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.
Vast Proliferations of Resident Geese

In less than a decade, the U.S. government expects geese to proliferate in four areas of the nation, reaching 1.6 million in the Atlantic area, 2 million in the Mississippi area, 1.3 million in the Central area, and half a million in the Pacific region. Worse yet, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes that while these geese are basically fixed in their locations, they're still legally considered migratory and protected by international treaty.

While it's perfectly legal to chase geese away, one can only do so when they’re not nest building or tending their eggs or young. Nesting begins in April and May. If you miss this opportunity to get rid of geese, there are ways you can deter and repel them away from your property. These methods have proven effective and are entirely humane.

Getting Rid of Geese Humanely

First off, we may as well address some of the more historic ways to get rid of geese. While considered humane, these have proven only marginally effective. They include your basic noisemakers--propane cannons, fireworks, and bullhorns, as well as the fake floating crocodile head that moves around realistically. And lest we no forget the fake eagle that ‘flies’ around a pole. Aside from these, there are some highly effective deterrents that have met with considerable success. A brief rundown of these measures is mentioned below.
 
Banners, Balloons, and Flash Tape--These bird scare devices create an “Optical Distraction Zone” that many geese find very annoying, causing them to leave. Flash tape comes in iridescent Reflective Foil and shiny reflective varieties, which reflect sunlight and crackle in the breeze.

Scare-Eye Diverters--To get rid of geese, you can hang these teardrop shaped diverters almost anywhere to make geese really uncomfortable. The diverters are covered with a large predator eye that makes geese feel like they're being watched by a large predator.

Bird Scare Balloons--These beach-ball size balloons are made of a U.V.- and weather-resistant vinyl and feature a lifelike reflective predator eye to make geese feel threatened.
They are an ideal way to get rid of geese in open areas where a steady breeze keeps them moving. To deter geese from pools, you can quarter fill the balloon with water, and let it float on the surface with its predator eye showing.

Keep in mind that these goose scare devices work best when geese first move into an area or when you combine them with other deterrents. Remember to swap them out occasionally as geese will get used to these devices and ignore them. Finally, these and other frightening devices are most effective when they are used at night when geese are roosting.

Scarecrows--These clever devices catch geese by surprise and convince them never to come back. Scarecrows are motion-activated sprinklers that hit geese with a "persuasive" blast of water when geese wander within its radius of protection. The sudden blast of water, startling sprinkler sound and realistic looking bird-like moving head make a believer out of even the most stubborn goose. The scarecrow connects to any garden hose, yet uses only 2 to 3 cups of water per spray. It covers approximately 1,200 square feet with a blast that reaches out 35 feet by 45 feet wide. Best of all, the scarecrow never resets, working tirelessly day and night for up to 6 months--it delivers over 1,000 "firings" on a single 9-volt battery. You an even fine-tune the Scarecrow to adjust its sensitivity and spray distance.

Sound Deterrents--These sonic devices get rid of geese by playing on their natural fear predators. They emit distress and predator calls that convince geese that danger is near. These devices work best when they are placed where geese seem to gather most--in gardens, backyards, patios, and other open grassy spaces.

Chemical Repellents--Economical and surprisingly effective, chemical goose repellents get rid of geese from parks, shorelines, golf courses, cemeteries, lawns, yards, or other grassy areas. The non-toxic liquid makes grass very unappetizing to geese and they simply move on to "greener" pastures. Formulated from a grape extract, the chemical is safe for pets, geese and humans. Most chemical repellents are easily applied using simple hand-held sprayers. Two applications last for up to three months and there's no worry about the chemical washing off with rain or water. The best goose repellent is registered with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Goose Netting--To get rid of geese, you can scare them or you can simply deny them access. Netting does the latter very well. It excludes geese from areas of your pond, park, garden and other specific areas. When ordering netting as a barrier to geese, you'll need a 2-inch mesh size. Try to get a name-brand product that is waterproof, rot- and flame-resistant, and U.V. stabilized. Non-conductive netting is preferred for most applications. Some manufacturers even offer netting in different colors to better match its surroundings.