Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Will Geese eat my floating fish food?

I have access to a 2 acre pond that is basically empty I believe, Was going to stock some bigger HSB 8-10 inch. There is a healthy population of geese on the pond, will that make feeding the HSB difficult ? Do the geese go after the hard pellets in your experience?

I've seen ducks go after pellets but never Geese. But then again I run off all the flying toilets that visit my pond.

Geese will eat fish food.

So am I waisting my time stocking hsb and trying to pellet feed given the geese present on the lake? I will not be able to remove them. Today there were probably 20 or so, some days they aren't there but I'd say most days they are some around the pond. If I fed the same time each day I 'd assume the geese would catch on as well or would I be able to get the HSB trained enough to eat most before the geese arrive?

Once they are trained I'd assume the HSB would put a hurting on the feed pretty quickly but if the geese ruin the training that could be a problem.....

thanks

Found this from 2004 archive:
I had so many locally migratory Canada geese (plus 5 resident tame geese) come to my fish feeder that I quit using it. They knew just what times meals were served and would fly in for a big snack. I started hand-feeding but the geese soon lost all fear of me. Even a shotgun using non-lethal shot wouldn't scare them away for long. This year, my neighbor started feeding the wild turkeys and the geese showed up for that, too. Now we have a goose feeding area a little way from the pond on the side opposite of where I feed the fish. Scattering a couple of quarts of cracked corn in the afternoon keeps the geese occupied while the turkeys and fish are fed.

Maybe I could deter the geese when they are present by feeding them something different?

That will work. So will feeding by hand if the Geese are afraid of you.

I haven't tried this but it has a "money back guarantee" and seems simple enough http://www.awaywithgeese.com/awg2_web.nsf?Open

My lake had a couple dozen last year and they'd set up camp around my feeders and chow down. Problem was solved during the September Canada goose season.