Ottawa cyclist Kerry Shurman had no idea what was in store for her during a leisurely ride on the Trans Canada trail between Stittsville and Carleton Place.
All was going well until a family of seemingly harmless geese appeared on the trail before her and suddently all hell broke loose!
After giving the waterfowl some space, Shurman thought she’d just ‘zip past’ them and on her way but somehow misjudged how fast she was pedalling, or perhaps she startled the geese.
In a split second the final goose in the group, which appeared larger and evidently more agressive than the rest, was up in her face faster than you can say cooked goose!
The forlorn fowl wrapped its wings around Shurman’s head, as she recalls, and the next thing she remembered was lying on the ground in pain unable to get up!
Fortunately another cyclist happened-by and brought the dazed and badly injured cyclist to seek medical attention.
Kelly Shurman suffered a concussion, face lacerations, a fractured cheekbone and a loose tooth! She spend 5-days in the hospital before being released.
It just goes to prove, you never know what an animal is capable of until they’re on top pounding the pickles out of you!
A Canada Goose though? Who’d a thunk it!
As a footnote to this story, reports say that while lying injured beside the bike path, Shurman also contracted poison ivy! (If being attacked by a goose wasn’t bad enough)
Outdoorsguy
I read this last night. I don’t think “attacked” is the appropriate word here. More like “defending their young”. Sounds like the gander was doing what any parent would do. Protect their young from a predator. I know that my wife would be like a wounded bear if anyone/thing meant harm to any of my boys. It would not be a pretty sight!!!
Obviously Ms. Shurman was in no way trying to harm the birds, but the goose apparently thought otherwise. Sounds like a case of wrong place, wrong time. I hope Ms. Shurman makes a full recovery!
sureshot-dave, I think you hit the nail on the head! Something like the old cliché about getting between mom bear and the cubs!
My Dad was manager of a science school back home years ago…and kept a goose on the property at one time. We called it ‘honky’ and overytime he went into the pen, the thing would attack his leg!
Hey Trapper, you might just be right about the coyote thing!
Outdoorsguy
It’ll be interesting to see if there’s a public outcry to cull geese now. If this were a Coyote story there’d be a lynch mob formed…..
Believe it or not out in the country a goose on the farm is consider a better guard than a dog. Hard to get in or out, with a goose around.
geese can be very scary we were goose hunting last year and had taken down several geese in a volly of shots fired in a corn field where one of the geese began chasing us with its wings up and its head cocked ,they can brake your arm with their wings ,we had to obviously put a stop to it quickly , some of the geese can weigh up to 20 lbs and over
Sorry mike..just rescued your comment from the spam folder. Not sure how it ended up there.
Outdoorsguy
Just like any other animal, when it thinks there’s a threat to its young it will 99/100 fight for their lives, this lady was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’ve had close encounters with these birds on golf courses all around Canada and up close they can be very scary, hopefully the lady recovers fully and get’s back out riding in no time.
Cougar sighting confirmed Jeff….
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2014/07/10/breaking-news-mnr-called-in-for-cougar
Thanks Trapper, over the 3 weeks I’ve had three more cougar sightings reported to me!
Guess this summer will be another ‘summer of cougars’..hey, wasn’t that a movie..hehe
I’m putting a cougar sighting post together this am..tks for the heads-up!!
Outdoorsguy
Another summer of Ontario (4-legged) cougars:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/strange/another-summer-of-ontario-cougar-sightings/
Outdoorsguy
Five days in hospital! One night in acute care is $1800. Nice waste of taxpayers money. Stupid cyclist.