*RIP* Death of a TRUE hunter

[Guest Astra900]

For quite some time now, I have had the privilege and pleasure of watching one of natures greatest hunters, the mighty hawk, make it's home here in my little community. It was a cooper's hawk (Me and the game warden I talked to are fairly certain) a fairly rare species of hawk, not often seen.

Sadly I found him dead in the bed of an old truck we never drive. I have seen it many a morning perched on the tailgate, ridding my area of mice and annoying wrens and robins. I was heart broken to say the very least.

I hope I don't dishonor it by posting pic's and such, but it was truly one of the more beautiful things God has ever made, and considering how rare it is to see one so close, I thought I might share it with anyone who appreciates the finer things that our earth still has to offer.

Rest in peace my friend, you will be missed.

BTW, My wife and I took a few photo's and then buried him in the area he hunted in. This just F()|\ed up my whole week!!!!

[Guest bkelm18]

That is a good lookin bird. Or was rather. Sorry to hear about its death. Funny how we can get attached to simple things like this. Well, he's hunting in the great blue yonder now.

[Punisher84]

That is a good lookin bird. Or was rather. Sorry to hear about its death. Funny how we can get attached to simple things like this. Well, he's hunting in the great blue yonder now.

I've always had a soft spot for animals and nature. Simple and beautiful. Sorry about the loss Astra.

[TripleDigitRide]

Taxidermist! He could have been around for a long, long time.

Seriously, what a beauty. That's a real shame.

Is that a bath towel? If so, that thing is huge!

[Guest c.a.s.]

Yeah, they are beautiful. The Raptor Center at the local middle school has (or maybe had, I haven't been there in a couple years now) one, and they are very intriguing birds up close.

[Guest Astra900]

I'm not sure, but I'm fairly certain, that would be jail time on the taxidermist thing. I know it is illegal to own feathers from several types of birds of prey unless you can prove you native american bloodline. That may be more centered toward bald eagles though. The game warden agreed with me that the best thing to do was bury it. At any rate, I'm much more content to commit it back to where it came from. With any luck, it had offspring this last season, and I will get another one to enjoy.

[Guest Astra900]

Is that a bath towel? If so, that thing is huge!

No that is a hand towel:)

It's wing span measured 21 inches at full extension.

Here's a reference shot I took next to a license plate, might give you better idea of what size it was.

Edited January 19, 2009 by Astra900

[Luckyforward]

Out walking recently, I came across the carcass of a dead owl; could not tell what kind it was, and I felt the same sadness that you did, Astra.

Sorry for the loss of both . . .

[Guest Astra900]

As a kid we had some barn owls in the tractor barn. They were AWESOME, and scared the out of me too:p (I was 10)

[Guest Bronker]

That's cool, man. It's funny how we get attached. I've got a doe that for the last five years has raised twins at least in my pasture behind my house. One year she had triplets. I know its her, because she has a white hair patch on her flank the size of a basketball. We all call her 'skunk-spot'. She is off-limits to all these hunters (including me). I'm pretty fond of her myself.

[Guest cjr]

That too bad,

Birds that hunt are really cool to see in action.

[KahrMan]

That is definitely a Coopers Hawk. Most people think of large Redtails when they here the word hawk. The Coopers Hawk are small, fast, agile and a lot of fun to watch hunt. You were lucky to have one living right outside your house.

[Guest Fenris]

I haven't done it in *years* but I have my falconry license and always wanted to work with a Cooper's.

I see them more and more. As developers start building in the woods surrounding Nashville they get pushed into these developments. They are incredible animals.

As for the mounting thing, you can't do it legally, AFAIK. When I was working with red tails I was only allowed to have red tail feathers for repairing broken tail and wing feathers. From what I remember, having Cooper's feathers while I Was working with a red-tail was a federal offense even with my license.

TWRA may want it for a taxidermy mount, or you could call and see if there was a way you could keep it, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

[Reservoir Dog]

Sorry to hear this. Hawks are awesome birds.

The cold weather we had may have got to him.

[Guest Astra900]

As for the mounting thing, you can't do it legally, AFAIK. When I was working with red tails I was only allowed to have red tail feathers for repairing broken tail and wing feathers. From what I remember, having Cooper's feathers while I Was working with a red-tail was a federal offense even with my license.

