Protecting wildlife is working. Perhaps too well

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
I like the last line:

“Do I say it would be helpful to have mountain lions around?” Cramer said. “If you have a species like that coming back, that introduces its own problems in terms of relating to human beings.”

In addition to all the specifically human-faulted problems, we're missing an apex predator in the east. No wolves, no cougars. I say we reintroduce them all . . . it'd make NJ into one hell of a party. Sure . . . rover would never be able to sleep outside and the weak-looking joggers would get picked off every now and then--but i bet nobody would complain about geese pooping on their golf courses.
 

LARGO

Piney
Sep 7, 2005
1,553
134
54
Pestletown
I guess most have noticed these changes, I welcome them to a degree. Yes in my area Turkey Vultures have definately increased as far as I can see. I guess people can't see the value of a fantastic natural cleaner. I kinda like watchin 'em glide around for hours out my way. I also welcome the chance to spy a bear. Goose poop, hell I got guinea fowl that seem to love my yard & I didn't ask fer 'em & don't feed 'em. What's a few hundred geese. I'll get my own border collie and some fireworks, it'll be a blast.
All the $$$$ figures I see in that article. C'mon, more excuses to spend.
Yeah, the wildlife situation is improving and perhaps to the dismay of some, but fear not... The unpleasant message in my signature will prevail.
 

Furball1

Explorer
Dec 11, 2005
378
1
Florida
Hunting?

Hey you guys, doesn't anyone in NJ hunt anymore? I'm sure open season for a year or two would cure the problem y'all are having....but, then PETA, The Audubon Society, Anti-gun crowds, anti-hunting people, anti-anti folks would be up in arms....and eventually, of course, up to their eyeballs in Canada Goose Ca-Ca!
 

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
Furball1 said:
Hey you guys, doesn't anyone in NJ hunt anymore? I'm sure open season for a year or two would cure the problem y'all are having....but, then PETA, The Audubon Society, Anti-gun crowds, anti-hunting people, anti-anti folks would be up in arms....and eventually, of course, up to their eyeballs in Canada Goose Ca-Ca!


See--i've been trying to convince the state for years that any problem CAN be solved by shooting it. Hopefully they'll figure it out soon and hold an open season on idiots.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,058
3,328
Pestletown, N.J.
Furball1 said:
Hey you guys, doesn't anyone in NJ hunt anymore?

There are more opportunities to hunt in N.J. right now then there have ever been in the history of regulated hunting.
Deer can be hunted from September to February and in many zones the the take is unlimited antlerless.
Wild turkey were reintroduced in the late 1970's and have taken hold very well.
Coyotes and bear can be hunted as well.
The goose issue is more complex than you are aware.
The truly migratory Canada Goose is actually nearing threatened status.
NJ closed goose season during the regular waterfowl season just a few years ago because of the reduced numbers. I believe it may have been reistituted by now.
Those large fall migrations of flying v's that everyone was familiar with 25 years ago are becoming a thing of the past. Think about the last time you saw a large, high flying flock headed south in October or November. You probably haven't seen one for the past few years.
A flock today is usually seen fling at about 100' off the ground when they move from one park to another.
NJ, as do other states, recognize the geese that you see lounging around every park and golf course as Resident Geese. They are actually becoming a subspecies of the truly migratory. They are born here and stay here for life.
The seasons for them are in September and January, when the state assumes that truly migratory geese have passed through.
One of the problems of hunting them to help reduce the numbers is that some of the largest and most persistent poulations are in the middle of suburbia.
Scott
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,677
4,851
Pines; Bamber area
I did a community service and netted 4 of them about 3 years ago. I tried to give them to some "fresh over the border" immigrants I saw working on lawns in Whiting. No Senor, he said; "I just had a hoagie and macaroni cheese from WAWA." So I took 'em up to the city and tried to give them to a couple homeless people I saw on the steet. Scared them silly (both the homeless and the geese). Started flapping their wings and honking and the people on the street started running in the other direction.

Seriously. I'm sorry, couldn't resist. It was a thought in my head. But really, I wonder why, with the huge asian population we have, we can't make it legal to round em up without firepower and put them to good use. Don't they love duck? Haven't we seen them gathering fiddleheads and mushrooms in the woods?
 

Furball1

Explorer
Dec 11, 2005
378
1
Florida
Lighten up, man!

Hopefully they'll figure it out soon and hold an open season on idiots.[/quote]
Now come on Bobbleton, if you go and do that, there won't be any New Jerseyans left to migrate south to Florida. Then again, there's a bumper sticker down here in Florida: " If it's called Tourist Season, why can't we shoot them? " Better stay north. That's why the geese aren't migrating. In the meantime, fertilizer companies could employ them as "organic, earth-friendly pooper goosers" to help keep "The Garden State" nice and green. :)
 

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
Furball1 said:
Now come on Bobbleton, if you go and do that, there won't be any New Jerseyans left to migrate south to Florida. Then again, there's a bumper sticker down here in Florida: " If it's called Tourist Season, why can't we shoot them? " Better stay north. That's why the geese aren't migrating. In the meantime, fertilizer companies could employ them as "organic, earth-friendly pooper goosers" to help keep "The Garden State" nice and green. :)


Haha . . . I deserved that.
 

ChrisNJ

Explorer
Jan 31, 2006
149
0
Medford
Good post RednekF350 , you are well informed :)


bobpbx,
I used to hunt canada geese years ago and you get a nice filet of meat off each side of the breast that look and taste if marinated properly just like London Broil when cooked on the grill, good stuff. I think you are onto something as most of these geese are lurking in unhuntable lands so why not just go and net them for the homeless shelters, each goose has about 2.5 lbs of yummmy meat that is easy to prepare.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,829
3,010
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
When I had a place in upstate NY near Lake Ontario we would regularly see huge flocks of migrating Canada geese, but that's been more than 10 years ago now. They were there in large numbers in the swamp on my land. Out for a walk one day an aggresive goose charged my black lab and scared her away.

But although you could hunt them, I believe you weren't supposed to eat them because of high dioxin levels that resulted from their eating fish in the Great Lakes.
 
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