rolanstones
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2013
Posts: 95
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Post by rolanstones on Oct 21, 2013 20:59:39 GMT -5
This juvenile Heron has not learned to stay the frick out of my yard yet, and seems to have very little fear. I have over the last 3 days had to keep diligent watch for him, and send the dogs after him, throw stones (not good ones), and constantly shoo him away. I usually enjoy wild visitors and even encourage them, but the Herons, Egrets, and Kingfishers are not welcome. My pond is their intended quarry. They will sit at the edge and pick off mosquito fish as fast as they can spot them. That is not the main concern however because although my Koi are too big to swallow, they will still stab them with their beak which kills the Koi. I have over 4500 gallons, and 39 Koi worth somewhere between $8,000. and $12,000. I have had some of these fish for over 12 years, and they will likely outlive me by 75+ years. I think I will need a wrist rocket if he does not vacate soon. This is the culprit, sitting on the roof until I leave the area.....  These are the targets of his intent..... 
 And one of the pond itself.  |
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Oct 21, 2013 21:07:25 GMT -5
That's a beautiful pond and your koi are amazing! And properly adorned with rocks around it too...sorry about you having bird troubles. I have no idea what to do about that. :/
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Oct 21, 2013 21:22:38 GMT -5
I use a shotgun. Or my wife will use it on me.
The juveniles are relentless. They will poke holes in your liner too.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 21, 2013 21:27:54 GMT -5
My dentist has a pond outside her office with fish. She is down near the beach. They had to put some bird netting over the pond to keep birds from getting their fish.
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rolanstones
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2013
Posts: 95
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Post by rolanstones on Oct 21, 2013 22:24:33 GMT -5
I use a shotgun. Or my wife will use it on me. The juveniles are relentless. They will poke holes in your liner too. I live on the edge, with the montains behind me, but still within city limits, so anything that shoots would freak my neighbors totally. I was once fairly accurate with a wrist rocket so that would be my first choice. Plus the fact that I don't like to kill a predatory bird if I can successfully dissuade him from coming around. So far, I have evicted the usual possums, racoons, and other furballs, shooed off a few bobcats, and left the rest alone. Rattlesnakes are the only critter's I have intentionally killed in the yard, basically because my dogs would get bit, and I don't trust my ability to catch one without getting struck myself. I usually only see adult Herons or Egrets, and they won't stick around when the dogs chase them off. This juvinile will move just above where they can reach and sit there. I hit him with a thrown rock twice (my aim is not too bad for a 60 year old fart) but that does not seem to be enough. Liner puncture is not a problem. The whole thing was done in a spray on polyuretha called"Uber Liner" like the stuff they use to coat truck beds. I could hop in there with golf cleats on and do no damage. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Oct 21, 2013 22:38:58 GMT -5
A pellet rifle will eradicate it. I hate killing things too. Sometimes wildlife gives you little choice.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,503
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 22, 2013 8:36:58 GMT -5
We had Great Blue Heron problems back in California and had to net over our pond. Just a warning, all herons are protected species and carry a big fine if someone turns you in for shooting one. Wildlife control was my main job at the AG dept. Not as expensive as having your fancy koi eaten but I'm just saying, be careful not to get caught. Usually exclusion is the only "legal" viable method of preventing predator damage in fish ponds....Mel
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Oct 22, 2013 8:57:26 GMT -5
Good point Mel. I should have given that caution. My fish are no where as nice as those! Water snakes eat my goldfish. A creek 80 feet away in the front and another 200 feet away in the back yard. They are difficult to protect against. A couple of limby Japanese Maples works wonders to discourage heron landings. Or another choice that has 6-10 foot limbs partially shading the pond and 5-8 feet above the water. But a braver tame heron or young one can be very persistent and be bold. You can get a Scarecrow. I used them for years on deer. scarecrowsprinkler.org |
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rolanstones
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since August 2013
Posts: 95
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Post by rolanstones on Oct 22, 2013 9:22:02 GMT -5
Thanks for the suggestions. I really have no intention of killing the bird, just a few good whacks to reinforce the "go away" motivation. I have a retractable sun shade over the pond, and the yard is a jungle of branches and trees, so it is not like this is an easy access area. He has far better open water access less than 1/2 mile from me in the settling reservoirs. This is probably why they come here to start with. Usually the herons do not like to try to come into my yard because there is no easy open area for take off. Netting would be a nightmare because my dogs all think the pond water tastes like ambrosia, and are known to go for a swim on warm days. I do not want to come home and find a drowned dog all tangled up in a net. I also like to look at the fish, not a leaf covered net.
Homemade slingshot is on the "to do" list today, unless he does not come around. They are also very territorial, so if I could find my dummy Heron in the garage, I could put it out again......
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575 
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Post by grayfingers on Oct 22, 2013 10:02:32 GMT -5
Beautiful pond, and fish! Hope you don't mind some humor. . . reminded me of a video I saw a couple weeks ago. A German guy built a home-made slingshot. . . Cool design, but ya gotta be careful what ya shoot. lol Warning, a band-aid is needed. . . www.liveleak.com/view?i=f9b_1380313509 |
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unclesoska
freely admits to licking rocks
All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold!
Member since February 2011
Posts: 934
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Post by unclesoska on Oct 22, 2013 11:24:30 GMT -5
You claim you don't want to kill the Heron, just whack it a little. WTF do you expect for consequences? An injured bird that is now easy prey to predators. Let something else do your killing for you? What kind of person builds a Koi pond in the middle of natural habitat. Might as well hang a sign for the predators "All-you-can-eat Fish". The Great Heron is a magnificent bird, been around as long as your koi. He has a right to hunt and eat for survival. Why not build a bridge and enclosure over your pond so you can still enjoy the koi, and the Heron can find new hunting ground. If you can afford the fish, surely you can afford to protect them without causing harm to other LIFE.
