pounds. Second place and “big bass” honors went to Robert and Brad Stoops with two largemouth weighing in at 6.10 pounds. Their largest topped out at 3.75 pounds.

• Aaron Hochstedler and Charlie Riley won last week’s Monday morning open team bass tourney held on Kokomo Reservoir with five largemouth bass weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces. They also took home the big bass pot with a 4-pound, 12-ounce fish. Ken Waisner, fishing solo, captured second place with four bass weighing 1 ounce shy of 7 pounds.

• The Kokomo Seniors came off a tournament held on Salamonie Reservoir. Bob Graham and Jerry Phillips swept the event with four bass totaling 6 pounds, 8 ounces. They also took the “big bass” honor with a 2-pound, 2-ounce fish. Second place went to Wayne Nolder and Bob Rose with two fish weighing 2 pounds, 14 ounces.

• Terry Thor and Ron Weigt won first place and big fish honors with a single largemouth tipping the scales at 3 pounds, 5 ounces at last Tuesday’s Delphi-Delco team bass tourney held on Mississinewa Reservoir. Second place went to Bob Rose and Wayne Nolder with a largemouth weighing 1 pound, 9 ounces.

• Phil Reel and Greg Rude took top honors at last Wednesday evening’s Kokomo Reservoir open team bass tourney with five largemouth bass sporting a total weight of 8 pounds, 9 ounces. Brothers Scott and Toby Miller grabbed second with five fish weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Dave and Josh Hinkle earned the weekly event’s “big bass” award with a 3-pound

largemouth.

Catches of the Week

Bryant’s Outdoor Store: Charlie and Glenda Morgan cleaned 21 crappies averaging 10 inches in length after a recent outing on Mississinewa Reservoir. The Morgan’s took their fish using minnows and jigs.

Jack’s Tackle Center: Luke Rood, age 6, tied into five white bass with the largest stretching 16 inches. The youngster hooked the fish from the Kokomo Reservoir on a crankbait.

Brenda Sands hooked her limit of 25 crappies and a 3-pound largemouth bass while plying the waters of Mississinewa Reservoir. The fish were taken on live bait.

Malone’s Nyona Lake Bait and Tackle: Jacob Overdorf caught a gar measuring 33 inches long, weighing 6 pounds, while fishing Nyona Lake. Overdorf was using live bait.

Springhill Camp and Pay Pit: Ron Fritz cleaned six channel catfish after a recent outing to the western Howard County pit. The fish totaled 16 pounds, 5 ounces and were caught on live bait.

• John Martino is the Tribune’s outdoors columnist. He may be reached by e-mail at jmartinooutdoors@att.net.