The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-03-03
A CHAPTER ON GEESE.
How the Undomesticated Fowls In.
o. wade the Valleys OF California.

CHAP Elk On GEESE
How the Undomesticated Fowls In.
O. wade the Valleys OF California.
At this particular season of the year,
says The Woodland Democrat, the
epicure of Sacramento and San Fran
cisco IS luxuriating upon the festive
goose, and the farmers of the Sacra-
mento valley would be delighted if the
swarms of the fowls which are now
coming in for winter quarters could be
transferred in body to the city mar
kets. If the San Francisco denizen
who looks with longing eve at the
tempting display of dressed geese in
the markets and show windows of San
Francisco could look upon the i'm
mense focks of the birds as they swoop
down upon the wheat fields in this
section of the state, and see how numer-
ously they are killed and left lying up
on the ground. their idea of goose lux
ury would vanish.
Not until late years have the geese
invaded the farming precincts of Yolo
county to any damaging extent, but
now they are looked for with mingled
confidence and dread by the farmers in
the northern portion of the county.
They generally make their appearance
early in the fall or just before the fall
rains. Their first visit is confined to
the country along the river or where
they can obtain water, but after the
rains come and water can be had on
the back plains they migrate to the
wheat fields and live sumptuously upon
the wheat-stubble. Yet their numbers
are indeed small in this country as
compared to those which infest Colusa
county, as the large expanse of barren
plains in the latter county affords them
better rendezvous. The writer has
seen them in bands which covered as
much as fifty acres of ground.
These invading armies are very dam
aging to young grain, and as soon as
the grain begins to sprout it is neces-
sary to employ 'herders,' who parade
the fields and drive them off with large
rifles. Such farmers as Boogs. Ride
out, the Glenn ranch, etc., employ no
less than a dozen of these herders
every fall and winter. who live in cabins
distributed over their lands. Of late
years the farmers of Yolo county, in
Hungry Hollow and along the tules.
have also found it necessary to herd
off the fowls in order to protect their
grain. A good story is told of an Irish
man who was one day employed to
herd geese. Mike had never done such
thing, but of course said he could do
it. At the evening of the first day Mike
came in, when the farmer asked him
if there were any geese on the grain.
''Yis sir" said Mike, 1.-THE field is full
of them. but doubt if devil O. one of
them will be there in the morning
they are so skittish." The Irishman
was like great many persons, even in
this state, who do not believe the
"geese yarns" and thought that his
business was to herd them from getting
out of the field. Strange as it may
seem, people living where these geese
abound so plentifully scarcely ever Use
them for food. In the early part of the
season they use them. but as soon as
the grass starts and the flavor begins |
to grow strong they are not considered |
fit to be eaten, but the hunters. all the |
same continue to send them into the |
market for the epieares of the metro
polls.
These fowls also feed at nigh, especi-
ally on moonlight nights but the ducks
are more troublesome after nightfall.
and one plan adopted By the farmers
is to station lighted lanterns over the
fields, but the ducks soon learn to walk
up to the lanterns to warm their feet.
These fowls-both geese and ducks
are great nuisance in quarters where
they congregate in such numbers, and
the farmer finds them stubborn ene-
my to contend with. The goose is by
no means the proverbial goose APP
piled to his name. If he doen't possess
intuition he has a large instinct, and
his devices to deceive the farmer are as
as those of the farmer to de-
ceive him. A good-sized book might
be written on ''geeseology. their
habits, cunning, ETC.. but these traits
can be learned from almost any hunter
in Yolo or Colosa county. And if any
person believes that this article has over
the numbers or depredations
Of these fowls, the writer is ready to
his assertions in the most
manner.