A Rochester, Indiana golf course has been cleared by the city to hold a goose hunt in order to thin a large flock there that is apparently causing a great deal of damage:Northern Indiana Town Allowing Goose Hunt on Golf Course
"Round Barn Golf Club in Rochester asked the City Council to approve hunting on the course, where golf pro Lyle Lingenfelter says up to 1,000 Canada geese spend the winter.
He told council members he would seek about five people for the hunts, which would take place when the golf course was closed."
A Better Alternative...
Perhaps the course should contact The Geese Police, a New Jersey business owned by David Marcks. Geese Police "patrolmen" are highly trained Border Collies, and they "encourage" geese to relocate elsewhere using non-lethal methods that mimic the natural predators that feed on geese in the wild. By fooling the geese into believing they are being hunted, they quickly decided that the area being cleared is no longer safe and leave permanently.The Geese Police are highly effective, pose no danger to the public (handlers accompany the dogs) and have no negative environmental impact.
Indeed, Marcks (a former golf course superintendent) and his franchisees are no Carl Spacklers, they are all highly trained, and they knowledgeable on the behavior of the Canada geese and their habits. The firm also provides public education, and says that they insure "the most successful goose control program available."
Geese Police methods employ techniques which are approved by USDA Wildlife Service and US Fish and Wildlife, the Humane Society and PETA.
That sounds much better than loose bullets flying around on a golf course, not only for folks nearby, but for the animals themselves.
