# Should there be open season on Canada geese in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649 "2014-04-08T15:44:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/41 "2014-04-09T01:48:50Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > They tend to come from Canada, migrate south to get fat and happy, then migrate north again for sexy time. In recent times, more and more of them couldn’t be arsed to make the trip back north. This is more or less a good definition of Canadians in general. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/42 "2014-04-09T01:59:09Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > Catch 'em, kill 'em, eat 'em, …stick 'em in a stew. ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/43 "2014-04-09T02:00:04Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Works for me if you want your kids to kill them off before they fly back here to Canada. Die, geese, die!!! [http://www.buzzfeed.com/chelseac16/proof-that-geese-are-actually-demon-spawn-from-hel-bi8s](http://www.buzzfeed.com/chelseac16/proof-that-geese-are-actually-demon-spawn-from-hel-bi8s) ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/44 "2014-04-09T02:01:22Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > …stick 'em in a stew. eh ---
**Author:** ![Melchior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Melchior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melchior)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/45 "2014-04-09T02:02:23Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > …stick 'em in a stew. stomp 'em, peel 'em make 'em turn blue drown 'em brown 'em turn 'em into glue ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/46 "2014-04-09T02:45:10Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > That’s very heartwarming, but it ended 11 years ago. We need goose gassing everywhere and every year. > > To answer the OP, no, there shouldn’t be open season on geese in the US. It wouldn’t do any good. These lazy shit factories never fly anywhere where they could be safely hunted. They live out their lives in suburban office parks, stuff their faces on lawn grass, shit out a nest full of goslings every spring, and never leave the metro area. > > Kill 'em all, and let the misbegotten deity who created them sort them out. One hunting _issue_ with wild fowl is that to be ‘sporting’ you have to shoot them while the little bastards are flying. [Ever hunt chukkar partridge? Little bastards fly UPHILL, staying just out of range. As you climb closer and pause to get your breath back so you can shoot with accuracy, assholes take off uphill until they are out of range again, causing you to labor uphill to get closer … it never ends until they fly off from the top of the hill leaving you exhausted at the top. _sob_] So if you could get a goose season, you have to flush the bastards into the air, they tend to fly over water so then you need a retriever or a boat. makes me wish for a one gauge [punt gun](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt_gun) …] Me? I loves me some goose. Cooked properly it is rich and not greasy at all. I would have no problem with mrAru bringing home a few geese to toss into the freezer after cleaning and plucking. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/47 "2014-04-09T17:29:47Z")
A limited open season would be good - Jan 1 through, say, Dec 30. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/48 "2014-04-09T19:01:41Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > Yeah, where did they all come from? When I was a kid they were a rare sight. Lax enforcement of US immigration laws, coupled with fraudulent green cards. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/49 "2014-04-09T19:24:53Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > To get around that, the USA forged a _treaty_ with Canada. > Kinda blew my mind when I heard that. > > So for the USA to allow shooting geese, they would have to amend a treaty with Canada. That last bit isn’t true. See post #15. You can hunt Canadian Geese in the US in probably every state. Plenty of people hunt them. However, the point that another hunter made is a good one. Hunting helps control populations, but there are many flocks of geese that aren’t affected by hunting at all. They might live in an urban area, or just never leave the office park ponds where there is no hunting at all. It’s the same issue with turkeys and deer. In suburban areas hunting opportunities are rare because of the high density of people. But the animals have no issue moving in right among the houses and people. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/50 "2014-04-09T19:35:33Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Lax enforcement of US immigration laws, coupled with fraudulent green cards. Is THAT the green stuff that’s coming out their back ends?! ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/51 "2014-04-09T20:10:57Z")
Pterosaurus Canadus. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/52 "2014-04-09T20:20:58Z")
