Injured wildlife

[Tim C.]

I know this is my first post but I was not sure where to ask. I was fishing the Geneva portion of the Fox today and saw one goose with a broken foot, and another with both legs wraped with fishing line. I was wondering if anyone here would know who to contact to let them know. I know the geese can be pests (I have been bitten and chased many times), but I hate to see anything suffer. Second fish of the morning got tangled in 40 feet of line that was hanging in a tree and was lost. Hope someone has a number, or who to contact. Let me know and I will follow up....Thanks

 

[Scott Ferguson]

I would contact the Forest Preserve District of Kane County at 630-232-5980 or email forestpreserve@kaneforest.com

[Tim C.]

Thank you Scott. They are closed at this time, but I will call in the morning. Also found the number for the Geneva park district and will call them also.

[Eric]

I've seen the injured geese too. I think I know which FP(s) you're talking about. It's a shame. Hate to see wildlife suffer like that. People throw stuff at them, let their kids chase them, run their dogs at them, hit them with their bikes, cars, etc. All the while the geese seem to stay close to the bike path and parking lots waiting for folks to feed them, or the ducks.

 

Then there's the whole issue of entanglement in fishing line, hooks, garbage, etc.

 

A few years back on Route 25 in St. Charles, a driver ran over an entire family of geese (adults and gosslings). If I remember correctly, it made the paper. There was outrage.

 

Also in St. Charles, I witnessed a kid and his friend shooting at geese from the deck of a condo overlooking the river. You know, the nice condos where the old Piano Factory used to be. I took a pic of one of the kids as he was holding the air rifle and then called police. The police arrived within minutes. I gave them the unit #, my story and showed them the pic of the kid holding the air rifle! It was a gray area for the cops. When I called and followed up with a sergeant a week later he said they basically gave them a warning.

 

Years before, same deal near my townhouse in West Chicago. Rich guy with an air rifle that lived next to the pond and couldn't stand the geese, so fired at 'em every time they came near his property. I called the local police AND filed a report with my region of the IDNR conservation police. Nothing was done. Again, I had a photo of the guy holding the air rifle in his backyard!

 

I'm not fond of the geese, their noise, or their mess but then again I'm not going to start injuring them. Guess there's a respect for wildlife that was instilled by my dad at an early age.

[Tim C.]

Just as a follow up, I spoke with Geneva park dist who had me speak with animal care and controll who then had me call Geneva police. Geneva parks deal with the property but annimal control needed to deal with the geese, they were no help at all! When I spoke with Geneva police dept. they were going to send out an officer but didnt think they would be able to catch the animal(they have tried in the past with others). I was at a loss when speaking with animal control as they were the least concerned and least helpful. Geneva police told me that if I ever run into something like this to call 911. Eric, I cant believe that people shooting airguns at wildlife did not result in someone going to jail. I have had people come through our lock-up (cook co.) that have been charged. One person even shot at people at a mosk with an air rifle. I know that laws are different everywhere but the geese are protected by the feds.

[Ryan Kral]

Although I didn't see any injured geese, while fishing the fox in the st Charles area, I ended up spending more time cleaning up literally hundreds of feet of fishing line in the river. I had it coiled up like an extension cord. I understand their are the occasional times where you might get a snag in a bad area, and break off, but all this line was tangled in a downed tree, and running well downstream, and all about 6 feet from shore, in two feet of water. Frustrating, but I guess a lot of people aren't as passionate about fishing or the environment as the guys on this forum.

[ronk]

Tim

Geese protected by the feds?

[Eric]

The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was established to preserve Canada geese. Interpretation and enforcement of that is a whole other issue.

[Tim C.]

Thanks Eric, I knew they were but did not know specifics. Ryan I ran into the same problem on the same day as the geese incident, the fishing line is all over the place.

[ronk]

The federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was established to preserve Canada geese. Interpretation and enforcement of that is a whole other issue.

I don't know its specifics but I imagine that act was generic giving certain protections to all migratory birds not CGs specifically.It certainly didn't do them any good between 1918 - the 1970's when I believe the feds did step in to give the Canadas real protection as an endangered specie. If so It was only that act that preserved the geese.Long since delisted & having reached nuisance & even possibly destructive #s in some locations I doubt the fed would now stand at the ready on their behalf in any one incident. Too much of a good thing. Can the same be said of our species?