Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for
Date of this Version
April 1987
Abstract
The most common method of resolving waterfowl depredations to small grains is to scare ducks using mechanical scare devices or pyrotechnics. Scaring techniques, however, cause waterfowl to damage, by trampling, up to twice the amount of grain consumed. Conditions such as weather, harvest stage, cultural techniques, farm equipment, length of damage season, availability of alternative feeding sites, and waterfowl population could combine to increase trampling losses. These conditions should be evaluated to determine if large scale scaring projects may actually increase damages to small grains.