Back in high school, my girlfriend and I canoed down a creek. A Canada Goose flew out of the bushes (where I assume it was nesting) and attacked her head. Swatting at it with my paddle did not dissuade it, so I went into a high-kneel racing stroke to get us the hell away from the damn thing’s nest. Then I made my big mistake. After the attack ended, I started laughing. All you young guys, let this be a lesson for you. No matter how funny your girlfriend looks when having her head pecked by a Canada Goose, don’t you laugh. Don’t even grin. Be very solemn and concerned. Just trust me on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/53 "2014-04-09T21:34:40Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > It’s Canada Geese, not Canadian Geese. I say catch 'em and eat 'em! They’re a bit gamey. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/54 "2014-04-10T03:37:43Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > My son and I like going “duck hunting” in the park. We go around and try to find some ducks that aren’t surrounded by geese and we feed them bread crumbs. Once the geese catch on and come over to demand some, we leave and go find some other ducks. The ducks have a hard time competing with the geese, so I’m happy to throw them a crumb or two. I think this practice is called Duck Goose-Goose. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/55 "2014-04-10T05:27:35Z")
I don t think hunting them will work. Better off just trapping them. But yes the problem needs to be dealt with. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/56 "2014-04-10T05:45:00Z")
I don’t know if this works everywhere, but in my Dad’s community they have a large pond next to a putting and chipping green. The geese problem became really bad for them. One day they installed two plastic (wolves? coyotes?) wild looking dog statues around the lake and the problem was pretty much solved. The geese see them from the air and decide not to land there and hang out anymore. Any stragglers that my Dad sees on occasion he shines one of those handheld green lasers on them. Apparently they hate that very much and disperse with a quickness. Don’t know if that will help everyone, but there you go. I hate those aggressive bastards too. I had one in front of my car at a Wendy’s drive thru once all hissing and parading around in front of the car. I tried honking, drifting towards it like I was going to run it over…the fucker would not move. I eventually had to go around him, but I really wanted to hit it with a baseball bat. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/57 "2014-04-14T18:22:30Z")
Look at Mark, [grinning evilly](http://www.oregonlive.com/comics-kingdom/?feature_id=Mark_Trail) as “Ol’ Growler” and his multiplying minions ravage a farmer’s crop. Run them over now, Mark, before they start shitting on your patio deck! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/58 "2019-07-18T22:15:52Z")
UPDATE: > **[Controversial geese culling at Denver parks halted for year](https://kdvr.com/news/local/controversial-geese-culling-at-denver-parks-halted-for-year/)** > > DENVER — The controversial culling of geese at city parks will be halted for the rest of this year, Denver Parks and Recreation said Thursday. Denver Parks and Recreation and the U.S. Departm… > **[Denver non-profit now serving meat from geese removed from city parks](https://fox59.com/news/non-profit-serving-meat-from-geese-removed-from-denver-city-parks/)** > > DENVER — The decision to remove geese from Denver parks and process the meat continues to spark controversy. From the beginning, city leaders have said it was the best way to mitigate excessi… The City of Denver has removed a couple of thousand geese from their city parks with the permission of the US Fish and Wildlife department. The geese were killed and processed and then the meat donated to local food shelters. This should become a more widespread practice. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/59 "2019-07-18T22:22:06Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > UPDATE: > [Controversial geese culling at Denver parks halted for year | FOX31 Denver](https://kdvr.com/2019/07/11/controversial-geese-culling-at-denver-parks-halted-for-year/) > > [Denver food pantry serves meat from Canada geese | Fox 59](https://fox59.com/2019/07/18/non-profit-serving-meat-from-geese-removed-from-denver-city-parks/) > > The City of Denver has removed a couple of thousand geese from their city parks with the permission of the US Fish and Wildlife department. The geese were killed and processed and then the meat donated to local food shelters. > > This should become a more widespread practice. I had wondered if this was why a zombie thread was bumped. Great idea! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649/60 "2019-07-18T22:42:35Z")
You have to be tough with those animals, they refuse to go back where they came from. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-there-be-open-season-on-canada-geese-in-the-us/685649.md?page=4)