STEP UP TO STOP THE SLAUGHTER!

What’s Happening?

In 2020, Lake of the Pines (LOP) attacked and killed seventy-four (74) healthy, wild, Canada Geese under a Fish & Wildlife depredation permit. Later that year, they killed 55 more birds under California Fish & Game hunting codes. Violations were abundant, recorded and reported to federal and state agencies.

In 2022, under California Fish & Game hunting codes, 9 geese were killed. When LOP members invoked their right to mediation, the killing stopped – temporarily.

On July 24, 2023 geese caring for their goslings were annihilated. How many? The GM wouldn’t say, but then who would believe him anyway? Where is the transparency on water issues and geese numbers?

Shooting flocks of birds only temporarily reduces their numbers. This is an inhumane and brutal method of population control and has been proven unsuccessful.

The TRUTH —

• The bird droppings are at the heart of the issue. This past year, in an attempt to inflame homeowners, LOP Administration stopped cleaning up the goose poop.
• The lake water is NOT dangerous, as a recent ‘Swimming Advisory’ suggested. This advisory also falsely claimed that Nevada County Environmental Health (NCEH) department suggested the Advisory – not true. LOP general manager concocted the warning signs using language from signs issued by NCEH on other lakes. As one Facebook poster put it: “not a good look for LOP when the county throws the GM under the bus.” We disagree, this embarrassment was of the GM’s own making.
• LOP Administration is in direct violation of the depredation permit — NO non-lethal measures are currently being taken to solve this (made up) problem. It should be noted that there are NO property access limitations to locate nests, yet LOP failed to properly carry out an important part of the permit and an extremely important part in reducing the births of additional resident geese at LOP.

We are OPPOSED to the killing and hunting of federally protected birds when non-lethal means have NOT been exhausted. We are OPPOSED to US Fish & Wildlife Service rubberstamping a depredation permit extension in a residential community before an investigation into what non-lethal measures were employed and what, if any, “damage” the birds are causing.

Updates

Stay tuned here for events and website updates!

8/16/2023: eNews: The BOGUS Swimming Advisory

8/12/2023: Blog Post: ” Deception from Above”, by Ron Bomhoff

7/25/2023: Audio Recording: Debunking the Goose Issue with Lies:

7/23/2023: Document: SAFE Water Quality Report, July 2023

7/23/2023: eNews: Same Tune Different Channel

7/23/2023: eNews: STOP THE HUNTING TODAY!!

9/23/2022: eNews: STOP THE HUNTING!!

5/28/2021: eNews: Wildlife Management Services Team — a Failure!

5/24/2021: eNews: Vote NO! on Richard Mattison

5/24/2021: Document: Letter to LOP Board Re: Censure of Director Ron Bomhoff

5/24/2021: Recording: Board of Directors Censure Recording: April 14, 2020

5/24/2021: Document: Lake of the Pines Ethics Policy for 2020

5/14/2021: eNews: Another Plan to Slaughter our Geese is in the Making

4/27/2021: Document: Lake of the Pines Announcement Regarding Geese

4/17/2021: Document: Canada Goose Observation Data via Audubon

3/24/2021: eNews: Wildlife: NACA’s Position

2/21/2021: eNews: Here’s What We Know

2/21/2021: Website: Humane Goose Control

2/14/2021: Document: LOP Board Meeting, February 17, 2021 – Added Material

2/4/2021: Document: 2019 Lake Wildwood Full Report : “Lake Wildwood 2019 Microbial Monitoring Program and Ongoing Response to 2017 E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak.”

2/4/2021: Document: 2019 Lake Wildwood Report Excerpt

2/4/2021: Document: Lake of the Pines Board Meetings Concerning Geese

2/2/2021: WebSite: Federal Register: Migratory Bird Permits; Regulations for Managing Resident Canada Goose Populations.

1/31/2021: Webcast: Sun City’s “Goose Patrol” – What worked, what didn’t.