The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-08-08
SOME GOOSE STORIES.
How the Wild Bird Adapts Himself
to Civilization.

II is claimed 10y sportSmrn that there
are more wild ducks seen now about
the places where ducks and geese 30 N
summer To brood than has been see
in many years, and that duck shooting
will likely be good in any part of the
state this fall
Few wild geese are seen IN Colorado
of late years, though there are thou
sands of them found usually on the
large Indian reservations in the west
and mort Invest. As rule an Indian
will not rat goose or duck meat rs long
aS he can get Il "cotlon tail'' or II
prairie dog; il is not the kind of meat
they like. On Green river, in Eastern
ttah, thousands of geese congregatc
in the fall and remain during the
winter. The Indians hardly ever shoot
ut them and they flock together, some
times rs many as 10000, on sandbar
and keep up hideous noise day and
night all winter long.
Wild geese, under certain conditions,
when caught become quite domestic.
I'm Mcckcr there are three owned at the
Mrcker hotel which have been there
for nearly five years. They were
caught when young, and for awhile
after being grown their wings were
kept clipped. Afterwards no attention
was paid them and they were left TO
take care of themselves, but they have
never attempted to leave, though they
ramble about the town unrestrained.
The supposition usually prevails that
wild geese build their nests in the long
grass and bushes fringing the isolated
streams and lakes, where they usually
congregate to rear their young. Such,
however, is not the case, for their nests
are often found III the top of trees.
Quite resort for wild geese is found
at the head waters of the Yampa river,
and year ago two boys living near
Steamboat Springs found Il nest in the
top of Il cottonwood tree.
The goose was sitting on the nest,
and the two boys shot her off and then
one climbed up to inspect the nest. 1t
contained quite a number of eggs, and
the next thing discussed was how TO
get them TO the ground. First they
tried dropping them, the boy on the
ground holding his hat, but after
breaking two that plan was abandoned,
and then the boy up the tree thought
of novel plan that worked to profec,
ton. He took off his boots and socks,
and placing the latter inside the boots
to form soft lining, carefully placed
the eggs within, then fastened the boots
to the waistband of his trousers by
lOosening his suspenders upon eithe
side and passing tie ends through TIN
finger straps of the boots and agail
buttoned them to the waistband. Thu
arranged, he successfully descende'
the tree.
The eggs, it seems, are next to III
deStructible, and will stand plenty q
rough usage. In the present case tn
BOYS were on horseback, and rod
around all afternoon with the egg
strapped in Il coat or Il saddle. The
were placed that night in Il pan unit
the morning following, and then
occurred to one of the boys to plat
them under hen, which was dom
Seven of the eggs hatched, and ii
goslings grew to be full grown gees
d They would 90 to the river evel
l day and return to the accustOmt
i roost every night, regularly, and wa
T. III ound for their breakfast before goir
To the river again in the morning.
One day Il sportsman from Denv'
; came to the place for few days recr
u alton. He saw the geese i'll the river III
began shooting ut them. He showed h
u greenneSS from the fact that he won
shoot one and wade into the river n
y get it, and then 90 out and from the bar
! shoot another one, and the geese 8
the while never thought of flying, b
IL kept swimming about mm frantical
! screaming. Another odd case WI
II learned of ut Steamboat Springs fe
Il days ago. Miss Lula Crawford h
!, three wild goslings which were caug
" by her soon after being Matched. Th
y were placed in Il box in which We
Z small bantam hen had taken motto
Z To sit She ut once adopted the &C
u lings and seemed to be as proud
them rs if they were her own chick
u When seen by the writer the goslin
u were two-thirds grown and four tim
II as large rs the hen, though she insist
'e on being Il mother to them still, al
followed them about all day. At mig
she would get them in a convene
spot and try to hover them.