# 25lb Goose?!?!



## TeamMD (Sep 12, 2007)

Ok, I am an avid waterfowl hunter and shoot more geese then I do ducks and personally never shot a Canadian Goose over 15lbs. I got this new guy at work talking about how he used to be a big duck and goose hunter when he lived in Ohio and trying to tell me all about this 25lb goose that he shot. Now I have the whole office thinking he is full of $hit, however he keeps going on how big this bird was. Personally I think he may have killed a Tundra Swan and painted it to look like a Canada. If I remember right there was a topic on here that someone started trying to justify an 18lb goose. Please confirm that a 25 lb Canada Goose is a little far fetched. Thanks


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

We've gone down this road quite a few times and it always seems to get out of hand. 
25# goose?? Highly unlikely....


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## james.hunter (Sep 5, 2007)

no way it weighed 25 the biggest i have ever shot was 17 and it was huge. Tell your buddy nice try for me. :eyeroll:


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## universitywaterfowler (Jul 15, 2007)

Theres a good chance, like a 99% chance if it happened it was a farm raised goose. Now I know most farm raised geese are different colors and what not, however if a canada laid eggs or was wounded and kept in with a farmers geese without him minding, you can grow them big.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

It is remotely possible for a Canada Goose to get to 25 pounds, but it would be physically impossible for said goose to fly (very far) because there is not enough bearing wing surface and span for the bird to lift that much weight and sustain it. Additionally that goose would probably have severe leg and foot problems, and a host of other physical maladies from being fed the type of diet it would take for a goose to get that big. Talk to a few of the other guys here on the forum (Honker Guide & Plainsman) and get their opinions / thoughts.... I think Plainsman has seen geese in the 20's. I personally have never seen a Canada over 16 pounds, and that was a BIG GOOSE, and one that would OBVIOUSLY make any 10 pounder look like a lesser if you compared body size. It was a persons pet Canada, and it was unable to fly more than 15 feet at a time because it was TOO FAT. To put things into perspective, lift a 25 pound bag of lead shot, and see how heavy that really is. Most people don't realize how heavy 25 pounds is, or how far 100 yards is, or how many licks it takes to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop.....Do ya get my drift?? :thumb:


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## goosetalk (Jan 26, 2007)

Here is a link that states canada goose weights vary from 3 -*24 lbs* (look at bottom of page). I'm not saying its true, but maybe a few of those resident canadas were fed really good in the park.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/hunt/gee ... facts.html


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## slipstream (Dec 29, 2006)

TeamMD,

I agree that a 25 lb goose is probably quite an exaggeration. Also, as an avid waterfowler, I'm sure you mean "canada goose", not "canadian goose". There is no such thing as a canadian goose. Sorry, pet peave of mine.


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## johnsona (Dec 4, 2003)

> I'm sure you mean "canada goose", not "canadian goose". There is no such thing as a canadian goose. Sorry, pet peave of mine.


I'm sure you mean "peeve" instead of "peave," since peave isn't a word. Pet peeve of mine. :lol:

The "Canadian" goose thing bugs me too. I suppose that a goose from Canada could be considered "Canadian," but we really can't tell, unless it was banded there I guess.

As far as the 25 lb goose goes, I would have to think it extremely unlikely if not impossible for a wild goose since there are very few true Giants left, but I suppose there's a distant chance that a farm raised Canada could get that big.


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

The word pet peeve is my pet peeve.

A goose born in Canada would be a Canadien goose, however, there are no species of Canadien Geese.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

Gooseguy10 said:


> The word pet peeve is my pet peeve.
> 
> A goose born in Canada would be a Canadien goose, however, there are no species of Canadien Geese.


If your saying that, it would be a Canadian Canada goose......who know the parents could have been American Cananda geese and flew north for a vacation :huh:


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Just call them "black" geese like the Canadians do, ehh. :beer:


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## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

I am now dumber after reading the past few replies!


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

Me too, and I contributed to the stupidity.

Back on topic. In my opinion, I do not believe that a black goose could get up to 25 lbs. That would be as big as a turkey.


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## HonkerExpress (Sep 23, 2005)

I am speechless, lmao. I have never heard so much banter over the word canada goose and canadian goose, lol.

