[GCFL-discuss] Cooked Geese

[gcfl-discuss at gcfl.net]

I think it is time for a legal urban goose hunting season in America.

Thirty years ago, the Canada goose was an endangered species, but now it
is crowding parks and lawns across the nation, and exhibits no tendency
to avoid humans or human-frequented areas. When this appeared mostly on
corporate campuses, I thought, serves those wealthy capitalists right,
but when great flocks congregate in public parks, it is time to change
the ecological balance a bit.

Every wild species needs some predators to keep it within its proper
niche in the ecosystem. Research on reintroduction of wolves in
Yellowstone Park is a good example. Without wolves, the elk were nibbling
so many young trees along the river banks, that certain tree species
whose roots and shade were essential to preserving river banks and fish
stocks were threatened with extinction. Having wolves around did not
reduce the number of elk, but they didn't browse in uninterrupted
contentment. They relearned to be alert to danger, and a good number of
tree seedlings were therefore spared.

The geese we have today were bred from a very tiny genetic stock, in
captivity, and have lost all natural sense of self-preservation. They no
longer seek out marshlands where they will be relatively safe from either
wolves or hunters. And God knows, we do not need to reintroduce wolves
into city parks.

However, an occasional declared hunting season would condition these
geese to stay out of sight of humans, avoid areas where human scent is
intense, maybe even get out of town. And, the flocks are large enough to
provide a good protein supplement to malnourished families. We can't have
hunting in city limits with firearms, but each qualifying family could be
licensed to walk up to and three geese they can catch, and wring their
necks. DNR stations could be set up to provide instruction in dressing
the kills, and saving feathers for luxurious mattresses and pillows. As
with all hunting, seasons and authorized kills would be adjusted to
insure a breeding stock -- but the most careless and fearless, or
oblivious, would be weeded out, leaving future generations with a healthy
distaste for human proximity.

There is something in this for everyone: bleeding hearts and
laissez-faire Malthusians, ecologists and hunters. Anyone see any
objections?

Siarlys


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