Depredation permits allowing the taking (i.e. killing) of gulls, like those used at airports as well as landfills, are not intended to kill every bird.  Their purpose is to deter the vast majority of birds from returning by frightening them with the disturbance of gunshots as well as the sight and sounds of dead and/or dying birds.  So, these permits are often capped at some reasonable number perhaps allowing the taking of 100 or so over a given period of time.  The permit specifies the species allowed to be killed and may also allow for incidental take of similar (but certainly not endangered) species.  The permit may specify some percentage of the total take that is acceptable for these incidental species.  And, the recipient of the permit is required to report both the numbers and species of birds killed.  Those persons doing the actual shooting bear the responsibility of being capable of properly identifying birds.  At airports these permits are most often issued to biologists from the USDA Wildlife Services who perform the actual control work.  

Copies of these permits can be obtained from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Midwest Region 3, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458.  For background on a federal bird depredation permit see http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-13.pdf

Dan Kramer
Bolivar, OH

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of eric elvert
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 10:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] landfill gull shooting

Is there any place we can view these submitted reports? And in my opinion as if it matters when your dealing with thousands of gulls on a landfill shooting a couple, few hundred is not going to help with your gull problem.
They should just be looked at as part of the job. Learn how to duck and dodge. What do they do about the millions of blackbirds or hundreds of pigeons?
Bird On!!!

Eric Elvert
Dayton, ohio
On Jan 21, 2016 10:44 AM, "Jon Cefus" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> How would you propose that our "wonderful government" enforce theses laws?
>
> I find it interesting how the need for regulation of corporations has 
> swung full circle to criticism of the body whose job it is to try to 
> keep the wolves out of the pasture.  Particularly in light of the 
> blatant efforts of huge money interests to undermine these regulations 
> at every opportunity.
>
> We need to work hard to not throw out the baby with the bath water.
>
> Jon Cefus
>
> A birder who does not know his 2nd cycle HEGU from his 3rd, but does 
> know something about the politics of driving buses off of cliffs.
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jan 21, 2016, at 10:11 AM, John Herman 
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> >
> > Gulls, especially in winter, often frequent landfills. Landfill 
> > managers can obtain a federal permit to shoot a specified number of 
> > gulls. Gulls deficate on landfill property and are accused of 
> > spreading landfill materials to areas outside the landfill. I 
> > believe the wind causes more materials to be moved about than gulls do.
> > These federal permits state which species of gulls can be shot and 
> > how many. A report is required to be submitted to the feds. listing 
> > numbers
> and
> > species shot. With large gulls taking 4 years to obtain adult 
> > plumage, I believe the majority of individuals doing the shooting 
> > can not identify species.
> > Not surprisingly, the species listed on the report are the ones 
> > allowed
> by
> > the permit.
> > With lesser black-backed gulls increasing their occurrence at 
> > landfills,
> I
> > would not be surprised immatures and others have been shot. Last 
> > winter a lot of great black-backed gulls and lesser numbers of 
> > glaucous gulls
> showed
> > up at landfills. Undoubedly, some of some gulls, especially the
> immatures,
> > get shot.
> > I doubt the dept. of interior is concerned if gull species are shot 
> > that are not permitted to be such, on the permit.
> > There is no enforcement of the limitations the  permit requires.
> > Our "wonderful" government at work.
> > John Herman
> >
> > ____________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________

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Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.


You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
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