But in all actuallity, I shot a couple of 30 lbs snows last year. The weird thing about them was they had these really long necks and black bills? I thought it was kinda weird must be living in the nuclear reactor factory's up in ol'canada. lol. And no, I am not serious.


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## universitywaterfowler (Jul 15, 2007)

I once shot an american canadian canada goose. :beer:


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## joespiek (Nov 25, 2003)

25 pounds thats small. We blast bigger one's every year.
Just look at this pig from last year.










you should have seen the one we got the next day. didn't have a camera but it took three people and a dog to drag it back to the pickup.


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## live_4_quack (Mar 1, 2007)

:rollin: :rollin: :rollin: :rollin:


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## usmarine0352 (Nov 26, 2005)

Some of those park geese and ducks get HUGE.

There like mutant ducks/geese on steroids.

Seriously, go to like Silver Lake in Rochester, MN where people feed them their whole lives and their scary big. Like 7 lbs. ducks and they chase you around for food.

Their so big, I don't think they can fly anymore. They just stay there and get fed their whole lives.

:sniper:


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## Architect414 (Nov 9, 2006)

usmarine0352 said:


> Some of those park geese and ducks get HUGE.
> 
> There like mutant ducks/geese on steroids.
> 
> ...


I'm from Rochester and I've shot some big geese around there. Last year I shot a 18 pounder while home for winter break, these geese are like nothing I've ever seen before. A local gun shop has a contest every year to see who shoots the biggest goose. The last few years the winner has been around 20 pounds. These geese are far to big to fly any farther than the outter edges of the city to the fields, they wouldn't stand a chance at migrating. Too bad the city is on a mission to get rid of all these local geese. They've taken all the feeders out of the park and are now putting a barrier around the lake.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

414....you and the others from rochester are butchering expensive geese. Honkerguide puts on a contest every year through Aero Outdoors for whomever can produce a bird over 15 pounds wins a dozen dropzone decoys.

Read what Paul (honker guide) has to say about the subject below.

Quote from *Honkerguide* thread: http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/vie ... ht=#319487



> The subject of big geese has been bandied about for as long as there have been waterfowlers. I have shot some over 14 lbs and I have personaly handled swans that were 18 lbs. Now I am not a biologist, but I am an aeronautical engineer. Lift is determined by many factors and weight is one of the most important limiting factors. Also wing area and horsepower get factored in. I am trying to keep this as simple as possible because of all the claims of 18lb and over geese. Now the size and wing span of that swan was so much bigger than the 14 or 15 lb goose as to make no mistake about what it takes for 18 lbs to get airbourne with a high aspect ratio wing. A low aspect wing like a turkey will lift more weight, but only for a much shorter distance. Thus the claims of the 18 lb goose had me wonderin 3 1/2 years ago if it was really possible for a wild goose that flies around to weigh that much. So I started a contest for anyone to enter to find out. The first 3 years the winning weight dropped from 18 to 17 to 16 and now this year it is 15 lbs. But, when we get a winner this year we will start the contest again in a year at 16 lb and leave it there to find out if there really is a 16 lb goose out there. The winning goose muct be a Canada goose and it muct be a wild bird!! There is no doubt that with the right feed, you could easily get a Canada Goose up and possible over 20 lbs. And when you hear of these guys in the past that raised these giants, that is exactly what they were doing. If you do shoot a goose over 15 lbs this year, you must be the first one to send it to me to win. I will return the goose to you after we verify it as a winner. Here is a few pictures of some of my big geese and I will let you decide how big they are!! Paul


[/quote]


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> to get airbourne with a high aspect ratio wing.


Geese aside, I don't want to get in on this one again. Your comment abouat wing aspect etc is an interesting subject Hatchetman. I understand what your saying, but have you ever tried to explain hummingbirds and flight. I think it is the hummingbird that engineers have a hard time explaining. I think there are other birds that baffle engineers also. 
Forgive me for changing the subject. I just wanted to give you some food for thought.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

Plainsman...that's all a quote from honker guide. The hummingbird is an example of pure horsepower in nature with body temps of 105-109 degrees, they burn a TON of fuel to keep the little wings beating. The problem with geese as a species is that they are mostly alike when it comes to morphological and biological factors so it would make sense to me what Paul says about more horsepower being required to lift that much more weight, and how it would be difficult or maybe impossible to do without greatly increasing wing size (who knows).....but until then it's still an interesting conversation as long as it remains civil!! :lol:


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## Kucker (Jan 13, 2007)

joespiek that is one of the best pictures I've ever seen. I often roll my eyes when I see these claims of 20 pound honkers. I guess the swans my younger brother and I shot must have weighed 40 pounds then. In reality mine was 19 and his was 17. Biggest birds we've ever taken or seen for that matter. Every one please stop with the 20 pound noise, get your scale calibrated, or buy a new one. Unless you've got pictures like joespiek to back it up its just nonsense. :eyeroll:


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## roostbuster (Oct 19, 2005)

I once shot a 25 lbs goose. BTW, I am also 14" long.

Hey. over the internet everthing is true! So why shouldn't I boost my ego too?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> they burn a TON of fuel


Ya, a 25lb goose would perhaps only get about three miles to the bushel of corn.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

Burnin' 3 miles to the bushel would leave enough green behind to make any golfer unhappy wouldn't ya say Plainsman!!


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## roostbuster (Oct 19, 2005)

Plainsman said:


> Ya, a 25lb goose would perhaps only get about three miles to the bushel of corn.


I don't know about that...do you realize it would take 450 lbs of corn to fill the tank of an SUV with E85?

You can't get much more wasteful than that.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Which SUV do you speak of? What size tank?

Neat stat and all but specifics would be nice.


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

E85 suck anyways. Look how much fuel is spend harvesting it and processing it not to mention it runs like crap and isn't that cheap anymore. :eyeroll:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Agreed Hatchetman.  Speaking of E85 it's a looser. Either way I would prefer running my corn through a goose to running it through my Yukon. Actually I would prefer running it through myself. Speaking of unhappy golfers.


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

Not again! Would just one of the these big goose killers send Honker Guide a goose that weighs only 15lbs. and shut all of us in reality up?

I think if you send him one that weighs only a pound more you may be eligible for 2 dozen dropzones!!!! I don't understand why no one claims these expensive decoys. :withstupid:


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

So is it even legal to mail a frozen goose? :lol:


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Kucker said:


> joespiek that is one of the best pictures I've ever seen. I often roll my eyes when I see these claims of 20 pound honkers. I guess the swans my younger brother and I shot must have weighed 40 pounds then. In reality mine was 19 and his was 17. Biggest birds we've ever taken or seen for that matter. Every one please stop with the 20 pound noise, get your scale calibrated, or buy a new one. Unless you've got pictures like joespiek to back it up its just nonsense. :eyeroll:


Here are the earlier threads... Yes both Rick and I have pictures of 18 lb birds in there...

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/vie ... sc&start=0

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/vie ... 4&start=40

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/alb ... ic_id=1500

Ryan


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## not for hire goose guide (Feb 21, 2006)

joespiek said:


> 25 pounds thats small. We blast bigger one's every year.
> Just look at this pig from last year.
> 
> 
> ...


 that has to be the best!


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

Yes it is legal to ship a migratory bird as long as it is properly tagged. I'm not trying to say Rick and Ryan are full of it....I just want someone to get those decoys. To me it's just a no brainer...$800 worth of free decoys for sending a dirty old honker to a guy in Washington State?? It's been all over the internet for how many years now....and still nothing. I think it would be delightful to see some average dude take home the bacon for such a big goose, and more importantly show everyone what the big-un looks like. Any other photos I've seen have no frame of reference (persons next to birds, measurements, scale weights, etc...) Having those frames of reference will put the issue to rest.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

How do you tag a bird? Now I might have to get a scale and start weighing some birds. I dont think Ive ever shot a 15 lber but you never know what'll happen this year.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

STATE OF COLORADO REGULATIONS: 
To ship migratory birds, packages must be marked outside
with name and address of sender, name and address of
receiver and number of birds, by species. Licenses, a photocopy
of the license or carcass tag must accompany wildlife shipped by common carrier. It is illegal to leave migratory birds anywhere other than at your home or with someone else for picking, cleaning, processing,permanent or temporary storage or taxidermy unless
the birds or package of birds have a tag attached. You must
sign tags, include your address, total number and species of
birds, date of kill and your hunting license number.


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## slipstream (Dec 29, 2006)

johnsona,

Point well made and taken. I guess I stuck my foot in my mouth on that one! Moral of the story for me: keep your pet peeves to your self. [/u]


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