Goose carcasses cause reader concern

A reader recently called with a concern about wasting game birds. He pulled into a parking lot and noticed a pile of goose carcasses. The number of birds was not indicated, but the daily limit is four with a possession limit of 12.

The caller was upset because each carcass was complete, except the breasts were removed. The game pamphlet states, “It is unlawful to allow game animals or game birds you have taken to recklessly be wasted.”

A Fish and Wildlife enforcement officer was consulted a few years ago concerning wasting game, specifically the leg and thigh of a goose or duck. The answer was leaving the leg and thigh on a duck or goose was not considered wasting game. The pile of goose carcasses was legal, based on this realization.

But wait; there is more to this story. The game pamphlet also states, “It is unlawful to possess in the field or transport game birds unless a feathered head is left attached to each carcass, except falconry-caught birds.”

It appears a hunter or group of hunters didn’t want to mess with goose carcasses at home, so they breasted the birds and left the rest in the field. This is clearly a violation of migratory game bird regulations.

Food for thought: Granted, there isn’t much meat on the leg and thigh of a goose or duck. But it takes only seconds to separate both from the skin and remove them from the carcass.

These can be stored in a plastic bag in a freezer, adding new ones to the same bag as the season progresses. At the end of the season, place them all in a slow cooker with water and let them cook for 12 hours. Let them cool and the meat should easily slip off the bone. Diced, chopped or ground, this meat makes a delicious base for a sandwich spread, along with onion, mayonnaise, pickle relish and anything else desired.

Fish and Wildlife is also concerned about the spread of avian influenza. They are asking bird hunters, “to not dispose of processed carcasses in the field where they could be eaten by raptors. Instead, carcasses should be bagged and placed in the garbage, buried or incinerated.

Come on, bird hunters…make sure you and your hunting buddies follow the regulations and help prevent the spread of avian influenza.

Wishing all our readers a fruitful, safe and rewarding 2016.