Legally Removing Canada Geese

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Canada geese are a protected species under state and federal law. It is illegal to hunt, kill, sell, purchase or possess Canada geese except according to Georgia's migratory bird regulations or other federal permits. However, there are a variety of methods for handling situations before they become an issue:

Harassment: Landowners who don’t want geese on their property should first try a variety of harassment techniques. Various devices, such as reflective tape, scarecrows or even decoys of predators (like coyotes), can help discourage geese from using certain areas. Motion-activated sprinklers or loud noises (like recordings of predator calls) can also be effective. Now is the ideal time to act. At this time of year, geese are still in the process of choosing where to settle, making it an excellent opportunity to discourage them from nesting in areas where they might cause issues. These methods do require consistency from the property owner and are not always 100% effective.


Reduce Goose Reproduction: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued regulations that allow for additional control measures, apart from harassment techniques and traditional hunting, to help address human-goose conflicts. One of those regulations is a permit for reducing goose reproduction through nest and egg removal OR egg addling or oiling to prevent the eggs from hatching.

“These permits provide a legal way to disrupt geese from nesting in specific areas, which can help keep the population from growing too large through years of unchecked reproduction,” says Nitschke.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permits are available at epermits.fws.gov/eRCGR/geSI.aspx. Their website also contains useful information on the methods for addling or oiling the eggs or removing the nests, and when each method may be appropriate.

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