Every year during the winter months, yards and lakes across the Hub City become a temporary home to thousands of Canadian Geese. Pete Peterson with the Lakeridge Golf Course said the birds usually flood their course and cause them all kinds of problems.
In years past, they have tried to shoot some shot gun shells to scare them away, but this year they decided to try something else.
“We had one of our guys on the green committee come to our superintendent and told him to put out fake foxes, wolves, and rope,” said Peterson. “We put them all out there and they have made a world of a difference so far.”
Setting up the fake predators, and the ropes helps to deter the birds away from the playing area. Where in years past, the birds nibbled the grass and left droppings. One golfer, Dana Walfer said the course is looking much better since the decoys were installed.
“They are so real looking that sometimes the coyotes get attacked by some of the dogs running loose but they really do a good job and we are tickled that our course is in such good shape and our greens are looking good.”
The course is hopeful that the birds will head home within the next month, but Peterson said they will use the fake foxes and coyotes for future years to come.
