Westglen Woods Newsletter

Don't you think the neighborhood should adopt a policy or spend some money to reduce the geese population around our pond. Other pond owners such a hospitals, golf courses, and parks spend a lot of time and money reducing the geese. If we don't join the fight, our pond will become an overpopulated geese refuge.

By JP

helpful article from Mo CC

Conservation Commission of Missouri.

http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=CONTROLLING+GEESE+IN+SUBDIVISION+POND/v=2/SID=e/TID=F568_76/l=WS1/R=1/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=0/;_ylt=Atwck7cwDpYz0vbd0_P4RJBXNyoA/SIG=12c5j8l2t/EXP=1119887821/*-http%3A//mdc.mo.gov/landown/wild/nuisance/w_geese/gc-geese

Prevention is the best way to avoid problems with geese. A key ingredient for alleviating damage is for neighbors or affected property owners to cooperate. A compromise between those who attract geese and those who do not want them around is often the best practical solution. The following section offers advice on methods of controlling damage by geese once a problem develops. Legal Status. Giant Canada geese are migratory waterfowl and subject to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service jurisdiction. It is unlawful to kill, hunt, sell, purchase or possess migratory birds except as permitted by federal regulations. Federal law also prohibits the destruction of the eggs or nests of migratory waterfowl. Permits are not required to harass or scare depredating waterfowl. Eliminate Attractions. Most problems develop when geese are encouraged by feeding or when artificial nesting structures are constructed. Control has little chance of sustained success unless attractants are eliminated. Feeding must be stopped. Neighboring property owners must agree to stop feeding before control is initiated. Some communities and homeowners' associations have passed regulations prohibiting the feeding of waterfowl in their jurisdictions. This prevents feeding by a few well-meaning individuals from nullifying the control efforts of the majority of the neighborhood. Artificial nesting structures should be removed to reduce production of more geese. Woven wire fencing, or planting closely spaced trees or shrubs and allowing shoreline vegetation to grow will also discourage geese from walking to nearby mowed areas.

and another

http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/conmag/1998/02/60.htm

some highlights

Don't feed geese, at least on purpose. Offering them bread, popcorn or other human foods will only entice them to your lawn and aren't good for the geese. These foods lack balanced nutrients, which goslings need to develop strong wings. Geese with deformed wings can't fly.
Federal guidelines allow people to harass nuisance geese, except when they are incubating eggs. You can't declare all-out war, but you may use the following: fireworks, gas exploders, firearms, pistol-launched whistle bombs, balloons, flags, reflective tape, swan or eagle decoys, spotlights and Canada goose distress tapes.
Don't forget to alert the police and your neighbors, or you may be explaining your tactics to a judge. Another note: If using firearms, make sure it is legal to discharge them within your city limits. Shoot in a safe direction and don't fire directly at the problem birds.

Hunt in season, if the law allows it. Although many urban and residential areas do not allow shooting firearms, some permit bow hunting.
Create physical barriers that obstruct the flightless goslings' path from the shore to the water. A low fence at the water's edge may discourage geese from nesting. A grid of monofilament line placed over a pond can keep geese from landing on the water.
If you try the above methods and the population of geese continues to grow, the federal government may issue you permits to treat eggs in a nest so they won't develop into goslings. This can be done by coating the eggs with oil or by shaking them. Completely removing the eggs doesn't work because the geese most likely will renest.

heres how Douerty Lake addressed

Goose Control
http://www.doughertylake.org/trusteeminutesarchive.html

Mike attended a Missouri Conservation Department seminar on goose control. Controlling geese is difficult, since once a goose establishes laying its eggs in a certain location, it will continue to use that location for its 20-year life span. The goose population can be limited by preventing the eggs from hatching. A spray can be applied to do this.