Goose back in wild without the arrow

BAY CITY, Mich. – Wildlife officials in Michigan have removed an arrow from a Canada goose more than two months after the injured bird was spotted, leaving the once-easily recognized bird to blend in once again with its fellow geese.

The female goose initially was seen wandering in downtown Bay City in April and people alerted the state Department of Natural Resources, expressing concern for its safety.

Officials initially decided not to remove the arrow, because the bird was able to fly without difficulty. The DNR again came across the goose at the end of June when biologists were banding geese and decided to take action.

“It really, actually, was a lucky chance that we were able to get that goose in the pen when we were rounding up geese to band them,” Michigan DNR Wildlife Outreach Technician Holly Vaughn said.

A biologist removed the arrow, banded the bird and let it go within about a half-hour, releasing it back into the Saginaw River.