Encountering geese while you’re walking in a park or out for a jog in nature is quite common. As geese can sometimes be quite aggressive, encountering a goose when you’re not mentally prepared can be really scary. Fear does crazy things to our brains and sometimes alters our abilities to think clearly. With that in mind, you should know exactly what to do when you encounter a goose or geese so that you don’t lose your wits and end up getting bitten by the goose.
So, what should you do when you encounter a goose?
The first thing to keep in mind is that there is a very big difference between a wild goose and a goose that is accustomed to humans. For example, if you’re in a park that sees a lot of geese migration (like many parks in Virginia), you’re likely to encounter what you can loosely describe as a domesticated goose. Of course, it’s not like a pet – but it is definitely more comfortable around humans than its wilder counterparts and will leave you alone as long as you leave it alone. If it’s used to being fed by humans, it might waddle up to you curiously, but will ultimately leave you alone if it doesn’t feel threatened.
On the other hand, if you meet a wild goose, it may automatically be scared of you and try to act aggressively as a result. Knowing how to handle yourself can prevent unfortunate events like getting bit. So, with that in mind, here are some things you should do when you encounter a goose:
- Maintain eye contact: There are some animals that interpret eye contact as a threat, while there are others that interpret it as a sign that they should back off. Geese fall in the latter category. When you encounter a goose, look at it straight in the eye and maintain your ground.
- No sudden movements: Once you have created eye contact and feel as though the goose is concentrating on your eyes, you can start considering backing away. It’s important to make very slow and deliberate movements rather than running away fearfully. This will make sure that the goose does not feel the urge to chase you when you walk away. It will also make the goose feel more secure and less likely to attack you.
- Do not turn your back: Another thing to keep in mind is that you should not turn your back to the goose. Try to walk backward slowly if you are sure of the land that you are walking on. Once you are far away from the bird (like 10 feet), then you can turn away and go down a different path.
- Move at a 90-degree angle: Finally, if the goose happens to attack you, then you need to duck and move at a 90-degree angle to avoid getting hurt. It’s important to realize that the goose may be attacking you as you’ve reached its nesting area. So, getting away from the area as soon as you can is definitely in your best interest.
If your property is overrun by geese, then you need to get in touch with experts for proper geese control. While geese that have been living near humans won’t really harm you, it is always better to get an understanding of whether they need to be removed from your area due to safety concerns. If you want effective and humane geese removal in northern virginia, then click here to get in touch with experts.