Erect Man-Made Barriers.
Man-made physical barriers fall into two general categories: fences and grids. A common design for a goose fence has two strands of either poly-twine wire (a type of temporary fence wire), polyurethane bailing twine, heavy monofilament fishing line, nylon cord, or even ordinary string strung between short posts. The first strand is placed about 6 inches above the ground, while the second is placed at about 12 inches. Another design uses five strands spaced at 6, 8, 12, 18, and 24 inches above the ground. These barriers are not impossible for geese to cross, but it is inconvenient–and Canada geese dislike being inconvenienced. This type of barrier works best when strung at the water’s edge or around an area that you want to exclude geese. To be effective, the geese should not be able to walk around the fence. If your lake is surrounded by turfgrass, then the fence will have to be strung all the way around the lake.

Grids are made from the same materials as the fences, but strung in a grid pattern over the pond or area from which you wish to exclude geese. The grid pattern should be set up with 20-foot spacing between the lines. Grids are most effective when they are strung a foot or so above the surface of the water, although they can be set higher if access to the area is required. In order to keep the geese from landing nearby and walking into the lake, a fence also will be needed around the perimeter. Grids need to be visible to overflying geese, so bright objects or streamers (e.g., aluminum foil, pie pans, Mylar tape) should be attached to the lines.

Implement Scare Tactics. Scaring is a traditional method for controlling nuisance bird populations. Scare tactics usually involve loud noises, or real or imitated threats to the birds. However, the effectiveness of most scaring techniques on giant Canada geese generally has been disappointing. They seem to be able to adjust to the noise and quickly see through imitation predators. The best option is to be prepared to change methods often and keep the geese from becoming adjusted to any one method.

Scare tactics include:

• Visible repellents, such as flags, helium balloons and scarecrows;
• recorded Canada goose distress calls;
• propane cannons that make a loud noise without discharging a projectile;
• pyrotechnics, such as shellcrackers, whistle bombs, screamer rockets, and noise bombs; and
• trained dogs, especially herding dogs like border collies (either free running, on slip wires, tethered, or under the control of a herder).

Before employing scare tactics, take into consideration all applicable laws, especially those concerning loud noises, firearm and pyrotechnic use, and local animal ordinances. And, don’t forget the potential reaction of your neighbors.

Allow Your Lake to Freeze.
For various reasons, many people maintain an ice-free area of their lake or pond throughout the winter. This, in turn, entices Canada geese to remain on the lake throughout the winter. If the lake is allowed to ice over, the geese will move to a more hospitable water-body. However, shallow lakes and ponds also can create winter fishkills if dissolved oxygen concentrations in the underlying water are low. If you are not concerned about winterkills degrading the fishery in your lake or your lake is not susceptible to winterkills, there may be no need to keep it ice-free all winter. Consultation with a lake expert can help you determine if you need to maintain open water during the winter. In most cases, the lake can be allowed to ice-over in early winter (forcing the geese to move on), and then opened up later in the winter.

Use Repellents.
There is only one repellent currently licensed for use against Canada geese: methyl anthranilate, currently marketed under the trade name ReJeX-iT. Methyl anthranilate is a substance found in Concord grapes and used as flavoring in grape bubblegum. Birds, including Canada geese, dislike the taste and will avoid eating material that has been treated with it. Methyl anthranilate is commercially available in spray form, but requires repeated applications and can become cost prohibitive.

In the past, concentrated geese populations were rounded up and transported to a different area. Translocation of geese in Pennsylvania and in many eastern states is no longer practiced. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has a policy against translocation because it is ineffective; Canada geese are quick to repopulate vacated habitats.

It appears that the ultimate method for giant Canada goose control is population reduction. Hunting may be an option in some areas, especially on larger bodies of water or in less densely populated areas. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency permits special hunting seasons before and after the traditional season. These periods are designed to reduce flocks of non-migratory Canada geese, and are scheduled when few migrant geese are present. These special hunting seasons protect declining numbers of migrant Canada geese populations while controlling the ever-increasing resident Canada geese population. Even if there are laws currently prohibiting hunting in your area, it might be worthwhile to talk to state and local officials about an exception.

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