The Clever Ways to Get Rid of Geese

by Alex A. Kecskes

Before we get into how to get rid of geese, a brief primer on the birds that many love and others look upon with disdain. First, true migrating geese spend their winters in the deep U.S. South and Mexico. These birds fly up North to Canada and breed in the spring. They may stop and rest, but rarely for more than a day.

The Curse of the Resident Goose

On the other hand, we have your basic resident goose. These birds love to eat you lawn and leave droppings all over your garden.

Hint: If the geese are nesting and laying eggs, they're the resident variety.

About a hundred years ago, hunters used captured geese as live decoys. The practice was outlawed in the 1930’s, so the hunters released these "decoy geese" into the wild. Problem was, the birds had lost the instinct to migrate. These domesticated birds were relocated across the U.S. for hunters, which resulted in millions of "resident" geese. Since then, property owners have sought ways to get rid of geese.

Resident geese have created all sorts of problems. Not the least of which are fatal airplane crashes when the birds collide with aircraft. Non-migratory geese have also caused the closure of public beaches in several States due to excessive fecal coliform levels. In addition, many property owners have had their crops and lawns eaten away, and their ponds and yards filled with disease-carrying droppings.

Keeping Geese off Your Property

The most common Goose found in the U.S. is the Canada goose.

Canada Geese are recognized by the “V” formation they create as they migrate in the spring and fall over North America. Up-close, they can be identified by their long black necks, a white “chin strap”, and brownish grey feathers. The birds are large, weighing up to 24lbs, and let out a very distinguishable “honking” noise.

Many people assume the Canada Geese fly south in the fall to reach warmer climate, then return to nest in early spring. This behavior has changed over the years due to many variables, and Wildlife specialists are seeing more geese remain in one spot year round. Known as residential Geese, there are usually three common denominators that define their ideal location: a mild climate, food and water. Resident geese have been staking their claim on residential and commercial properties across the nation, leaving many property owners with one question, what can I do?

What’s Attracting Geese to your Property?

America is covered with wetland areas that provide the vegetation and climate these Geese need to thrive. Geese are grazers, and lawns near water provide an excellent food source. Golf Courses, gardens, beaches, residential lawns, and parks are regularly becoming swamped with Geese.  Studies have shown that a healthy full grown goose can produce up to 1.5 lbs of feces every day. 

    Habitat: They are found on large inland bodies of water such as lakes, reservoirs and large ponds; as well as on seashores and rivers. Canada Geese are grazers so they are often found on grassland.
 
    Food Source: Seeds, grasses and aquatic plants make up the main portion of their diet.

Taking an Integrated Approach:
Many national wildlife organizations suggest taking an “integrated” approach when trying to deter geese from a property. Trying to resolve the goose problem from a few different angles is usually the most successful. 

Identifying the aspects of your property that are attracting the geese and then removing or changing the attractions is an ideal way of handling the situation. In the end altering the geese’s behavior will be more effective than lethal or harmful means. If the habitat isn’t modified, geese will still be attracted to the area.

    Areas to consider:

 

• Discourage Feeding
• Habitat Modification
• Scare Tactics
• Humane Removal

Method to deter pest geese from your property:

Goose Repellent: a liquid goose repellent can be sprayed on the lawn or food source of the geese.  After several applications the geese will not like the taste and will move on to another area to graze.  The drawback to goose repellents is that once gooslings have arrived it is very difficult to get rid of geese.

Goose Deterrent Sonic: plays predator and distress calls to scare the geese from the area.  Sonic goose deterrents are best used in conjunction with the liqued goose repellent. 

Goose Scare Deterrents:  are devices that scare the geese using large reflective eyes that geese will try to avoid.

The thing to remember is that it is best to apply goose repellents or install goose deterrents before the geese have become a problem.