Posted by PunkinPie (anonymous) on September 15, 2008 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I <3 the geese. Leave them be. If they kill off all the vegetation.. guess what? They'll leave, and the vegetation will grow back.

Posted by Brandon (anonymous) on September 15, 2008 at 8:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

While you may "<3" the geese, PunkinPie, there are probably 10,000 other people in this town whose positions are completely opposite of yours...

Posted by ginger_ale1 (anonymous) on September 15, 2008 at 9:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Brandon, I find it hard to believe that the majority of our community dislikes geese. And quite honestly, their numbers are down considerably from years past.

Posted by apinion (anonymous) on September 15, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Make sure you vote YES to the sales tax increase that is comming up to support wildlife. That money will help the DNR to STUDY what to do with wildlife. Who doesn't like it that the DNR see's the need to NET & KILL thousands of fish each year to study how they are doing in our lakes and if they are reproducing. May be it's just me, but wouldn't it be easier to just survey people comming back from fishing and ask them if if they caught any small fish (ie they are reproducing), and ask them how their catch this year compares to previous years on the lake? Then again if they did that it would be hard to justify the thousands of dollars on new boats and new trucks for the researchers. And the thousands of fish that would be saved, heaven forbid someone might actually get to catch them and eat them instead of throwing them away. But remember, all those dead fish are in the name of science, I mean fish didn't reproduce before the DNR existed!!!

May be they could use some of that money to buy more land too, we all know how well they take care of the land they aready have. For some reason I thought they were suppose to plant grass not weeds.

They could also use some of the money to build some MORE FANCY MILLION DOLLAR buildings, because plowing under the prairie to build a building is SURE to help wildlife!

IF YOU WANT LESS WILDLIFE, GIVE THE DNR SOME MORE MONEY, THEY COULD SCREW UP A FREE LUNCH!!!

Posted by Mel (anonymous) on September 15, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just eat the geese. Don't let them go to waste.
I've heard of ideas of oiling the eggs or shaking them so they won't hatch. This is just plain nonsense.
What is "<3"?

Posted by PunkinPie (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 1:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

<3 is a sideways heart.

Also.. Brandon.. Your the first person I've met who doesn't like the geese.. What's wrong with you?

Posted by ckint1975 (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

how much is this study going to cost the people of this city??? I'm sure there are people that would love to have some of these geese to eat for dinner!!!!! I'm not one of them...

Posted by k8 (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Take care of the cormorants and egrets first before they kill off the trees on the sides of the lake. They do more damage than geese -- and their damage won't grow back.

Posted by spawlak44 (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

RED FLAG!! This technical advisory committee will include representatives from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

These agencies are glued together at the hip, sharing the same bias and agenda. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is on a mission to reduce the "resident" Canada goose population by more than half throughout the country - and for profit.

In 2002, US FWS Service published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Resident Canada Goose Management. At that time, Minnesota's resident goose population was estimated to be 210,200. Their "Population Objective" is to reduce that number to 178,000.

Capitalizing on so-called nuisance complaints, they seize every opportunity to convince people that the only way to resolve human/goose conflicts is by having the geese killed by hunters, which garners revenue through the sale of hunting licenses or by entering into cooperator contracts with communities for rounding up the geese whereby the geese are either gassed or taken to a slaughter house at taxpayer expense.

For information of "non-lethal" goose management, visit the following web sites: www.canadageese.org www.geesepeace.org www.innolyticsllc.com www.canadageesenewjersey.com

Posted by the Coalition to Prevent the Destruction of Canada Geese

Posted by lcradomski (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ckint1975,
To answer your question about cost...Anne Martens of the Public Works Department told me that, at this point, she does not think the committee's work will cost the city anything.
Lauren Radomski

Posted by lookitup (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

So, who are the affiliates in the Coalition to Prevent the Destruction of Canada Geese? Your web-page listing those affiliates is disabled.

Posted by bigdaddy (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It sure would be nice to enjoy walking around the lake without all the feces, its really gotten worse. I feel for all the residents who live right around the lake.

Posted by doctipster (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yep, lets spend thousands of un necessary dollars to study something i think is nuts. Either leave the damn geese alone and save that money for something that we need. Or let the hunters shoot, kill, and eat the damn sky rats. But lets face it, with the economy as bad as it is, the last thing we as city tax payers need to do is pay for a stupid study on how to control geese. And don't give me that we aren't paying for it, that its coming out of some special fund. BULLSHAT, we as tax payers pay that special fund, that extra money they want every year just for stupid little antic projects like this one. When will we ever get a city council that isn't crooked and just looking out for their own pocketbooks.

