Cormorants

[Duck Tape]

I am getting pushback on a statewide season.

Where are they really impacting the resources like Marion and Moultrie?

Where did the cormorants shift to when pressured that may need attention if we can continue next year?

Please send back your permit harvest report.

[TRASHDUCK]

Cooper River and the pond in my backyard!!! I'll take care of the pond

[codeman216]

The Catawba chain of lakes are covered in them. Normally see at least 1000 on a morning duck hunt on any of those lakes. Not sure what their total numbers are but if the reports from Marion and Moultrie show this program is successful then this area could benefit from the hunting. Only problem is there will be plenty of places on wateree that they could get away from hunters.

[Catdaddy]

Need a Statewide season next year for 30 days, imho.


It's hard to say exactly where they went, but the survivors were moving to avoid pressure.

They are showing back up now that the pressure is off...........and this may be a normal movement or migration.

[benman]

I noticed more on the Catawba south of Wylie this year than in past years....however, the posts on here about it probably led to me paying more attention as well.

[L C Hillbilly]

I used to see one or two in the ponds in our neighborhood. Now there are dozens. Can't shoot in city limits either.

[Grebe]

Savannah river lakes.

[dukhuntr]

I personally know that there are plenty from the headwaters of Lake Wyile all the way through Lake Wateree. If you are in doubt ride to the Nitrolee Dam and just see how many sit on those rocks every single day! I have watched the flock in in flocks of a hundred.

If we are to truly protect the fishery from them we need to control statewide as not to push from one lake to another causing more damage on other lakes. While I care about the state fishery as a whole I would like to see it protected as a whole and not just what some one seems to be important lakes in our state.

Common sense would tell you a state wide season would help push them out of the entire state and not just from a major lake to other bodies of water in the state. While the hunting was going in on Marion and Molturie how many small local ponds probably got loaded up because there was ni pressure there. I saw more birds at the beach this past weekend in the inlet and ocean than I have even seen in my years if going. It is obvious the birds moved but are still in our state "damaging" our fishery.

[Palmetto Bug]

I've seen a few show up at my little pond but they are quite spooky and won't let me get anywhere near them.

[thawhacker]

fishing creek to lake wateree is covered in them.

[Goin Coastal]

Saw 10 flying over McDonalds in Moncks Corner this morning.

I still think the Re diversion canal and maybe the Santee River below it are prime areas.

[Gone South]

They are all over the upper end of lake Wateree

[nitro5x6's]

Go stomp some nests....the DC Cormorant is a ground nester

[fro]

hardeeville - Savannah portion of the Savannah river. below the refuge. surrounding marshes and back river is stacked up daily....

[BOGSTER]

I question the actual numbers of migratory cormorants on Marion, Moultrie, as well as other lakes in the state.
What real studies were done, and by whom?
Common sense tells me that this season was a quick reaction to complaining fisherman.
I'm not saying that something didn't need to be done, I'm just saying I question whether science was delt a hand in this game.

How many birds (migratory) actually winter on the Santee Cooper lakes.
From someone who averages 3-4 days a week out there during the winter....I say less than 20k system wide.
If there's one thing scducks has taught us, it's that most folks can't count birds.
We need facts. Real numbers.
How many birds were killed this season?

We also have to take into account the idea that we are driving birds on to other lakes. Is this true or is it just folks talking?
I'm sure folks are seeing decent numbers of cormorants on other rivers and lakes. That doesn't mean those numbers are increasing because of hunting Marion and moultrie.
It's my opinion that the pressures birds of our area go to the rediversion, bar pits, and Cooper river...all of which should've been huntable areas to begin with.
Common sense should've told DNR that.
I'm not saying it's impossible, but I do doubt that large groups of birds are leaving Santee and going up to Lake Wylie. Why would they?
There's far more bountiful and unhunted waters within a 15 minute flight.


The fact that cormorants are native residents and winter migrants and (although impossible) that a total eradication stance is not our approach.

We are mowing the lawn, not dousing it in round-up.

I shot cormorants a few times, and I think it was needed, but I fully believe at least some minimal study should be done before we just turn the bigmoneygrip's loose on every lake in the state, just because a couple hundred cormorants have been seen flying over.

Take it as you will.

[Hoggin]

I question the actual numbers of migratory cormorants on Marion, Moultrie, as well as other lakes in the state.
What real studies were done, and by whom?
Common sense tells me that this season was a quick reaction to complaining fisherman.
I'm not saying that something didn't need to be done, I'm just saying I question whether science was delt a hand in this game.

How many birds (migratory) actually winter on the Santee Cooper lakes.
From someone who averages 3-4 days a week out there during the winter....I say less than 20k system wide.
If there's one thing scducks has taught us, it's that most folks can't count birds.
We need facts. Real numbers.
How many birds were killed this season?

