We have a small (750 gal.) freshwater pond in our backyard with around 22 orange and multicolored goldfish (6 inches +). My wife called me frantically, telling me that there was a humongous white heron or egret standing in our pond gobbling up our fish. I am currently sitting here with my laptop guarding the pond. I left my pellet gun in the house--not really wanting to go to jail for shooting the heron. I finally found this web site after searching for answers to my "problem". This seems like a wonderful site for all questions aquatic...
To shoot or not to shoot
- Thread starter drlarson
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Nooooo don't shoot!!! Use chicken wire to make a little barricade surrounding the pond area- then secure mesh netting a top of it. If you place the netting too close to the water, of course your new feathered friend would slip his long beak in there to get a snack! Our problem here in the Seattle area is raccoons- but if heavy stone is laid about the base of the chicken wire they will eventually stop trying to dig under!
Don't shoot it. Get a large rubber snake and leave it visibly on the edge of the pond.
aaron354... I am showing great restraint... :mad2:
aaron354... I am showing great restraint... :mad2:
I think that there are some great suggestions about how to keep birds out without killing them. I wouldn't kill it, its only looking for an easy meal it doesnt know any better...
Fishing line crossed across the top of the pond is invisible but the heron will learn really quickly that the pond is no longer doable. It will stumble around on the fishing line and decide that pond is no good anymore. The heron (or 'coon, hawk, etc.) can't tell when you remove it (like they can with the net) and there is no eyesore to you (as there is with the net). It is also about the cheapest option.
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