Cormorants Killing Trees at Reelfoot

Seems to be a surplus or overpopulation of cormorants ( water turkeys) migrating to the area. The area stripping the cypress tress of its bark so to build their nest. Trees die after a cormorant builds it nest. The cormorant poop also pollutes the waters. We need to do away with the cormorants along with PETA. PETA has become an even more extremist organization.

Cormorants are also inhabiting areas in and around Big Sandy. Brenda and I have seen them roosting in West Sandy across the lake from us. They sound like bullfrogs in a tree.

Maybe they are carrying in the mercury and dumping it behind the pumphouse. :Rofl

We have them up this way along with the white pelicans. I have buddies who swear the fishing success has dropped noticeably as the population of cormorants has increased. Some of the wooded islands on Barkley are barren now except for the ankle deep white droppings under the dead trees.

There are more cormorants up around New Johnsonville than ever in my lifetime. They took over a big island last fall and I thought it would kill every tree but they came back out this spring. If it becomes repetitive, they will kill the trees. I've seen it happen on islands above Blood River.

We were fishing below Watts Bar dam last week, and there must have been 500-600 cormorants in a huge flock come sailing in and immediately started chowing down on the baitfish. I hate these birds. There ought to be an open season on them.

I saw the same thing below Watts Bar Dam, too, and I can also tell you they are up in the lake around Caney Creek. They need to be thinned out, big time. I hope the TWRA doesn't wait until it is too late before they address the situation.

it seems to me they are also becoming a nuisance on Lake Conway in Arkansas!

THEY are killing just about every island on Watts Bar right now. The islands STINK from all the poop.. It's awful!! Something needs to be done NOW and not later.

You didnt used to see them in Indiana, but we have lots also on Patoka where there is still standing dead timber in a few of the bay's. Where there is timber, tons of birds roosting and feeding. We have them up here.

Cormorants are a problem here in Kansas, they chow on state stocked trout etc. It is my understanding cormorants are a protected bird, should fleas and ticks be protected to?

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Originally Posted by DRFISHDUCK

Cormorants are a problem here in Kansas, they chow on state stocked trout etc. It is my understanding cormorants are a protected bird, should fleas and ticks be protected to?

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Good point. They are protected by PETA eaters also.

South Carolina had a open season on them I think last year and people were encouraged to kill as many as possible and keep track of the number they killed. One man on Santee killed hundreds of them. They need to do it again

If I can find it I will post a picture I took last year at Reelfoot. There is a place between the lower and middle basin called Tom Johnson Timber, the cormorants block out the sun when they come in to roost or leave out heading to the river. There are literally tens of thousands of them there in the spring. They will stay in the trees until you get very close and then all of drop down take and skim across the surface of the water before taking off. It's a sight to see.....

they taste like chicken

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Originally Posted by Billbob

they taste like chicken

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Awhhh! That's plain nasty! You eat em! :Rofl

I know a commercial fishermen who catches them in his nets. 50 ft deep!!

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Never heard of them being caught in nets.

I believe the cormorant poop is more harmful to the water than my lead weights. It does kill vegetation.

The problem has been noted by more than just the crappie fishermen:

Memphis Newspaper

They are on Cedar Creek too. They defiantly eat a lot of game fish. I hope they don't get on Green.

Look like they could put some deal on them where you can shoot tem like coots. Somebody would shoot them I'm sure.

Just another example of a simple solution ignored and before the powers to be take action it will be too late. Shoot the darn things.

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Originally Posted by 27458

Just another example of a simple solution ignored and before the powers to be take action it will be too late. Shoot the darn things.

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The powers that be don't care a ratt's hairy arse about hunters or fishermen. They get more $$ and press from the bunny humpers' side of things.

Shoot Dat Thing Elizabeth.....:biggrin