The not so great horned owl!

[warren_tax]

The night before last, dh and I were sitting on the back patio, enjoying the evening air. It was pretty dark, but we have some "moonlighting" in the trees near the pond, so we can see pretty good in the back yard around the pond area. In a flash, one of the great horned owls that lives in the area swooped in, pulled one of my koi out of the pond (the koi is was about 13" long) and flew off. This happened not thirty feet in front of us! He came back last night, but dh shot the 12 gauge in the air and he flew off. Help! I bought a bobble head hooting motion sensor decoy today, but after thinking about it, will that encourage the owl to come back thinking he has a friend at the pond? Has anyone else had owl problems?

 

[addy1]

I had one in arizona that bathed in my stream, but never tried to fish. And those fish were always up near the top of the water. The pond was deep so maybe they dived when they saw it. Maybe one of those water motion sensors aimed high?

 

[warren_tax]

My pond averages 3-3.5 feet deep, and has two different "fish condos" for hiding. I have noticed that unless I am around the sides of the pond, everyone is staying on the bottom, so I guess it scared them as bad as it did me!

 

[DrDave]

We have owls as well. I keep my ponds covered at night and when we are away with a PVC frame that has plastic fencing tie wrapped to it.

 

[addy1]

Poor fishies! I have watched eagles fish a neighbors pond in colorado, but never an owl.

 

[warren_tax]

Has anyone tried stringing fishing lines across the top? Will that keep them out? I really don't want to put a net over the pond, but I don't know what else to do. I am going to try the bobble head motion owl tonight and see what that does. Has anyone ever used those? If nothing else, maybe it will keep the snakes away.

 

[addy1]

The fishing line would most likely tangle the owl, it would be at a full dive heading for the fish and not see the line until too late if at all. Maybe if you used the ocean line, the thickest you could find, the owl would be able to see it before it got hung up and hurt.

 

[NichrfUNLV]

I am in Arizona.. a great horned owl laid a nest with 3 eggs on my up stairs balcony. Should hatch anyday now. Thankfully they have left the pond alone.

The fishing line should work...just criss cross 25lb test. They have great vision and can see it so it should confuse them.

 

[Tootie]

That is so great. I've never seen a great horned owl ....in person! You should film them raising the babies!

 

[j.w]

Yep, film them, that would be cool to see :lol:

 

[addy1]

I am in Arizona.. a great horned owl laid a nest with 3 eggs on my up stairs balcony. Should hatch anyday now. Thankfully they have left the pond alone.

The fishing line should work...just criss cross 25lb test. They have great vision and can see it so it should confuse them.

How neat, I had one visit my stream in arizona and bath every night at dusk. They are so beautiful.

 

[DrDave]

Get some video, that would be a hoot!

 

[DrCase]

I let my sons wife's lil yorkie out at the farm early one morning with are bigger dog
And a owl got it ..

 

[addy1]

We have great horned owls here, my lil yorkie never goes out without me right beside her. I also carry a little 22 just to shoot into the ground to chase off the red fox if it decides to come for her.
I did lose one to a coyote jumping our fence in arizona, they walked the block wall looking for prey, it took her at 2 pm in the afternoon.

Love to listen to their calls at night, we have a bunch.

 

[taherrmann4]

Owls are territorial so you could put up a decoy then download the sounds of a great horned owl and play on an ipod with speakers, this may keep him away. Maybe you could try a putting up some lights around your pond, do some up lighting into the trees this may help.