"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...

Ok...this whole question of dealing with herons got me thinking - of
course in a "back yard" pond using nets and water spray is an option (and
I don't think shooting the things would be an option in a residential
area - in fact I can pretty much imagine what would happen) but I wondered
what would happen if the pond was much larger or even a lake/loch...and if
there was a commercial side to it. Obviously if fish are being raised on a
commercial basis having a heron or any other predator taking fish becomes
an issue if too frequent. Now, I know nothing of the legality in the US
but thought I'd find out what happens on the trout farm where my Dad lives
up in Scotland (herons are as much of an issue over here as in the
US)....apparently the herons are tolerated as there is little that can be
done about them - get rid of one and another one turns up (bit like bad
pennies I guess)....but they do shoot at the cormorants - mainly to scare
rather than kill....

Gill

There's a suggestion I've often seen in gardening books and groups: If you
want to deter birds and rabbits from eating your desirable crops, plant
something they really like in another part of your garden and let them have
at it! They will still eat some of your desirable crops, but maybe if you
also have mild deterrence there, most of the damage will be done to the free
meal you offered them.

Anyway, for large backyard ponds and commercial operations, I wonder if that
kind of approach would work, or would you find yourself attracting ever
larger flocks of herons?

Gail
rec.ponder since April 2003