Overrun by Geese

[Starbrite]

Does anyone know how to deter geese?

My parents live across the street from a large pond. Every year the geese come back in the spring with a few more friends. This year, there are at least 30-40 geese at any given moment

They have taken over her yard!! There is poop everywhere!! You can't even walk to the door without stepping in it. They are constantly sitting in the middle of the (main-high traffic) road, there's going to be an accident some day. They have come after my DD7 - hissing & honking at her. Surely it's a health hazard too with all the poop everywhere.

The owner of the pond doesn't really know what to do? Any ideas? It's a residential neighborhood, so (aside from the whole PETA thing), shooting them with anything is out of the question.

I forgot to add....My parents have been out there yelling, making noise & swooshing them away with a broom for months thinking they would eventually get the hint, but it hasn't helped at all. I think it's a game now (for the geese).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Here is the government rules and ways to manage geese. Alot of good tips and info. The first being to not feed them. Is anyone feeding the geese?
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/statereports/NJ/cagonj021303.pdf

 

[ginna74]

we have a few geese that always come back to our pond every year but it is only a few we love to look at them sorry there are a million of them foro you

 

[disney junky]

I've been playing at the same golf course for years. There are a number of ponds which are infested with Canadian geese and they tear up the greens and poop everywhere. The owners have tried a number of things. Yesterday, I was golfing and noticed that they placed coyote decoys around the greens they want to protect and the geese were keeping well away from the decoys. These were really lifelike too. I did a search and found this link. It might be weird to place these in a residential area but it might also keep other unwanted visitors out as well.
http://www.yardlover.com/products.php?catID=13&gclid=CNCduamJmpsCFcxM5QodOGIdpQ

 

[Disney Doll]

Our town-owned golf course got a border collie to scare away the geese.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Just passing info....here in NY, after the Canadian geese have flown into the last plane (that made the emergency landing in the Hudson River, thankfully NO ONE was killed) the City of NY is now Killing them, they said there is just no way to cut back on them and so they have decided to kill them, I have no idea how though....I am sure it will be jumped on by members of PETA and such....but I think the last straw was the plane that had to make that emergency landing................apparently many others have had close encounters with them.....
Not really sure HOW i feel about killing them,,,,wish there was another alternative but if it is a choice between a safe flight and a bird/s, I'd say its the safe flight...

 

[Starbrite]

Is anyone feeding the geese?
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/statereports/NJ/cagonj021303.pdf

Nobody is feeding them. Nobody wants them gone more than the residents of her street!

Our town-owned golf course got a border collie to scare away the geese.

Hmm...Maybe we can pass this on to one of the neighbors, but my mother is extremely allergic to dogs so I don't think this would work for her.

I've been playing at the same golf course for years. There are a number of ponds which are infested with Canadian geese and they tear up the greens and poop everywhere. The owners have tried a number of things. Yesterday, I was golfing and noticed that they placed coyote decoys around the greens they want to protect and the geese were keeping well away from the decoys. These were really lifelike too. I did a search and found this link. It might be weird to place these in a residential area but it might also keep other unwanted visitors out as well.
http://www.yardlover.com/products.php?catID=13&gclid=CNCduamJmpsCFcxM5QodOGIdpQ

It might look weird, but It's worth a try! Thanks

I've also heard that setting out a decoy swan or goose might work too since they are very territorial....but I had no idea where to buy one until I saw your link

 

[maciec]

we also have the same problem. My dogs chase them away when I notice the geese in the yard. Prior to having the dogs however, someone here on the DIS told me to get a statue of a heron and place it in my yard. For some reason heron and geese don't get along so the geese stay away. Good luck! I feel your mom's pain!

 

[dis-happy]

Around here you can hire a dog to scare them away.....saw the truck drive by with the advertising on it just last week!!

