2023 Whole Lake DLC/USDA Goose Population Control Initiative
In 2023, the DLC launched a Goose Management initiative with the USDA to treat goose nests for all 7 towns along the Deal Lake shoreline.
There are many reasons to manage the geese population around the lake.
Canada Geese, on average, drop between 1 to 1.5 pounds of feces every day! Droppings can carry e.coli, salmonella and other bacteria harmful to humans and pets.
Geese are major contributors of Phosphorus and Nitrogen in waterways. These nutrients come directly from goose excrement and cause lake eutrophication.
The DLC/USDA initiative has been a major undertaking with the cooperation of lake residents and the municipal leadership in all 7 towns that the DLC serves.
USDA Report for 2023 on Goose Addling on Deal Lake
The attached report provides a summary of USDA’s Canada goose work for 2023. In addition to the ten nests mentioned in the attached report as addled, USDA found three other nests that were not treated. Of these three untreated nests, no permission was obtained for one nest. Permission was obtained for the two other untreated nests; however, no eggs were present two weeks later when USDA revisited the nest. These two untreated nests likely did not hatch out since 28 days had not past since eggs were laid and no family groups were seen until later in the season.
