Protecting local crops with “Bird Scare Cannon”
Roseville, CA- After receiving reports of the mysterious sound, the Placer County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office investigated and confirmed that several farms northwest of Roseville have over the past few weeks been using a tool called a ‘bird scare cannon’ to keep geese from destroying more of this year’s already heavily damaged crop.
The cannon, or zon gun, is a small, propane-fired device that emits ‘thunderclaps’ to frighten off birds. It does not fire a projectile and is a standard agricultural practice and harmless to the animals.
According to the Placer County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, zon gun use is allowable at night (when geese are feeding) under the county’s right-to-farm ordinance but is seasonal.
They likely won’t be needed any more this year once the crops mature and grow to a point where they are no longer vulnerable to bird damage, probably within several weeks or less.
