Cormorants

Unfortunetly, they're illegal.

They really do suck the big one. Our favorite fishing sloughs are overrun by them, and the fishing has been declining since they're heavy arrival. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Establishing a season for them will always be a challenge since there's nothing beneficial in the harvest other than sport. I do wish there could be a way to keep their populations in check!

I herd an old farm tale (not sure if it works ) But if you demolish there nest they actually go to another body of water and take one over? So if you were to get ride of the nest and not the birds they might pile up on another body of water. Stupid birds!!God I hate them!! They are good for noithing!!

Mav...

Before you get any bad ideas or advice (because I believe the fines go up to $25,000), you better read up on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 1918 and as amended:

Establishment of a Federal prohibition, unless permitted by regulations, to "pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, purchase, deliver for shipment, ship, cause to be shipped, deliver for transportation, transport, cause to be transported, carry, or cause to be carried by any means whatever, receive for shipment, transportation or carriage, or export, at any time, or in any manner, any migratory bird, included in the terms of this Convention . . . for the protection of migratory birds . . . or any part, nest, or egg of any such bird." (16 U.S.C. 703)

There is a FWS EIS working on the process of making depredation permits possible for cormorants. This is really long reading, but it talks about changes in management and State agencies being able to do some population controls in some situations. Some thing may actually be done about the rise in Cormorant numbers.

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422 ... 3-6174.htm

When the water is frozen in the winter and the cormorants are not around and nesting, go out on the ice and cut down the dead trees with a chain saw. Call it property management.

Good idea muzzy.

Be sure and cut them off a couple feet above the water, so if water comes up some more, they dont turn into boat wreckers...... :beer: