# Old Rossies



## fowlhunter7 (Mar 1, 2005)

Shot these two on Sunday. Some senior citizens here!


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

HOLY CATS! Anyone know how old these birds could be? Congrats


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

The amount of warts has no direct bearing on their age is what I was told...


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

hey if someone offered you $100 would you bite off a big chunck of one of those and eat it?


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## fowlhunter7 (Mar 1, 2005)

It would take more than $100. The warts on them were soft and fleshy. It would take a minimum of $1000. And then I would have to think long and hard about it. I think I would uke:


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

averyghg said:


> hey if someone offered you $100 would you bite off a big chunck of one of those and eat it?


Yummy :lol: I'd gobbble them up!! :beer:


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## SDwaterfowler (Mar 2, 2006)

Wow! Those are crazy. Talk about rare enough to be mounters but just too dang ugly to hang in your living room.


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

that is crazy  looks like someone wasn't practicing safe beaking! :lol:


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

I licked some warts last week on a dare, O.G. shot one real big warty one, and damn it tasted good!


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

goosebusters said:


> I licked some warts last week on a dare, O.G. shot one real big warty one, and damn it tasted good!


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

goosebuster your a sick SOB. First you cup the great moose balls, now this. If you come hunting with me. You stay away from my lab!!!! His stuff is staying the same size it is right now!!!

Gezzz!!


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

I guess we'll know who was the source of the new strain and outbreak of genital warts in the Dakotas...


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## mshutt (Apr 21, 2007)

You guys have no idea what GB is like in the BP...thats some sick stuff up in there!


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## Original Goosebuster (Jan 12, 2006)

GB and I were discussing the other day if rossies decoy better because they cant see around those big Rhino horns. What do you guys think?


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

h2ofwlr said:


> The amount of warts has no direct bearing on their age is what I was told...


That may be. But id have to say some real warty ones like that are gettin a bit long in the tooth.


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## twdjr (Dec 11, 2006)

Nice picture. I haven't came across any Ross' with that amount of warts.


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## ILGreenhead (Apr 13, 2008)

h2ofwlr said:


> The amount of warts has no direct bearing on their age is what I was told...


That's insane whoever told you that! The more warts present, the more sexually mature (old) that Ross would be! Those 2 birds are easily 10 plus yrs old!!


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

Any scientific data to support the more warts equals older birds??? Unless those birds were banded, I doubt there is anyway to prove to any accuracy how old those birds are.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Well, I shot a banded ross this spring that was at least 4 years old. Banded in 2006 as an adult, so he was at least two at the time of banding. And he had NO warts whatsoever to speak of. Soooo, im gonna say those two at the top are gettin up there in age.

If more warts doesnt equal an older bird, than I would think we'd shoot alot more with alot of warts. Real warty ones like that are pretty rare, so im going to go ahead and assume their older and therefore make up a smaller percentage of the overall population.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

h2ofwlr wrote: 


> The amount of warts has no direct bearing on their age is what I was told...


Wrongo pongo... :lol:

http://www.sdnhm.org/research/birdatlas_draft/focus/geese.html


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

I wouldn't call that a definitive scientific study especially since they do not even mention that not all ross develop the warts especially the females. Females occasionally develop warts but near as much as the males. This IMO indicates that the warts are individualized where some may develop them at a faster rate over some that might not ever get them. By no means can you see a warty ross and automatically say the bird is 10+ years old. :withstupid:


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Just posting what I found after two minute google search..
:lol:



> This IMO indicates that the warts are individualized where some may develop them at a faster rate over some that might not ever get them. By no means can you see a warty ross and automatically say the bird is 10+ years old.


Is this just an assumption or opinion on your part? Or do you have a study or website link to one? If you do, I'd love to read more about these warty little buggers.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

Being the warts grow at defferent rates, and some do not get any warts at all. The pesence has no direct bearing of the age of the goose. Meaning goose that is 3 years old could have warts, yet a goose 12 YO may not. It is in no way a "sure sign" of how old they are.

