Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Water chemistry Blue Heron & Water Turkeys

Whew! What a relief! I was beginning to believe that I was the only cretin in this institution. I am restored and feel whole again!

Cecil, did I understand your post from back in May on this topic that the heron was actually spearing your bigger fish? Like impaling them?

I just want to make sure I understand what the herons are capable of as I have a few at my lake. I've seen them in the shallows feeding on minnows and small fry. How big a fish could a 5-6' wing span heron eat? To date, I haven't minded their presence, in fact, I thought they were cool to watch.

Thanks.
Sunil

I've been told they can swallow bass up to about 2 lbs. Haven't seen it but there is a lot of stretch to that throat. I know for a fact they will impale any size bass. If it moves their natural instinct is to impale it. I have seen scars and fresh wounds on some of my larger bass.

I WILL be putting up an electric fence to keep the SOBs off my warmwater pond. Not only to they lower the value of my bass by mauling them they also add parasites that lower their value too.

I have seen a heron catch and swallow a carp that had to be at least 1.5 pounds. It had a little trouble but it looked like it could have gone a little bigger.

That's great info. Thanks.

Tony,
I know that in Texas and Louisiana we have special regulations on "water turkey" the double crested cormorant, you can't shoot the anahinga (not sure if that spelling is 100%. First contact your local state wildlife agency and get the regulation befor you go to blasting water turkey. Then if its OK the liberal shotgun method works best down here (any friend with a shotgun around your pond shooting water turkey) The increased commotion will help, but not eliminate the Heron problem. They are protected everywhere. I never have a problem finding someone to drop by to take a few practice shots. The water turkey are much more of a threat to your fish than are the Heron anyway. Happy Hunting!!! (if its legal)

Blue herons are extremely territorial. If you shoot one another will come and take it's place. You would probably have to shoot 50 or 100 to solve your problem, but only temporarily. There are many things you can do to drive them away short term. They will return. The problem is they are smart and eventually find ways to avoid your latest trick or learn that there is no real danger to them. They love automatic feeders. If you feed your fish in deep water it will help. If you stay until the feed has been eaten it will help. There are no effective permanent solutions. Take it from someone who has raised fish commercially and I currently have 9 fishing ponds. I have tried all the tricks and then some to no avail.

I've heard that those who have permanently discouraged one from attacking their fish have had others take their place. It seems they are worse in ponds with shallow water around the banks. Does having a very quick drop to three feet help much?

I could see where other birds could take their place as they are territorial. Steep banks definitely help. My trout pond is so steep they won't even consider it. It also has #4L stones on the banks which I do not believe they care to wade on either. However it is very close to the house so that may have something to do with it.

The warmwater pond is not so lucky although the banks are fairly steep also. However I will be fixing that this spring. Can't wait to see my first heron walk into a hot wire. Yee Haw! I've heard it looks something like break dancing.

The steeper the bank the better. I would suggest 4-6 feet.

Herons are federal protected migratory birds, but
you may have to just shoot them. I've seen them pull 15 inch catfish out of my ponds. And, for
every snatched fish that I've witnessed, the Herons have probably pulled another ten out.
I've avoided shooting them because the birds are only doing what comes natural for them. And, there are not easily discouraged. They will come in and start fishing with me right there on a running tractor. I tried the decoy suggestion,
but that only attracted them.

Wow Swampstalker!

40 or 50 herons. At least we don't have that many in my area.

Judging from the numbers I have seen locally they are not endangered but if they try to catch more fish than I do when I get my pond finished they will definitly be threatened! On the huge impoundments of the yadkin river drainage here in NC I have seen literally one every 50 - 100 yrds. around the bank!

