Canada Geese

Well, the city girl got hit again today. As I sat looking out my kitchen window today, I heard shots. Fear runs through my body. Where is my dog??? Is he chasing cows again? But no, it was geese hunters. I see four of them in camouflage outfits carrying guns and firing on Canada geese. I am appalled. “That is illegal” , so I thought. I immediately call my friend who works for the government. By this time, these hunters have brought a four wheeler onto the field with a huge covered, camoflagey trailer and they are loading up garbage bags full of geese. Oh my god! I have binoculars out. I have my camera out. I am taking photos. My friend tells me to call MNR, or the police, or the mayor who leases that land. I tell her that I cannot believe that the live geese are just standing there watching all their dead buddies get bagged up.

She says, Yes, well, they just don’t know what to do. Now, you must know she is a government, social worker so this kind of victim stuff must go on in the world of work that she lives in. Not a happy place.

I quickly hang up from her and choose to call my neighbour , the mayor.

“There are hunters killing geese in the field beside me” I screech into the phone.

Yes, I know” she says calmly.

“Isn’t that illegal?”

No” she says.

Oh. “ I say sadly. “Well how many are they allowed to get??? They are loading up garbage bags full of them!!”

Well, they are allowed quite a few, she says.

Do they have permission to be on the property?

Yes, they did ask me.

She explained that these guys come from all over to do these geese. They ask permission, they only get their limit. They travel far and have all kinds of equipment and they clean up well after they leave. They are very conscientious. I am running out of things to complain about. So we talk about the weather and the moving of the horses, and the winter water supply, and my friend who is running for political office, and life in general. Time passes, while I sadly watch these hunters load up.

Then I say, “You know, I cannot believe that those other geese just watch all this, and just sit there.”

“They are just decoys,” she says.

OMG. They are not just traumatized, stupid geese. They are decoys. OMG. Well, I laughed and laughed and so did the mayor. Yet another city girl moment. Arggghhhh. I still think the hunters are cruel but do admit that I wouldn’t mind tasting a nice cooked geese. I guess men are just born hunters. It must be a good way to get some of that old testosterone out.