Do extraordinarily large geese exist? Is there a Thundergoose out there?

Sure, you are going to find a history of photographic hoaxes, such as the old postcard pictured above, with real people pictured on top of big geese, but I’m talking about an actual case of an oversized goose.

This article was discovered by Robert Schneck (the author of The President’s Vampire: Strange-but-True Tales of the United States of America) and exclusively shared with Cryptomundo. Appreciation to Schneck for his contribution.

Schneck humorously dubbed this critter “Thundergoose” in our email exchange, and that seems to be a fitting name.

The date of the Lake County Times, Hammond, Indiana, newspaper is Friday, November 26, 1926.

Although the articles is not very clear, Robert Schneck transcripted the following text of what he could see from the article:

Huge Goose Brought Down Along Canal

[photograph of large white goose]

WHITING, Nov. 2[?]– The goose pictured above, said to be one of the largest ever killed in this vicinity, was bagged by Edward Dangler, local sportsman and hunter.

The goose, which stands 5 feet 6 1/2 inches and measures 7 feet 4 inches from wing tip to tip, and weights [sic] 24 1/2 pounds, is pure white and took ten shots from the rifle of Dangler (left) and his companion, Thomas J. Sullivan (right), before he was brought down.

“On the morning of Nov. 12,” said Mr. Dangler, “we started out bright and early along the East Chicago Canal, thinking we might have a shot or two. After waiting several hours, and not having much luck, all of a sudden we were startled to see this huge bird flying over our heads at what could not have been more than an altitude of 75 feet [not punctuated]

There were several other hunters around, including a woman, but we proved to be the lucky shots. Hunters in this region, old-timers who know the lay of every foot of ground here, say that never in the history of their lives have seen such a wonderful bag. [This is the way it's written and punctuated.]

The vicinity in which the bird was brought down, along the canal is a veritable hunting spot for duck hunters every year. [Second comma is left out.]

This region, which is the hub of the commercial world, having the Standard Oil company plant here as well as other industries, was all excited when it heard of the big shoot.

Most sportsmen remarked ” Why go to Minnesota or Wisconsin when we have ducks here flying so low that you can knock hem [sic] down with a club?”

For the record, the Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) is a large white North American species of goose, which is usually no more than 25-31″ in size. The largest goose in North America is the giant Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), with a wingspan of 6 feet and weighing up to 20 pounds. Only swans are officially larger.

Are there Thundergeese flying about?