About Rochester Goose Hunting
The
saga of the geese began in 1947 after a flock of 12 large
geese from Nebraska were released at Silver Lake. These
geese, donated by a former Mayo Clinic patient, lured
some of the few remaining giant Canada geese to Rochester.
In 1948, after Rochester's new power plant began using
Silver Lake for cooling water, the geese started staying
on the ice-free lake throughout the winter. The geese
began arriving each September, and by late November, they
had settled in for the winter.
Some people believed that the Rochester flock was "special." Biologists confirmed that belief in 1962 when the geese were identified as Branta Canadensis Maxima (giant Canada geese.) This sub-spas eat geese was believed to be extinct until Rochester's flock was discovered during a routine visit for banding and weighing.
Although similar to normal Canadian "honkers," the giant Canadas carry a few distinct differences from Western Canadians: they have longer necks, broader bills, and lighter plumage. Also, the average giant Canada weighs more (12 to 14) pounds compared with 8) and has a larger wing span (69 to 71 inches compared within 66.)
Rochester offers some of the most consistent goose hunting in the state, with an average annual migration of nearly 75,000 geese. Up to 35,000 geese will stage on Silver Lake on any given day, providing for fast action peaking in mid November through late December.