I gotta better idea. Lets get a group of fifth graders from the fergus falls high school, i bet they can come up with some ideas and guess what. IT WON"T COST A THING... how great is that.

Posted by FFSSG (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 11:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lets see here geese who really cares. I agree let the hunters take them out by raising the limits they can take. Problem solved you did not even need a group of people to get together to figure that one out. If the population gets too low then lower the limit again. I know at one time we in this town were trying to figure out somthing about a pool or a lake with lifeguards but the councel is right we should spend money on figuring out a goose problem rather that somthing that might actually help out the city and the people that live here.

Posted by FFSSG (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh nd one more thing nothing is free...

Posted by TheVikingman (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I can see it now...group of well learned walking around Lake Alice "studying geese".

Person1: So this is a goose then?

Person2: Yep, that's a goose alright.

Person1: Now what? Is there a test later?

Person2: I think they will just want us to be able to pick a goose out of the crowd if we see one again

Man I am sick of dingbat headlines...You don't "Study the geese", you study the impact the geese are having on the city and possible ways to improve the entire situation to benefit the landowners, residents of the city and their pocketbooks, and the geese/natural resources.

On a related to the subject but not to my rant note I refuse to feel sorry for landowners around Lake Alice who complain about the geese unless they moved in before the geese showed up. Otherwise I think it is/was a fairly well known fact that the geese like to hang out there. It is like feeling sorry for someone who builds their house in a swamp. Kinda get what you have coming to you...

Posted by Callie25 (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow, didn't realize this was so controversial. Geese have become a nuisance all throughout the country as well as here. I think a study that costs the City nothing is a good idea.

Posted by killdeer (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Let's wait -maybe a contactable bird virus will take 'em all out!

Posted by fergusfallsmom (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Geese, Police and Old people.... i learned that when we moved to town 30 years ago... still true.

Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Did anyone catch the radio show this morning? She actually said something to the fact of "we thought one idea would be to put up a fence". ARE YOU SERIOUS? I just about fell over when I heard that. Someone please tell her that geese have wings, and most of them don't walk to get to the lake. Still laughing...

Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

P.S. Fergusfallsmom... that used to be a bumper sticker here years ago. OLD PEOPLE, POLICE & GEESE

Posted by ginger_ale1 (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 2:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How are geese a nuisance? As somebody who grew up on Lake Alice, I view them quite highly. So they poop... So do the dogs of people who walk around the lake. Some of my favorite memories include watching and listening in amazement as thousands of geese circle and land on Lake Alice. A Minnesota autumn without the sound of flying geese would be quite unfortunate.

Something must be done with the cormorants that have taken refuge on the two islands. I don't care if they are protected, their nests should be destroyed, and if they come back they should be slaughtered.

Posted by Callie25 (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Um, geese droppings contain some harmful bacteria such as E. COLI (heard of that? Yuck). They charge and bite. Frankly, I'm not too interested to take a walk around Lake Alice or live there either. Do you live there now, Ginger, or have you been back lately?

Posted by watermelon (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Perhaps the city could gather up all the foul droppings, spread them up and down old smokey, and make a gigantic eco-friendly summer ski-hill?

Posted by lookitup (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

luvmyboys - the fence will work in the spring with the young goslings. If you fence around the lake (just on the lake side of the street), the goslings can't get up into the yards to eat the fresh, green grass. Then you leave a small opening for the young ones to walk thru, and trap them. Try to think outside the box a bit.

Posted by Mom42 (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We all have to agree that something has to be done. We stopped walking around Lake Alice because it smells so bad and because it was a pain to have to try and walk around the goose and dog droppings!

Posted by killdeer (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Someone once suggested when the lake is iced over,the islands should be covered with netting, so the egrets and cormorants couldn't nest there. Not sure what might happen there-but something to think about...

Posted by metasonics (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

what a waste of time and money!
I understand and appreciate some nuisances associated with the Goose population but this is preposterous.
imagine lake Alice without geese, egrets, and cormorants.
I used to own a home on lake Alice and thought the wildlife was one of the benefits of living there.
I enjoyed taking my children to feed the geese, sure the droppings aren't pleasant, but it was like having a free zoo just outside my home. I know millionaires who have spent millions trying to create an environment like lake Alice on their estates.
if these animals are destroyed, We will have lost yet another activity to enjoy in Fergus falls, one that only cost some time and bread crumbs.

If measures do rid Fergus of the Geese, be prepared for the replacement hoards of seagulls, and explaining to children why the baby animals are starving and dying in front of them.

