I'm not sure why there are so many today that they are a pest. That DDT and the “Silent Spring” crap about the eggs is proven BS - so I'm guessing it has to do with generally better environmental conditions, increased protection of habitat, perhaps fewer people out hunting them - although I would guess with their huge populations, more geese are killed every year now than they were in the 60’s and 70’s.
I think the increased populations have gone on for too long to be cyclical. Grouse and rabbit have population cycles of about 6 years iirc. (1976 high, 1979 low, 1982 high again, etc.).
There are great numbers that are true migratory geese from Canada who were born there and migrate south.
Unfortunately, there are now millions that were born in northern states such as here in Michigan that don't have that migratory instinct and instead, spend the winters here and continue to breed throughout the spring and summer.
The state could hold an open season on the geese but there is no way they can be safely shot in all the human habitable ares where they now thrive in safety........
The only logical solution is for the DNR to establish a task force whose sole purpose is to track down every pond in every subdivision and golf course and destroy all the spring time nesting sites of these vermin..........
We never use to have them and now we do.
Anytime you bring an animal into a new area you risk over population because there are no predators.
I’m telling you, it’s the sediment ponds due to the damn environmental whackos insisting we “save the waterways” or whatever.
MD is not supposed to have any real lakes. We had a few “artificial” lakes in my childhood, for sure. But it’s exploded due to these damn hippies so worried about “The Environment”(TM) that they just end up exchanging problems. They worried about housing developments creating watershed problems.
Now we have an explosion of geese staying year-round. So much so we hardly have any mallard ducks left as they chase them out.
Idiots.