— Authenticated World Record —

Giant Canada Goose: 26 Pounds

Scuttlebuck Lodge is a privately run (owners and invited guests) not for profit goose hunting lodge located in the RM of WInchester, near the Town of Deloraine, in the southwest corner of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.

It sits near the historic western shoreline of the internationally famous Whitewater Lake, where in 1911, Billy Connor of Morden, Manitoba harvested the largest Canada Goose ever killed anywhere in the World; a record that still stands today.

The following is offered as proof of this assertion, for those of you who think this story might be just a legend or water fowler’s myth:

  1. In 1923, Jack Miner authored his book “Jack Miner and the Birds” and states in the chapter on “weight” that not one in a hundred Canada geese, of the thousands he had weighed, was over 11.75 pounds and not one in a thousand weighed over 12 pounds.
  2. Minter opines that after several years of being reared in captivity, a good and fat gander would weigh 15 pounds.
  3. In 1965, Dr. Harold C. Hanson authored his book “The Giant Canada Goose” and states that the biggest recorded honker was taken circa 1900 at Heron Lake, Jackson County, Minnesota, USA and weighed 24 pounds authenticated by a personal letter from Morton Barrows.
  4. Hanson says the second biggest goose was 23 pounds killed prior to 1922 somewhere in North Dakota, USA and authenticated by George M. Hogue as written up in the New York Times newspaper on November 6, 1922.
  5. Hanson says the biggest Canada goose ever taken in Canada was 22 pounds killed October 15, 1943 at North Shoal Lake, in Manitoba, according to a write up in the Winnipeg Tribune or Winnipeg Free Press newspaper with a photograph on November 5, 1943. There were apparently three giants taken out of a flock of about 25 birds.
  6. Hanson says a 16.5 pound Canada goose was killed at Whitewater Lake, Manitoba in 1912 according to Angus Shortt.
  7. Hanson states that two Canada geese banded at Rennie, Manitoba (Alf Hold Goose Sanctuary) were shot in Rock County Wisconsin, USA in 1962 weighing 13 lbs. 3 oz. and 12 lbs. 3 oz. according to a letter dated January 9, 1963 from Richard A. Hunt.
  8. In the fall of 1962, Hanson reports a small sample of weights of Branta Canadensis maxima shot in Manitoba with the largest being 13.6 pounds taken at The Pas.

In 1980, Ron R. Meyer authored his book “The Best of Jimmy Robinson” of Sports Afield fame and author of thirteen books.

In Chapter One called, “Rambling with Jimmy”, Jimmy Robinson is quoted as saying:

I remember Billy Conner shooting a 26 pound Greater Canada goose on Whitewater Lake. This was the largest goose I ever saw. Walter Redick of the Manitoba Game Branch says it is still a record.

In Chapter Eleven called, “Sirens of Far Places”, Jimmy Robinson is quoted as saying:

Bill Connor brought in a 26 pound Greater Canada goose he had shot at Whitewater Lake. It was the biggest goose I had ever seen before or since, and for many years it was on display at Kilgore’s Queens Hotel in Morden, Manitoba before it burned down. years later, George Hochbaum, the Manitoba provincial biologist, said it was the biggest goose ever killed.

 

Since the establishment of Scuttlebuck Lodge Ltd. on May 1, 1981, all Greater Canada geese harvested there have been officially weighed using a commercial orsion balance scale “Goose Gauge” and their weights, dates, locations, and hunter who did the harvesting have been dutifully recorded.

As of November 15, 2014, there have been 594 Greater Canada geese weighed-in at Scuttlebuck Lodge and only three have exceeded fourteen pounds.

Andrew Johnston — 14 lbs. 7 0z. — November 3, 2013

Bob Johnston — 14 lbs. 5 oz. — October 11, 1997

Don Bell — 14 lbs. 2 oz. — October 30, 2010

My research continues, however, and so does our lodge’s visitor’s and member’s quest for that elusive 26 Pound World Record.

-RHJ

7 thoughts on “Authenticated World Records

  1. Shot a goose December 14, 2017. Weight 15.5 pounds. At lanigan sask. have photos to verify if interested. Gordon Schmiedge.

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