Another approach that isn’t realistic to use when golfers are on the course is shooting off noisemakers and fireworks. They can be dangerous and tend to scare off a lot more than just the geese.
Bolstad and Blatteau said they’d heard of country clubs and other free-standing golf courses having success using dogs to chase the geese away — perhaps to a neighboring and competing golf club! But neither had heard of a hotel going this route.
Because of the expense involved, hotel management took considerable time arriving at its decision to get Jenna, Blatteau said. He estimates the initial investment totaled $5,000, which included acquiring Jenna, creating comfortable housing with an outdoor run, food, and care.
“This Border Collie is a non-aggressive dog. They don’t try and catch the geese, which is important because they’re a protected species and it’s against the law to harm them,” Blatteau explained.
“I believe we’ve found the most humane way of dealing with the geese and all that comes with them,” Bolstad added.
When the golf course is open for play, Jenna starts her day around 5:30 a.m. Always in the company of a staff member, she’s out for four or five hours at a stretch. During the off season, especially when the winter weather sets in, she seems to prefer the warmth of the golf course superintendent’s office and the attention from Blatteau and his staff. She’s even taken a liking to Frankie, a domestic shorthair cat that was “top dog” until Jenna showed up. Blatteau said the cat called the golf course home long before he was hired.
