Posted on 03/15/2006 12:10:48 PM PST by RushCrush
I was doing about 70 when two doves which had been foolishly sitting on the OTHER side of the highway fluttered off to avoid a semi--directly into my path. One would assume doves would crack the windshield. They did not. But they both deflected upward off the glass, spun like a top, all the while shedding more feathers than a nuke in a pillow factory, and ended up bouncing nicely behind us on the highway, until after we were a few hundred yards away and we saw another semi turn them into dove mush.
I believe most species of birds are barely sentient. Some people think fish don't feel pain. I don't buy that, but I'm pretty sure that most birds, if they DO feel pain, are too @#!$#@! stupid to understand it.
(And I'm sure if someone reading this owns a bird and is now fuming, THEIR bird is the exception, of course--it's all the OTHER birds that are dumb as rocks)
Bingo. Don't know about his part of the world, but there are many, many non-migratory Canada geese in these parts, these days.
I'm also in GA, and just heard some about 15-20 minutes ago when we were outside seeing a friend off.
I admit that something needs to be done and should it come down to it, I support mass destruction of the migratory birds that carry the avian flu.
I was somewhat sarcastic in my response regarding open season on geese. Are infected birds safe to eat? If not, simply shooting them and letting them rot where they fall is a bad idea. It will do us no good to have numerous piles of infect carcases littering the countryside.
Germany has shown that the virus will spread to predators such as cats and martens. I'm sure other scavengers are at risk as well, ie skunks, coyotes, crows & ravens.
Do we task hunters with bringing the dead geese to a burn site? Lots of questions. No clear answers yet.
Some of the maintenance personnel at one of the local malls got into a heap of flack a year or so ago...there are a lot of "water features" and the area was becoming overrun with duckies...shoppers and diners saw them cleaning out the nests and raised all sorts of hell.
In Western Montana, and I assume all of Montana, everything gets donated to the Food Banks.
I've assisted in butchering Elk, Moose, and numerous deer that are confiscated from poachers and mostly roadkill that is donated.
I've seen 100s of fish that were pulled from the Flathead lake by Fish, Wildlife, and Parks for scientific purposes.
Just recently 13 buffalo were donated to a local Food Bank. These were not private party, but came through the government.
Also there are good samaritan laws in MT, which protect food banks from law suits arising from tainted meat.
Did the ducks pay rent?
Yep, that's the sole purpose of the 4 Iron.
(3 Iron's are for snakes)
Need to cull them now before they are infected.
A couple years ago the govt. was all worried that there were so many geese that they would have huge die offs due to disease. Instead of allowing more hunting, Oregon put extra restrictions on hunting including extra classes for goose hunters and outright closure of hunting in certain counties.
Government is collectively so stupid, but I digress
What we have here in NJ, and they probably have the same thing in Illinois, is resident Canada Geese. These are descendants from live decoys used many, many years ago and they live here year round. They're not really wild and do not migrate. They're more like a feral, semi-domesticated geese if you will.
I know a friend who's child got sick while playing soccer on a local field from geese feces. It took a while for the doctors to diagnose the illness and it could have been much worse if left untreated.
These geese are truly a health hazard and need to be dealt with.
Ahem...
I didn't say geese were pretty and cuddly.
I said they were yummy :)
/wiza gurl
Lurkers was put in parathesis! I've personally met B4 Ranch, and he was not the target either, Was hoping you both might have a little luck with the grape goose repellant in the first link. Envirowhacko's think B4Ranch is Jack Bauer to wildlife. I think he's a great patriot and steward of the land.
I know you were talking to lurkers. I was making a wise crack about eating them to bump your post.
I've heard moose is tasty too.
I will make a note to bite one.
I had no idea products such as Bird-X bird control existed. I just spent 30 minutes reading about them learning why and how they work. Anything that can get rid of large goose flocks is fantastic stuff!
(Are they called goose herds when they are on the ground?)
>>>Are they called goose herds when they are on the ground?
::gaggling!::
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