How do you get rid of Canada geese?

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Jeff Hower

Ohio Geese Control gets rid of Canada geese with geese deterrents. Successful and cost-effective management of Canada goose activities often depends on identifying the site characteristics most attractive to the geese (e.g., security, food, nesting sites, water). Ohio Geese Control will then design a custom management program based on the potential for reducing these characteristics. Ohio Geese Control strives for an ecological approach to Canada geese management. Choosing techniques while ignoring the biological or behavioral aspects of goose activity will likely not solve the problem.

Our skilled handlers and dogs can be seen working at airports, corporate facilities, parks, home owners associations, apartments, golf courses, universities and hospitals. Currently, we are located in Columbus, Toledo, Sandusky, Akron, Canton and Cleveland.

Watch our video on how Ohio Geese Control works with companies to keep geese away.

Call us at 877-91GEESE (877-914-3373) for a free demonstration.

The Good News and the Bad News

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Jeff Hower

A Mild Start to Winter is Good News for Geese, and Bad News for Property Managers

You may be seeing more geese this winter on your property than usual. The mild weather keeps the water flowing and the grass accessible, which keeps the geese here longer. If you are having issues, please feel free to call us at 1-877-914-3373.

Resident Canada geese are non-migrating geese; you will see them on your property year-round. The geese that stay in our area were never taught the migration patterns, nor will they teach following generations. Over the past 10 years, their populations increase about 1-5% per year, particularly in urban areas where there are few predators, prohibitions on hunting, and a dependable year-round supply of food and water.

Feel free to give us a call if you see geese on site this winter. Ohio Geese Control will continue our efforts to control the geese population in a safe and humane manner.

It’s not too early to think about Spring

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to control the Canada geese population at Ohio Geese Control this year. Spring is just around the corner and it is a critical time of year for Canada geese management. To begin chasing off the resident geese and be there for the migrating geese we need to be in service in February to ensure relocating the geese before they nest. Starting later in the season will increase the chances of goslings at your property.

Call us for a free site visit and demonstration of our skilled handlers and dogs
at 877-914-3373.

Our Service Area is Growing, Again

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Jeff Hower

Ohio Geese Control proudly helps office parks, airports, hospitals, universities, homes owners associations and corporate facilities control those pesky Canada geese problems. We now have routes in Columbus, Toledo, Sandusky, Cleveland, Akron and Canton. And we will soon be seen in the Dayton and Cincinnati areas. Chasing geese away from Columbus is our newest route, and we’ve seen a lot of geese to chase.

Just look for our marked cars and certified goose control staff around your neighborhood. And if you don’t currently see us in your neighborhood, but would like to have us remove the geese from your property, request a free demo. Our geese chasers will be there to help out.

Ohio Geese Control’s mission is to create a healthier and happier environment by humanely managing migratory bird populations. We want you to enjoy your outdoors.

When working with us, you have the peace of mind in knowing that we are reputable, highly trained professionals you can rely on to design a custom geese management program guaranteed to deliver results in a timely and professional manner.

Call us for a free demonstration at 1-877-914-3373

Canada geese issues in the Fall

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Jeff Hower

Once Canada geese migration starts, you can see up to 200 geese on your property at any given time. It is important to harass them right away so that they do not linger and leave their mess behind.

As the weather gets colder, you will see more geese hanging out in parking lots and walkways. The sun heats up the cement and asphalt during the day, and the Canada geese enjoy this warmth, particularly at night. Some of the biggest complaints we hear come from prospects are the issues of geese droppings all over parking lots and sidewalks when employees are just coming to work.

Our staff is trained to look for signs of the geese throughout the day, even if the geese aren’t currently present. If there are excessive droppings consistently in the mornings, this is an indication that the geese like to roost there in the evenings. We never want you coming to work dodging droppings to get in the door. Just call us, and we will put you in our route.

Migration begins in the fall in Northern Ohio. It is important to understand geese migration patterns in order to know how to deter them. Ohio Geese Control’s certified goose management professionals are trained to understand the Canada goose habits, and we will develop a specific action plan to help combat the problems you are having with geese. Just contact us for a free on-site demonstration and we can give you more details.

