Extremely successful at living in human-altered areas, Canada geese have proven able to establish breeding colonies in urban and cultivated areas, which provide food and few natural predators. Canada geese are well known as a common park species.
History
By the early 20th century, over-hunting and loss of habitat in the late 19th century and early 20th century had resulted in a serious decline in the numbers of this bird in its native range. The giant Canada goose subspecies was believed to be extinct in the 1950s until, in 1962, a small flock was discovered wintering in Rochester, Minnesota, by Harold Hanson of the Illinois Natural History Survey.
In 1964, the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center was built near Jamestown. Its first director, Harvey K. Nelson, talked Forrest Lee into leaving Minnesota. Forrest Lee would head the center’s Canada goose production and restoration program. Forrest soon had 64 pens with 64 breeding pairs of screened, high-quality birds. The project involved private, state and federal resources and relied on the expertise and cooperation of many individuals. By the end of 1981, more than 6,000 giant Canada geese had been released at 83 sites in 26 counties in North Dakota.
With improved game laws and habitat recreation and preservation programs, Canada Goose populations have recovered in most of their range, although some local populations, especially of the subspecies occidentalis, may still be declining.
The Cache
The container is a drink bottle. The initial contents include a log, a pencil with an add-on eraser and one of my handmade polymer-clay gummybears.
In winter, the trail is used extensively by snowmobilers. Be watchful for snowmobile (snow machine) traffic as it can exceed 60 mph.
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