Man shoots goose. Will the judge cook his?

The Chicago Tribune ^ | 3/15/2006 | Ted Gregory

[RushCrush]

Like a lot of homeowners, Larry Tomko has grown weary of geese. He's tired of scraping poop from his driveway with a snow shovel. He's fed up with boorish geese gobbling millet he leaves for chickadees. He feels overrun when dozens of the feathery transients loll in the pond a few steps from his yard.

When his frustration brims, Tomko has run out his front door waving his arms and shouting at the geese. Sometimes he launches bottle rockets at them. About 10 years ago, he started firing pellets from an old air rifle at the geese. They would squawk and flee.

Then on Feb. 26, he killed one, accidentally, sort of, with the pellet gun. Geese are federally protected, and neighbor Jack Casino saw it. Casino is a former hunter who said he has seen too many innocent animals suffer at the hands of man.

Now, Tomko has a date with the criminal justice system. And the incident has generated anxiety in the bucolic, unincorporated Winfield Township subdivision, transforming the place into a microcosm of the decades-long conflict known as man versus goose.

[proud_yank]

Even better than 'my' solution:

[BadAndy]

"I sincerely hope that your acquaintance did not sustain serious damage to his Jeep Cherokee."

I was traveling up the interstate at 80 MPH when a full grown turkey hen crossed 2 lanes of traffic causing our paths to intersect. The result was a license plate shaped like a turkey but no other damage. I also learned the trajectory of a van launched turkey.

[Shalom Israel]

Those are ducks, if I'm not mistaken.

[antiRepublicrat]

Note: You must register to view full article

ButMeNot is your friend. And if you use the Firefox browser with the BugMeNot extension it'll automatically try multiple username/passwords until it gets one that works.

[primatreat]

Almost like a Cherry bomb tossed up at sea gulls while they are dropping clams on you house.. externally messy. Your's is a better idea...

[Calpernia]

Goose is greesey. If it is prepared right, it is really good meat. Healthier than commercial farm fowl.

If not prepared right, it taste like shlitz.

[proud_yank]

OOps, wrong pic! Ducks are still tasty too though.

[proud_yank]

Goose is greesey. If it is prepared right, it is really good meat.

How are you dressing them, skin on? Breasted, cut to steaks, wrap in bacon & grill = tasty dinner!

[Calpernia]

I have a huge pot. I boil duck and goose first. That gets rid of a lot of greese.

Then stuff, season to taste and roast them.

[Calpernia]

I've not had goose in about...6 years.

Last goose I had was in N.C.

I've not seen goose here in NJ.

[bk1000]

This is bogus. We now have these nasty critters here in Georgia. They are NOT migratory. They are feral. They stay year round. They fly in as late as midnight honking and skwalking. They poop everywhere, even while flying. The guy should get a medal for shooting the beast and the guy who told on him should mind his own business. I say kill as many as you can, whenever you can.

[proud_yank]

I have dressed them whole, like a turkey, but the amount of work is insane. Geese I take the breast & thigh/legs (about the only meat on a wild goose) without the skin. With the skin removed, the meat itself is really lean.

Crockpot goose (legs & thighs) is a winner too! Man, I'm getting hungry all over again.

[Calpernia]

I really need to buy a crockpot. I keep hearing stories on these forums about them.

[Beagle8U]

"I have dressed them whole, like a turkey, but the amount of work is insane."

Ever tried waxing them? Its easy as pealing an orange, and they will be pin-feather free if you have mature birds.

[Old_Mil]

Geese are federally protected

Huh? They are like rats up here.

[bk1000]

"Tabasco sauce isn't worth having in the kitchen. Use chopped habenero peppers for the full effect."

Possible urban legend? I have seen pet parrots and such eat dried chilies like they were candy.

[rock58seg]

That's why I have a "Migratory Bird Stamp" on my hunting license.

[rock58seg]

A real benefit of "Global Warming". (whacko TM) Not all of them come South anymore.

[jjmcgo]

I remember a story sort of like that but the county sent the birds to a processing facility and got back hundreds of pounds of meat that they were going to distribute to welfare families. An interest group sued to prevent the distribution, saying the meat was filled with bacteria, feather parts, etc.
The judge ruled against the distribution and the meat was thrown away.

[Beagle8U]

"That's why I have a "Migratory Bird Stamp" on my hunting license"

I know, and the reason was because of The Migratory Bird Treaty that was signed by the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Hunters are the ones responsible for getting that passed to regulate waterfowl hunting, go figure, it wasn't AR nutballs.