We also have to take into account the idea that we are driving birds on to other lakes. Is this true or is it just folks talking?
I'm sure folks are seeing decent numbers of cormorants on other rivers and lakes. That doesn't mean those numbers are increasing because of hunting Marion and moultrie.
It's my opinion that the pressures birds of our area go to the rediversion, bar pits, and Cooper river...all of which should've been huntable areas to begin with.
Common sense should've told DNR that.
I'm not saying it's impossible, but I do doubt that large groups of birds are leaving Santee and going up to Lake Wylie. Why would they?
There's far more bountiful and unhunted waters within a 15 minute flight.


The fact that cormorants are native residents and winter migrants and (although impossible) that a total eradication stance is not our approach.

We are mowing the lawn, not dousing it in round-up.

I shot cormorants a few times, and I think it was needed, but I fully believe at least some minimal study should be done before we just turn the bigmoneygrip's loose on every lake in the state, just because a couple hundred cormorants have been seen flying over.

Take it as you will.

Great post!

[jwilliams]

I question the actual numbers of migratory cormorants on Marion, Moultrie, as well as other lakes in the state.
What real studies were done, and by whom?
Common sense tells me that this season was a quick reaction to complaining fisherman.
I'm not saying that something didn't need to be done, I'm just saying I question whether science was delt a hand in this game.

How many birds (migratory) actually winter on the Santee Cooper lakes.
From someone who averages 3-4 days a week out there during the winter....I say less than 20k system wide.
If there's one thing scducks has taught us, it's that most folks can't count birds.
We need facts. Real numbers.
How many birds were killed this season?

We also have to take into account the idea that we are driving birds on to other lakes. Is this true or is it just folks talking?
I'm sure folks are seeing decent numbers of cormorants on other rivers and lakes. That doesn't mean those numbers are increasing because of hunting Marion and moultrie.
It's my opinion that the pressures birds of our area go to the rediversion, bar pits, and Cooper river...all of which should've been huntable areas to begin with.
Common sense should've told DNR that.
I'm not saying it's impossible, but I do doubt that large groups of birds are leaving Santee and going up to Lake Wylie. Why would they?
There's far more bountiful and unhunted waters within a 15 minute flight.


The fact that cormorants are native residents and winter migrants and (although impossible) that a total eradication stance is not our approach.

We are mowing the lawn, not dousing it in round-up.

I shot cormorants a few times, and I think it was needed, but I fully believe at least some minimal study should be done before we just turn the bigmoneygrip's loose on every lake in the state, just because a couple hundred cormorants have been seen flying over.

Take it as you will.

GOod post. ALthough I think the 20,000 number is grossly underestimated. I have fished around the rediversion many times for a 12 hour day and seen the birds fly in a line non stop the entire day. Maybe they were using some of stonewall Jackson's tactics and it was the same birds over and over, but I dont' think so.

No doubt there needed to be something done. actual numbers and scientific approach would be good. Just don't have the Co-op do the study. They might say we still have 3000 acres of hydrila and 6000 acres of eel grass.

[Stumpknocker]

Probably saw close to 400-500 on murray sun.

[Duck Tape]

See we think alike. That is why I am getting my factual numbers from SCDuckers.

I question the actual numbers of migratory cormorants on Marion, Moultrie, as well as other lakes in the state.
What real studies were done, and by whom?
Common sense tells me that this season was a quick reaction to complaining fisherman.
I'm not saying that something didn't need to be done, I'm just saying I question whether science was delt a hand in this game.

How many birds (migratory) actually winter on the Santee Cooper lakes.
From someone who averages 3-4 days a week out there during the winter....I say less than 20k system wide.
If there's one thing scducks has taught us, it's that most folks can't count birds.
We need facts. Real numbers.
How many birds were killed this season?

We also have to take into account the idea that we are driving birds on to other lakes. Is this true or is it just folks talking?
I'm sure folks are seeing decent numbers of cormorants on other rivers and lakes. That doesn't mean those numbers are increasing because of hunting Marion and moultrie.
It's my opinion that the pressures birds of our area go to the rediversion, bar pits, and Cooper river...all of which should've been huntable areas to begin with.
Common sense should've told DNR that.
I'm not saying it's impossible, but I do doubt that large groups of birds are leaving Santee and going up to Lake Wylie. Why would they?
There's far more bountiful and unhunted waters within a 15 minute flight.


The fact that cormorants are native residents and winter migrants and (although impossible) that a total eradication stance is not our approach.

We are mowing the lawn, not dousing it in round-up.

I shot cormorants a few times, and I think it was needed, but I fully believe at least some minimal study should be done before we just turn the bigmoneygrip's loose on every lake in the state, just because a couple hundred cormorants have been seen flying over.

Take it as you will.

[benman]

I also think that some, like me, paid more attention to cormorants in areas where they already were simply because it was interesting. The 50 I saw today were probably there last year at this time....I just didn't pay attention to them as much.