Jan. 29 (UPI) — Firefighters in Michigan said an attempted goose rescue on a frozen river turned out to be the proverbial wild goose chase when the suspected injured bird turned out to be a hunting decoy.
The Monroe Township Fire Department said firefighters responded Tuesday to a report of an injured goose on the River Raisin, near Waterloo Park.
Photos posted to Facebook by firefighter Austin Schmitt shows firefighters in rescue gear venturing out on the ice to reach what they believed to be a bird in distress.
The firefighters reached the bird-shaped object and discovered it was a decoy water fowl for hunting use.
“It ended up being a good training session, actually,” Monroe Township Fire Department Chief Mark Cherney told WXYZ-TV. “In the end, we can sleep well at night. A bird is not suffering.”