To many raptors

[cvtrapper]

Why are they protected? Can they get over populated and cause a disease among them as the deer herd? If so why are we not allowed to harvest them other than federal law? If a state secede from the union,does the state then have to follow the federal laws when it comes to laws they have made? Asserting a states rights as a sovereign State under the United States Constitution.Can they decide their own laws as long as it is legal under the constitution?
Like start killing some raptors to get the balance back in our small game animals here. Between the predators,raptors and hunters,we are diminishing our small game animals. There is not enough to go around any more. Some raptors need to be taken out to balance it out a bit I would think. Coyotes are a huge problem also and not enough of them are being taken out each year.It is very unbalanced and nothing is being done about it.

[4evrhtn]

I agree with you on one point.... There are too many hawks, owls and other birds of prey. They need to be thinned out if there is any hope of reestablishing a wild pheasant population or increasing the population of any small game animal. As far as your "constitutional" argument... No state is going to secede from the union for any of the reasons you have mentioned here or in your PA anti-gun thread.

The birds of prey are protected by federal law. I know it is becoming more common for some to shoot redtail hawks and such, actually always has been depending on the area in question and what type of poultry or pigeon or whatever bird people raise and have the hawk population raise an equal amount by feeding off these raised birds. Will I report someone I suspect of killing a hawk? No, I'd thank him for taking the risk and saving a few more of the small game animals that have been almost wiped out in our state. I do what I can when I farm food plots to increase the odds of these small game animals surviving. If each of us who owned some fields would create some cover and habitat we would greatly increase the odds of successful reintroductions of species and increase the populations of others.

[bawanajim]

If ya grill em with a little "Franks red hot" they taste just like chicken.

[Screamin Steel]

The eco extremists would cry "fowl" (foul) if they ever read this thread...Regardless of how many songbirds the hawks take down each day. Too many hunters and nonhunters thrill to the sight of a hawk or other raptor, and the protection decreed upon them by federal govt will probably be in effect indefinitely. It seems that they have really exploded in the last decade....no doubt they are having a large impact on young rabbits as well as young pheasants, but good luck changing that. Better off convincing local farmers to practice game friendly farming, letting those hayfields go a couple weeks longer for first cut would save alot of ground nesting birds and young rabbits. Also taking down as many foxes and 'yotes as possible. Even coons, skunks and possums have been known to destroy nests and prey on young game birds.

[BTBowhunter]

The protection of raptors and even our existing regs on crows is the result of a Fed treaty with Mexico (of all places LOL) and dates back to the very early 70's.

Any change would have to come from the Fed level first. My guess is that the devil will be building snowman before that ever changes.

[PA GOBBLER]

What happened to you science guys? It’s all about habitat, have good habitat and the birds of prey won’t do any harm to small game populations. As to why they are protected I can’t answer that.

[cvtrapper]

Originally Posted by PA GOBBLER

What happened to you science guys? It’s all about habitat, have good habitat and the birds of prey won’t do any harm to small game populations. As to why they are protected I can’t answer that.

i believe habitat only accounts for part of survival.But cover can protect against raptors but not against K9 and their noses in high foilage. Alot of raptors do a number on game birds after the rain. You ever notice how the game birds come out to roads and shorter foilage areas after a heavy rain or during a light rain?Easy targets for raptors.

[DennyF]

According to "the science", raptor and predator populations are tied directly to prey populations: Lots of prey, lots of raptors and four legged predators. If the prey population tumbles, so do the populations of what eats 'em.

Figure it's worked that way long before man stuck his nose in it, but some protection was necessary when people started "competing" with raptors and wanted them gone.

Don't see the Feds dropping raptor protection any time soon. I have no problem with that. There are lots of redtails in the areas up north where I've hunted since I was a kid. I like seeing and hearing them. There are also now ospreys and eagles, glad to have them around, too.

Western states have been trying to eradicate song dogs for generations. Last I'd heard, they're still around. Kill 'em if you see 'em, don't expect them to ever disappear.

[cvtrapper]

Coyotes are opportunists. They will eat about anything that includes berries to field mice to dear to road kills. Just because you got them in your area doesn't mean there is a lot of game animals. It just means there is food there but what kind is the question. If you don't have predators I bet the game populations are quite high. Goes the same for raptors.

[DennyF]

"If you don't have predators I bet the game populations are quite high. Goes the same for raptors."

You have it backwards...no game, no predators. Feel free to look it up for further info.