Most folks have no idea what damage they can do. I managed a large ranch in N California and had a 100 acre lake with planted Kamloops rainbow. Now I never mind sharing with wildlife, but one day these 4 cormorants showed up. I didnt mind and they were kinda fun to watch.... Then within 2 weeks I could not catch a trout and saw next to none jumping like I usually did in the evening. I suspected the cormorants and took to firing at them to try to scare them away. They would just take off to the other side of the lake.... Then one day I saw them going on dive after dive and I had had enough. I got out the shotgun and snuck to the side of the lake they were on. First shot took one on the water and another took to the air and cirlced around me coming right over me. I fired and down it came. When it hit the ground I was stunned to see 2 12-14 inch trout come out of its gut.... Curious, I fished the other out and cut it open as it was obviously stuffed. 6 trout ranging from an 8 incher to a 13 1/2 incher in its gut. I had no idea they could eat that much. The other two got the picture and left, and never returned. If they can eat that many long, fat Kamloops trout, then how many 3-6 inch smolts can they eat at a sitting. They need to start controlling them as part of the salmon recovery.....
Buzz
_________________________
MasterCaster
"Equal Rights" are not "Special Rights"........