OT For Missouri folks, hawk population opinions

[Mac in Mo]

Has anyone else here in Missouri noticed the increased hawk population over the years? The things are everywhere. You can't walk in the woods without the things just about taking the hat off your head every couple hundred yards. My opinion, based purely on what I see and for what it's worth(not much) is that there are too many. You can't hardly find a good rabbit spot these days. The quail are almost non existent. There were so many hawks in my woods last weekend the squirrels wouldn't even show. I think there should be a season on the things. I wonder if they are good to eat. What do the rest of you say?

Kevin

[TedH]

I have also noticed a lot of them buggers around lately. I remember when I was a kid it was a treat to ever see one, now you don't have to look at all to find one. And you're right about the rabbit and quail, they are almost nonexistent in the places we used to find them. I doubt they will become a huntable species any time soon though. Isn't it Federal law protecting them? I don't know what kind of table fare they would make. I know crows aren't very appetizing.

[crs]

A lot of red tailed hawks are migrating down through Texas now and one keeps eyeing the neighbors guinea fowl. Made a pass at the wife's cat the other day too; that could turn out to be a fatal mistake. With all the lush pastures there are lots of rabbits, mice, rats, squirrels and such about, so why not leave the livestock alone?

[vancelw]

Has anyone else here in Missouri noticed the increased hawk population over the years? The things are everywhere. You can't walk in the woods without the things just about taking the hat off your head every couple hundred yards. My opinion, based purely on what I see and for what it's worth(not much) is that there are too many. You can't hardly find a good rabbit spot these days. The quail are almost non existent. There were so many hawks in my woods last weekend the squirrels wouldn't even show. I think there should be a season on the things. I wonder if they are good to eat. What do the rest of you say?

Kevin

Same here in Texas. Some days it seems like there is a hawk on every utility pole. I bet they would be tough and chewy a strong as they seem to be. I wish they would get some of the gophers out of my pasture.

[pwl44m]

Same problem in Calif. I live in the foothils and it is the Coopers Hawks that clean My chickens out. I have to raise them in a pen till they are half grown. If it isn't Hawks by day , it is Bobcats , Coyotes, Lions, Coons,Possum,and even Owls taking them by Nite. I know Red Tails r protected but I don't know about Coopers.
I use to see Pheasants every time I went to town but no more. Like someone said , " They are on every Pole "

[Steve Collins]

Yep, see them all the time. I've got one that flies over my chickens every day, and while I'm not a fan of shooting every one I see, I'm not about to lose any of the chickens to one!

I remember reading 'Sixguns' and hawks being a target of Elmer's when he was younger, because they would kill a lot of game animals.

If it's not the hawks, it's the buzzards...

[CJM]

ALL raptors and owls are protected, they have their own special federal law as it also deals with falconry and which (i think there are only three) species are allowed to be kept by private individuals.

[Marlin32]

Actually, red tailed hawk populations have been declining for over the past 25 years.
I have not paid attention to other raptor species, but I would venture to guess that as a whole, raptor numbers are trending down.

[AJMD429]

For our chickens, we just fenced around our fruit trees and blackberries and grapes, and in the summer the chickens are 'under' the fruit trees (eating all the bugs we'd normally have to spray for, and keeping weeds down), then in the winter, we open the fence divider and let them into/under the grapes and blackberries, to do weed & grub patrol. By doing that, they always have a good place to duck under cover from hawks or owls. The fence is 5 ft 'horse' fence with narrow mesh, and topped by an electric strand, so no raccoons, possums, or other vermin tend to bother them.

Maybe once a year we'll have an old or sick hen carted off by a hawk, but those are the ones usually not even worth butchering for stew.

