anybody else have water-turkey right now?
last weekend when I saw one for the first time
i didnt know what it was
at first I though it was a duck
but it seemed a bit large for a duck
it was diving under the water like crazy
then i found out what it was
Plus Tues I got this e-mail from a pond mgt company:

"Howdy,

Please keep a lookout for cormorants (water turkeys) now that the weather has cooled. We have already seen a few lakes completely wiped out in the last 30 days and there is still several months left before they migrate on. They can be scared off by whatever method you prefer or there is a permit that can be obtained to shoot them as well. Please note that they can each eat 2-3 pounds of fish daily which means a flock of 30 can eat almost 100 pounds of fish (retail value of $2,250) in one day and at that level it does not take long to ruin a lake. I cannot overemphasize how destructive these birds can be in short amount of time".

Water Turkey Eating Fish

I've been seeing them around DFW for awhile. You've just gotta hope that they don't drop by. Like most birds, they are Federally protected. However, you can get a depradation permit that will enable you to protect your fish. The problem is being there 24/7.

There is an island located about 8 miles from my house that has over 400 of these pests. Google cormorant on Swift Creek Reservoir. Sometimes they will be 50 or more on one of my ponds. They are like trespassers, I have no clue as what to do for them. We are only up there only on the weekend and if you shoot at them on one pond they go to the other pond.

You stay at one pond with a shotgun and I will stay at the other... They'll learn quick I hope. HAHA

If any of you guys unintentionally damage one of them, keep your mouth shut.

Dave, up here we can take plug out of gun to hunt deer. Since my bird dogs are long dead, this is the perfect red neck hunting. My next goal is 5 for 5 on the rise. You Texans would do the same. Have you tried them baked with stuffing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8105U1WY9ro

Mark, they are here year around. They have 2 colonies that nest here within 50 miles of my ponds. They clean out goldfish ponds pronto.

ken....how bad are they on your regular ponds? Do they destroy a bass/bluegill/crappie population?

when i saw the one at my pond he was constantly diving under the water but I never saw him surface with a fish....do they swallow the fish while underwater or do they normally surface with the fish and eat the fish above water?

Here Commercial aquaculture facilities are permitted by law to take cormorants as required to protect their business interests. In other words alot of people have fish farms in my area. This allows them to aviod going thru the state for permits before the taking. Alabama generally reports moderate predation problems from them.

I use bucket feeders to bait catfish so we catch them easily. The cormorants will stay around them and you have to get super close to them before they go to another part of your pond. They will not leave the pond until dark. I don't know if they eat the pellets or bg. The catfish are too big for them. When I can remember to take my Rem. super mag. I don't have to get close to discourage them.

Mark, I didn't see your question until now. If your ponds are fertile you should be fine. The front pond has a ton of smaller fish that need to be thinned anyway. The back pond has shad which I believe is their fish of choice there, so big loss there either. Otters seem to prefer catfish or turtles as we find the heads of cats up on wood and turtle shells in the fields. It is nice how they don't leave any thing but the main shell. They eat head, toenails and bones. I have no idea why. Travis(CJBS2003) found 2 new shells Tues.

Here is info from the State of Texas concerning Nuisance Permit for removal of Cormorants: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdforms/media/pwd_0976_w7000_cormorant_packet.pdf

Mark, we had one at the farm yesterday. First one I've seen in months, and it was raining to hard to worry about. I'll try to relocate him later this week.