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General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Hunting Gate => : redroush00 April 29, 2010, 09:21:31 PM

: Circling Hawks ruin my grounds...
: redroush00 April 29, 2010, 09:21:31 PM
I found a 20 acre plot of gorgous woods near my house. Hills , valleys, creek..perfect. Every day I see the shadows of Hawks, sometims 2 at a time working the area over the woods. If I can see that enormous shadow then the critters can too.
: RE: Circling Hawks ruin my grounds...
: airiscool April 29, 2010, 11:43:38 PM
Maybe, maybe not ?

A 300 acre farm I used to patrol for Woodchucks was saddled over an uphill ridge line. Sometimes a Redtail hawk would circle over it on the up-drafts. When I heard them screech, I'd never see Chucks out. Got to the point that if I heard the Hawk, I'd just walk back to the truck.

A few weeks ago, on a nice sunny day, the Girlfriend and I were glassing farm fields from a hill at the top of the farm. We could see two large Chucks out in hay fields munching away as two Redtails circled over that field. The Chucks, which were not young and inexperianced, never so much as flinched when a Hawk, or it's  shadow came over them. The Hawks could see the Chucks, but didn't seem to be interested in them.  That area is loaded with Chucks and we often see Redtails circling the area at the same time that Chucks are out.

Not sure why the difference in the two farms, but I'd say don't give up on your 20 acres until you actually see critters spooked by a Hawk.

Paul.