Dealing with Egyptian Geese

[Lugh]

Hi all--

Two Egyptian geese have taken up residence on a pond behind my house and, besides honking up a holy racket at all hours of the early morning, they attack my muscovies around feeding time. A town ordinance prevents me from unloading a .40 caliber hollow point on them, as I was first inclined to do, so I have resorted to one of those red ryder single pump bb guns. I'm not necessarily trying to kill them as some of the neighbors like them, I'm just trying to get them to move along.

With that said, I don't want to be cruel. If the bb is penetrating and lodging in their flesh, I don't want to torture them, but seeing as though it's a red ryder and a single-pump gun, I figure it'll never penetrate the feathers and the flesh and will instead give them a nice welt. Anyone have any opinions on this, or, perhaps, a better way of getting rid of these geese?

 

[gawildlife]

I'd figure out how to legally remove them. The bb gun is only going to get you a trip before the judge if the wrong person sees you.

 

[Lugh]

They are considered invasive by Florida Fish & Wildlife, so I am covered by nuisance wildlife statutes. I am tempted to just shoot 'em with a real gun and say a car backfired.

 

[gawildlife]

Then do that. I do nuisance work for a living. If you're authorized to remove then do so, pinging with a bb gun can be considered cruelty by some. Believe me it's a very fine line we walk these days.