Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help I don't like geese

My first spring with my pond, and I just grew my first geese. I think they wandered over from the neighbor's pond (about 100 yards away). There were three rogue geese, and a mom and dad with babies. they have a nest on the other pond. I chased them away with rocks and arm waving. I could have brought my puppies over (I don't live at the pond), but was concerned that my 9 month old would eat the babies before I could catch her. Plus, she is not the best at coming back and didn't have the extra 5 hours it would take to catch her.

I have read about flags that you can put up (dori poles). Does anyone know it they work? I can't use noise makers because the neighbors would cause problems. Which also means that I can't shoot them either. Any ideas?

well, we've had one nesting pair for many years (two different females) and the male is a real pro at keeping ALL other geese off the pond and out of the area. i'm sure we'd have more if it werent for this particular gander. but i'm here to say that even two adults can leave sufficient poop around a 1 acre pond just enough to piss ya off and get yer shoes dirty, but i tolerate this pair, and let em use my place every spring to try and raise some kids.

Pellet gun , bow or bolas. Bolas works great on long necks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolas

Has anyone tried the coyote decoys?

Somebody here once mentioned bottle rockets. Of course, fire hazard must be considered.

That could be kind of fun. I would have to get them in Ohio though.

Sometimes the geese themselves practically point out a solution for you. This is the second year in a row that geese have nested on top of the backstop on my rifle range. Something killed and ate most of one of them a couple of weeks ago, then got the eggs a day later.

Here is last year's "Death Wish" goose:

Other than cattle and fish, what problem in your life will benefit from this solution?

great pictures! Geese vultures just looking for something to bomb!!

I think I will take the dog out to the pond tomorrow and run her on a long line. do I have to worry about the male with the babies? I won't let the dog get close enough to get the babies, but I still have nightmares from a swan attack when I was a kid fishing in traverse city.

Brettski, those are neat looking weather vanes.

If I shoot at them with my pellet gun (1000 f/s) will this just scare them, or can I do some damage?

Years ago I kilt a bear with a pellet gun.

Well not really, it was a pidgeon, but it had a bad attitude.

I would think that it 1000/f/s pellet gun would show the goose the error of it's ways.

I wouldn't mind a goose or two but last year we got an entire flock of them. Sheesh they can leave a mess. I got in the habit in the evening of chasing them around the shore in the Polarius, after a few days they went else where.

I used the popular Crosman 760 (about 600 fps) for CG control when we had the place on the river. Every time I hit one, they would react as uncomfortable at the most and mosey off in another direction. Only once did I note more damage than I expected, but it can happen if you hit the right spot.

I was going to ask you what the right spot was Brettski, but I'm afraid that you'd tell me.

Tail feathers will work as a target.

I wouldn't worry about the dog catching the little ones. Last year 2 of my Springers tried for almost an hour to catch one to no avail. Once they got close the goslings dove under the water and popped up 30+ feet away.

A 600 fps pellet rifle will do the trick if you can put the pellet at the highest point of the goose!

Bill Cody calls them flying toilets. Very appropriate don't you think?

Sky Carp!

I expect that most projectile responses would be illegal. However, I would quietly handle my problem with a pellet gun.

Coach B:
You have to get your neighbors to get over the noise thing and explain the e-coli problem the geese cause, not alone the nutrient load. We are in suburbia (Stepfordville) in S.E. Michigan. We purchased launcher guns (pretty cheap) little hand held pistols, and goose cracker shells. We call a designated shooter, he calls the police and tells them he is firing the shells, shoots over the geese (sounds like a shot-gun, but you can also get a screamer shell, sounds like a bottle rocket) the geese fly away, then he calls the police and tells them he is done. Problem solved. Just don't shoot over them if any have lost their flight feathers.

The pellet gun is coming out today along with the dog. I would love to use the noisier options, be we also live in a horse neighborhood. I could just see the headline now, "Stampede Kills Six Because Neighbor Hates Geese."

Unfortunately, my neighbor does not care about their pond. They are hapy to let it algae over and get filled with goose bombs. All I can do is protect my side of the fence. I am also thinking of buying a fake coyote since I am not out there every day.

So, I took that pic of the geese on the garage roof a couple of days ago...
This morning, Dski tells me that she was working out in the yard yesterday and could hear these geese honkin' up a storm real close, but couldn't see 'em...