smoothfinish 26 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 Im in need of some advise Right to cut a long story straight i have been watching over a disused coal yard that closed in 1998 i new the farmer who tends the land. Over the last 8 years it has been thrathing with good and bad wild life. Anyway there is a male and female heron that has been fishing the old water storage pond and for the first year have started building a nest I have been up most nights after work with the 177 to shoot the rats that are out of control but for the last few hours of light iv been watching them build the nest and hunt. It has been great to watch over the last month or so... (BUT) this is where the story turns and has really pissed me off! i was there last night and the nest is fully built and they looked good and very healthy i went up today at 18:00 to find no herons i sat and waited 45 minutes i was just about to get out of my hide when i heard one calling but there was no reply the male was flying around for a good 10 minutes then landed on the banking he looked lost and there was still no sign of the female i new somthing was wrong i waited another 20 minutes so i got out of my hide and as i stud the male fly off out of sight i jumped the gate and started a walk down the old path to the poud that i had never been down as i approached the banking i could not believe what i saw the female heron was dead! i felt gutted and sick i went over to the female has she lay face down to the banking i got into the water and walked through years of mud and 3ft of water i picked the female up to find 2 pellet wounds one to the lowwer neck and one to the head i cannot believe that some idiot had shot this bird So this is where i need help when i left the night before i saw 2 lads parked in the layby looking shifty but didnt think anything of it at the time i do remember the last 3 letters of there reg and theres not many orange transit connects driving around on a 52 plate i just cant remember the first 2 letters now i dont know if they shot this bird but is it worth reporting as i have no prove any info will be very helpful as im really pissed of about this Quote Link to post
Phantom 631 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 (edited) My gut say's damn fecking right you do :yes: Okay, it gives us more bad press but it needs investigating and the f ing perpetrators need bringing to justice. I know Herons can be a pain in the ass to pond pond owners and fisheries managers, but they are protected birds. I had to chase em off my Koi Pond a couple of times and yes I lost a few fish, but I'd never dream of shooting shoot one. Tony Edited April 17, 2013 by Phantom Quote Link to post
J Darcy 5,871 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 How did you know the heron's sex..... Quote Link to post
The one 8,467 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 Seems some guys when there out just have to shoot anything Quote Link to post
smoothfinish 26 Posted April 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 Thats the thing tony the pond is not used by anyone its a wreck no pegs just big bankings with trees and bush around i dont want to go shouting my mouth of if im wrong but iv just got that feeling its them. and JDarcy the male heron is the larger of the two and the male heron will go bring all the twigs and sticks for the female to build there nest its fascinating to watch them do this, Im thinging of going down the next few weeks and watching for anyone walking about if the van is there again i know its them i feel gutted for this heron iv been shooting pests and vermin for a few years now and im not normally the one to go soft but this is disgusting at this time of year with young on the way Quote Link to post
villaman 9,983 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I have been asked by several fishermen if I can go and shoot herons and cormorants ,i have said you cant go round shooting any thing you like ,there reply was well we will go and buy a airgun then and do it our self's . Quote Link to post
Lab 10,979 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I have been asked by several fishermen if I can go and shoot herons and cormorants ,i have said you cant go round shooting any thing you like ,there reply was well we will go and buy a airgun then and do it our self's . That's different all together. Why should a heron that's causing bother not be shot? Do you have a problem with pigeons or crows getting shot, if not then what's the difference?? I'm not interested about the legalities either cause that's a farce!! 2 Quote Link to post
The one 8,467 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I have been asked by several fishermen if I can go and shoot herons and cormorants ,i have said you cant go round shooting any thing you like ,there reply was well we will go and buy a airgun then and do it our self's . That's different all together. Why should a heron that's causing bother not be shot? Do you have a problem with pigeons or crows getting shot, if not then what's the difference?? I'm not interested about the legalities either cause that's a farce!! Say's the guy with a pet fox You have to stick to what your allowed to shoot one guys version of bother will vary hugely from another and you could end up shooting everything in the countryside 1 Quote Link to post
Its_grim_up_norf 577 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 i know a lad who owns a fishing lake on a farm, he stocks the pond and a heron kept taking the fish from the pond,hence costing him money to restock all the time. So he shot it...they can be right little b*****ds. like foxes they'll keep going back if they know there's food. Not that im saying this is the same but, there us is occasionally reasons why people do things. Whilst I don't agree with it, I can't blame the lad for doing it. Quote Link to post
RubyTex 1,957 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I have been asked by several fishermen if I can go and shoot herons and cormorants ,i have said you cant go round shooting any thing you like ,there reply was well we will go and buy a airgun then and do it our self's . That's different all together. Why should a heron that's causing bother not be shot? Do you have a problem with pigeons or crows getting shot, if not then what's the difference?? I'm not interested about the legalities either cause that's a farce!! Say's the guy with a pet fox You have to stick to what your allowed to shoot one guys version of bother will vary hugely from another and you could end up shooting everything in the countryside Quote Link to post
smoothfinish 26 Posted April 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 if im wrong ere the pond in a disused water storage what they used to wash the trucks wheels and the road sweeper nobody gos there the heron is there for a reason to take the weaker fish plus the last time i looked out of my kitchen window there were not 5 herons sat eating my grass seed or shiting on my car or there fleas killing half of england. I dont see how you can even start to justify this shooting it would be like shooting a dog for barking thats what they do sorry but its just my opinion Quote Link to post
Lab 10,979 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I have been asked by several fishermen if I can go and shoot herons and cormorants ,i have said you cant go round shooting any thing you like ,there reply was well we will go and buy a airgun then and do it our self's . That's different all together. Why should a heron that's causing bother not be shot? Do you have a problem with pigeons or crows getting shot, if not then what's the difference?? I'm not interested about the legalities either cause that's a farce!!Say's the guy with a pet fox You have to stick to what your allowed to shoot one guys version of bother will vary hugely from another and you could end up shooting everything in the countryside Pet fox.. Lol If you want it your too late, probably rotted away like the other 4 vermin swines. Quote Link to post
J Darcy 5,871 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 and JDarcy the male heron is the larger of the two and the male heron will go bring all the twigs and sticks for the female to build there nest its fascinating to watch them do this, Well I've learnt something new there. I never realized that grey herons differed enough in size to be able to be sexed in the wild........Cheers JD 2 Quote Link to post
jonah. 775 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I have been asked by several fishermen if I can go and shoot herons and cormorants ,i have said you cant go round shooting any thing you like ,there reply was well we will go and buy a airgun then and do it our self's . That's different all together. Why should a heron that's causing bother not be shot? Do you have a problem with pigeons or crows getting shot, if not then what's the difference?? I'm not interested about the legalities either cause that's a farce!! hypothetically speaking if it wasnt illegal, then yes, cormorants and herons do a lot of damage to fisheries and if i had a vested intrest of any sort then they would be controlled, same as any other predatory pest and crop damaging vermin. there not exactly on the endangered list... Quote Link to post
barrywhite 282 Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 maybe they got shot at some where else .some one may have a fishing lake nearby . Quote Link to post
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.