How To Determine the Most Effective Geese Deterrent Systems for Your Property?

Geese can quickly become a major nuisance for commercial properties, leaving behind waste that damages rooftops and landscaping as well as creates human health and safety risks. While there are many products and services on the market that promise to deter geese, many of those solutions do not have the expected effect. Choosing the right solution depends on factors like nuisance goose behavior, labor availability, property size and features, and budget.

At Wild Goose Chase (Migratory Bird Management), we specialize in tailoring geese deterrence strategies to meet the specific needs of each site. Unlike other goose management companies, what sets us apart is our practice of providing observation and analysis before prescribing solutions.

Wild Goose Chase specializes in bird control, and we only recommend solutions that are proven to keep geese off your property. This guide covers the most effective deterrent methods, explaining what they are, why they work, and how we evaluate when to recommend them.

Dog Handling Services: Turnkey Geese Management 

What It Is 

Dog handling services use trained Border Collies to patrol and chase geese off a property in a humane and highly effective manner. These trained dogs utilize their natural herding instincts to make geese feel unsafe, discouraging them from returning.

An experienced canine handler bring the dog to a site on a routine yet varied basis, ensuring geese do not habituate. Unlike other deterrents, geese view Border Collies as a legitimate predatory threat, making this method one of the most effective long-term solutions.

 

Why It Works 

• Geese perceive Border Collies as predators – This taps into their instinct to avoid predatory threats, forcing them to relocate. Border Collies’ herding behavior mimics natural threats, making geese feel unsafe without causing harm.

• Consistent presence discourages geese from returning – Randomized patrol schedules prevent geese from adapting to the deterrent. Regular visits reinforce the idea that the area is no longer a safe nesting or feeding ground.

• Complies with wildlife protection laws – Unlike other geese deterrent tactics, dog handling is humane and does not harm the birds. The dogs chase the birds off the property, but they are trained to not harm or hurt geese, making this method a humane solution for long-term geese control.

Best For 

Dog handling is an ideal choice for properties that are not equipped with an active labor force onsite to personally manage geese deterrence. Because this geese deterrent service is fully managed by our professionals, property owners and managers do not have to worry about training or implementing deterrents themselves.

Additional Benefits: 

• No upfront cost – Dog services are billed monthly, allowing for flexible budgeting.

• Suitable for multiple property types, including commercial offices, light industrial warehouses, corporate campuses, HOAs, hospitals, golf courses, and more.

Handheld Lasers: On-Demand Geese Control 

What It Is 

Handheld lasers are a humane geese deterrence method that uses a concentrated beam of green light to disrupt geese activity. The laser mimics a physical threat, startling geese and forcing them to vacate the area. This method is highly effective for properties where on-site staff can actively manage geese populations.

While there is a one-time, upfront cost to purchase the laser, handheld lasers offer a long-term solution with minimal maintenance, making them a cost-effective choice over multiple seasons. They are especially useful for targeting specific problem areas or covering large areas, allowing property managers to take control of their geese deterrence efforts without relying on external services.

 

Why It Works 

• Geese interpret the laser as a physical danger – The movement of the laser across the ground or water is interpreted by geese as an approaching threat, triggering their flight response. This method conditions geese to associate the area with danger, encouraging them to relocate.

• Highly targeted approach – Lasers allow users to control exactly where and when deterrence is applied. This makes them ideal for properties with designated problem zones or larger areas to cover, such as golf courses, school campuses, agro-processing facilities, water treatment plants, and more.

• Minimizes human-wildlife conflict – By avoiding physical barriers or loud noises, handheld lasers provide a quiet and discreet solution that won’t disrupt nearby residents or businesses.

Best For 

Handheld lasers are best suited for properties with onsite labor available to actively manage geese control. Since handheld lasers require manual operation, they work well for properties where staff can be trained to use them effectively.

Additional Benefits: 

• While the initial purchase price is higher, the lack of recurring costs for alternate deterrence methods such as dog handling makes this a budget-friendly option for long-term geese control.

• Suitable for multiple property types, including industrial manufacturing, food processing, golf courses, sports fields, school campuses, and more.

Automated Lasers: Continuous Geese Control 

What It Is 

Automated lasers are a humane geese deterrence method that uses a concentrated beam of green light to disrupt geese activity. The laser mimics a physical threat, startling geese and forcing them to vacate the area.

