Goose takes 23-mile trip down the river ... twice

Talk about your wild goose chase.

A wild Canada goose has become the talk of the North Fork River area after floating a 23-mile stretch of the river, not once ... but twice.

Greg Moss, who works at Dawt Mill, said the goose showed up at Twin Bridges late last week and floated with a family who was canoeing to Blair Bridge. An employee of Twin Bridges Canoe and Campground picked up the family, leaving the goose behind at Blair Bridge, Moss said.

"Apparently he hooked up with another family and followed them on down the river," Moss said. "I first noticed him when he floated up alongside their canoes here at Dawt," Moss said.

Concerned about the welfare of their new-found friend, the family gave him a ride in the van back up to Twin Bridges.

"I thought the story was over," said Moss. "I thought I'd seen the last of him, but he showed up this morning (Monday) down here at Dawt again."

Moss said he was unsure if the goose traveled alone the second time or if he had companionship down the river.

"That's quite a float in a canoe, let alone for a goose," he said. "And he did it twice."

Moss said a Missouri Department of Conservation official told him the goose was probably molting, the term used for the 8- to 10-week period when Canada geese shed their outer wing feathers and regrow new ones. During that period they cannot fly. Molting occurs mid-June through August. Most birds are able to resume flight by mid-August.

According to a University of Wisconsin publication, during this molting period geese will gather on ponds or lakes (or river in this case) since they provide a safe resting place and security from predators.

"Basically if you feed him he's your best friend," Moss said, laughing. "He's not hurting anything, and he doesn't appear to be aggressive or anything so I guess we're just going to throw out some corn and some bread and make sure he gets something to eat until he can fly again."

Like any good topic, the goose story has made its way into the social networking arena. Photos of the goose have been posted on Facebook, and the story was shared on Dawt Mill's Facebook page where more than 8,000 people were free to take a, um, gander at the story.