Off Topic cormorants

If they hadn't banned DDT back in 70's we wouldn't have this problem. Damned tree huggers.....
 
Only safe way to shoot them is with a powerful (precharged pneumatic "PCP") air rifle where they roost on the ground. They can be accurately put down at distances over 100 yards with a .25 or .30 calibre non leaded pellet that won't travel more than a few hundred yards if you miss. All targeted birds are spotted through a high power scope, with the background clearly visible, not fired upon in the air as most people assume they would be, and most of the pellets raining blindly on whoever.
Pest control companies use PCP air rifles to dispose of pigeons in steel mills and warehouses, as their droppings create infectious bacteriological hazards for workers, and contaminate stored product that becomes un-saleable.
Remove the 50 max. daily cap. and I'll gladly rid Hamilton of a majority of the birds. Someone else (fish & game) will have to pick up the dead ones due to the biological hazards on the islands where they roost.

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@proV2025... That sounds like a very sensible way to dispatch cormorants safely. I have never heard about these kind of PCP rifles before but I've been a bow hunter most of my life. Only problem is these weapons are incredibly expensive as this model by Daystate Wolverine is $2,200 + tax. Not saying it's not a good idea just that one would really have to enjoy popping stinky cormorants to put out that kind of money. Still much cheaper than fishing though. ?
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Wave Runner said:
@proV2025... That sounds like a very sensible way to dispatch cormorants safely. I have never heard about these kind of PCP rifles before but I've been a bow hunter most of my life. Only problem is these weapons are incredibly expensive as this model by Daystate Wolverine is $2,200 + tax. Not saying it's not a good idea just that one would really have to enjoy popping stinky cormorants to put out that kind of money. Still much cheaper than fishing though. ?
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Add another $600 + tax for the scope, and another $700 + tax for a specialized scuba sized tank to recharge, plus approx. $40 to refill large tank. You get approx. 100 hi-power shots on a carbon fiber tank as shown on this gun, and approx. 15 refills from the scuba size tank. The guns aren't silent but quieter than a 22 short. I own the above setup, used it one year at a friend's farm in Caister center until he passed away last spring. Shot a lot of paper targets at Silverdale, crab apples, a couple starlings, and one bunny that used to eat his mary jane plant. Bunny was delicious!

The shooting of cormorants from an anchored boat with a 12 gauge could only be carried out one mile from city limits when fishing season is over or hasn't begun. How often have you seen a corm in the water while trolling for walleye or salmon. If you saw a flock flying overhead towards you, you couldn't drop anchor and get your shotgun out in time. If they're on the water you couldn't get closer than 100 yards and then drop anchor before they fly or dive away. One would have to purchase a flock of cormorant decoys in hope of attracting flyers to land in front of your anchored boat. I don't think anyone hates the birds that much. My $0.03 worth.
 
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proV2025 said:
Add another $600 + tax for the scope, and another $700 + tax for a specialized scuba sized tank to recharge, plus approx. $40 to refill large tank. You get approx. 100 hi-power shots on a carbon fiber tank as shown on this gun, and approx. 15 refills from the scuba size tank. The guns aren't silent but quieter than a 22 short. I own the above setup, used it one year at a friend's farm in Caister center until he passed away last spring. Shot a lot of paper targets at Silverdale, crab apples, a couple starlings, and one bunny that used to eat his mary jane plant. Bunny was delicious!
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? Holy cow that's expensive cormorant shooting but still cheaper than fishing. LOL! ?
 
can't miss said:
good post for a rainy day, subject has crossed my mind a bit since it was originally posted, but kept my mouth shut because on a outdoors forum, point out any flaw,s in the idea, and you become peta?
Let's be clear, I hate them, they stink, if I was duck hunting and it was a slow day, yey, let me see if I can make the shot.
But lets be real, first the public's concerns over safety, real or perseaved, lot more rec boaters than hard core outdoors men, "there eating my fish guys"?
Second, are you going to spend the dollars on expensive non toxic shot to blast them with no return, I'm not, but if you are, wish I had your budget?
Last thought, wasn't part of the cancellation of the spring bear hunt due to public pressure from seeing orffinned bear cubs starving? No offence to bear hunters, I don't hunt them but I get baiting to ID sex's and such and controlling population's.
What I'm getting at, how long before a vid hits UTube of starving baby corms falling from the nest after the adult's were culled if a hunt took place?
You, I, may be hard enough to deal with it, social media today won't, just saying
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I wouldn't mind letting loose on as many as I could if they paid for my bullets
 
This is a controversial issue for Lake Nipissing as well.

As far as I'm concerned, Cormorants should be culled where they're invasive (Nipissing - apparently).

If they're native to an area, they're part of mother nature's balanced recipe, so to speak, and they should be controlled, not culled. This issue arose on Lake of the Woods. They dug up bones, dated them to 2000 BC and declared Cormorants native to the area. That's fair, I think.

Like it or not, Cormorants have a place and purpose in nature. Spiny fleas invaded Nipissing some 10 years ago, and now the perch population is exploding (every perch you catch in the summer is engorged with fleas). I think Cormorants are keeping perch population in check. Without Cormorants, the perch population could explode out of control. Or maybe nothing will happen. I don't know.
 
its said the comorants are over populated in specific locations?..you say hamilton harbour...okay
I have seen single file flocks of comorants fishing out on erie traveling usually west to east...and for lake St. Clair I see them more regularly in the southeast spring fishing pickeral in june...In october/Nov. duck hunting LSC I see single comorants flying over the marsh...but not that many...
can somebody mention where on lake erie & LSC are they over populated?...
for the record I am a selective hunter and shoot ducks only...not interested in shooting comorants..nor geese turkeys doves etc.

If the comorants are over populated and nesting in specific locations permanently destroying natural habitat. Then I agree these areas need to be managed and reduce the comorant numbers. Killing comorants for eating a diet of fish does not seem logical to me. The MNR comorant hunting proposal which is another one size fits all approach..
 
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