CANADA GOOSE 229 



The weight of a Canada Goose is said to vary from eight to twelve 

 pounds. A lean female, taken in late spring at Lake Tahoe, weighed 

 eight and three-quarter pounds. 



The amateur hunter is likely to shoot behind his first geese, for 

 the birds appear to be moving slowly. In reality they move very fast, 

 and a long lead is required. Their habit of resorting to fields to feed 

 morning and evening makes it feasible to use a blind beneath a regular 

 line of flight known to have been established by the birds. On the open 

 plains a pit dug in the ground is used as a blind, and the birds are 

 decoyed by live domesticated geese or by decoys. As soon as some 

 birds are killed they are "stooled," that is, propped up with wires so 

 as to appear life-like. In early days these geese were hunted from 

 w^agons which were driven along on the windward side of feeding 

 birds until quite near when a dash would be made for them and 

 the hunter would fire into the flock, the members of which had of 

 necessity to rise into the wind. The call is imitated by giving a nasal 

 pronunciation to, the syllable "wonk." 



At the present time the Canada Goose must be considered the least 

 common of the "gray geese" found in California. In many places 

 where it was formerly abundant it has not been seen for years. 



During the season of 1895-96, 2,411 Honker Geese were sold on 

 the markets of San Francisco and Los Angeles (Calif. Fish Comm., 

 1896, p. 41). Eleven years later (season 1906-07) there were sold on 

 the markets of San Francisco by one transfer company 154 Honkers, 

 and in the season of 1909-10 the same company handled 416. Probably 

 not more than this last number were sold in all the markets of the 

 state during the season of 1912-13. Even taking into account the 

 shorter season which came into efl'ect in 1913, the decrease has been 

 serious. With the incentive of a high price offered (75 cents each in 

 many cases) the market hunter does his utmost to procure this species 

 of goose. Consequently the numbers sold on the market each year 

 do not accurately indicate the comparative numbers of Honkers 

 remaining from year to year. 



Among all the geese this is the one which most needs protection if 

 it is to continue to exist as a game bird. It is the most southern breed- 

 ing species, and in fact does not retire at any season altogether beyond 

 the oiitposts of human habitation. The wariness of the Honker will 

 help it to persist longer than some other species- but the demand 

 for it as a game bird coupled with the ingenuity of man and the 

 increased efficiency of firearms more than counterbalances the natural 

 instincts which make for the preservation of the species. If people 

 coiild only be brought to a realization of the true status of this species, 

 more rigid protection would be forthcoming voluntarily, on economic 

 grounds alone. 



