Cormorants and Pelicans

[magnumthunder]

Look at the over population on coyotes, coon ect. because of lack of trapping and hunting. Here in SE MN. we have to many deer and we can legally shoot 5 does. I say shoot them!! What do you do if you have mice or rats in your house? Feed them? I think NOT! Kinda like the idea the tree huggers had with birth control for the deer.

[Big Julie]

I believe that if all the effects were tallied, we would see a mass devastation on our fish populations in many areas by cormorants and pelicans.

Now then; what can the sportsmen of the state do to propel forward more reductions of these birds...?

I'm sorry to the people who believe every living thing has a place, but I for one would do away with all but enough for a zoo.

What can we sportsmen do to eradicate them...?

Contacting our local dnr people I do not think is the answer as they most likely agree with the general sentiment, but their hands are tied.

How about a showing like they had for the ducks in St. Paul?

Any ideas?

I really would like to see something happen.

???

[danfall]

It is always the uncompromising person that creates polarity in debates, and often loses. To think you'd put them down to 20 breeding pairs in zoos to satisfy fishing lust is humorous to me, but polarizing to others.

Let go of the cormorant hate and work for management of their flocks.

Predation has not always been the downfall of species. Many times predation causes cycles of boom and bust both. Take for example the ruffed grouse and the snowshoe hair, they cycle apart; largely based on the movements of their predator, the goshawk. Now, I'll tell you that I've wanted to blast a goshawk or two while out grouse hunting, but they also create boom years where triples are possible.

If you ask me, rather than a state kill that is temporary, the cormorant issue should go back to the federal government for a EIS and mgmt plan/review.

If Leech Lake can't support the cormorant, where next? Red Lake, Winnibigosh, Kab, LOW? If you start killing them, maybe they'll scatter. If they scatter, there better be a plan in place, otherwise they'll bust everything.

[Big Julie]

Danfall,

I guess that is what I am asking for...To put a balance to the issue. I was frothing just a little bit with the extreme comments.

I do not really desire to eradicate the species. Just to put an end to the jumbo flocks and the kind of damage that can do.

If you lived on a lake where they were feeding beastily, you might get just a little carried away with yourself too...

If there were one or two breeding pairs of each on our lake, I might even put some minnows in a bucket on the dock and think it was cute to see them rob me... :-)

I wish that something could be done to change the current imbalance. That does include the feds figuring out a new equilibrium point.

[Murdock]

I watched three cormorants on Kandiyohi county lake this last weekend. Kandiyohi county has one of the largest populations of cormorants in the state. I watched them dive and catch small crappies 7 out of 10 dives. Soon three more cormorants landed, then 2 more, etc. I beleive it should be open season on cormorants. Period.

[Muddog]

When fishing becomes as easy as some of you say, There must be a lack of food for the fish. The fish can not swim to another lake with easy pickings.

You know when I think of going north I think of all the wildlife. Well no more.

I appears that our Lakes up north are no more then farm ponds to raise fish for human consumption. Like a farmer we must protect this commodity from the uncontrolable wildlife. Or we must get rid of wildlife by training it to do our bidding. Those that will not capitulate, we’ll eliminate.

We should also change the name of the DNR to The Dept, of Fish Farms.

The St Peter Trout Ponds are looking much more sporting to me know.

Guano is one of the best fertlizers around.

But who am I kidding. Man has been doing thing like this for ever and always will.

Get out the DDT.

[fishface5]

Guano! Man... If it weren't for that evil MAN! Just think how beutifull, how pristine, how manless!??

[Lunker]

Muddog. It bothers me what we have done and what is occuring. I mean, I'm in school to be a water resources guy, I don't like it much either. But your spin on this subject is kinda tunnel vision. Sure, we f'd up this environment plenty, but the reason some of these species are the way they are is because of us. If it weren't for the way we have changed the ecosystem, creatures like coyotes, all the exotics, cormorants, etc wouldn't be as prolific and damaging as they are. I'm not saying kill all the cormorants either, but how about some management? At least keep the populations in some natural state of check. And although we hate to admit it, we're not going to reverse the worlds state of environmental problems, even if the human race was wiped out. So we have to work with what we got now and do our best at managing ourselves and the environment. Don't forget, it's a cycle. If the fishing isn't good, then less money is used for licenses and funding, thus further handicapping the DNR, thus making our efforts to manage this great land we live in much more difficult. So you think the DNR is just a fish farming industry? Go without it for a few years and see how much more we can screw oursleves and our country. I say all of this in respectful argument, not trying to [PoorWordUsage] anyone off.