I suggest talking with a biologist speciallzing in light geese if you want further varification.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

I am covered with warts but I am still a young gun!!


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

Leo Porcello said:


> I am covered with warts but I am still a young gun!!


Well it is kinda hard to see your warts Leo...

I mean... I'm sittin here looking at your avator pic and I can barely see anything! Heck your nose doesn't even look that big from here!

Ryan


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## Muleys&amp;Honkers4life (Nov 23, 2004)

:withstupid: oke:


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

Well all the wildlife biologists I've talked to said that the warts come later on in life. Warts like the ones present in the picture would take at least 7 to 10 years to form. But that's just their opinions.


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

goosebusters said:


> Well all the wildlife biologists I've talked to said that the warts come later on in life. Warts like the ones present in the picture would take at least 7 to 10 years to form. But that's just their opinions.


If *ALL* the biologists you have talked to are in agreement on this then there has to be quite a few studies that should but an end to this debate. I doubt they are just giving their opinion out that freely on something so easily proved.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

Trapperjack said:


> If *ALL* the biologists you have talked to are in agreement on this then there has to be quite a few studies that should but an end to this debate. I doubt they are just giving their opinion out that freely on something so easily proved.


Why would there *have* to be a study? This seems so simple, juvies don't have them, adults do, thus they come later in life. How much later would be the only contraversy. I would say ones that have a lot of warts are older than ones with a few. It is all pretty common sense stuff.

The biologists I talk to were answering my question to them with their opinion. As far as I know there really isn't any actual proof anywhere. Except for what H20fowler says!


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Here's an analogy on how I am interpreting it.

I see the warts on rossies as baldness in humans.
Not all older men begin loosing their hair, but if there is hair loss. It's more than likely from an older individual.
Related to ross warts. Not all older rossies have the warts, but if they do its more than likely an older bird..
Its rare to see balding youngsters and its rare to see warted up young rossies??

Am I too far off on that theory? :huh: ( other than the gender issue :wink: )


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

dblkluk said:


> Here's an analogy on how I am interpreting it.
> 
> I see the warts on rossies as baldness in humans.
> Not all older men begin loosing their hair, but if there is hair loss. It's more than likely from an older individual.
> ...


Nope that is exactly the way I see it, but I couldn't think of as good of an analogy as that.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

So basically, what your saying is that your a young, warted up rossie


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

USSapper said:


> So basically, what your saying is that your a young, warted up rossie


 :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

> So basically, what your saying is that your a young, warted up rossie


Guilty as charged...  :lol:


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

goosebusters said:


> Why would there *have* to be a study? This seems so simple, juvies don't have them, adults do, thus they come later in life. How much later would be the only contraversy. I would say ones that have a lot of warts are older than ones with a few. It is all pretty common sense stuff.
> 
> The biologists I talk to were answering my question to them with their opinion. As far as I know there really isn't any actual proof anywhere. Except for what H20fowler says!


Because that is how science works. Your theory is only an assumption with no data backing it up. Sorry but you should probably talk with a biologist that has more than just an opinion. Keep in mind, this may indeed be fact but for me to believe people can age a ross by looking at it's warts is a little hard to swallow with no factual evidence.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

And I'm just saying there is little evidence either way.


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

What is this, a general science lecture? I haven't had to know the steps required for a scientific theory to be widely accepted since high school...


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Oops, the jump is from hypothesis to theory. Didn't want to get worked over for that mistake.


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

These birds are studied by professionals quite heavily and since there is virtually no evidence that I've seen with the relationship of the size of warts to age than I would think it's safe to say that either no study has been done or there is no significant relationship.

Not so long ago many on the internet believed that the more white on the belly of blues also indicated how old they were. :withstupid: If you want to claim being an expert at aging ross by the warts, go right ahead. I'm sure some will believe you.


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