Why Do Geese Love Golf Courses?
Do you have a goose problem at your golf course? You’re probably wondering, “Why here? Of all the places these birds could choose to call home, why have they picked my golf course?” Here are a few reasons why geese love to hit the links:
Open spaces
Geese love open spaces. Wide-open spaces allow geese to spot predators before they get too close.
Water
Geese love areas with large bodies of water. Ponds provide geese with safety from predators that can’t swim. And who doesn’t like to go for a dip on a hot summer day?
No predators
Geese love golf courses because there aren’t many predators living on them. You won’t see many wolves, foxes, raccoons, or bears when you’re teeing off.
Plenty of food
Geese aren’t allowed in the clubhouse, but they don’t mind. There’s plenty of food for them on the course. Geese graze on your golf course’s freshly mowed grass and pond vegetation.
These conditions make golf courses perfect for Canada geese. You’ve built a goose paradise! Unfortunately, geese usually return to the same nesting site year after year. Since Canada geese can live to be 25 years old, this can be a big problem for golf course superintendents.
Looking for a solution?
Go Geese Go: Humane Canada Goose Control
Our geese control services are perfect for golf courses. We use highly-trained border collies to scare Canada geese off your property. Here’s how it works:
- When you choose Go Geese Go to take care of your goose problem, we visit your property twice a day with our highly trained herding dogs.
Our dogs “herd” the geese, which makes them think a predator is stalking them. - Once our border collies have established themselves as the “owners” of your property, the geese learn to stay away. Our dogs establish your golf course as their “turf.”
- We don’t capture and transport the geese off your property; the birds are scared away and conditioned to nest elsewhere.
Are you a golf course superintendent with a goose problem? We’d love to help. Contact us today to set up a no obligation consultation.
Why Goose-Herding Dogs?
Here are just a few of the reasons why our bird herding service is one of the best goose control methods for your golf course:
It’s the most effective method
According to the Humane Society of the United States, the most effective goose control method is to use trained goose-herding dogs. There are a lot of other goose control methods like decoys and noise devices, but geese are smart and will eventually learn that they don’t pose a threat.
It’s humane
The birds aren’t harmed when we use our goose-herding dogs to remove them from your property. The birds are simply conditioned to think your golf course isn’t a safe place to live. Our border collies establish your golf course as their “turf.”
It’s easy
Call Go Geese Go and we’ll handle the rest! We’ll work with you to choose the best times to visit your golf course, and we’ll do our best to stay out of your golfers’ way. If you ask one of our pups nicely, they might even fetch that Titleist you sliced!
Why Remove Geese from Your Golf Club?
Having a few birds on your golf course might not seem like a big deal, but they can multiply quickly. Here are a few reasons why you should remove Canada geese from your golf course:
They damage turf
Canada geese can significantly damage your golf course’s turf. When they feed, they grasp sections grass with their little bills and tear it upward.
They poop…a lot
A single goose can produce 2 pounds of poop per day. Goose droppings muck up your course and are a nuisance to golfers.
They can spread disease
Geese carry bacteria, viruses, and parasites, making it possible for them to spread diseases. These nasty presents are shed through their bites, feces, and nasal discharge.
They can be aggressive
Canada geese are very territorial, especially during nesting season in the spring. They’ve been known to scream, hiss, and attack if you get too close to their nests. This puts your golfers at risk of injury.
Other Goose Control Methods for Golf Courses
There are other goose control methods you can try alone or in conjunction with a goose herding service. Goose control methods typically fall into one of three categories:
Goose repellants
Liquid goose repellents like Flight Control can be very effective. When geese eat turf treated with the repellent, they experience temporary digestive irritation, which conditions them to travel elsewhere for food.
Some liquid goose repellents also have a UV marker in them. Since geese and other birds can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, the areas treated with repellent look different to them. The birds eventually learn to not eat this grass because it upsets their stomachs.
Contact us today to learn more about liquid goose repellents. We can help you choose the right repellent for your golf course.
Habitat alterations
You can also try habitat alterations like:
- Removing birdfeeders or wildlife feeders
- Asking golfers not to feed the birds
- Installing nets or wiring over your golf course’s ponds
- Installing strategic landscaping like tall, dense plantings to make the geese think there are predators lurking in them.
Unfortunately, many habitat alterations aren’t practical for golf courses. Geese will always have enough grass to eat, and some habitat alterations may negatively affect the appearance of your golf course.
Contact us today to learn more about habitat alterations.
Scare tactics
There are a lot of predator decoys and audio goose deterrents on the market, but they can be distracting and disruptive on a golf course. Some golf courses have started installing laser emitters in their lakes to scare geese away.
Contact us today to learn more about goose scare tactics for your golf course. We follow the goose control industry closely and can keep you up-to-date on the latest solutions.
Contact Us Today
Ready to ban Canada geese from your golf course? Contact Go Geese Go today to learn more. Some of our other favorite properties to work with include:
- Corporate campuses
- Class “A” office buildings
- Shopping centers
- Hospitals
- Medical facilities
- Industrial facilities
- Apartment complexes
- Parks and recreation facilities
- Athletic fields
We currently serve the Central Ohio area as far north as Polaris, east to Pataskala, south to Groveport, west to Hilliard, and northwest to Marysville.
Call us today to schedule your no obligation consultation: (614) 841-GONE
Email: info@gogeesego.com
Hours: M-F 8 am – 6 pm