Ponds under attack

[jethro13]

Well here we go. I 've had a heron visiting our ponds three to four times a day for the last for days. Fortunetly, Miss Karen (Wife) was home and was able to use Miss Daisy (BB gun) to scare it away. She had to leave the house for about five hours friday,so she blew up all the air matresses from our swimming pool and layed them in the pond!! I think it must have done the trick because the bird hasen't been back yet. I'm off work today so I just left the matresses in the ponds last nite and so far no bird. If this is all that it takes to confuse the bird we may be on to something here. I'll keep you posted

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

Can you use Miss Smith and Wesson?

 

[jethro13]

too close to town

 

[RSFish1]

I personally prefer the electric fence approach when needed. But it is not viable for everyone. Shocks the heck out of them and they don't return.
2 other suggestions. You can net it. But make sure it is raised so the herron cannot reach the fish. If you put it right on the pond, they can still spear the fish through it. They will not get their meal, but they will injure/kill the fish.
Another solution I heard of recently is the kids pin wheels. You can get them for about a buck at Wallymart. They have the long plastic handle with the aluminum foil pin wheel at the top. The shinyness and their movement may help to scare of the heron when they twirl. I have not tried it but others have said it works.

 

[stroppy]

have you tried putting a plastic heron near the pond ? that normally keeps others away

 

[koiguy1969]

miss daisy will keep the heron(s) away after a few shots in the ass...they associate your pond with pain. i know this to be true because of personal experience.....one last year and one this year, the one last year managed to nab a couple meals so he was harder to get rid of but the one this year, twice shot and hasnt been back since May,and i see him daily in the area. last year 5 or 6 shots and stayed away the rest of the year.

 

[jethro13]

I have netting that I cover the ponds with for the winter but why even have a pond if I have to cover it most of the time. I was going to get a heron decoy until I went to my local pond store and seen a picture of one of their clients heron decoy with a REAL heron staring it in the face. Plus you have to keep moving it around and you are not supposed to have one in your pond during the spring mating season because they can actually attract them. Actually it seems that I really don't get bothered by them until late in the summer, which makes me wonder in they are trying to feed more before they fly south for the winter .So far today he has landed on the back railing of the pool deck slowly walked toward the ponds and then flew away. So it seems that the inflatable pool floaties may be doing the job. Believe me I am willing to try just about anything but, I have to agree with koiguy a shot in the ass seems to work every time it's tried.

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

I have a Ruger Mark II w/ 6" target barrel. it cycles well w/ snakeshot, which at any distance, won't kill or really hurt anything, but is a trifle more convincing with the sound and pain in the ass keeping most things away. I always figure one or two .22 shots are pretty quiet, can even blame an auto backfire was the sound if the policifers ask. :lol:

 

[addy1]

I have a Ruger Mark II w/ 6" target barrel. it cycles well w/ snakeshot, which at any distance, won't kill or really hurt anything, but is a trifle more convincing with the sound and pain in the ass keeping most things away. I always figure one or two .22 shots are pretty quiet, can even blame an auto backfire was the sound if the policifers ask. :lol:

I made my pond deep enough to protect from herons, but also I won't have koi to worry about. I would not be able to hurt them.

But on a different note, they make 22 bullet that has a light powder load, it is very quiet. Here everybody shoots, right now you can hear shots during the day, practicing for hunting season.

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

Problem is, light loads don't cycle the action in my favorite plinking pistol, and I'd hate to have to buy a .22 revolver. I'm too nice a guy nowadays to fire much that'll really hurt anything, that is, unless it goes after my children. Or wife. Or cats. Or koi.

I try to keep the id down, unless it is warranted.

 

[addy1]

I have a beautiful 22 target pistol, very accurate. It shoots the light loads just fine.
Now I could just pull out the mini uzi.................laughing.

 

[DrDave]

For predators: 22 caliber CB rounds are sub-sonic and make less noise than a bb or pellet gun. At 100', they will not penetrate a 3/4" plyboard, yet they are very effective at close range. You really want to use a rifle for maximum accuracy and silence.

 

[jethro13]

In reality my so called miss daisy is a 177cal pellet rifle with a scope that shoots 1200f.p.s. so it will do the job Its just a matter of timing boys and girls. But I'm telling you the air matresses seems to be working. Plus they are cheap and fast to install and remove.

 

[addy1]

That is great they are working for you, and the heron gets to live. Glad you found a solution.

 

[mfwing82]

I never see it in time to get a shot off