While there is a one-time, upfront cost to purchase the laser, automated lasers offer a long-term solution with minimal maintenance, making them a cost-effective choice over multiple years. They are especially useful for targeting specific problem areas or covering large areas, allowing property managers to take control of their geese deterrence efforts without relying on recurring external services.

Why It Works 

• Geese interpret the laser as a physical danger – The movement of the laser across the surface or water is interpreted by geese as an approaching threat, triggering their flight response. This method conditions geese to associate the area with danger, encouraging them to relocate.

• Highly customized  24/7 deterrence – Lasers allow users to control exactly where, when, and how often the geese deterrent is applied. This makes laser bird deterrence ideal for properties with designated problem zones or larger areas to cover, such as industrial agricultural facilities, broiler farms, egg farms, dairy farms, food processing facilities, bio-processing facilities, industrial properties, commercial properties, water treatment plants, and more.

• Minimizes human-wildlife conflict – By avoiding physical barriers or loud noises, automated lasers provide a quiet and discreet solution that won’t disrupt employees, nearby residents, or businesses.

Best For 

Automated lasers are best suited for properties that have little or zero tolerance for nuisance geese and/or the problem areas and timing of the problem are not readily accessible for servicing (e.g., rooftops, reservoirs).

Additional Benefits: 

• While the initial purchase price is higher, the lack of recurring costs for alternate deterrence methods makes this a budget-friendly option for long-term geese control.

• Suitable for multiple property types, including such as industrial agricultural facilities, broiler farms, egg farms, dairy farms, food processing facilities, bio-processing facilities, industrial properties, commercial properties, water treatment plants, and more.

Flight Control Taste Deterrence: Grass Turf Protection 

What It Is 

Flight Control is an invisible, liquid turf treatment that makes grass unappetizing to geese. Once applied, geese quickly learn to avoid treated areas, reducing their presence on the property. This geese deterrent method is especially effective when used in combination with other deterrents, reinforcing the idea that the area is no longer a safe or a desirable feeding ground.

Flight Control is best suited for properties where geese are primarily drawn to grassy spaces, such as corporate lawns, parking lot islands, parks, landscaping, and golf courses. Because it remains effective around the clock, it offers a low-maintenance, seasonal solution for geese control without requiring active human intervention.

Why It Works 

• Creates an unpleasant experience for geese – The active ingredient causes mild digestive discomfort, teaching geese to avoid treated grass. Over time, geese recognize the treated area as an undesirable food source and seek out alternative locations.

• Provides 24/7 deterrence – Unlike manually controlled methods such as dog handling or handheld laser, Flight Control works continuously. Once applied, it remains effective regardless of weather conditions or time of day, making it a reliable option for persistent geese problems.

• No visual or physical disruption – Ideal for properties that want an unobtrusive solution. Since it does not rely on fences, loud noises, or physical barriers, and cannot be seen by humans, it seamlessly integrates into the landscape without altering aesthetics.

Best For 

Flight Control is an excellent geese deterrent option for properties with grass areas that need constant protection from geese. Flight control as a standalone geese deterrent solution can be cost prohibitive when applied to large surface areas. As such, we generally recommend it as a targeted solution in combination with other deterrence methods such as a handheld laser or dog handling.

Additional Benefits: 

• No upfront cost – services are billed by application, allowing for flexible budgeting.
• Most economical when applied to targeted areas rather than large open grounds.

Choosing the Right Solution for Your Property 

Each of these deterrent methods has unique strengths, and the best choice depends on your property’s needs. Here’s a quick recap:

• Dog Handling Services – Best for properties without available labor and need turnkey, full-service geese deterrence.
• Handheld Lasers – Ideal for properties with available staff who can actively manage geese deterrence.
• Automated Lasers – Ideal for properties that have little or zero tolerance for nuisance geese and/or are in need of highly customized, continuous geese deterrence.
• Flight Control Taste Deterrence – A great passive solution that works continuously to address goose issues on grass, especially when used in targeted areas.

At Wild Goose Chase, we understand that every property is unique. Our team of bird management and geese deterrent experts will evaluate your site and build a custom geese deterrence plan that balances effectiveness and cost.

Contact Wild Goose Chase today to discuss your property’s needs and find the best geese deterrent solution for you!