[Muddog]

I'm sorry I had to bring this back But I wouldn't feel right with out saying.

Ice-9 . That was a very good post!!!!!!!!!!!

And yes I was way over the top.

[Skitterpop]

If you check out the back page of the sports section in the Star Tribune you can read about the feds shooting about 950 or so cormorants on Leech Lake this past week to thin the numbers that have ballooned on the lake. This is in Wed. paper. They felt the walleye had taken a nose dive because of the cormorants eating the small walleye they have been stocking.

[Ole the Guide]

Not only the walleye has taken a nose dive but the tourism in Walker is also taking a big hit! I know people who own business's up there and they say it's like the plague has set in.

The word got out and now everyone is going elsewhere. It's a shame that a freakin' vulture can do that to a wonderful mecca like Leech Lake. I hope they can get it back soon!

Ole

[Hoffer]

The DNR estimates the Cormorants "harvested" around 1 million pounds of walleye from Leach last year. There are now 10,000 of them nesting around the islands of Leach - when in 1998 there were only a small fraction of that number. That type of increase in just over 7 years isnt "natural" at all. All they want to do is thin the population back to an acceptable level. Even if the DNR came close to the target of Cormarants disposed of - they would still be keeping over 1500 of them - and most likely they wont come close to their harvest target. I say good for the DNR for doing something about it. leach has had only one walleye hatch since 1998 that they consider to be an outstanding year - and that was 2001. The fish from that year were seen in the nets and documented. Now, there are very few fish left from that class year - and they went somewhere! Breakfast, lunch and Dinner for the Cormorant family.

[BLACKJACK]

As I'm reading this, I'm wondering what has changed to enable the cormorants to expand in numbers? Leech Lake and that island have been there for thousands of years, walleyes and cormornants have been there for thousands of years, why all of a sudden is there a problem?

Predator/prey relationships usually go in cycles, you can bet when we have a couple of tough winters and the deer die off up north, the wolf populations will also go down.

[Riverratpete]

Interesting question about why the Cormorants have exploded. One possible answer is that they have been scared away from any of the "Aquaculture" areas ie. minnow/fish rearing pond - legally, and they have now taken up residence where they are not harassed (Pelican Island). Kinda like pushing gang members and other low lifes from one part of the city/country to another...just a thought waiting to get out of my kennel to head up nort.

[Lunker]

Cormorant overpopulation also threatens other colinizing birds like herons and egrets.

[The Yeti]

Concerning this subject, does anyone know how the culling is going up on Leech? How many cormorants have they taken out so far?

[buzzsaw]

I personally don't have a problem shooting these birds. There have been some good posts on this thread... too many to mention... but like anything that gets out of balance I believe we need to protect our interests. We spend alot of money in this state stocking lakes and buying boats and equipment to catch these fish... I don't like seeing swarms of walleye and crappie eating Pterodactyl's/Cormorants damaging our states investment and hurting our favorite pasttime. Open season during duck hunting and greasing eggs were two decent idea's IMO... not to the point of making the species extinct but to keep these flying rodents in check.

Looks like a Cormorant eh?!

[Big Julie]

I believe that if all the effects were tallied, we would see a mass devastation on our fish populations in many areas by cormorants and pelicans.

Now then; what can the sportsmen of the state do to propel forward more reductions of these birds...?

What can we sportsmen do to eradicate them...?

Contacting our local dnr people I do not think is the answer as they most likely agree with the general sentiment, but their hands are tied.

How about a showing like they had for the ducks in St. Paul?

Any ideas?

I really would like to see something happen.

???

[Redwalleye]

Jiggin jim, I here you 100%, My dad is a lake shore owner on long, and have seen the trees that used to hide my diver blind turn in to nothing but deadwood. I also grew up catchin the same quality of walleyes you speak of.

The rookery on the island is the same; dead. Ive also seen the waves of the sea turkeys and cormorants swarm in. its a shame.

[danfall]

Would it be illegal to fish with a lindy rig in the area where the cormorants hang out?