Ohio Geese Control Dog Olympics

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Each summer our co-workers have the opportunity to show off their skills with our Annual Summer Dog Olympics. It’s not only fun for the handlers and dogs, it is a hoot to watch. It is also a great chance to meet and mingle with all of us here at Ohio Geese Control. We love to show off our border collies’ skills, and show you they can do more than chase Canada geese.

Here are some of the highlights

Musical Hoops: When the music stops the dog needs to sit in the hoola hoop! Last one sitting wins.

Red Light, Green Light: First one to cross the line without getting caught moving during a red light wins.

Doggie Limbo: How low can your dog go?

Doggie Treat Stack: How high can you stack your treats in 60 seconds without tipping them, or your dog eating them.

And the winner is…team Akron. Congratulations Alvin, Tudy and Jack!

Some Snapshots!

The Greatest Act of Kindness and the Simplest Goose Deterrent

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Jeff Hower

Feeding geese will only attract more geese, and more droppings. But it is hard to argue when people enjoy feeding birds, especially the Canada goose. Many organizations like the Humane Society and the Audubon Society promote proper feeding of beloved backyard songbirds. People who love watching geese and ducks at local ponds might think they are being kind by dropping off food for the resident waterfowl.

Feeding bread to waterfowl is NOT kind to the Canada goose or to your neighborhood.

Photo by Catharine Beazley

Bread and similar leftovers (crackers, pastries, popcorn) are easy for people to grab for a quick trip to the park, but are very hard on the geese. In fact, a diet composed of white bread can cause a bone disorder known as “angel wing” in young birds. One or both wrist joints fail to develop properly, and the affected wings will not lie flat against a bird’s body. The disorder is also known as “airplane wing.” Waterfowl with this condition cannot fly.

Animal lover and Ohio Geese Control dog handler Brianna C. often sees geese with this condition at client properties in Toledo. “We care about the well-being of all waterfowl because we are a humane service. It’s painful to watch sometimes when people are throwing bread for the geese. They gobble it down and it’s not good for them.”

Feeding wild canada geese leads to other environmental problems. Canada geese, like all waterfowl, depend on an extremely diverse diet to meet their nutritional needs. They browse in varied environments and nibble at grass, insects, larvae, small mollusks, and aquatic plants. Regular feeding by well-meaning visitors causes geese to congregate and then defecate in the same place where they eat, allowing diseases to spread and affecting water quality.

So if you know someone who’s feeding waterfowl with bread or crackers or other leftovers, see if you can convince them to stop. That’s a true act of kindness.

If geese are preventing you from enjoying the outdoors, let us know and we will kindly offer to help out. And be sure to read about our “No Harm, No Fowl” policy.

Ohio Geese Control Celebrates 10-Year Milestone

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Jeff Hower

Since 2004, we have been helping create a healthier and happier environment across Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Toledo and Sandusky by humanely managing the Canada geese population. Our skilled handlers and specially trained border collies engage in a herd and flight-provoking process as recommended by the Human Society of the United States. The result? Unharmed geese, public grounds that are free of droppings and satisfied customers.

Jeff Hower started managing geese populations in 2000. With 10+ years of golf course management under his belt, he saw a desperate need in an untapped market. One goose produces 1-2 pounds of droppings a day and some properties can attract in upwards of 100 birds at a time. The droppings can pose a health risk and alter the established ecology of the grounds.

Ohio Geese Control posts a high success rate for its services, a main reason we have been able to thrive in a tough economy is because of how the business is built from the ground up. “Our philosophies stem from our love and respect of nature,” notes Jeff Hower. “By laying out a set of core values, we are able to attract the right kind of talent and retain employees who really value their work and our mission. That’s what we are truly celebrating with this 10-year anniversary.”

Find out more about how to get rid of canada geese on your property by watching our video or contacting them for a goose chasing border collie demonstration.

Ohio Geese Control’s No Harm, No Fowl Policy

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Jeff Hower

Ohio Geese Control can help you control your Canada geese population in a safe, humane and highly affective manner. Geese are probably the most adaptable and tolerant of all native waterfowl. As their populations have increased, and man has encroached on their natural habitat, a conflict between man and geese was certainly inevitable.