[Mac in Mo]

I don't think the Hawks/raptors are declining, at least not here. Like one of the others guys said, it used to be something to see a hawk circling or spot one sitting on a phone pole. I have also been seeing bunches of Kestrals around. Those were really out of the ordinary just a few years back.
As far as them all being protected, I am aware of that and don't shoot any raptors. I was just throwing the question out there about what they might taste like. I seriously doubt they are edible at all.
Chickens have to be kept under cover or they will be gone. Period.
I actually looked into Falconry several years ago. If I remember, it is a very involved process. Among other things, you have to apprentice under someone for three years.
I have been having this conversation with all my friends the last couple years, about the hawks, and we all pretty much agree that there are a lot more around. I know it's not scientific, but it is what it is.

Thanks, Kevin

[bdhold]

I remember the first Hawk I saw in Texas as a kid.
They were still recovering from DDT then.
I'm always happy to see them.
I've also seen a few bald eagles fishing in Texas in the fall and winter, and love seeing that.

[BAGTIC]

Anything is edible if you are hungry. My granddad used to tell about the time during the depression when he ate a vulture.

I see hawks scoping my muscovy ducks occasionally. Once the appearance of a bald eagle over the pond sent the entire flock diving beneath the surface and scattering for protection but no casualties.

So far all the traceable loses on my place (ducks, calves, kids, etc) involved other pests than raptors. Deer have destroyed about 100 newly planted fruit trees. Squirrels and rabbits have killed or damaged several more by girdling. Those problems have been corrected by fences and dogs. Five years ago this place was over run with fox squirrels. They are now a rare sight due to my cocker spaniel. He loves them. Yum. yum!. Same with rabbits. We have more quail now than five years ago because I quit mowing the bluestem stalks in winter. I have shot three dogs that were attacking or killing livestock.

Sometimes it is just too easy to scapegoat something or someone whether or not they are guilty. Remember that raptors, quail, ducks, squirrels, etc. were all here before we were and in relative abundance. They did not exterminate each other then so why should we assume they are culpable now?

[JerryB]

Here in north central Arkansaw the hawks are not declining.Like has been said every pole down the road has a big Red tailed hawk on it. Most all of the southern hawk breeds seems to be very plentiful here. I covered my chicken yard to keep the hawks and owls from stealing me blind. In the woods where we live the owl population is about like the hawks.

[Mac in Mo]

Bagtic, My Grandpa lived in what is called the bootheel area, in southeast Missouri. During the depression and before the CCC was started, he would go into the swamps, called them The Bottoms, for weeks on end. They would eat whatever they could catch or kill. He mentioned several times that they even ate Blue Heron on occasion.
The CCC's later built ditches and drained most of those swamps. Grandpa was in the CCC, but I don't think he worked in that area.

Kevin

[Marlin32]

Hawk populations are indeed in decline. You could probably do a quick search and find several groups that are dedicated to tracking Raptor (and other birds) numbers. Many have data from 1975 and longer.

I deal with Raptor issues on a daily basis. Trust me, the numbers are not growing.

They are also not the root cause of upland bird decline.

[vancelw]

Hawk populations are indeed in decline. You could probably do a quick search and find several groups that are dedicated to tracking Raptor (and other birds) numbers. Many have data from 1975 and longer.

I deal with Raptor issues on a daily basis. Trust me, the numbers are not growing.

They are also not the root cause of upland bird decline.

Maybe where you live , but these folks from Arkansas, Missouri, Okiehoma, and Texas are not lying. There is actually a redtail hawk on every pole. I see sparrow hawks more than ever before. We even have a good strong bald eagle population here. And owl, lots of owls.

When I was in high school I spent way more time outside and in the woods than I do now. Saw those things on occasion. Now they are everywhere. It was funny that someone started this thread because I was just thinking about the same thing a couple of days before.

[JerryB]

vancelw,you are so right about our area of the country. Folks around here deal with raptors almost daily and nightly too. They can wipe out a small laying flock in a short time. After several years, I started a flock of laying hens. I covered their run with wire so I would not have to shoot the hawks. There are several big Barred Owls that sit in the trees around the house at night and scream their crazy sounds. Reckon they don't care for my pen being as tight as it is.

[Hankster]

Mo.. Hawks are doing ok.. no big increase noted here in Central Missouri.. But Turkey Vultures have EXPLODED here!! They are EVERYWHERE!!