Canada geese got you down? There are solutions

INDIANA (WLFI) - Whether it’s winter or summer, many people in the area may notice – and get bothered by – a common large, territorial bird. Now, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources wants to help you.

According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), most Canada goose problems occur from March through June (during the nesting season), when geese are especially aggressive, sometimes attacking and nipping at people.

The DNR says geese can also cause a lot of localized damage if many of their young are hatched in one area. After the hatching process goslings are unable to fly for roughly 70 days, so the baby birds and their parents tend to graze near the hatching area during that time.

Goose-induced damage to landscaping can be significant and expensive to repair and replace, while large amounts of goose excrement can render areas unfit for human use.

Plus, if you’ve ever stepped in a big pile of goose dung while trying to enjoy your morning walk, you may want to look into some ways to stifle geese away from your property or neighborhood.

Information on actions residents can take to manage Canada geese problems is available at the DNR’s website.

Solutions can range from habitat modification, to daily goose harassment through noise-making devices, to supporting goose hunting or getting your hands on a DNR trapping permit.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service also lets landowners with the proper registration to destroy resident Canada goose eggs and nests on their property.

You can find more information on registering for federal permission to destroy eggs and nests here. It is against federal law to destroy a Canada goose nest that contains one or more eggs without first getting permission through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife service.

Despite all the options, it’s definitely best to use preventive measures such as habitat modification before geese become a nuisance.