Each spring Canada Geese make their way up from the south to settle into the northwestern United States and Canada to have their babies. They will settle in areas with a nice water source and lots of grass around it. The feed on the grass and build their nests along the shoreline.
All too often they choose areas that are shared by people such as golf courses, parks, yards and even along our airport runways. The mess they create can be an issue in these shared areas; the average goose creates about a pound of waste a day. They can also be a hazard to aircraft when they share the skies with planes that are landing and taking off.
Ways to Get Rid of Pest Geese
- Goose repellents are used to keep the geese from eating the lawn, and causing them to go elsewhere to live. These repellents are turf sprays that contain Methyl Anthranilate, a natural substance that is derived from red grapes. To use it is mixed with water and sprayed on the lawn or food source to the geese. It will grow through out the lawn flavoring it so the geese to not like the taste and they will move on. It takes about a week to see results and may take several applications to be effective.
- Goose sound deterrents are used to scare the pest geese away from property. They will play goose distress calls and predator calls. The geese hear the distress calls and their natural instincts tell them to leave the area there is danger. Most sound deterrent units are made to be used outdoors, they are weather resistant and some run by solar power. They are very loud, covering up to several acres with sound, so they might not be the pest product for residential areas.
- Visual goose deterrents are used to scare away the birds. There are decoys of coyotes and wolfs, natural predators of geese. Place the decoys in the affected area and when the geese see the silhouettes, they will leave the area. The decoys are made of a weather resistant plastic cut out that is easy to install on lawns. Other visual deterrents are plastic balloons, flash tape and scare diverters. These products are made of reflective material that creates a visual distraction to the birds and they will go away.
Most goose deterrents and repellents will work well on their own. For large infestations it may be necessary to use one or more products together to get rid of the geese. It is best to install or apply the repellents before the geese arrive. Once the geese have established their territory and have goslings, they are nearly impossible to get rid of. As soon as the ground thaws and the lawn begins to grow, apply the goose repellent, set up the goose sound deterrent or install the visual deterrents. It is best to keep them away before they move in.
 |
