Canadian Geese

[samadams21]

Looking for a bit of advice… 

I have recently been asked to take care of some geese at the local golf club. Due to noise they have asked if I could use a rifle.

I am able to get with 60 yards, so would plan to take head shots with the 17hmr. 
 

Now, I know this not sporting but it is pest control. 

Seems to be good for General License as they will be taken for public safety (golfers) 
 

my question is dose anybody currently do this with rifles? 
 

I have seen this topic has been questioned before but not recent. 

[Stonepark]

22lr with subsonics would be quieter and fine to use.

17hmr even with moderator still makessupersonic crack.

Legal to use rifle but you only get 1 bird at a time.

[Stonepark]

If you are going to use rifle, take the bird at the back of the flock (furthest from you) as the supersonic bullet going through the flock will give the rest a good scare and deter them from returning.

[Penelope]

38 minutes ago, Stonepark said:

If you are going to use rifle, take the bird at the back of the flock (furthest from you) as the supersonic bullet going through the flock will give the rest a good scare and deter them from returning.

Thought that would have been the idea; shot a few, scare the bejesus out of the others so they think twice in returning.

[samadams21]

I had heard that once scared they may not return. So glad hear it’s true.

 

thanks for the responses guys! 

[Gas seal]

Hi yes it’s the loud thud and the birds flapping wings that scare the rest of the birds. Canada geese can be semi tame and it may take a few days shooting them to deter them. When I shoot crows with a rifle I try to shoot one when there are a few nearby and when they see or hear one shot they don’t return .

[jall25]

24 minutes ago, Gas seal said:

Hi yes it’s the loud thud and the birds flapping wings that scare the rest of the birds. Canada geese can be semi tame and it may take a few days shooting them to deter them. When I shoot crows with a rifle I try to shoot one when there are a few nearby and when they see or hear one shot they don’t return .

Its so funny how we are all so different isnt it

I would want them to return so i can shoot them too

[Goldfish]

Yep, do it all the time, its pest control so whatever works for the situation but a head shot with the 17 or body them with a 223, whatever you have will do the trick, not sporting but then its not meant to be.

You might get one or two per trip, they will soon get the message

If they are used to golfers you might be good for a walk into them with a shotgun to start off with, if they are on water they are very slow to get up.

Edited September 30, 2022 by Goldfish

[Pushandpull]

Just by the by, they are Canada Geese, rather then " Canadian".

[scouser]

never had goose, is it true that canada,s don,t taste very nice.

[Walker570]

50 50 mix with belly pork made into sausages.

[holloway]

My Mrs does a nice slow casserole with them .I like it .

[Walker570]

Had some Canadas coming onto a small pond not big enough to call a lake and we wanted to harvest a few.  Lamped them at night with a red filter and a 22RF sub sonics. The most got before they took off was three and one of those was body shot.     I still would favour a 22RF sub sonics if the background was safe.

[Weihrauch17]

1 hour ago, scouser said:

never had goose, is it true that canada,s don,t taste very nice.

Yes they taste awful and stink the house out cooking them.

[Gas seal]

The old joke place a Canada goose in the oven on a London brick. When it’s cooked throw away the goose and slice the brick and serve with potatoes. Canada geese are good to eat, better early in the season. Some geese will pen and ink , the ones from the estuary shot later in the season and cooked whole in the oven. Lamping geese or any bird isn’t allowed. 

[Dekers]

I do quite a few Canada Geese and the vast majority with rifle.

.22Lr Subs are certainly not first choice for me, even for close geese, but can be made to work if you deliver them to the right place.     HMR gets an outing sometimes, but again, in the right place, head or chest tends to work well, those feathers at the back can cause lots of issues with .22LR or HMR.

My go to for them for PEST CONTROL is the .22WMR, hit them virtually anywhere and they just fall down, very rarely have the need to use CF, but I have been known to.

I see a few saying .22LR and subs, if it works for you then fine, but Pest Control wise, the WMR allows very quick shooting with little precision required for a good bag!

 

[ShootingEgg]

On 29/09/2022 at 14:06, samadams21 said:

I had heard that once scared they may not return. So glad hear it’s true.

 

thanks for the responses guys! 

It works, I've done it for a local course for a few years, drop a few then you see none after that

[mmamonster]

22 lr when they are on the ground, if in the air shotgun.

 

[samadams21]

Thank you all for the advice. Very helpful .

On 30/09/2022 at 20:40, Pushandpull said:

Just by the by, they are Canada Geese, rather than " Canadian".

Now I feel stupid…and can’t change the title 😂

Went out yesterday morning with the .17hmr, 1 head shot and down.  80 yards away so no problem. 

but everything else stayed on the lake even after the first shot they only moved about 10 yards. As it’s a golf course no birds can be left on the water (Wouldn’t be my preference either) and I have to be gone by 7am. So this is my next problem… 

Edited November 20, 2022 by samadams21

[ehb102]

Canada goose breast is delicious. Ten minutes breast skin down in a cast iron pan, ten minutes in the oven on high (put into cold baking tin skin up) and rest ten minutes. Serve with apple sauce or a sliced up version with cinnamon, raisins and red wine. Like a decent steak. 

[simcgunner]

we breast them and use a slow cooker in apple cider.

 

[Nuke]

On 02/10/2022 at 18:59, scouser said:

never had goose, is it true that canada,s don,t taste very nice.

I don't eat any wild goose, tried Canada and Greylag, can't stand the taste so I won't shoot any.

/Markus

[shawn9914]

Can you shoot greylags i thought not???? 

[Centrepin]

2022 General licence, 2023 I believe is the same. You may have to apply for permission to shoot Greylag?

 

[Dave-G]

I've never shot geese but what I see with rabbits is they can locate the source of subsonic .22lr shot but cannot locate the source of a sonic crack - so they'll sit longer.