The Easy Way to Keep Geese out of Your Ponds and Fields

Problem Solved

The best way to keep geese away from your pond, lawn, yard and property is to use a combination of products. By placing a liquid deterrent around the edges of ponds and near your buildings or populated areas along with installing decoys in key locations, you can effectively prevent geese from ever returning. Add in netting and wiring in select locations and the only place you will see geese is flying majestically overhead.

How to Keep Geese Away from your Pond, Lawn, Yard and Property

Keeping a flock of geese away from a field or pond presents a unique set of challenges. Geese have a multitude of tendencies that cause them to group together and remain in one area, which we will go into detail later in the blog. But for now, let’s focus on the solutions and the methods the pros have been using for years.

The following goose control methods are increasingly effective when paired together. A strategy that is common in the bird control world, especially for protected birds such as the Canada goose.

1) Visual and Audio Goose Deterrents

The first deterrents you should look into are visual and audio deterrents. Golf courses, sports fields, and lake front properties are particularly difficult to control geese, requiring solutions that can quickly and effortlessly cover vast open areas.  Bird B Gone carries a multitude of visual deterrents but the coyote decoy ranks above all for goose control. Acting as a natural predator to geese, moving the coyote decoy periodically will make the surrounding environment uncomfortable for the flock.

Pairing visual deterrents with an effective Audio deterrent will quickly increase the probability of pushing the flock away from the targeted areas. Audio deterrents use a combination of prerecorded goose calls and predator bird calls to drive them away. Not only are these sound units available in plugin models but solar powered units are available to help stop geese in wide open areas.

Key Features & Benefits:

• Visual & Audio deterrents cover large open areas
• Easily Deployed and maintained
• Economical and cost effective
• Move Coyote Decoy periodically on the property

2) Liquid Goose Repellents

One of the best products you can use to keep geese away is a liquid goose repellent. These EPA-approved liquids deterrents use food grade ingredients such as grape seed extract to irritate geese. 

When the geese feed on the applied grass, they are driven away by the irritation associated with the spray. Safe to use around humans and pets, these liquid repellents are designed to condition the flock of geese to avoid your property.

Key Features & Benefits: 

• Eliminates food source humanely
• Protects lawn from hungry geese
• Trains geese to avoid your property
• Uses grape seed extract

3) Lay Net Along the Bank of Pond or Lake

One final way of keeping geese away from your property is to lay down netting along the bank of the pond or lake. It’s quite simple and the professionals have been using this method for years. 

Not only does this make landing difficult, but geese loath the sensation and irritation of the netting under their feet. Inexpensive 3/4" garden netting can be used for this specific purpose. Don’t forget that it is important to use this method along with the others listed above.

Key Features & Benefits:

• Inexpensive and easy to deploy
• Prevents geese from entering and leaving ponds
• Does not harm geese 

Geese and Your Property

Few sights are as majestic as a flock of geese flying overhead in a large V-shaped pattern. Geese are beautiful creatures to watch and can signal the changing of the seasons as they migrate. While they are beautiful to watch soaring overhead, dealing with them on your property is another matter entirely.

A flock of geese will fight, poop, and honk all day, every day. If you own a golf course, restaurant, fitness center, apartment complex, or any other business where your grass and fields are directly tied to your income, having a flock of loud, messy birds is only going to hurt your business. And even if you don't own a business, having geese make their home on your property is a surefire way to ruin your spring and summer afternoons (not to mention sleep patterns).

A Quick Overview

Now that we’ve covered the best goose solutions, it’s helpful to understand them in greater detail. Geese and other waterfowl (such as ducks and swans) cover a wide range of species. However, most issues are caused by Canadian Geese. This species is easily identified by their long, black necks and grayish-brown bodies. These animals (and many other similar waterfowl) are known to mate for life. They are also social creatures and love spending time in large groups. Their tendency to group together for life means that when you have a goose problem, you are dealing with dozens (and even hundreds) of geese, not just one or two.

Canadian Geese (and many other common species) will migrate to and from the same location annually. They have a strong desire to mate and give birth in the general area they were born. This means your goose problem isn't going to go away when the season changes. Combine their ubiquitous distribution with their ability to migrate 2,000–3,000 miles, and you have a problem that can't be eliminated by moving. And when you consider they can live up to 25 years, it's easy to see why they can become a permanent problem.

The Problems They Cause

If you are looking for solutions for your goose problem, you are already aware of some of the issues they can cause. The primary reasons you don't want geese on or around your property include the following:

• A flock of geese can easily over-graze a lawn or field, leaving the entire area barren and lifeless. If you own a golf course, park, or other outdoor area, a flock of geese can easily render the area useless or damaged. Re-seeding and repairing the damage can cost thousands of dollars and is not a permanent solution (since the geese will return annually and do the exact same thing each year).
• Geese are aggressive during mating season and while protecting their young. Adult geese will chase people, pets, and anything that happens to approach their territory. If this is happening on or around your business, it's certain that customers will be scared away.
• Geese are prolific producers of waste. Not only are their droppings large and messy, but they produce a rotten smell that can travel for hundreds of feet and make living, standing, eating, or shopping nearby very miserable.
• A flock of geese is loud; no matter what type of business you own or where you live, the noise a flock of geese makes will be a nuisance and distracting.

Speak to an Expert at Bird B Gone

Looking to keep geese away but you are just not sure where to start? Don’t worry, Bird B Gone has a team of Bird Control Experts who are happy to help guide you through the entire process and answer product related questions you may have.