A Heron is eating the Koi in our pond (located in Virginia). Can I legally shoot the Heron?
Answers:
In behalf of doing the right thing, for both you AND the heron/s, you'd be wise to contact the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Click on the 1st site below to get their contact info. Calmly explain your heron situation to them and they, no doubt, will be able to not only tell you what the legalities of shooting herons are, but will be able to well inform you with ideas, as did some of the others here have.
The 2nd site below you can click on may also help give you some insight, as well.
Other answers:
no
no
it's illegal to shoot a heron
Simple put. NO!! You will have to try other means such as a net or wires stung above the pond.
No you may not..
You might try covering the pond with a netting
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The "knowsitall" below does not know it all...
Here in Oregon we have Herons. More commonly called "Blue Heron's" and it will cost you BIG TIME if your caught even throwing a rock at one.
Call your local police department or look in the yellow pages under pest control or wildlife rehab...they can tell you the law. A city versus a rural area makes a difference....
You do NOT have herons in Virginia. Heron's are tropical birds found in Florida.
Anyway, this is the nature of having fish in a pond outdoors, and if it wasn't a bird it would be a cat or other animal.
Yes you can shoot it but really, it would be better to just let nature take it's course and respect other animals right to live don't you think?
Why not add some other types of fish to the pond that are expendible, ones that are cheap and you can afford to lose, so you can enjoy watching the beautiful birds catch fish.
No you cannot shoot the heron, but here is the real solution:
Remove the Koi and place them in a protected area for about one week. Replace the Koi with Piranha and voila' Heron will be gone quickly, for it is not illegal for a fish to eat a Heron in Virginia, of course I am not sure if it is legal to have Piranha in Virginia you may have to substitute Barracuda or even a Shark, well good luck.
Check with your state DNR.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects almost all bird species, even including crows and mallards. Violation of that act is a criminal offense. Offenses include disturbing the birds, their young, or their nesting sites. Extremely common birds, like starlings, pidgeons, and sparrows, are not protected, but the blue and white heron most definitely are. And if it happens to be a yellow-crowned night heron, it is a protected species and carries a far heavier penalty for killing it.
You might want to consider netting the pond, or putting out koi decoys, which ick the birds off and make them not come back. I am looking to find out in my grandmas china is of any value. It is Mitterteich Bavaria numberd 05?