TWRA may want it for a taxidermy mount, or you could call and see if there was a way you could keep it, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

I did talk to the local warden. We talked for a while, and he shared my regrets. We both agreed that giving it a proper burial was best. The topic of legalities never came up. I'm not into that whole organic trophy business anyway. Seems rather disrespectful to me.

[Guest Astra900]

Sorry to hear this. Hawks are awesome birds.

The cold weather we had may have got to him.

That's the only thing I can figure, because I looked him over pretty good. There were no signs of trauma. He was still relatively limber when I found him.

[Bigiron]

I have a hawk "working" my neighborhood. Occasionally I hear owls communicating from the trees in my yard. I can remember when neither were around. I'm glad to see mother nature making a comeback, in spite of our destruction of their habitat. Sorry for your loss. I am glad to see so many on this site respecting/loving our wild life.

[Guest bkelm18]

I have a hawk "working" my neighborhood. Occasionally I hear owls communicating from the trees in my yard. I can remember when neither were around. I'm glad to see mother nature making a comeback, in spite of our destruction of their habitat. Sorry for your loss. I am glad to see so many on this site respecting/loving our wild life.

Tree huggers aren't the only ones who can appreciate nature's beauty.

[Guest Fenris]

That's the only thing I can figure, because I looked him over pretty good. There were no signs of trauma. He was still relatively limber when I found him.

Did you notice if the breast bone was very pronounced? Usually with a bird that has died from cold/starvation the keel feels like the backside of a butter knife and is slightly noticeable even under the feathers. With a healthy bird it will feel like a slight bump.

I love Cooper's Hawks. Their hunting methods are incredible. Definitely a sneak up and tackle kind of bird.

[Guest Astra900]

No I can't recall, sorry.

Cooper's aren't very big, it's possible this one was old, and it was just his time.

I wish I knew, but it wouldn't help him any.

[towerclimber37]

That reminds me quite a bit of the foxes that live on Mark@sea's property.

I love to sit out on the deck and listen to them yip yipping..the female has pups every year too...so you always get a chance to see a bunch of little fur balls yipping at you like they own the place.

his place is also a "no hunting" area. I like that and intend to do the same on my own property when I get it.

Hopefully, you'll have a few more hawks to roam your place soon Astra!

[Guest Astra900]

Thanks Tower! Man I love foxes. I grew up living about a mile from a saw mill. There used to be a bundle of lumber on the bottom end of the place, it was discolored and slowly rotting, but it never got sold or moved. Come to find out there was a fox den underneath. I was about 15, I put on my ninja tabi boots, and turned on my super stealth generator one night, walked up there, and waited. They were BEAUTIFUL! She had little ones too! Awesome experience, I will never forget. I'll never get it in my head, how anyone can kill one.

[Guest flyfishtn]

That is a true loss. Such beautiful creatures.

[Guest HVAC Worker]

Birds of prey are a wonderful thing to watch and listen to.

[oldogy]

Since this seems to have evolved into a wildlife watching and appreciation thread I'll post my observations of this Tuesday, 20th am. Wife and I were sitting in our usual morning positions, drinking coffee, watching activity at the bird feeder and looking down through our open tree grove. There was an inch of snow on the ground, perfect for wildlife watching. There were probably a dozen various birds feeding, including four dove on the ground below the feeder. Suddenly something went through our line of vision so fast we could not tell what it was. I expect it was a hawk of some kind as we do have red tail hawks hanging around a lot and I believe I've seen a Cooper's hawk or two in the past but could never make positive ID.

The smaller birds scattered away to safety while the dove sat motionless on the ground for a full five minutes, we timed them. I looked for the hawk but could not see it. As if by command the dove started feeding and one by one the smaller birds returned.

So far as watching birds of prey, the eagle is the most fascinating bird to watch. At our FL property we had a 20+ acre pasture with a small lake thereon complete with eagle's nest in a tall pine. We have seen eagles turn egrets into a ball of floating white feathers as they catch them in flight.

And on the foxes, we have a family of red fox that lives on our place here. It is neat to watch the young come out and play.

ray, the oldogy