Help with herons

[Chumley]

I need to net the pond somehow to protect against herons. Members state that they stretch the net over frames. Are these handmade? What would you suggest for the my pond?

 

[addy1]

I like my wide weave gill net I hang about 3ish feet over the pond, not real noticeable, stopped the herons that came by every day for years. Even in the winter with snow on the ground.
It does not trap the small birds, frogs etc.

The net openings are around 4 inches. I use fence stakes to hold it up, one in each corner. With just a bit dropping down so the heron can not walk under it

 

[Leatherandlace6157]

I can't help but wonder is those inflatable dancing things would keep them at bay

 

[Souper09]

I used the scarecrow motion activated sprinkler, it works like a charm. There’s a bunch of different ones out there. They scare off deer, dogs, fox, raccoon, neighborhood kids, etc.

 

[Tula]

We made a type of " hoop house" over our pond with electrical conduit and hang our 4 inch gill net from Memphis Net and Twine over it. We drive rebar into the group and slide electrical conduit over it. BTW, it's easy to spray paint the conduit black and the net is black, looks pretty good

 

[cas]

I need to net the pond somehow to protect against herons. Members state that they stretch the net over frames. Are these handmade? What would you suggest for the my pond?

Depending on how large your pond is, you may not need a frame. I stretch the net and anchor it at the edge with yard staples. Areas where the pond plants need room to grow, I raise the net with small decorative fencing. On the left you can see the fencing that is used to raise the net for the irises. On the right the net is not raised, the aquatic mint grows through the net.

 

[TommyD]

I have a farm pond about 60' across (fairly round) and 5 1/2' deep. I've had trouble with one particular heron for years. I've tried fishing line at intervals and then finally put a 4' fence around it with bird spikes on the top of the stakes. He would stand on the spikes and jump in. Now he just flies in and lands at the edge. (I always thought heron wouldn't land in water but they do). I have 2 fake alligators and he doesn't care. I just put 2 blue jean/flannel shirt/hats scarecrows in chairs but he doesn't care about them either. I've tried motion detectors, radio, floating shiny silver platforms. Again - NO. I put my fake heron up after mating season and he thinks it's his friend. I finally tried something that might be working. I got clothesline and cut to length to go from one stake to another at angles about a foot out from the edge. Put a zip tie, threaded a blank CD (they're so shiny), then another zip tie to hold it in place. Did this about every foot/foot and a half. So far it seems to be working (3 days out). If he tried to fly in I think his wings will hit the line and he can't move around the edge because the lines intersect. I just wanted to share this for anybody battling the same problem. Feel free to respond with any questions or other suggestions. I'm new to this forum so sorry this is so long a thread. I live in Capon Bridge, WV. I'll try to upload a few pictures. No - it's not pretty but if it saves my fish I don't care.

BB gun, or a ceramic DeKoi

 

[waynefrcan]

I was thinking as Tula has stated; seems you could net almost any pond as long as you can string a cable across to act like a ridge support. Then you'd pull your net(s) from one side to the other, making a tent of sorts. No doubt you'd have to sew/tie nets together to get one wide and long enough but doesn't seem any harder than all the line you're weaving right now.

Maybe just me; I tend to see solutions and try them even if they end up failing, but I can actually see this working. The trick would be to get a cable and make it secure enough so it doesn't sag too much in the middle between your supports. @addy1 has hers on posts. Guess it depends on how much effort and $$ you want to put into this.

The other solutions are of course, a .22 (and yeah, I know it's illegal to kill herons but it isn't to scare them!) or dogs that make the pond part of their run.

Hope you find a solution so you can enjoy the pond again.

I like this idea the best. A metal cable down the center for support and join 2 nets together type such as Addy has. I have a net from amazon it is great, 2" squares.

Someone on this forum here mentioned a non lethal pellet gun was used to great success.

 

[waynefrcan]

I did have 5# netting around the sides but a deer got tangled and died so I removed it.
Just ordered some new netting with much smaller weave.

Killed a deer? Your pond license should be revoked until you know what the heck you are doing!

 

[waynefrcan]

I think if you make the netting taut, it won't be easy for anything to get tangled, but smaller weave might do it. I'd still make it taut, though, just in case something smaller than a deer gets into your net.

Exactly do it right or don't have a pond.

 

[GBBUDD]

A paint ball gun will kill any bird / hollow bones they are less then tough. A dog is a great deterrent for the blue heron or any other bird train them to chase the bird around the pond but leave the ducks alone.

A pond with 30" deep edges down to the ponds surface is more then they have neck.

and 30" deep along the edge also is deeper then they like to stand in.

the third is in the idea your trying and that's to take away the flight path but in a long and wide pond that's often unobtainable but the big money ponds i have seen string fishing line across the pond not just along the edges but all the way across. this is in the idea of take away the flight path they are large birds that need a long take off they are not like a robin where they can fly straight up into the air. They need a long flat open water to get to the air so think remove any long open areas cross the fishing line in odd ball patterns across the pond not just along the edge

 

[GBBUDD]

I like this idea the best. A metal cable down the center for support and join 2 nets together type such as Addy has. I have a net from amazon it is great, 2" squares.

Someone on this forum here mentioned a non lethal pellet gun was used to great success.

A pump bb gun with only one pump is non lethal you can watch the bb fly through the air. But i believe any weapon used on a bird of prey is illegal. I USE TO SHOOT MY BOYS ACROSS A ROUND PICNIC TABLE WITH ONE PUMP IT HURTS but no harm or danger to skin. the good old days but who knows if they are all that weak

 

[gliebig]

Exactly do it right or don't have a pond.

OK. Chief.

 

[GBBUDD]

Apparently not a person who lives with deer as they are many and are unavoidable in occatioonal loses. Agreed

 

[GBBUDD]

Where's your showcase @waynefrcan