Canada geese will readily establish nesting territories on any suitable pond, located on a golf course, apartment complex or commercial property. Most people will welcome the first pair of geese. However, in a short time a pair of geese can easily become 50 birds, which causes aggravation as they foul the area (1 to 2 pounds of dropping a day per bird), damage landscaping and become aggressive towards people.

It is possible to control the geese population in a natural way, which will remove the conflict between man and beast. The key to solving the problem is to make your property less attractive to Canada geese — reduce goose food and increase the birds’ wariness of potential danger.

Limit the amount of food sources.

Stop feeding the geese
Let grass grow taller (at least 6 inches)
Keep tall grasses (at least 18 inches) around ponds

Increase wariness of predators on site.

Use dense tall plantings along shorelines
Add variety to landscaping with clumps of taller plantings
Locate ball fields and other grassy expanses as far from open water as possible
Maintain stands of trees so geese do not have easy access to water
Use harassment techniques such as border collies

Border collies’ wolf-like glance and natural ability to herd convinces the geese that there is a predator on site. With consistent use, geese will feel too unsafe to stay at that location. – Jeff Hower, President, Ohio Geese Control, www.ohiogeesecontrol.com

According to The Humane Societ y, the most effective way to scare geese away is with trained goose-herding dogs. Herding dogs convince geese they are not safe from predators. Only trained dogs working with a handler should harass geese. Dogs should never catch or harm geese. For more information on methods of controlling Canada geese populations naturally, contact Ohio Geese Control to set up a custom geese management solution.

For more information and a free site visit for initial consultation and dog demonstration, contact us or call 1-877-914-3373. We want to create a healthier and happier environment by humanely managing migratory bird populations.

Download this document to share with your staff, employees or residents: 3 Step Guide To Get Rid of Geese

Migratory vs. Non-migratory Canada Geese

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Jeff Hower

Resident Canada geese are non-migrating geese; you will see them on your property year-round. The geese that stay in Cleveland, Akron and Toledo areas were never taught the migration patterns, nor will they teach following generations. Over the past 10 years, their populations increase about 1-5% per year, particularly in urban areas where there are few predators, prohibitions on hunting, and a dependable year-round supply of food and water.

Why do they stay?

During the first half of the 20^th century, migratory geese were often captured for use as live decoys, and stayed in our area year-round. By the early 1960’s, the excessive hunting brought the population of Canada geese to near extinction. To counter this near extinction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and many State wildlife agencies began a program of re-population of wild Canada geese. They did this by taking the eggs from the nests of the surviving resident Canada geese and artificially incubated these eggs while the geese laid another clutch (double clutch). These captive geese were also bred in captivity. As a consequence, their descendants do not have the biological need to migrate, they were not taught the migration patterns. Our resident Canada geese in Ohio are the descendants of these captive migratory geese.

Also, the climate is temperate in our area and the water bodies do not freeze for long periods of time, the resident Canada geese have no need to fly south to find open water and grass in the winter. Even when it is 10 degrees Fahrenheit, as long as the geese can find open water, they stay warm. The water is 32 degrees and the geese have down on their bellies and chest, which insulates them from the cold water.

Since we have ideal conditions, and the resident geese are trained to stay in our area, the problem will only increase. If geese are becoming a nuisance on your property during the winter months, please let us know. We are happy to set up a custom program to manage your Canada geese population.

Halloween Dog Costume Contest

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Jeff Hower

Ohio Geese Control is having a costume contest for our goose chasing dogs, and we need your help! Let us know which of our border collies has the best costume, by leaving your comments below.

Our dogs and handlers are highly trained to remove geese from properties that are a nuisance in urban environments. It is great to see them being silly every once in a while.

UPDATE: ALVIN WON 1st PLACE FOR THE COSTUME CONTEST, POPE HOPE CAME IN 2nd, AND JOFF THE CLOWN CAME IN 3rd! THANKS FOR YOUR VOTES!