lakeside1000 Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 When I lived in France my neighbour had a large carp pond which always had herons visiting, one day I saw him carrying away a dead heron, so asked how it had died, 'Drowned ' was all he said, later I found out he had traps set, around the edge in about 18 inches of water, a breeze block stood on end, a house brick balanced on the edge, from the brick a short length of fishing line attached to a small live fish on a treble hook, heron grabs fish and pulls, brick topples off and sinks with herons head close behind, flap flap gurgle gurgle, no more heron, just don't let anyone see. I don't condone his actions, herons are protected, but shouldn't valuable fish be as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark@mbb Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 We have a cormorant visiting us so we have decided to get a mannequin and dress it up like a hunter with a timber shotgun and mount it on a scaffold pole so it can spin around and that should solve the problem if not we will have to try something else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz2202 Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Chicken wire just a few mm under the water. It can't be seen easily by us so you can still see the fish and mr heron cannot get to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 our Jack Russell had one the other year, the heron was watching the spaniels on the other side of the pond, didnt see the terrier nip round, bad dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 I had a problem with cats crapping in my garden. I got a battery powered PIR motion activated sprinkler like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Contech-ScareCrow-Outdoor-Animal-Deterrent/dp/B000071NUS/ These are said to be very effective, were I get my Koi stuff they say its the only thing that gets rid other than full netting. Plastic Herons actually attract these days, long time ago when herons were real rare they were supposed to work but check out herons on the smolt run they are shoulder to shoulder on some rivers and Herons fish as social groups often (saw 14 on a small wet scape in the grass not long back ) heck I shouldn't have liked to be a frog in that spot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Why not get a heron decoy; dress it in blue oyster apparel, give it a big ole bushy mooost-ash and stand that in the pond? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fse10 Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 We have a cormorant visiting us so we have decided to get a mannequin and dress it up like a hunter with a timber shotgun and mount it on a scaffold pole so it can spin around and that should solve the problem if not we will have to try something else Or a real shotgun tends to work..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twistedsanity Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 I had a problem with cats crapping in my garden. I got a battery powered PIR motion activated sprinkler like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Contech-ScareCrow-Outdoor-Animal-Deterrent/dp/B000071NUS/ That's hilarious, on a thread last year I suggested somebody wire up a PIR to a hose to keep the cats off their garden and the post got removed as someone said it was cruel :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 That's hilarious, on a thread last year I suggested somebody wire up a PIR to a hose to keep the cats off their garden and the post got removed as someone said it was cruel :-) What can you say, some people! Only reason I haven't done it is the first time the dog triggers it he would treat it as a great game and likely wreck it or drop it into the pond. Herons get quite brazen after a good few visits you practically need to give them a shove to remove them from pond side, early doors they spook as easy as a crow, If you see these things in action a cannot see them not working and do those fools know that herons don't mind getting wet - its the shock effect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanj Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 When I lived in France my neighbour had a large carp pond which always had herons visiting, one day I saw him carrying away a dead heron, so asked how it had died, 'Drowned ' was all he said, later I found out he had traps set, around the edge in about 18 inches of water, a breeze block stood on end, a house brick balanced on the edge, from the brick a short length of fishing line attached to a small live fish on a treble hook, heron grabs fish and pulls, brick topples off and sinks with herons head close behind, flap flap gurgle gurgle, no more heron, just don't let anyone see. I don't condone his actions, herons are protected, but shouldn't valuable fish be as well? Harnser will cast a spell on your mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Do not harm him in any way . They are reincarnated pigeon shooters . You will be cursed and haunted for the rest of your life . Harnser. And you would never be likely to find a secret WWII bunker either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 PIR linked to a gas gun, will only go off when the heron settles so shouldnt annoy anyone too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted April 26, 2014 Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 (edited) I gave up keeping koi in the end as the heron had the lot on numerous occasions. I felt the only way of keeping it out was to net the whole pond, and that spoilt the point of having it. They will stop at nothing, very clever birds........this video is testimony to their skills in finding food. I actually saw one doing this some years ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewYXyhSFxw Edited April 26, 2014 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 Well that wasn't such a quick kill! If they do that they are welcome at my Koi pond, the water is deep enough at the edge to protect the fish in the main from the instinctive stab (the smallest must go 6-7 lb anyhow) They loose interest in the shallower pond and the cheaper goldfish once numbers drop and it has some colour anyhow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossy 666 Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 I had one that was on my roof every day after my koi some worth £1000+ each but they were to big for him to take but he had ago at a number of them marking them he even got one out onto the grass but it was to big for him to pick up but he marked it. one day I found him in my wheel bin I dont no how he got there may be he was after some rats like in the link above and ran out of air with the lid shut . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 Well that wasn't such a quick kill! If they do that they are welcome at my Koi pond, the water is deep enough at the edge to protect the fish in the main from the instinctive stab (the smallest must go 6-7 lb anyhow) They loose interest in the shallower pond and the cheaper goldfish once numbers drop and it has some colour anyhow Well lets all pop round to Kents place.......we can sit having a beer, whilst someone times him killing a rat with only some water and his mouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 Stone the **** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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