 

[*JoGo*]

we're having the same problem at our camp. we love spending time out there, but there are now over 50 geese and the poop radius is expanding rapidly. we feel like we can't even enjoy it anymore, between the poop and the geese running around/at us, and this is SEVERAL acres.

dh is looking into this... we're trying to find it locally:
http://www.bird-x.com/goose-chase-p-8.html

apparently, geese don't like to fly into OR out of the water, so spray this around the pond and eventually they'll get tired of flying in/out and leave.

he wants to make sure the babies can fly before he tries anything... but no matter how much we've chased the things, we can't get ANY of them to fly!

i think i'll try to find some heron and coyote decoys also. i'm desperate to get our camp back.

 

[tasha99]

Here's a link to Gordon Ramsey's Christmas Goose recipe. I think it has potential . . .

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2428/gordons-christmas-roast-goose-

 

[wvdisluv2]

*cough* I feed the injured Canadian Goose, his "wife" and their remaining baby. I also scoop the "poop" of my dogs and these geese. We have lived on the river for 8 1/2 yrs...the geese have been here LONG before we have....I have no problem with them. They have been here longer than we have.....we don't live near a major airport. I can't IMAGINE killing them....JMO.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Nobody is feeding them. Nobody wants them gone more than the residents of her street!


Hmm...Maybe we can pass this on to one of the neighbors, but my mother is extremely allergic to dogs so I don't think this would work for her.



It might look weird, but It's worth a try! Thanks

I've also heard that setting out a decoy swan or goose might work too since they are very territorial....but I had no idea where to buy one until I saw your link .

OK...I gave you a link to read with a whole list of things to do, from fencing to chemicals. Apparently you did not read it.

One of the things it clearly stated was to get rid of decoys.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I've also heard that setting out a decoy swan or goose might work too since they are very territorial....but I had no idea where to buy one until I saw your link

I just wanted to add that our town and the surrounding towns have gotten these cut-out dogs/coyotes, spray-painted black and stuck on poles. They move with the wind and it does seem to deter the geese. As stupid as they look (and yes they look stupid) it really does work.

 

[Starbrite]

OK...I gave you a link to read with a whole list of things to do, from fencing to chemicals. Apparently you did not read it.

One of the things it clearly stated was to get rid of decoys.

Yes, I did read the article, and I plan to share it with my parents when I see them next.

Unfortunately, Propane explosives & Pyrotechnics are out of the question. Although, if it wasn't a residential area....I'm sure they'd consider it.

I don't think their community allows them to fence off their front lawn, only the back. The geese are coming across the front so I'm not sure that would help much.

The actual maintenance of the pond we have no control over,as it is not on our property. But I will mention to the owner of it that it is better to keep the grass long & maybe fill the area with wildflowers & such.

I am going to grab a couple of silver mylar balloons & put them out for the day, just to see if it helps at all.

We're also going to look for the Bird-X repellent while I'm out today. Hopefully Lowes or Home Depot carries it. Or maybe the local Feed & Farm Center.

I know the article says no decoys, but since several people have had success with it...I see no harm in trying.

Thanks to all for the suggestions - I'll report back if we have any luck with anything specific.

 

[pyrxtc]

a cheap and easy way to scare them off is to get some yard stakes and put black garbage bags on the securely so that they wave really large in the wind. The geese won't go near your yard.

 

[JR6ooo4]

with geese being allowed where their natural peredators are not allowed is making the population explode unnaturally.

because of this: their excrement volume is fouling open air water supplies, they have no fear of cars and are a serious hazard on roadways, and they cause plane crashes!

that is what happens when the "natural order" is disrupted.

MIkeeee

 

[Jen_in_NH]

We have a huge geese population around here, and they are becoming a huge problem, especially for families with little kids. The geese have no fear of people anymore.

They're not afraid of our dog, but he's not hugely intimidating anyways. If he would run, he might be, but a giant Newfie just wandering down the yard doesn't bother them.


one neighbor tried some mylar ribbon - they don't care for that too much, but if it blows away, they come right back.

So far, our best idea has been bottle rockets. They don't like the noise. They usually leave for a while around the 4th of July

 

[ginna74]

they hates our little muskrat that made a little home this year.. but I dont think you can plant that...