No, not legal to shoot birds of prey, even if they are killing your livestock, they are Federally protected. I didn't know this either until I posted on another thread that I would have shot one but forgot to take the safety off and it
got away. I looked it up, just about any animal is fair game if it is attacking your livestock but not birds of prey.
I came home to my best white jersey giant pullet dead outside the run, didn't know what did it so I put a trail cam on it. While bringing in groceries a small hawk was in the run attacking the rest, none ended up injured. All runs are covered now.
It sucked I didn't have many SOP giant pullets to begin with and she was one best ones. I had one other nice one we called 'hoppy', hopped since it was a chick. Kids were not happy when I culled her. Turned out she had a dislocated leg bone at the hip.
Down to only two good pullets for breeding.
Have one other huge body pullet but it doesn't have the dark willow legs so she's the one I'll be crossing into my white silkies.
