Hey Turpentine...

[Mark K]

You’re not the only hunter after them. Took CJ for a ride through the place today and we came up on a hawk on the deck. He flew off as we got close and I looked over a saw a Gopher Tortoise. Thought it was weird a hawk would mess with one, so I get out to make sure the Gopher is ok and find this is what Mr. Redtail was eating on.

 

[fishfryer]

Filet of fox squirrel

 

[Turpentine]

I have mixed feelings about that one.
It's a cool find but dang. There is definitely no shortage in hawk we're I hunt this year and between them and the squirrels..... it has made for a few annoying hunts.
I was hunting squirrel a few years ago at a different WMA and you had to log your harvest. I read the list one day and the difference between hunting them with a rifle and hawk was night and day. A few Grey's on the rifle list and then the falconry log was more like 7 Grey's 2 fox, 8 Grey's, 4 Grey's 3 fox. Ect... The success rate based on the log sheet was incredible. In my opinion. This was early season as well, hard hunting for squirrel.

 

[Mark K]

We keep the squirrels and rabbits around so the hawks will not solely target the quail.

 

[Turpentine]

talked to another gentlemen about this but he thinks it may have been something different. I have seen a hawk on two separate occasions, two different ponds dive from the sky into the water and then fly away with massive fish.

 

[Nicodemus]

talked to another gentlemen about this but he thinks it may have been something different. I have seen a hawk on two separate occasions, two different ponds dive from the sky into the water and then fly away with massive fish.

Those are ospreys catching the fish.

 

[Turpentine]

Those are ospreys catching the fish.

Roger sir, That is what he called them as well. I just couldn't think of the name.

 

[Big7]

We keep the squirrels and rabbits around so the hawks will not solely target the quail.

Good idea.
I've never thought of that.

Of course, I've seen MAYBE 3 wild covey in 20 years.

Wild crossing with pen raised= dumb quail and the "reintroduction" of Coyote ruined the quail population in my area.

Those 3 I mentioned, 2 were in wayyyy South Georgia and one (the largest) was on the banks of the Diversion Canal. Santee- Cooper lakes.

We were tore up with quail here starting to fall fast in 80'- 82'.

 

[Mark K]

About ‘84 or ‘85 we used to take my buddies Dads Britney’s and just walk land we’d stop and ask permission about. It was nothing to get 8-9 coveys a walk...and we were 16-17yr olds using borrowed dogs. Even back then we didn’t go after singles after a flush. Everywhere down here had wild birds.

 

[Nicodemus]

Since we started killing off fire ants, the quail around here have returned. We have plenty of them and turkeys.

 

[trad bow]

I despise fire ants, coyotes and wild hogs.