5 Natural and Effective Ways to Keep Pesky Geese Off Your Yard

Listen, there’s nothing wrong with having a couple of geese in your yard every now and then, but sometimes they can be a bit troublesome. They might eat your plants and flowers, leave droppings everywhere, or decide to stomp all over your vegetable garden.

If you want to avoid these problems, it’s best to learn how to keep geese out of your yard. And luckily, there are a few different methods you can try.

Predator decoys like faux coyotes, owls, eagles, and alligator heads can be an effective geese deterrent, according to Ohio State University. However, to get the best results, they must be moved each day and completely visible from all directions — without this extra effort, the decoys will only work for a week or so.

If you find those predators lacking, you could try using a swan decoy. Swans are known to be extremely territorial and aggressive, so geese usually steer clear of them, according to Birds and Wetlands.

Other visual deterrents can also keep geese away. Products that have light-reflecting qualities, bright colors, and large eyespots can be an easy and effective way to deter them. You could use pinwheels, Mylar tape, or reflective garden stakes.

To get the best results, this strategy should be used in conjunction with another. For example, using both pinwheels and predator decoys at the same time would probably be more successful than just using one or the other.

Like many other animals, geese hate certain smells. And one of those smells just happens to come from cayenne peppers, which tend to produce a particularly strong odor and burning sensation, according to Avian Enterprises. Don’t worry, using a DIY repellant won’t harm the geese.

To create a spray at home, simply mix together 6 drops of dish soap, 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper, and 1 gallon of water. Then, spray as needed on your lawn or plants. It’s important to use non-toxic products for this, especially if you’re spraying your own plants.

Geese prefer to have a nice view of their surroundings. When you have a pristine or well-maintained yard, there’s nothing blocking their line of sight — therefore, the geese feel safe enough to hang out in your yard.

This doesn’t mean that you have to make your yard a total mess, though. You can simply add an abundance of tall plants, shrubs, or anything that might get in their way. For some added benefits, you could even create a wildlife habitat — these tend to be a bit more wild and overgrown.

If all else fails, you can adopt a dog. Not only will this keep the geese out of your yard, but it will bring an immense amount of joy into your life. Sure, chasing them away yourself will do in a pinch, but an obedient dog will keep them from coming back.

Border collies are often chosen for the task due to their natural herding tendencies. At the end of the day, the breed doesn’t matter too much — geese aren’t a fan of noise, so barking of any kind will help the cause.