When a Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency officer rescued a lone goose this summer, an unlikely friendship was born. Darrell Bernd was on a lake in Bedford County in July when he came across a goose trapped in some fishing line. Bernd, also known as "Bones," rescued the feathered friend and nursed it back to health.
While the goose was recovering, one of Bernd's coworkers named it "Honk." Since rescuing Honk, the two have been nearly inseparable. "Thirty-four years ago I was hired out here to just mow grass," Bernd said. "Now, here I am babysitting a goose."
"Honk spends his days keeping him in line and checking out the lake to make sure all is well," read a post on Outdoor Women of Nashville #OWN Facebook page. "Honk is wild and free to roam wherever he so chooses, but that's right beside his best friend most days."
Bernd thinks Honk used to be someone's pet who imprinted on humans before being let loose in the wild, unable to fend for itself, News Channel 5 reports. The wildlife expert has been trying to get the goose to spend more time around his own kind, and has recently been successful. Honk will sometimes be gone for days at a time with a flock of geese near Bedford Lake.
If you want to keep up with Honk and the duo's friendship, follow his adventures at his Facebook page "Honk Goose" or search the hashtags #Honk #AdventuresofHonkAndBones #HonksStory.
Photo: Outdoor Women of Nashville #OWN