Death from above...almost

triggerhappy · 12-17-2006, 09:12 AM

A few weeks ago I was in the stand in the afternoon at the edge of a hard wood stand overlooking a hay meadow. I was enjoying the sights and sounds of the day watching a group of jakes and toms work their way across the middle of the meadow.

All of a sudden the birds stopped with stretched out necks in alert and then took off in a dead run.

I could not figure out what had them spooked, I could see anything in the field so it wasn't a bobcat or coyote.

Then I caught something in the corner of my eye falling from the sky in full dive was a bald eagle locked in on the flock. Timming is everything because there was one lone osage orangetree at the end of the field and just as the eagle hit the turkeys made it to safety.

But when he hit the sound of gobbles and birds flying and feathers flying was unbelieveable. Alas the eagle missed.

There were actually two eagles working the area and they kept those birds pinned down for about an hour.

I had always thought of bald eagles as fish hunters and had never witnessed anything like this before. Now, I know why those turkeys always bust me in the stand in the fall.

It was awsome and had only wished I had it on tape.

jepcho · 12-18-2006, 03:25 PM

I have never personally witnessed anything like that before but I have heard stories of eagles killing turkeys before. I guess they really hate each other.

Cleburne · 12-20-2006, 05:55 AM

The turkeys should be the one mad. Because the eagle was choosen over the turkey as our national bird. Then again, this might be a way that the eagle keeps reminding the turkeys that they are the top bird.

r33h · 12-20-2006, 07:43 AM

That is an interesting story. The most interesting one I have that is sorta like this one is last year I was spring turkey hunting and I was calling a turkey and a bob-cat was down on the ground below this little ledge waiting for that turkey to get close enough. I never even saw the bob-cat between me and the turkey, until it leaped up in the air at the turkey.

superstrutter · 12-20-2006, 08:11 AM

That is pretty rare. Bald Eagles are mostly scavengers. They would rather eat dead or dying animals. This is one reason why Ben Franklin wanted the Wild Turkey as our national symbol rather than the Bald Eagle. It's the Golden Eagle who is the true hunter. Anyway, not too many adult turkeys are taken by birds of prey. Far more are taken by hunters.

SD Brownig · 12-20-2006, 10:13 AM

This photo was taken by a hunter in Montana..........looks like Golden Eagles are the true hunters.

jepcho · 12-20-2006, 10:20 AM

Wow! That is an awesome pic!

r33h · 12-20-2006, 10:47 AM

Very nice pic...thanks for sharing!

triggerhappy · 12-20-2006, 01:46 PM

That is a cool pic, sure wish I would of had got it on video or film.

My understanding had always been they were mostly fish eaters and have seen them many times catching fish in different parts of the country.

We have around a hundred birds that winter on a lake a few miles from my home. I was really really in awe at the display. It will go down as one the most awesome sites I've witnessed while in the field and not forgotten that is for sure.