2024 Gosling survival

[Fenelon]

Jerome:
If you do get to pop a Mute, you MUST post a video in the food forum of you roasting and attempting to eat a 31lb cob that is 35 years old. I'm trying to imagine what it would be like trying to eat one of those old adults. They'd probably taste like Oldsquaw or Surf Scoter. Wonder if the meat would even be safe to eat with all the bioaccumulation of contaminants?

[Fenelon]

Mute culling could become a new extreme sport for the adrenaline junkie seeking some excitement. Have the regs written so that firearms are not allowed. You have to wear a Speedo, cover yourself in bacon grease, then swim out to engage and slow-stalk the cob during incubation period. You're only allowed to carry a pocket knife.......

[Buddy Boy]

Hello Fenelon,

The trick is to harvest a sub-adult Mute Swan (a "white" non-breeding Mute Swan) rather than harvesting an older, breeding, mature and toxic Mute Swan (identified by being with its young from the spring). These cygnets would be the smaller "grey" swans.

I would not suggest harvesting one of these young "grey" swans since they would probably be a bit on the slim side (lacking a lot of fat) for the roaster. I bought an electric "table top" model from Canadian Tire at 50% off during a Christmas Sale a few years ago.

Jerome

[sabmgb]

Rick I don't know where you are seeing all these goslings. Since reading this post I started to take notice. I'm will to bet that I have only seen 10 of them and 8 were in one bunch, but was 2 families. I saw 2 in another spot. I'm on the water a couple times a week and see lots of adult geese. I hope I'm just not looking hard enough. I haven't seen any ducklings yet either which is strange as the creek I go for walks is usually filled with them.

[rodmcd]

Over the years I heard a number of times that geese will "adopt" stray goslings and their brood will actually grow over the season. Not 100% but I think I have actually seen this when fishing in the same spot a number of times in the spring. Any truth to this?
rodmcd

[sabmgb]

I have seen broods that are way to large for one goose, but I always figured it was babysitting while the other goose is off feeding or something.

[rick_iles]

Rick I don't know where you are seeing all these goslings. Since reading this post I started to take notice. I'm will to bet that I have only seen 10 of them and 8 were in one bunch, but was 2 families. I saw 2 in another spot. I'm on the water a couple times a week and see lots of adult geese. I hope I'm just not looking hard enough. I haven't seen any ducklings yet either which is strange as the creek I go for walks is usually filled with them.

I usually have to wait until they all cross the street on my way for coffee in the morning!