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Tom
fully equipped rock polisher
My dad Tom suddenly passed away yesterday, Just wanted his "rock" family to know.
Member since January 2013
Posts: 1,557
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Post by Tom on Oct 22, 2013 12:19:18 GMT -5
A pellet gun with target pellets will not kill the heron and might not even discourage it. The wrist rocket is more apt to break a bone and that's the end of the bird. Keep distance be a good shot, the heron looks pretty big a pellet in the tail feathers will sting but not penetrate. Don't be using an 1100 foot per second model get a low powered one
We have problems with Ravens a few shots in the ass seems to work, crows can be chased off too, magpies die as they are savage beasts. If you have ever seen one picking the eyes from a newborn calf you would agree
You have the right to protect your property and I think you are being reasonal about it. Here in canada that heron would be protected and illegal to kill unless it was messing with your lively hood ( for instance u are breeding koi for your living not a hobby)
I think unclesosta is being somewhat unreasonable with his post, that heron needs to learn to feed in the wild, eating your koi will not help him in the wild. A few well placed shots in the ass will get him moving
Herons are wonderful birds I don't want this guy to die. You do have the right to protect your koi though
My two cents worth
Tom
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2013 13:37:44 GMT -5
I'd use a 177 caliber springer. The pellets will NOT penetrate feathers, but WILL be annoying. Enough annoyance and they stop coming back. That is almost certainly a green heron, not a great blue. unclesoska your rant while passionate is inappropriate for this forum. Besides, aren't you suggesting this man abdicate his domain all because of your opinion on how he should treat wildlife? Does he not have the right to protect his own domain? Or do you value the life of a single wild bird over that within the care of this gentleman? Just as you are entitled to your opinion in this matter, so is he. No? |
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unclesoska
freely admits to licking rocks
All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold!
Member since February 2011
Posts: 934
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Post by unclesoska on Oct 22, 2013 14:05:14 GMT -5
"unclesoska your rant while passionate is inappropriate for this forum." Shotgunnerific: Are you an adminisrator for this forum? How is my response inappropriate for this forum? And who are you to judge my remarks as inappropriate? What I find inappropriate is the political rants (abundant)that clog up the recent threads page more often than not on this forum. And yes, everyone is entitled to their opinion, though the cowboy mentality of maiming or killing should IMO be a last resort, not the rule of thumb. Live and let live, unless you need the food, or your life's in danger. P.S. FYI- Not a tree hugger, but a former gold miner.
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Oct 22, 2013 15:11:50 GMT -5
Nice thread hijack.  So, "Cowboy Mentality". You lookin' to start somtin' wif us cowboys?  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2013 16:18:48 GMT -5
unclesoska - I see you are new here. Your rant is best placed here. Had you been polite, we would not be here.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Oct 22, 2013 16:44:39 GMT -5
Fish farms have a lot of trouble with birds "To illustrate the severity of fish predation, approximately 50 percent of 20,000 channel catfish fingerlings were lost to cormorants in one winter at the Langston University research facility. That same winter, 891 out of 900 rainbow trout were lost to cormorants in open pond experiments, while trout in covered cages at the same facility experienced essentially no mortality. It proved impossible to scare the cormorants out of the trout ponds by any means. The author has observed one great blue heron eat 23 fingerling hybrid bluegill in approximately one hour. Fish that are active feeders are especially vulnerable to heron predation, since the fish will come to the activity of the heron feeding on other fish." Those are efficient animals. Here is the article www.luresext.edu/aquaculture/birdpredationonfarms.htmFor a small area motion detection is your best bet. That Scarecrow is the ticket. I know a couple of backwoods Floridians that eat them. The early Americans ate them. Never handle a Heron. They can stab your eyes. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2013 16:56:33 GMT -5
I'll bet they taste delish. Personally protected or not, if I had remote property and this situation, I'd eat it. This is the scarecrow Jim is referring to:  This product kept a Great Egret out of my turtle pond. Phugger at $2000 worth of Cagle's Maps before I could stop him. Bounced a 6.7grain 177cal pellet off his noggin. Never came back after I set up the scarecrow. I saw the feather's fly from his head and heard the pellet hit the patio roof. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,503
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 22, 2013 17:26:37 GMT -5
Yeah, that is definitely not a Juvenile GBH. Looks more like a young green, black crowned or yellow crowned to me. Just to clarify, in the US it takes a depredation permit to do anything to herons. ( covered under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act) The law even prohibits herding or harassing. In the US, the definition of "take" is very broad and does not mean the bird has to be killed for you to get in trouble. Not being judgmental here, just giving you a heads up. I've been involved in a lot of these situations over the years on both the control side and the enforcement side and we used to get a lot of herons into the rehab place I worked after I retired.
Man you folks who use pellet rifles must have old weak ones. The new suppressed model I use for pest control, shoots clear through a ground squirrel. Head shot with it would kill a friggin Emu deader than a doornail....Mel
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unclesoska
freely admits to licking rocks
All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold!
Member since February 2011
Posts: 934
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Post by unclesoska on Oct 22, 2013 18:04:27 GMT -5
unclesoska - I see you are new here. Your rant is best placed here. Had you been polite, we would not be here. Not a newb, been here since 2011. My "rant" is where it should be, in response to backyard predator. I'm just as entitled to my viewpoint as the next person and it seems that my rant may have provoked some ideas that are less destructive to an endangered species. I feel good about that. |
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So, "Cowboy Mentality". You lookin' to start somtin' wif us cowboys? 
