Canada Goose Shot With Arrow Near Bass Lake The Latest In Troubling Trend

BASS LAKE (CBS13) - A pattern is proving painful: Canada Geese are being shot with arrows.

(credit: Bill Janicki)

A lone Canada goose with an arrow through it was found on Bass Lake.

"It looked like it could eat and swim so I thought 'hmm.' But I didn't know how bad the injury was, how far the arrow was in, whether it was getting infected or not," Bill Janicki said.

Janicki was fishing there a couple of weeks ago when he spotted the goose.

"After a while, I was thinking it was trying to tell me it needed help," he said.

So he reached out to Gold Country Wildlife Rescue.

"Generally, the arrows that we find in wildlife this time of year are basically people who are...practicing their bow hunting," said Director Greg Grimm.

The problem is Canada Geese are not in season and it's never OK to use this particular type of arrow to hunt them.

"This is fairly common, especially in the rural areas. People think they can get away with it," he said.

Grimm says it's becoming more of a problem. Several other geese have been found with arrows through them, including one at Land Park near Fairy Tale town. This goose is still on the loose.

"The issue is, depending on how that arrow strikes the goose, it could be fine. It could live for a very long time, but now it has this arrow stuck through it," said Grimm.

See more photos of the Bass Lake Canada Goose below.

Last Saturday, a group of kayakers helped Bill and another wildlife expert get the injured goose at Bass Lake. The arrow was removed and the goose is now recovering.

"That's wonderful and hopefully it will get back on Bass Lake," said Bill with a smile.

Wildlife experts hope people get the point that these migratory birds need to be protected.

Gold country wildlife says it could cost around $1,500 for the surgery and rehab of the goose. Those expenses could be passed along to the person responsible for illegally shooting it along with other fines and fees.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating this incident.