Airsoft pellets, Koi & Herons

[ThornyGardener]

Found a 4.5' blue heron standing next to koi pond last night; back again at side of lily pond this morning. He can't wade in to either pond as they are straight sided and the one good thing about the leak in the koi pond is that the water is down 18" so it is unlikely he can stab at them. The comets in lily pond are another matter as he might be able to stab them if they swam near edge.

I plan to borrow my son's airsoft rifle and go all Rambo on his feathered azz. The koi-food-size plastic pellets are sure to land in the pond and may be eaten by the koi. Do you think they will safely pass through my fish?

[Kat]

Don't know about the koi eating the pellets but good luck with encouraging the heron to stay away.

[Julles]

Koi FOOD pellets pass through fish because they are broken down by the body first.  Plastic pellets, even of the same size as the food, WON'T break down in the intestinal track.  Now, whether or not they will pass through harmlessly, I can't say.  But if I were to guess, I'd say they'll clog up something in the innards of your fish.

[Michiponder]

I would use the fully automatic air soft gun and  pepper him till he was out of range.  They are such a pain and can be so persistant.  Any chance you could get away with using a lead spray applicator?  I am tempted to use the 20 guage type.  Good luck hunting.

Mlkel

[Jerry]

I knew a Cannibel that passed his brother in the jungle!!

[Pam]

rock salt 

[miguynmkoi]

Wish List....Airsoft pellet gun!

[Rad Michelle]

they actually make bio-degradable air soft pellets.. justsayin

[Tadpole]

Careful that you don't get in trouble with the local authorities. Herons are a protected species.

[ThornyGardener]

[Geez. I could swear I replied to you all but don;t know where it vanished to. I'll try again...]

There is a sarassa comet missing from my lily pond (sadly my only female).

I discovered a few years ago that airsoft guns fall under the regulations for "real" guns here in suburbia -- can't be discharged in city limits. So if I use it on a protected species as well I'd be breaking quite a few laws. But that doesn't concern me, scofflaw that I am. The issue is, I'd never be able to grab the gun, get outside, take aim, fire (and probably miss) before heron flew away. But if I COULD hit the thing, maybe better to do it with a bright day-glo paint ball so at least I and others could see it easier and he could be mocked and shamed by all his heron friends.

Actually my running out shrieking at the top of my lungs seems to have urged him to move on to a less stressful dining experience as I haven't seen him in several days.