Hawk shooting

[HawkinNative]

I decided to take my new camera and lens out for a test today. My plan was to go up to Barnegat Light to see what was around the jetty. On the way up, through the "back way", I went down to Swan Bay Wildlife Management Area between the Mullica and Wading rivers. I hadn't been down there in a few years and the road has really gotten bad. I parked at the first spot on the dirt road that was wide enough to turn around. hearing a few passerines in the woods, I walked across the road to see what I could "spish" out. Not much was flying and as I turned to walk back to the car, I noticed an adult Red-tailed Hawk on the ground in the low shrub about 10 feet away from me. It was obvious that the bird was injured. The only raptor I've ever handled before was a tiny Sharp-shined hawk so I was a bit intimidated by the talons on this bird. I called some friends to look up an avian rehabber's telephone number up in Toms River. I got an answering machine - left a message - and then went to gather the bird up in a bit of blanket I had. One wing was broken as was one leg. Shotgun pellets were also in the bird's breast. When I got to the Toms River Avian Center, Don Bonica the director, informed me that this was the second shotgun injured Red-tail Hawk he's gotten in 24hrs!
The bird is expected to do OK. I would love to catch these "sportsmen" in the act of shooting a raptor. Guys like this give all hunters an undeserved bad name.

[bobpbx]

The work of ignorant people. Never ceases.

Reminds me. Christmas eve I drove up to Ringoes to pick up a present. I rounded a busy corner off of route 31 and there was a redtail on a road signpost, just sitting there looking at the cars as they passed. He was only about 10 feet off the ground and right at the edge of the road.

PS: of all things, a woodcock crossed my street 100 feet down from my house this morning. It looked odd, that big beak prominently out front. That was an odd sight so close to homes.

[46er]

Something I keep in th glovebox from F&W at the link.

It seems this type of thing happens every year right after Christmas. Similar mentality to those idiots that chopped down the Eagle nest tree near Millville; never heard if they caught them or not.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/rehabspec08.pdf

[Aaron]

Nothing to see here, move along

[GermanG]

It's sad that the people responsible for this are even labled sportsmen. They certainly are not.

[46er]

Someone should shoot the person/people responsible for this

If they could be found and convicted of the offense they would face up to a $15K fine, which for these types, would probably be worse than getting shot. From this May '08 article at the link, raptor killing appears to be a wide spread problem conducted by non-outdoors types with Federal agencies involved in trying to stop it. Hopefully Bronica reported the 2 incidents he is aware of.

http://www.flyrodreel.com/Blogs/Ted-...r-the-Killing/

[AJ1957]

How about this for deliberate a wanton killing of raptors.

http://www.backpacker.com/may_2008_f...s/12395?page=1

[woodjin]

That is sad news. It is a shame to hear that people are killing hawks. With the increase in eagle populations I fear they are next.

[swwit]

It's sad that the people responsible for this are even labled sportsmen. They certainly are not.

You're right. I think that the chances of these culprits being "sportsman" are slim. This is probable the work of some destructive idiots with a shotgun.

[Furball1]

Someone should shoot the person/people responsible for this

Shoot people? You are kidding, I hope?

[mike242424]

yup and thats what gives guns in new jersey a bad rap for us that actually own guns and use them the right way we'll get screwed over.

[Aaron]

yup and thats what gives guns in new jersey a bad rap for us that actually own guns and use them the right way we'll get screwed over.

You are correct my bad

[Aaron]

Shoot people? You are kidding, I hope?

Your right people are so much more important than animals

[swwit]

yup and thats what gives guns in new jersey a bad rap for us that actually own guns and use them the right way we'll get screwed over.

What gives people in N.J. a bad rap is the nuts who claim they will shoot a human being with them for things other than personal protection.

[Chrisr]

what gives people in n.j. A bad rap is the nuts who claim they will shoot a human being with them for things other than personal protection.

BINGO!!!! The law abiding citizen and the true sportsman have nothing to really worry about in NJ. It's the nuts who use firearms for other reasons other than self protection and hunting that give the rest of us a bad name.