2 totally unrelated questions for the experts out there:

1) 10 acre pond in central NC. Based on forum feedback I purchased a Texas Hunter feeder and installed it on my dock. The bluegill have responded very well and I am currently feeding 12 second cycles 3x per day (morning - noon - evening). The grass carp discovered the food source as well and definitely get their fair share - not sure I can do much about that. More recently the 6 geese that seem to have taken up residence have discovered the feeder and when it goes off they just go to town on the fish food. Im guessing they are getting as much as half of the feed before the fish can get any. FWIW I am feeding Purina Aquamax currently. So - other then the obvious answer (shooting them) - any ideas on how I might dissuade them from the free meal?

2) As we near the time when the bluegill typically start bedding here in my part of NC, it occurred to me that if they are increasingly getting conditioned to hanging out in the general area of the feeder - they might not go to their spawning areas which are in somewhat specific locations in different parts of the pond. Is this a concern? Does anybody recommend curtailing the feeding during spawning time so that the fish will concentrate on reproduction rather then easy meals at the feeder?

Thanks for any insights!

- Cullen