Vote Jamie Cooper for Ward one this November if you oppose wasteful spending like this.
I know I'm sick of it!

thank you,
Jamie Cooper

Posted by TheVikingman (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 4:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What baby animals will be starving??

Posted by metasonics (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

the goslings if they put up these fences

Posted by 1125thmp (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 5:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Seems to me there is another creature that perhaps an in depth study should be performed on to see as to its impact on the environment and its surroundings. Bipedal, arrogant, environmentally insecure and destructive to its surroundings. Has a habit of blaming problems on non-species incapable of producing reports outlining detailed and time specific interference in the workings of the very area which they themselves introduced the interfering animals to.
Generally concedes to the wishes of the very few at the expanse of the many and introduces a plan for which introspection would never find wanting for itself and in its implementation comes full circle, having wasted time, money and resources to produce no better result then leaving things simply to nature.

Posted by The_Riveter (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 5:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

People who feed the geese are a major part of the problem. I realize it is fun and entertaining, but we should NOT be feeding the geese!

Posted by Granny (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

These geese are so tough u couldn't eat half of them.
Why, can't we use the cannons to scare them out of town durning hunting season??
They have been talking about doing this for years if I remember right. Now I spose the guns will be noisy for people, but the geese are a royal pain. Try playing football, or try cleaning the uniforms. I remember from years ago. YUCK!!
Good Luck.

Posted by brighteyes (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 8:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"I gotta better idea. Lets get a group of fifth graders from the fergus falls high school, i bet they can come up with some ideas and guess what. IT WON"T COST A THING... how great is that."

Fifth graders--from the high school..that made me laugh.

Posted by ffrogg (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

piranhas and alligators, works every time.

i heard from someone that there used to be a water fountain somewhere out in the lake. i was told that the old pipes are still in the lake.

Posted by JAnderson (anonymous) on September 16, 2008 at 11:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The goose population in Fergus Falls is a nuisance. For all of you who think it is "cute" to feed the population of geese...shame on you! We are creating an environment outside of the norm. Through the years of plenty of " buy corn and feed the geese" and bread......we have created an easy life for the geese to not leave and instead enjoy the easy life. The DNR has tried propane guns in the past to scare the geese out of the city but they circle and land back in. (part of this is due to the warm water discharge from Ottertail creating a more than ideal environment) Treat the geese like another citizen of the city.....would you toss food and $$$ towards a family struggling? NOPE! Do not feed the geese as it only domesticates them and creates the issues we have now. There are plenty of geese...there is not a shortage nationwide.....and they need to fly their natural flight pattern. If they get shot...(and I am one to shoot at them) so be it.....but don't cater to them...they are a WILD ANIMAL! We wouldn't cater to a wild bear located in the city limits. It's ridiculous that these birds stop traffic and trains. They need to be "regulated" just like deer and other wildlife. If you want a pet goose......buy one, raise one and take care of it yourself....They are a nuisance to society...and I am willing to step up and take care of the problem one shell at a time.

Posted by metasonics (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 1:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"Treat the geese like another citizen of the city.....would you toss food and $$$ towards a family struggling? NOPE!" - JAnderson

are you proposing we start shooting homeless and struggling families?

Posted by mccain08 (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 1:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

i'll save you city some money.
the warm water from the power plant is why the geese thrive here.

Posted by JAnderson (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Metasonic (Jamie Cooper) - To answer your question...NOPE! They weed themselves out...it's called Darwin's Theory of Evolution...only the strong survive!

Posted by metasonics (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

JAnderson,
this is why crime rises when republicans run things!
some struggling families won't allow themselves to be weeded out.
can't really blame them when faced with logic like yours, and obviously you would have to respect a show of strength like a mugging or robbery right?
wow, I bet slot of the better jobs would open up if we all just followed your logic.
I suppose that is the republican way.
take what you want by force and only share when you're forced as well.

actually Darwin's theory says that species adapt to their surroundings.
that's why lack of decent jobs and greed will always result in increased domestic crime.
it wasn't until the 2nd Bush regime that I finally understood why the peasants in France chopped the royal families heads off.
their economy was so broke by funding wars until the people got so tired of being weeded out and decided to show where the countries real strength is.
I wonder if that had anything to do with why France told us not to attack Iraq?

Jamie Cooper

Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Lookitup - Don't tell me to "think outside the box". I'll think however I want to think. To me putting up a fence was funny, and I laughed. End of story. Who are you to tell me how to think? Get a grip.

Posted by TheVikingman (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Ignore Mr Cooper...he is like many that run for office. They make outlandish claims with inflamatory language in order to illict a emotional response.

Both parties are guilty of this...it is politics.

Posted by lookitup (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sorry luvmyboys - your ignorance was showing - news alert - baby geese don't fly. End of story.

Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

No one said a word about baby geese - except for you. I was talking about mature geese. You're a real piece of work. Telling me what to do, and now calling me ignorant. Forget the story... now I'm laughing at you.

Posted by werty (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think the best approach here to control the geese is to lure them all into town with a giant loaf of bread floating in lake alice...Then blow up lake Alice with a photon torpedo. As I understand with photon torpedos you can set them to only kill adult geese and save the baby ones (for the baby killer winers). It might be wise to shoot a second photon torpedo to vaporize the poo.

Posted by Olga (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The people who feed the geese should be fined - if the people wouldn't keep encouraging the geese to come over to them the geese won't be "charging" anyone - they are just looking for their free handout like everyone else - and I agree the power plant keeps them here. I've never seen a goose "charge" - I've seen a bull, military, knights and people charge - the first three usually have pointy things out in front aimed at their opponent - people - they just charge up their credit card(s).

Posted by brighteyes (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 7:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

i'd be more intimidated by a woman with pms, than a charging goose--some of you people are absolutely crazy. Jamie Cooper, you take things to a whole new level, the guy didn't suggest we shoot homeless people--the thing is, take the words for what they are. Stop reading into things and stop searching for more meaning than there is. I say, shoot the geese, run them over, wring their necks..whatever you want, do it. We need to regulate on them, and the only way is by force, not negotiation.

Posted by metasonics (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 8:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

brighteyes, what he said was "Treat the geese like another citizen of the city.....would you toss food and $$$ towards a family struggling? NOPE!" - JAnderson

what do you think the meaning is here?

Posted by brighteyes (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 8:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I would think the meaning is "YOU work for what YOU have." I have donated money to several entities, but i still don't understand where you got the "shooting homeless people" rant?

Bottom line- Is one of the first issues we have on the agenda, a goose problem?

Raise the hunters limits.

Problem solved, next question?

Posted by lookitup (anonymous) on September 17, 2008 at 8:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

luvmyboys - 2 adult geese have 10 little ones - next year there are 12 "mature" geese. If you think things thru before you post, you won't look so ignorant. Your choice. Just trying to help you out here. Next time I'll go a little slower for you, so you can keep up.

Posted by luvmyboys (anonymous) on September 18, 2008 at 8:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

YAWN... you're "only my opinion counts, and only my opinion is correct" is beginning to bore me. Next topic.

Posted by neocon (anonymous) on September 18, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

metasonics i'll explain everything to you as soon as you tell me where you live anyone know mr metasonics jamie cooper's address? i would like to visit him and explain some things to him about how this country really works and if anyone wants to shoot homeless people who really cares there are decent hard working men dying to protect everyone here the homeless losers could go fight in iraq if they wanted to we should send all the complainers there put them out front of every fight so the decent ones make it back we need to bring back the draft

Posted by mccain08 (anonymous) on September 18, 2008 at 8:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

neocon i know where cooper lives you can email your name and phone number to me at journalsux@gmail.com
thats a real email by the way
i'll get in touch with you and cooper and we can set up a meeting.
as a former homeless person and former bouncer, i'll have to warn you that i'll bounce you if you try anything.
by the way, why are you not fighting in Iraq, you are one of the complainers.

Posted by fergusgraduate (anonymous) on October 4, 2008 at 8:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

These geese roost in Fergus because of the levee staying open due to the heated water from OTP. The majority of the people on Lake Alice moved there after the geese became a major problem. The lake is really full with geese only for a few weeks during the peak of the migration. There are not that many nesting pairs that have babies on Lake Alice.

These geese bring a ton of money into our town. Fergus Falls and Rochester are the two biggest towns for goose hunting in the state. Fergus is nationally known for its goose numbers to hunters everywhere. I have several friends from around the state come to Fergus eat in our restaurants, book hotels for 2 nights, get gas here and all of that good stuff every year. These little geese at Lake Alice are bringing a lot of people to our town. I have over 20 people come up last year to hunt with me and all had to get hotel rooms, money, money money. I spend a lot of time on hunting websites and always hear of people coming to Fergus Falls for the weekend to hunt geese. There are a TON of people from around the state that come to our town just for these geese, I cant stress that enough.

For the comment about geese charging and biting... they don't like people by their nests or by the young, is it that hard? I would also like to know how new hatched birds every year can magically end up with broken wings one day at Lake Alice. Any moron dumb enough to do that to a young goose should be locked up for harrasing wildlife.

On a side note, I saw license plates from Kansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, S.D and N.D all taking pics of these geese and feeding them this summer. Fergus Falls is known for their geese.