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Results Page 5 of 8 and 1996 (Table 1). Trapping efficiency averaged 98 %, range 96 to 99 %, of all flightless geese present. Cities undertaking relocation control increased from 1 in 1982 to 36 in 1996 and trapping sites increased from 1 to 104 (Figure 5). Capturing and relocating geese reduced populations significantly. The procedure was most effective for urban concentrations and least for rural populations. The geese found at a capture site decreased rapidly during the first 5 years, then more slowly in subsequent years. Overall, after 5 years of continuous removal, the population was typically 60% lower, and after 10 years, an 80% reduction was attained (Figure 6). Relocation was most effective at urban sites, where a 75% decline occurred in 5 years, whereas suburban and rural populations declined 40%. In 1982, 195 immatures were banded and relocated from Lake of The Isles to Carver Park Reserve 32 km SW of the trap site, and 265 adults banded and sent to Oklahoma. In 1984, 230 immatures and 1 Oklahoma. Other immatures were released at Minnesota sites 80+ km from the capture site in 1985 and subsequent years. Legbands were placed on 256, 200, and 489 of these birds in 1984, 1985, and 1986, respectively. 400 350 300 L 250 N 200 150 100 50 0 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 Year Figure 4. Number of removal locations and cities doing Canada goose removal, Twin Cities of Minnesota, 1982 -96. The rate of return of relocated geese to the capture sites was lowest for immatures and highest for adults. Of the 195 flightless goslings relocated to Carver Park, 8 of 195 (4 %) were observed or trapped at Lake of the Isles. Nine of 256 (4 %) of the immatures released in Oklahoma in 1984 returned to the capture sites, and none of the 945 immatures released in Minnesota from 1984 to 1986 were retrapped or observed in the Twin Cites to date. In contrast, 57 (22 %), 186 (42 %), and 62 (24 %) of relocated adults were observed, retrapped, or recovered in the Twin Cities. Based on a 71% annual survival rate (unpubl. data, Oklahoma Cons. Dept.) and assuming that all relocated geese returning to the Twin Cities were encountered, the proportion of relocated adults returning was estimated to be 42 %, 80 %, and 42% for 1982, 1984, and 1985, respectively. Trap and Process -39- http://www.fw.umn.edu / research /goose /html /urban /manage6.html 4/7/00