Snow goose

[pmeheran]

Last time I checked the Texas daily bag limit was 22 snow geese a day, with a possession limit of 40. [it has to do with their population exploding] A lot of people start to waste parts of the bird with that kind of abundance. This is a shame, many of the preparation suggestions made no mention of the wings, legs or giblets. Many people mentioned that in their opinion that snow goose is inedible. I disagree, what is more probable is that their cooking talents are sadly lacking. My advice is don't shoot what you are not going to eat. I have prepared a snow goose a friend gave me, it was good, but required me to adjust for the leanness of the wild bird. You know, it might make for a great stew of some kind.

 

[Mad Cook]

Last time I checked the Texas daily bag limit was 22 snow geese a day, with a possession limit of 40. [it has to do with their population exploding] A lot of people start to waste parts of the bird with that kind of abundance. This is a shame, many of the preparation suggestions made no mention of the wings, legs or giblets. Many people mentioned that in their opinion that snow goose is inedible. I disagree, what is more probable is that their cooking talents are sadly lacking. My advice is don't shoot what you are not going to eat. I have prepared a snow goose a friend gave me, it was good, but required me to adjust for the leanness of the wild bird. You know, it might make for a great stew of some kind.

Oh dear. I see that there is a reason for culling the snow geese but all through reading your post I kept thinking of Paul Gallico's book "The Snow Goose" which made me cry when I read it as a teenager and still had me sniffing a bit when it was serialised on the radio recently.

(I'll still come to dinner if you are cooking one though.)

 

[sparrowgrass]

The reason for the increased bag limits is that the birds are degrading their nesting habitat in Canada. Too many birds.

I will accept any snow geese sent my way--I am sure I can figure out how to make something good.

 

[cave76]

"My advice is don't shoot what you are not going to eat"

Excellent advice.

Perhaps a reason why the Snow Goose is degrading their nesting environment (which is real) is this:

"Millions of snow geese imperil fragile ecosystem
Far-northern breeding grounds are devastated. A major culprit: expanded farming in US Midwest."

"goose numbers had risen in lockstep with the increased agricultural output of rice, corn, and wheat across the US Midwest."

Millions of snow geese imperil fragile ecosystem - CSMonitor.com

I doubt if farming in the US midwest is slowing. We have people to feed and we have biofuel millions to be made.

 

[Mad Cook]

"My advice is don't shoot what you are not going to eat"

Excellent advice.

Perhaps a reason why the Snow Goose is degrading their nesting environment (which is real) is this:

"Millions of snow geese imperil fragile ecosystem
Far-northern breeding grounds are devastated. A major culprit: expanded farming in US Midwest."

"goose numbers had risen in lockstep with the increased agricultural output of rice, corn, and wheat across the US Midwest."

Millions of snow geese imperil fragile ecosystem - CSMonitor.com

I doubt if farming in the US midwest is slowing. We have people to feed and we have biofuel millions to be made.

Over here we have problems with Canada Geese (no, Taxlady et al, we aren't blaming you. They're not Canadian at all, apparently). They know a good thing when they see it and have invaded farm land and any green open spaces. There are huge flocks of them in winter on the fields at the stables. They don't bother the horses much now but they were dangerous when they first started colonising the land around here. HM Government has had to relax the laws regarding killing birds and raiding nests for eggs, making it legal to shoot them on your own land and to collect the eggs. The latter is rather wasteful and non-eco friendly. You can collect the eggs on your own land but only to destroy them. You aren't able to take them and eat them.

 

[Dawgluver]

Over here we have problems with Canada Geese (no, Taxlady et al, we aren't blaming you. They're not Canadian at all, apparently). They know a good thing when they see it and have invaded farm land and any green open spaces. There are huge flocks of them in winter on the fields at the stables. They don't bother the horses much now but they were dangerous when they first started colonising the land around here. HM Government has had to relax the laws regarding killing birds and raiding nests for eggs, making it legal to shoot them on your own land and to collect the eggs. The latter is rather wasteful and non-eco friendly. You can collect the eggs on your own land but only to destroy them. You aren't able to take them and eat them.

We have similar problems with Canada geese. They used to migrate south, but don't have to anymore. Lots of nice warm ponds on business properties, open water, good food, people feeding them, why leave?