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.
