Good morning, Feeding geese and other wildlife is perceived as a way for people to have a positive experience in nature. Unfortunately, while the practice is often fulfilling for the people feeding the wildlife, it can have negative impacts on other members of the community and on the wildlife. As a general rule, wildlife biologists discourage the practice of feeding wildlife. There are several reasons for this. First, it increases the risk of injury or disease transmission to humans. Second, the wild animals congregate in numbers larger than they would under natural conditions which can increase the spread of disease between animals. This can negatively impact wildlife populations. Finally, wildlife that have been fed regularly often become less wary of people. This can cause them to be perceived as nuisances down the road if they cause damage to property. Another point to be aware of is that it is illegal to feed deer in Illinois due to concerns about Chronic Wasting Disease. The Prevent Problems with Wildlife page of this website can provide more information. It can be accessed at:
http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/wildlife/prevent.cfm
For further information, you should contact the IDNR district wildlife biologist in your area. Contact information is provided on the Find a Professional page at:http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/wildlife/professionals.cfm
