Is It Legal to Destroy Canadian Geese Eggs or Nests in Indiana?

I should warn you, this topic will ruffle some feathers. (Sorry, the pun actually fits here) The question of what to do about the flocks of Canada geese in the city limits of Evansville, Indiana is quite a hot-button topic.

emmy-gaddy-PfLsfE1qiME-unsplash

Is it Canadian or Canada?

I will still call them Canadian geese, but the experts say that the proper name for them is Canada geese. Weird, I know. Whatever you call them, spring is the time of the year when they start to lay eggs and nest. Geese gather and make their nests wherever they feel like. This is where the problem begins.

Duck, Duck. Goose!

It's all fun and games until you get pecked on the ear by a goose! Yes, that happened to me outside of a business. I promise that I did not do anything to provoke the mamma goose. I didn't even make eye contact.

Some people say you should just let them be, but if you've ever been chased or nipped by a goose, you probably have a different opinion. If you own a business and the geese are leaving droppings everywhere or laying eggs, it can become a safety issue for your customers.

What Can Be Done?

Geese like to be fed, but that signals them to stay around populated areas. So, the first tip is to not feed them. The geese can only be trapped and relocated during June and July, and you must have a permit. You can also try to scare them away, as long as you don't harm them, and they are not in a nest with eggs.

Photo: canva geese

Is it Legal to Destroy Goose Eggs?

This is a very important fact - It is not legal to destroy goose eggs if one of them has started to hatch (Pipping).

If pipping has occurred, it is illegal to destroy any eggs in that nest. You must allow that entire nest to hatch.

All Canada goose nest and egg destruction activities require a permit through the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The free registration form is available HERE.

DNR Expert

Jessica Merkling is an Urban Wildlife Biologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife, and she was able to answer all of my goose questions.