Cecil help:

I was actually looking to start a new topic on the possibility of using the electric fence or the motion sprinklers to deter the herons.But this seems to be right on track with this discussion. I noticed someone said they tried everything and nothing lasts forever. How would an electric fence fail to deter herons? It is my understanding that they do not land and take off in the water (like geese). This should work great. Geese and herons need to walk into the water and out regularly. I ran into a fish farmer in northern Wisconsin that said he had at least 20 Herons die of lead poisoning last year and they just keep coming. Seems like they are not that rare. I have gone so far as to chase them with the dog and my 4 wheeler. We do a lot of shooting on the property and this does not deter them. I actually had a lot of good results from the decoy as long as I keep moving it. It just reduces the problem though until you get a smart one. I can say for certain there was more than one on the pond last summer. I have had them start to land and pull up thinking another heron was already there. At this point I am thinking the fence is the way to go. I completely lost my bass to winterkill last winter and the bluegill all went to the Herons. I am sick of finding dead floating fish with holes in them. I really wouldn't mind if they would eat what they kill but they don't get them and then they keep trying. I want to restock but want to protect my babies. I am hoping Cecil will jump in and help. I really appreciated the help last spring when I lost my fish to keeping the aerator deep all winter. I would appreciate all ideas and comments.

I forgot to add on water turkeys......... I had a couple last summer that are so smart that they just flew right into the side of my building.

On another ocasion I chased around the pond on the 4-wheeler to run them off and they tend to just fly to the other end. I finally got them to leave and haven't seem them since.

Brian,

I may or may not put in the electric fence this spring. It depends on my budget and since I don't even have enough money saved to put in my two ponds at the moment, and the expensive of all the fish I want to purchase, It may not happen.

My alternative that worked well for me last year except on the pier, was to drive posts around the pond in the shallow water up to water too deep for the heron to wade and string them with monofiliment fishing line. I would run the line above the water enough so they cannot step over it, and run at least three strands about a foot apart. The posts were simply wooden stakes with screws to wrap the line around driven in (the screws) with a screw gun.

However an electric fence should work just fine and would be fairly simple to install. The only problem I would have would be grass contacting it, but I have heard of somehow making it so when the grass makes contact it burns off or something.

I have an article somewhere on installing electric fences, but it may take awhile to find it. You should be able to find something on the net if you do a word search for electric fence on ponds or something. I found one site that sold them for koi ponds.

Should herons and cormorants be lumped into the same category? I think that many people consider cormorants to be a problem. From what I've read, herons aren't nearly as destructive as the cormorants. We have always had one heron but never more. I've never seen any dead fish along the bank.

Also, I heard that cormorants might be listed as waterfowl so they could be hunted. Has anyone else any information about this?

I think this topic is a wee bit too PC (politically correct). The folks that pass the laws would never say kill anything. Therefore those of us that have common sense know the Heron are no problem and the cormorants should be killed. If you listen to those that make the laws you will be in limbo forever. Shoot the water turkeys and quit worrying about the idiots.

the fish the heron eats is fine , its the stuff he brings with him that makes me mad . duckweed, watermeal and what ever else.

Cecil

I would appreciate the article on fencing if you can find it.

As for the idea of herons not doing any damage, I really don't think that they eat that much, but I am sick of finding fish floating with holes in them. I am willing to let a predator eat, but they kill a ton of fish and just keep trying.

I forgot to ask where is a good place to buy the motion sensitive sprinklers. This would be very helpful.

I'm with the water turkeys on this one....I hate rap too.

FYI- I'm 25 miles from a major heron rookery on the Mississippi River. Herons up the wazu-dogs hate em' and chase em. Ok so far-but i'm a Veterinarian. Had a colleague handling one a number of years back, why I don't know. Anyhow he picked him up-the heron proceeded to pluck one of his eyballs out like he was picking grapes. Very messy and undoubedly very painful. However you get rid of them be careful handling them if alive-esp kids. Thanks-Postbeetle

Postbeetle: Just one good look at that spear like beak combined with the knowledge that they use it for a living, and it is obvious Heron's can be dangerous. I've heard of people who were injured (seems like it was usually their eye too) trying to release them from a foothold trap they had stepped into. I have no plans to get that close to a live one! Jeff

Zach - if you keep putting out the Rap Music - Your neighbors may be ready to use the 12 ga on you.