Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Pond Pests

Any suggestions on getting rid of unwanted pond visitors. In this case I have a heron eation me out of all my fish!! How can I get rid of him and not chase away other birds? Thanks for any help

Scott, I've shot several unwanted pests around my 1 acre pond. So far, I've seen no effect on other birds, deer, turkey and other wildlife coming back in a very short time. I've even seen cormorants flying a short ways, landing in a tree and waiting for me to leave.

A friend told me that a heron is extremely wild. He had to hunt one like deer. In other words sit still and use a scoped rifle. Yep, Thats what he told me. He also told me that its illegal to kill them.

My lab Hershey likes the exercise of chasing Heron's. I, too, would like to shoot them but it is illegal in Mississippi, plus I live on a major lake which is in front of the house and there are millions of herons, commorants, pelicans, etc. so it would be a waste of time. Keeps Hershey in practice for duck season also.

I have tried numerous things to keep the uwanted visitors from visiting... I even have an owl living in the tree that is in the centre of an island in my pond... the birds don't seem to care. My latest problem is about 20 small birds eating all of the grass seed I am spreading on the unfinished banks. Tried using my paintball gun but that only worked for about 5 minutes at best. Seems a more permanent projectile is the only real solution. But as has been mentioned.. check legal issues before proceeding.

How much damage can one blue heron do? Recently planted LMB (5-7"). Have had a heron hanging around. He is very spooky, we are rarely able to get within 100-yards. His fishing seems confined to one location, which does not appear to be a productive spot (I guess he knows better than I do). Are we at risk of losing our investment? Are drastic measures warranted?

Herons are not the problem.. But cormorants are. They can clean out a newly stocked tank (pond). It may be illegal but down here we are not too politically correct. They show up , they die, period.

The great blue heron is a fish-eater, no doubt. But unless your pond is overrun with herons, I doubt they have much impact on long-term fish populations.

So happens, we have a piece on herons in the September-October issue of Pond Boss. Goes out in the mail Thursday.

Mark McDonald
Editor, Pond Boss

Pondowners w/ herons - They are not huge fish eaters compared to cormorants but they eat their share of fish. I've got copies of pictures of one eating a 13"-14" bass. My main problem with them and other fish eating birds is they are intermediate hosts for numerous fish parasites and their manure or regurgation contains stages of fish parasites that are planted or seeded into your pond. The longer they are there and the more of them there are the more parasites they seed in to your system. Snails in the pond are a common host that help complete numerous parasite life cycles that infect fish.

I used to tolerate them, but when they drilled some of my bass in the head that were too big to eat I decided they could go eat at the public lakes.

At my one pond in particular, (the other is so close to the house they don't bother it)they usually show up at dawn and dusk. Fortunately for me that is also feeding time, and if I see any they are scared off by my 100 pound dog and I. After awhile they pretty much get discouraged, but will give it one more try every few weeks or months.

I too don't like the parasites as I have lots of snails in the pond. Chasing off works for me. I'm also self employed at the house and I work in a shop facing the pond. The dog lets me know even if there is a crow walking on the lawn.

I think this is what got rid of my Herons. For many years I had Herons at my pond. For the first time starting this year my lily pads have completely sorrounded my pond and I haven't had any more Herons. Until my lilies come up and covered in late spring this year I did have Herons. So it would seem that they don't like to wade in the pads or can't see the fish very well.

John

I have seen heron take full advantage of the fish attraction that lily pad cover offers, you may just be getting lucky, or yours are so dense perhaps that it is hard for them to wade through like you are thinking. Maybe it is hard for them to land there now? Either way, that is some really nice, thick pad coverage John, I wish mine where like that but they seldom get more then 2 or 3 pads at a time....

On another pest note... anybody know a good way to get rid of beavers other then shooting them? We are no longer able to get traps in my area and even if I could I don't know what would lure them in. I normally shoot them but that is taking up too much time waiting for them at night and with cooler nights my pond is putting up so much 'fog' that I can't seem them.

Pottsy,

You should be able to find a trap supplier on the Internet. How about finding a professional trapper to come in?

There is another way tp discourage herons. However, it starts with pond construction. If you make you banks in the water as steep as possible than it makes it difficult for them to walk in the water and redues their feeding area.

Hey Chris, Why don't you mail order some traps? Beavers usually (in Texas) have regular trails. Set them there.

On herons, I noticed an ad in a fish pond magazine the other day for a heron decoy. Supposedly, they are very territorial and other birds (supposedly) will stay away. Take a look at the links area at the front of Pond Boss.

Did you ever find the liquid fertilizer?

Dave

Potsy-- Try the Canadian Trappers Assoc. web site, or perhaps you already know a trapper in your area, and make some calls. I'm sure you will have no trouble finding several local trappers in your area that would be glad to assist you just for the opportunity and the fur. If you call one of the pest control companys they will charge you for the service but most trappers are looking for new areas to trap, especially if you have a number of critters to be removed.
You will have to wait until trapping season is open and the fur is prime but taking beavers thru the ice is easy for a knowledgeable fur trapper.
Good luck.
Dan

Thanks for the suggestions, I never thought about ordering a trap online. Also the idea of getting a trapper in is good too, I get rid of the problem and he gets the pelts... sounds like a good system.

Replica Alligator-Scares Geese & Heron: I see in several catalogs they are now selling replica alligators that float in the water to chase away geese and herons. Has anyone tried them? Do they work?

Potsy- I can e-mail you a few trapping supply web sites if you need 'em. I'm sure they can ship anything you need including baits. I would still try a local trapper to do the work for you but check a few of his references to make sure ya get a good one.
Dan

Hey Dan, I ended up getting in contact with the Ontario Fur Managers Federation, they are going to find me a suitable local trapper. It was a good idea that I probably put off too long. (The beavers have dragged an awful lot of brush into the pond.) I used to enjoy the wait all night and shoot them myself technique but it got old faster then expected.

If you could forward me the links about the traps/bait I would appreciate it as well. My e-mail address should be in my profile. Thank you.

That's an interesting shot of your pond. Looks as though you traded avaian predators for runaway aquatic vegetation.

Have you I.D.'d the vegetation? It looks somewhat like yellow water lily. Suggest you consider moderate control, BEFORE it gets out of hand.

Otherwise, this time next year you may wish you had your birds back.

Mark McDonald
Editor, Pond Boss

Hi Mark,

My pond is all about aquatic vegetation and the pond life that develops with each new change. The only thing I have destroyed in my natural pond are some willows growing around the edge. I left some in one area to see what would happen and the fish love them. My KOI spawned under them this year. The Spatterdock yellow lily's will probably spread but they have been in place and behaved now for 10 years. I try to kayak a new lake every week or two looking at aquatic plant life and the abundant animal life that thrive in it. For me, that is where the action is. Here is a picture of the back waters of Lake Webster I was kayaking last week. I have contacted many of the Indiana State biologists to plan for the best areas to see aquatic vegetation and wild life next year.

John

I have now joined the ranks of those with Heron problems... I went out last night to take care of the beaver that I can't wait to trap. (He has dragged enough tree's and brush into my pond to build a visible pile in 5 feet of nice green hued water...) Anyway I went around to the end he comes in at... and got the crap shocked out of me when a heron that apparently was 'asleep' on the islnad in my pond, woke up. He went nuts. Now I have something else to take care of. (He and his co-horts explain why I no longer see fish near the surface and I stopped catching anything easily)

A report ya'll mght find interesting on commorants Bird report