The Great Gem Lake Goose Roundup

IDAHO FALLS - When you hear the word "roundup," cattle and cowboys usually come to mind, but in this case the roundup involves not stray cattle, but depredating Canada Geese. The wrangling in this tale of the West will be done not by cowboys, but by Idaho Department of Fish & Game personnel. The goal of the project is to roundup and relocates geese that have become a perennial problem with farmers along Gem Lake, just south of Idaho Falls, Idaho. According to Regional Landowners Sportsman Coordinator Paul Faulkner, "These geese have proven to be a real problem. Last year, one farmer lost 13 acres of spring barley to them!" The couple of hundred geese in question have found that the Idaho Falls Greenbelt provides a safe refuge from which they can sally forth and raise havoc on local fields. The plan of IDFG is to take advantage of the fact that the geese are molting and generally unable to fly. In addition to molting, adults with young are also less likely to try and fly away. The birds, which normally are in the fields during the early morning, will be herded in the river, where boats will push them towards an area where temporary snow fences have been placed to funnel the birds into an enclosure. Once the birds have been trapped, they will be separated by age. Juveniles will be transported to Mud Lake Wildlife Management Area and released. Adult birds will be taken to McTucker Springs on the northwestern edge of American Falls Reservoir. Throughout the nation, urban populations of geese are becoming increasing problems at airports, parks and golf courses. The birds are able to adapt and thrive in close association with man. In the case of Idaho Falls, an interesting twist has occurred. The urban waterfowl have thrived and now conduct raids into nearby agricultural fields. IDFG hopes to put a humane, but firm stop to these marauding waterfowl.