Mute Swans Cancel The title field is required!

1. Jeff Therrien

   

   0 posts
   
   10/27/2011 11:10 AM

   Does anyone have swans for goose control? How is it working for you and what are the challenges? We are considering to purchase two pair of White Mute Swans in the Colorado area. Thanks for any help.

   
   
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   10/27/2011 11:10 AM

   I had a pair of swans, but not for goose control. They do require attention and can be aggressive when nesting. One became ill and had to be taken for treatment. The other covered herself with mud and began pulling her feathers out. When we brought the other one back they fought for a while then settled down.

   
   
   
   
3. Jeff Therrien

   

   0 posts
   
   10/27/2011 11:10 AM

   We are specifically getting them for goose control and they are not cheap. Wanted to know how effective they are. One of our lakes is 8 surface acres and the other about 4.
   
   Jeff Therrien, CGCS
   Colorado

   
   
   
   
4. Smith Kerry L

   
   10/27/2011 3:10 PM

   We bought swan decoys and they worked for a while. eventually the geese figured it out but the theory was proved. Our concern has been how to keep them on our property as we butt up to a large lake on the Brazos River. We do not want to invest just to watch them leave for greener pastures. We have used the bird banger harrassment technique of late and seems to have cut our population by about 70%. Still concidering swans. Let me know how it works.

   
   
   
   
5. Wahlin Scott B

   
   10/28/2011 10:10 AM

   gc5000 said: We are specifically getting them for goose control and they are not cheap. Wanted to know how effective they are. One of our lakes is 8 surface acres and the other about 4.
   
   Jeff Therrien, CGCS
   Colorado

   
   
   You are not getting many responses considering this thread has had over 100 views. I guess you will need to ask the swan supplier for names of courses using them. I will say that if swans do not like geese, the geese probably do not stand a chance. A swan is one freaking aggressive bird that is for sure.

   
   
   
   
6. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   10/28/2011 10:10 AM

   We had a couple of Swans at a golf course that was over run with geese when I was in NJ. It might have been the geese populations, the large ponds and water areas, or the fact our janitor/cart guy would feed the Swans, but they really weren't that aggressive toward the geese. Their wings were clipped but when they grew out they did take off on us.
   
   The dogs seemed to have done a better job, but the geese would just fly off to some school nearby or the park across I - 95 at our 4 courses and they would come back when the athletic fields they were hanging out at had the kids come out to play or practice.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
7. Christopher Lewis

   

   0 posts
   
   10/28/2011 11:10 AM

   Jeff:
   
   Call Mike Burke at Cherry Hills Country Club he has swans in 18 lake. When I was there I remember the geese and the swans being best friends.
   
   Chris

   
   
   
   
8. Ryan McLeod

   

   0 posts
   
   10/29/2011 8:10 AM

   I signed up for the "geese control" webinar through gcsaa. The speaker specifically said swans are not an effective control mechanism for geese control. In fact, she stated that you may be adding to your problems by introducing them because they are large, aggressive birds (especially when nesting).

   
   
   
   
9. Jeffrey Whitmire

   

   0 posts
   
   10/30/2011 8:10 PM

   Do not waste your money. We have had mute swans for over 20 years. We would often find them side by side in the lake. The only time they will get aggressive is when they nest. Even then I think the geese were meaner than the swans.

   
   
   
   
10. Rick Tegtmeier

    

    0 posts
    
    10/31/2011 7:10 AM

    I have raised mute swans for over 2o years now and if you are buying them for geese control, please do not waste your money.

    
    
    
    
11. Jason Cook

    

    0 posts
    
    10/31/2011 10:10 PM

    Jeff,
    
    We had two pair of swans at the course I was at in the Denver Metro area. They can be moderately effective in controlling young goslings (witnessed multiple drownings), but a failure as a deterrent alone for the volume of geese that lakes your size will attract. As mentioned, they can be quite aggressive, which could pose problems. As a mated pair they also become very distraught if something were to happen to the other.
    
    We had to "capture" and house them in the dead of the winter because our lakes would freeze over. The staff could attest to the displeasure of both parties during that time period.
    
    We tried multiple practices for deterrents: grape smelling liquids, owl eye balloons, roping edges of lakes, rubber coyote models, alligator head models, goose chaser noise ammunition, and two dogs. We could chase them to Mike B. @ Cherry during the day, but another flock would arrive by the next a.m.
    
    Jason

    
    
    
    
12. Tod Blankenship

    

    0 posts
    
    11/1/2011 8:11 PM

    I will also say don't spend the money if you are specifically looking for goose control. Our swans and geese seemed to be best of friends. That is until Bunker the dog came out of retirement this summer and she was able to get on the geese. The hardest part has been trying to retrain the dog to only go after the geese.
    
    Between birdbangers and the dog we are relatively goose free and now own 6 swans that we need to look after. We do feed them in the winter and the ownership and golfers like to see them so they are here for the long haul. Their wings are clipped and we have lost 2 to snapping turtles.
    
    Buy a good goose dog and you will be happier.

    
    
    
    
13. Troyer Adam

    
    12/14/2011 12:12 PM

    We have swans and they don't really help with goose control but we have flashing beacons from par aide that work pretty well...solar power charges batteries and lights flash at night