Fowl experiences

What we refer to here in the desert as winter, is upon us. With the dropping temperatures comes the annual influx of our snowbirds (the winged variety) and all the niceties associated with them. Here at Gainey Ranch Golf Club, our winter population of migratory fowl is diverse. Mallards, wood ducks and Canada geese are the main perpetrators.

When I say “perpetrators,” those of us who contend with this problem know what I mean. As soon as the overseed is up, and sometimes even before, avarian clouds, blocking the sun, swoop down to feast. They not only remove precious seeds and seedlings, they also seem to deposit more than they eat. (Not sure how that works).

Our dilemma is most obvious on our Lakes course and Arroyo course. These feathered feasters eat the turf from the lakes edge inwards, slowed by nothing. If you are unfortunate enough to miss a green you either roll off the tightly nibbled green surround into the lake, or your ball nestles up against a dropping. This makes for an interesting shot and your choice of white slacks questionable. 

Throughout the past few years, we have been on a quest to reduce the number of our winter guests, keeping in mind that total eradication was not realistic or desirable. This is where I read the disclaimer: “All actions taken were within the boundaries of the Migratory Waterfowl Act and none of our feathered floaters were caused any undo stress that might otherwise be construed as harassment.” We have tried various ideas, and here are some of our good and not so good ideas.

Owl on a dowel
The old plastic owl mounted about four feet off the ground on a dowel trick – spaced around the lake’s edge. Effects were immediate and dramatic, though short lived. Ducks and geese all huddled in the middle of the lake for about a week, then figured it out and were up to their old tricks.

Flavored or scented sprays
Grape extracts, jalapeno- or cayenne pepper-based sprays did not work well for us. We had all products out at the same time to try and evaluate results and the fowl seemed to graze from flavor to flavor. 

Alligator head decoys
These floating replicas of a gator head continue to alarm the fowl. Unfortunately, we alarmed some hotel guests also.

We share a lake with a hotel, and the hotel’s management offers evening gondola rides. Apparently, a nighttime romantic cruise was interrupted when the Mrs. dangled her hand over the edge. She felt something hit her hand and looked over the edge to see two beady eyes from the decoy reflecting the faint lights form the shore. Needless to say, the unsuspecting couple from Iowa created quite a commotion while the gondolier pummeled the innocent decoy.
We have since discontinued this practice in the hotel lake.

Call boxes
This product made a lot of sense to me – recordings of actual geese in distress, projected through speakers, strategically placed around the lake. We hooked it up to a marine battery with a timer and had it loop hourly at one-minute bursts. The ultimate in fowl deterrence, sometimes. Other times, especially toward the end of the season, the recordings seemed to incite some sort of goose debauchery dance that culminated in a commotion in the greenside bunker. We could’ve passed for a “Wild America” episode, only in surround sound.

During this time, the hotel became a little frustrated with combination of the call boxes and the natural occurring calls that become quite loud during the more amorous times of spring. Unbeknownst to me, they solicited the help of a small private company (two guys), to remove the geese, maybe.

One morning, at 6 a.m. in the members’ parking lot, I came across a white 1975 Econoline van with Skynyrd’s Free Bird rockin’ away. The doors fly open and out stumble these two … business owners, in a cloud of smoke. Looked like a Cheech & Chong movie. They each had a bag of bread and a net with an 8-foot handle attached. Well, you can imagine who was going to win this epic battle. Twenty hungry, horny geese or the Marlin Perkins wannabes with the munchies.

The guys were kind of holding their own until the call box sounded, then mayhem ensued. The geese went into their ritualistic flapping and strutting and seemed to be put out by the presence of an audience. As if on cue, they all seemed to turn and look at these guys and start hissing and advancing. The assistant and I couldn’t handle it anymore, so we flagged the duo over, and, with tears in our eyes, ask them to leave. We thanked them for the show, but brought to their attention the legality of it all and not to set foot on Gainey property again.

Coyote decoys
We went to an archery catalog for these decoys – molded dense foam, three interlocking pieces, nice detail and very life like. Maybe too life like at times. The decoys elicited all sorts of reactions from members and guests. Even with a letter of introduction, the voicemail had all kinds of messages. “I see a coyote in the same spot every morning. I’ll bet he would be easy to trap.” “There is a coyote that is stalking Fido every morning while I walk the course.” “I had a coyote sneak up behind me while I was fishing in the lake.” Despite the wild packs of coyotes roaming the course, it didn’t seem deter the extracurricular use of the golf course.

Mr. Schmiekel plays nine holes every morning. He is older than 80 and a great guy. He’s in the sunset of his golf career, but always parks his cart on the path and walks to his ball. I usually see him at some point in his round and the other morning was no exception. As he was finishing on No. 9 of the Lakes course, a par 5 with water on the right from about 180 in, I notice he was in the left rough, 150 out, ball about 10 inches below his feet. He took a swipe at it and dead shanked toward the water. The ball smacked one of our strategically placed coyotes broadside and ricochets about two feet away in the rough. Mr. Schmiekel shuffles his way over to his ball, and with another mighty swipe, dead tops his ball into the lake. Without so much as a flinch or a grimace he proceeded to batter the decoy until it fell apart, and then unceremoniously flicks the head into the water with his foot. He shuffled back to his cart dragging his weapon behind him, loaded up, and gave me the old head nod as he drove by me, never finishing the hole. Sometimes I just love being a superintendent.

Seriously though, we have had decent results with decoys as long as they are moved around every other day or so.

As with any of the dilemmas presented to us, there never seems to be one cure all or one pat answer. Usually a combination of tactics, products or strategies is needed to attain our results. I think that’s why I love this profession. We, as superintendents, possess the flexibility and creativity to find answers, even though the questions just keep coming. GCN

Bill Rupert is the golf course superintendent at Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. He can be reached at william.rupert@ourclub.com.