The sound of geese flying overhead is the sound of life moving on. — Marty Rubin, journalist (1930-1994)

Without as much as a single question, legions of geese lift themselves to autumn’s skies, obediently heeding the distant call of southern horizons. — Craig D. Lounsbrough, An Autumn’s Journey

It was an early morning when Sam went fishing, and I chose to sit and gaze out the window from the sunroom. With coffee in hand, my day started by watching 40 Canada geese march like soldiers across the field and slowly toward the yard. Along the way they bobbed up and down, pecking through the grasses. They moved quietly along until one or two bossy ones raised their wings with a warning to a lesser goose who scuttled off.   

Geese are beautiful birds with a black head, white “ribbons” across their cheeks, and a brown body. They can weigh between seven to 14 pounds. Their wing span reaches up to 72 inches and their lifespan can be 10 to 24 years. They were once migratory birds that left Canada and the northern states to winter in the south then return to their homeland. Nowadays they are quite content to stay right here and become permanent U.S. residents. Geese can succumb to Prairie predators- coyotes, eagles, and owls, though it happens infrequently as geese are large, aggressive, and travel in groups.

Not everyone loves Canada geese, especially landowners. Not only can they be loud, they can multiply rapidly. Two pair of geese can increase to 14 within a few months. Each goose can eat four pounds of grass and contribute two pounds of droppings daily. Sam finds this the most disturbing.

While most migratory birds are protected, the nuisance factor and their increasing numbers backfired on the Canada geese. Mississippi allows Canada geese to be hunted from September 1 to September 15 with a bag limit of five. Hunters over 16 years must have a Mississippi hunting license, and both federal and state duck stamps. Hunters over 65 require only the federal and state duck stamps. Open season for Canada geese arrives in November, continuing through December, and January, the same rules apply.

The next morning Sam went downstairs to make coffee. In a few minutes I heard three gunshots. Sam returned with two cups of coffee, “There were 100 Canada geese in the front yard and coming toward the house. I fired two shots and most of them left. The rest walked down the driveway. So, I shot again and they left,” he explained.

I confessed sighting 40 geese in the yard the day before. Obviously there had been a tremendous build up overnight. I shared with Sam what I had learned about the open Canada goose season rapidly approaching. I found numerous internet posts on how to prepare a goose for cooking and even more recipes. As a pescatarian, after reading a dozen how to clean and cook a wild goose I felt lightheaded.  Sam agreed, “If cleaning a goose is anything like cleaning a duck I’m not interested.” Personally it’s more than fine with me if our family’s holiday meals include grocery store rotisserie chickens.

Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].