Massachusetts Hunters Released 8,500 Captive Geese After Federal Ban
Before the 1930s, Canada geese rarely nested in Massachusetts, operating strictly as migratory birds that bred far to the north, according to Cambridge Day reported. That pattern shifted dramatically after the Bureau of Biological Survey banned live decoys in 1935. At the time of the federal prohibition, Massachusetts breeders held 8,500 registered live-decoy geese in captivity. Rather than keeping them, breeders released many of these birds into eastern Massachusetts, permanently altering local wildlife populations.
Nineteenth-Century Tower Shooters Used Hundreds of Tethered Birds
The transformation of the Canada goose from a seasonal visitor to a year-round resident began with nineteenth-century hunting practices. In the 1840s, gunners near Plymouth built shooting stands that relied on live decoys. Hunters cooped up young geese in towers and tethered their parents outside to blind spots. When migratory flocks flew overhead, operators released the young birds into the air. The distressed parents called out, and their strong familial bonds drew the young geese—and the migrating flocks following them—right back into the range of the hidden hunters.
These operations grew massive. The state’s most famous shooting tower employed 300 to 400 live geese at once, allowing gunners to bag up to 200 birds a morning. By the late 1800s, intense overhunting had nearly wiped out Canada geese in the region. Snipe and curlew hunters similarly utilized crippled birds as live distress calls, further decimating local populations before federal intervention halted the practice.
Captive Breeding Introduced Giant Canada Geese That Stayed Year-Round
The birds released in the late 1930s fundamentally lacked the instinct to not migrate back to northern breeding grounds. Canada geese exhibit natal philopatry, meaning they raise their young near where they hatch. Because breeders had raised these captive birds locally, their offspring nested around Massachusetts ponds and lakes instead of flying north.
Subspecies differences also drove the population shift. While early European settlers encountered the migratory Atlantic Canada goose, nineteenth-century breeders utilized the Giant Canada goose from the Great Lakes region. This subspecies was larger and naturally less migratory, tending to stay near its breeding grounds year-round. State breeders released these giant geese across Massachusetts, cementing the year-round resident population.
State Wildlife Officials Transferred Goslings to Central and Western Counties
By the 1960s, year-round geese multiplied to the point of becoming suburban nuisances. To spread sporting opportunities, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife captured goslings in the eastern part of the state between the 1960s and 1976, moving them to central and western counties.
State resident goose numbers climbed steadily through the decades:
- 6,000 to 8,000 birds: Estimated population during the initial 1960s and 1970s translocation era.
- 32,000 birds: Total resident population recorded by wildlife officials in 1993.
- 38,000 birds: Population recorded by 2014.
Urban Populations Prompt Egg Oiling and Special Hunting Seasons
To curb population growth in areas where hunting is prohibited, cities like Boston and Arlington deploy egg-oiling programs. Oiling stops eggs from hatching, gradually reducing flock sizes on local golf courses, ball fields, and lawns where individual geese produce over a pound of droppings daily. Meanwhile, Massachusetts established resident hunting seasons in the early fall and mid-winter starting in 1988, targeting the local population when migratory visitors are absent.
Frequently Asked Questions About Massachusetts Resident Geese
Why don’t resident Canada geese fly north for the winter?
Resident geese do not migrate because they hatched locally from captive stock that lacked migratory instincts. Young geese learn migration routes from their parents, and since local adults stayed year-round, the offspring followed suit and nested near their birthplace.
How do cities like Boston and Arlington control goose populations?
Municipalities manage local goose numbers by oiling eggs on nests around parks and water bodies. Oiling prevents the eggs from developing and hatching, which slowly decreases the overall resident population without discharging firearms in urban areas.
When did Massachusetts start hunting resident geese?
The state introduced specific hunting seasons for resident geese in 1988. These hunts take place in early fall and mid-winter to target the large local population while avoiding migratory flocks.
Related reading