Kill a hawk! Win a $10,000+ fine!

[HallFamilyFarm]

This week one of my 4H members lost a domesticated male mallard duck. Just a carcass, no predator. The next morning he found an exhibition Buff Duck hen. He interrupted the hawk's breakfast! We contacted the USFWS. They referred us to the USDA/Wildlife Services. Seems you must first prove to the USDA/WS that you have a problem and then request a permit. The USDA/WS provides the application, but USFWS receives the application....with the $100 application fee.

A netting covering the area is nor practical or affordable for the 4H member. Does anyone have any ideas on how to deter this hawk?

Suggestions so far are:

Netting

flags

whirli-birds, windmills etc

Please post your suggestions! We really do not want to get a deprivation permit that would kill this hawk or relocate him to your backyard.

Note: If you kill a hawk, eagle etc without a permit, it is a more than a $10,000 fine!

thus the title: Kill a hawk! Win a $10,000+ fine!

 

[got2bskilled]

I learned an amazing tip years ago from a wonderful gardener. I believe that it may work for you. Birds hate snakes... if you have a bird problem, lay out rubber snakes where the issue happens. I used this method when laying grass seed- and not one seed was plucked from the dirt where I sewed them. I am not sure if this applies to hawks, but worth a try.

Also, a cheap way to get around the netting issue is to buy the garden netting that folks use to deter deer. That stuff is real cheap and will last outside the same was as the poultry/ bird netting will.

I hope this was useful to you!

 

[WingingIt]

A covering is the best idea, IMO. Barring that, maybe they could string some fishing line or light weight string back and forth over the top? Wouldn't be a solid covering, but maybe close enough together it would still be a deterrent?

 

[sourland]

As large hawks eat snakes, the snake idea will not work on hawks. Once a hawk locates your flock, the only effective protection is safe enclosures. This time of year I have hawks hanging on my pigeon aviares on a daily basis. Although some on here say they know of people who have received one of the permits, I have never met anyone who has been issued a permit for "hawk removal."

 

[La Mike]

An owl decoy can help too crows and hawks hate them and will usually steer clear of where they are

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

10K fine...WOW...that's a bit steep, but I guess if it weren't in place there would be no hawks or any other birds of prey. I love them, I think they are so cool and majestic, but I don't like them after my birds either.

 

[sourland]

Fine plus the possibility of jail time. It's a federal offense to kill a raptor.

 

[puredelite]

You just simply keep to yourself what sometimes needs to be done... S.S.S.

 

[WriterofWords]

NM Forestry helped me out a great deal with my problem. I caught one and relocated it with permission and they came out and trapped the other 3 in the family and took them to the area they released the other one. You might ask if there is a program like that.

 

[gmendoza]

"But officer,officer! I was cleaning my gun and I saw this hawk come down,fall on a bullet,the bullet drove itself into the hawks gut,and the hawk died because of its own misdeed of picking on a defenseless bullet.The bullet wasnt doing nuttin but lying on the ground,harmless"

Nah, this escuse wont work will it?