Commuting - When Animals ATTACK!

Biking home yesterday along the Northwest Branch trail, I got to an open field, where there was a lone Canada goose by the trail. It got to opening its wings (kinda like it wanted a big hug) as I approached and I thought awww....

Went by, and heard a flapping beside me, and there, "winged migration" stylee, was the goose, in perfect parallel formation, sort of stuck in take-off mode. And I thought, right on, righteous one, and gave 'er the thumbs up.

Eventually the goose stopped, so I stopped to see what the dilly-o, and then it happened! I got bum-rushed by the goose with its hug-wings open. Kind of odd, because it wasn't hissing, but it was clear it didn't want a hug. Now I'm a city-slicker, but I've been on plenty of farms, and know that geese are not always very nice, so when it got up to me, as I started away, I unclipped a foot and showed it the sole of my shoe, with a light little karate-roundhouse tap to the head.

One confused-looking goose later, I was on my way. And I thought, maybe it really did just want a hug? Sorry, Canada! Another victim of trail rage and anti-Canadian goose-ism is crying in its nest.

...and know that geese are not always very nice...

Yeah, I found that out the hard way. :D

That's the defensive position for geese that are about to attack you.

Yup. Geese don't hug ;). That's to make 'em look bigger when they're being aggressive/defensive. They don't always hiss.

Might've been protecting its nest. We had the attacking geese problem in our parking lot at work in NJ. Made walking to the car an interesting little trip. The problem went away when the nest was re-located to the woods farther away from the main parking lot.

Are you sure he wasn't friends with that chicken in the chicken cacciatore you had for dinner?

Maybe he was looking for a little pay back! :D

Yeah geese in the DC area can be beligerent when they feel you are occupying their trail. I've run into a few over on the Capital Crescent Trail that did not like sharing the trail. Fortunately, I've never come in cotact with one, they just put on a good show to scare me off.

Hahahahaa!!! The initial post needs to go in the BF hall of fame or something, or at least get "funniest post of the week" status. Nicely done!

The geese owns Fairmont park ... just look at the geese droppings on the trail.

The geese own Fairmont park ...

yeah i go out of my way sometimes to swerve at them and try to scare them off the trail. they are so stupid i doubt it makes any difference but it entertains me so....

i do the same thing to he tame deer while mountainbiking at valley forge. they sem much more responsive to a charge then the dumb geese.

The geese in DC are very agressive lobbists for animal rights. Or more specifically, goose rights.
Run into them (figuratively speaking) often on the C&O, the CCT, Mount Vernon Trail, Accotink, along the river (but seldom on the W&OD or Rock Creek.) With our mild winters, the geese stay around all year long. After a few years they think they own the place.
Just hiss back at them. Tell them who's boss.

Isn't there a leash law for geese? OK, maybe not.

Maybe he mistook you for a hunter who winged him a while back. :)

In the Springtime, geese get even more aggressive as they protect their young or nests. I found that out the hard way a few years back. As I passed several geese that were right next to the road, one hissed and attacked as I passed. I'm not sure what hit my butt cheeks, but it felt like someone swatted me with a large paddle and it stung for quite a while. I didn't check to see if it left a mark....

I had a buddy who thought it would be funny to tease a big Canada during nesting season and got a righteous smack down from those big wings. I tell ya, he was running for his life afterwards with the gander in hot pursuit. Loosened one of his teeth with a wing across his mug.

Good thing it was just a goose! I was chased once by a mad-ass dog, even when I swerved left to give enough space between us (he was lying down in the middle of the street).

Good thing that:
1. The road was slightly downhill;
2. I was in the right gear to give me a big speed boost;
3. There were no cars around (it's a subdivision).

I just pedalled like there was no tomorrow, until he just stopped chasing me. Truth is, I wanted to go back to that street in my busted up VW Bug, and run him over! :D

Eventually the goose stopped, so I stopped to see what the dilly-o, and then it happened! I got bum-rushed by the goose with its hug-wings open. Kind of odd, because it wasn't hissing, but it was clear it didn't want a hug. Now I'm a city-slicker, but I've been on plenty of farms, and know that geese are not always very nice, so when it got up to me, as I started away, I unclipped a foot and showed it the sole of my shoe, with a light little karate-roundhouse tap to the head.



I would have bear sprayed it :D
D

actually this is goose mating season, and, with the diversification of the goose population, being more open to changes in goose society (what with the recent marsh-breaking novel "Goose Who's Coming to Dinner?'), it is distinctly possible that the goose was simply making an affectionate overture towards the rider.

I've been around geese enough times to know that when they open their wings like that, they don't want a hug. That's aggressive behavior and I don't want to find out whether or not it's an idle threat. I'm confident I could hurt the goose worse than it can hurt me, but I prefer not getting hurt at all.

Maybe he mistook you for a hunter who winged him a while back. :)
(Gotta post the original to give credit to the greatness of Gary Larson).
http://home.swbell.net/mcpoop//MMACH_5/images/FS_Orig_scan.jpg

And then there's now...
http://home.swbell.net/mcpoop//MMACH_5/images/FS_FinishTheJob.jpg

bwahahahahaaa!!!!

hoo, lordy....

never owned any guns, but I did scare a goose in Toronto, once.

on a serious note, farmers in Europe used to keep geese as watchdogs--watchgeese? They suck you in with their innocent, "let's hug and be friends" attitude, and then BLAM! sucker-wing to your gizzard, or "kiss of the goose" to the anatomy, you're down, they're laughing, and then you find poop on your lawn.