Not just Koi, these buggars will clean out a trout pond tout suite.
Grizz
That's what nature does..... I hate to break it to anyone, but nature happens.... Live with it or live without it.....
Heron in Ont eating pond Coy
- Thread starter Rick65Cat
- Start date
That's what nature does..... I hate to break it to anyone, but nature happens.... Live with it or live without it.....
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Sorry but out in the boondocks 90% of the people with this problem would just shoot the heron lol. No different than a coyote eating your chickens.
YoungestPiperCub
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Near KW Ontario
Growing up my family didn't hunt or shoot but my dad was huge fisherman. He had a membership at a fly fishing trout pond. We spent every weekend there. Learned to flyfish at 7 years old and would catch little Brook trout and rainbows all day long. There was a heron that came like clockwork and took a trout or 2 out every morning. Was like that all summer. One weekend we were out and this heron flew in. The owner came out with his rifle and talked to my dad. Apparently this bird was causing so much distruction he got approval from the MNR to shoot it. I have no idea if that's doable but he asked if we minded or could leave for a minute. I was 8 and my dad explained what would happen and if I wanted to stay. I did and I remember the guy laying down with a bipod and shooting this heron across the pond. It was the first time I even saw a gun. The heron went down and the owner gave me the 222 shell. I was awestruck. I kept it and from that day forward I wanted to learn how to do that. Place is long gone but iv always wondered if that was a bull#### story or not.
Still have the 222 after all these years
Still have the 222 after all these years
City boy? You are full of it buddy. I live on over 100 acres of my own land and have lived in the country my whole life. (Did a short sentence in Moronto). Animals can be pests too and need to be controlled. End of story.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
You said spoken like a true city boy alluding that if he was a country boy he’d have a clue what living with nature is about, well I can tell you people I know in the county wouldn’t think twice about shooting a heron. Doesn’t matter if it’s koi fish or chickens or meat rabbits, if it’s my property and my investment I’m going to protect it.
And it’s Koi fish, not Coy fish lol.
In that case, what are you doing here ?
We all live by manipulating Nature, one way or another. Grizz
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
The next road down from us there's a commercial trout pond. They use automated boomers during daylight hours. I can just hear them from here. Must drive the neighbors crazy. Obviously not a solution for an urban environment, however perhaps some sort of motion activated, or timed moving object, or flash could be rigged. The bird may adapt to it however.
Our pond is much a much larger farm pond containing shiners frogs and mud puppies. So, like Ardent, I just watch the heron. He has no chance catching all the minnows in there.
Our pond is much a much larger farm pond containing shiners frogs and mud puppies. So, like Ardent, I just watch the heron. He has no chance catching all the minnows in there.
Runningfool
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Lots of infighting in the hunting forum lately....must be cabin fever...spring is on the horizon folks, let’s remember we don’t always see things from the same perspective but we are all hunters of one kind or another. Legalities aside, the morality of dispatching a heron for me is on par with dispatching a coyote. Some here root for the heron/coyote, some see it as a job that needs to be done.
I've always looked at Koi as perverted goldfish.
They're a carp, an invasive species, and do quite well if they escape into waterways , as lots of places have found to their detriment. Grizz
Runningfool
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
That is precisely why I stated “legalities aside”. Take the legality/protected status out of the equation and we are left with a very similar moral choice.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I've always looked at Koi as perverted goldfish.
Grizz
Exactly my thoughts on them.
Not supposed to be here and the heron is, he’s just doing his job very well at pest control. 
If they were something that served a purpose, food or security etc, I can see the argument protecting them. But they really are just dead weight.We have a lake and river system here some close relatives of koi were released in, only good news is they’re not a terribly “worldly” fish and fall fairly easy prey, hopefully it’s a self correcting problem.
Exactly my thoughts on them.
We have a lake and river system here some close relatives of koi were released in, only good news is they’re not a terribly “worldly” fish and fall fairly easy prey, hopefully it’s a self correcting problem.
Some backyard pond Koi can be very expensive, in the thousands $$$.
Highest ever paid for a Koi was $1.8million.
I can totally see why some people want to protect their investment.
In that case, what are you doing here ?
Grizz
What do you mean by "here"?
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Still not feeling sympathy for the koi I’m afraid. When somebody puts out expensive, non-native, slow moving and bright coloured lures in a pond, they shouldn’t be surprised when a native predator that causes no harm in and of themselves takes advantage of the curious judgement of the fish owner. This isn’t a cynical or snickering take, just a friendly observation.
With no mailce, again I’m rooting for the heron. If those koi were adding nutritional value to the owner’s diets or removing pests, I could see the argument of harassing herons to protect them. Otherwise it’s all a bit silly to expect nature to ignore odd decision making and priorities.
^ I agree completely. The fact that these fish are "worth" huge dollars...which is true only because someone, somewhere is foolish enough to pay those dollars...does not make them somehow more worthy of protection. It certainly does make the judgment of owners who throw them into unprotected outdoor environments even more...hmmm, okay, let's use Angus' very tactful descriptor...odd.
