30 might be a little extreme, but I don't disagree with his logic. They've been protected long enough. You can't pass a fence post around here without one sitting on it. You also can't let your chickens out of the coop without one being snatched up.
His only mistake is he got caught!
A South Carolina lawyer was fined $75,000 recently after he pleaded guilty to killing more than 30 hawks, which are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Charles Williams, 66, of Orangeburg, trapped and killed the majestic raptors because he claimed they were preying on quail that he enjoyed hunting on his plantation.
Williams appealed the sentence, accusing the judge of bias after she described herself as a "bird lover" who recalled seeing her first red-tailed hawk in college.
"I took an ornithology class with Dr. Bill Alexander, a noted ornithologist and bird photographer," said Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges. "His class opened my eyes to a love of birds and a love of nature, and really began to teach me about the circle of life."
Government officials caught Williams by planting hidden cameras on his property. Federal prosecutors said the defendant trapped the hawks and "killed them in a very inhumane way, often allowing them to sit in the cages for days while they suffered."
Williams appealed the sentence, accusing the judge of bias after she described herself as a "bird lover" who recalled seeing her first red-tailed hawk in college.
"I took an ornithology class with Dr. Bill Alexander, a noted ornithologist and bird photographer," said Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges. "His class opened my eyes to a love of birds and a love of nature, and really began to teach me about the circle of life."
Government officials caught Williams by planting hidden cameras on his property. Federal prosecutors said the defendant trapped the hawks and "killed them in a very inhumane way, often allowing them to sit in the cages for days while they suffered."
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Let's add Eagles and Owls to the list also....
If they get as thick as hawks, I'm ok with that. Everyone is quick to jump on the "killem all" bandwagon when it comes to coyotes and stray cats, but act like raptors are some kind of special creature? I appreciate all nature and have no issue with the "circle of life", but I also have no issue protecting property and assets. I wouldn't agree with someone killing them just because they like to rabbit hunt and they don't want them killing rabbits, but if someone makes a living running a game bird farm or something of that nature, that's a different story. They're no different than any other predator out there in my opinion. If they're causing problems, and they aren't endangered....
They are special.....they are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act....If they are making a living running a game bird farm I figure that their losses are probably covered in the costs that they charge the "sports". If there are raptors sitting on every post I am betting that there may be an abundance of prey for the predators....maybe mice, moles, serpents of the earth etc. The law is the law obey it or pay the price when you get caught.
....and hunters wonder why their privileges are continuously under attack.They are special.....they are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act....If they are making a living running a game bird farm I figure that their losses are probably covered in the costs that they charge the "sports". If there are raptors sitting on every post I am betting that there may be an abundance of prey for the predators....maybe mice, moles, serpents of the earth etc. The law is the law obey it or pay the price when you get caught.
Kill all the hawks and eagles you want, just please leave the comorants alone!
That must have been some pretty good stuff. We cleaned out an old farm building once and came across a wagon with dozens of old linen seed corn bags in it. I was surprised after sorting through them that there wasn't a single mouse hole in the bunch. We read the tags and all the seed was treated with DDT.Bring back DDT
Mike, Sportsman and hunters following the laws don't threaten our hunting privileges.....morons like Mr. $75,000 Hawk Killer are a huge threat and give far more fodder to the anti hunting bunch than legal law abiding hunters ever will.
Men and Women should be able to protect their own (released fish, rabbits, ducks, frogs, chickens, etc.) - if they are not, who/what is???!!! Nothing.
Black Vultures another great example.
What are the predators of the predators? There are none! Long term goal of the anti hunter is taking place right before our very own eyes in the form of the decimation of lacking huntable game.
Black Vultures another great example.
What are the predators of the predators? There are none! Long term goal of the anti hunter is taking place right before our very own eyes in the form of the decimation of lacking huntable game.
My point exactly.... well, my point was more so pointed to the people defending Mr Hawk Killer, but you get the gist.Mike, Sportsman and hunters following the laws don't threaten our hunting privileges.....morons like Mr. $75,000 Hawk Killer are a huge threat and give far more fodder to the anti hunting bunch than legal law abiding hunters ever will.
Yes, they should.... but breaking the law isn't the way to do it. And doing as such does little more then send a message to the anti-hunters that MORE laws are required to hold people responsible for their actions.Ragtime said:Men and Women should be able to protect their own (released fish, rabbits, ducks, frogs, chickens, etc.)
Once the put and take pheasant operation starts by my farm, we go down and park alongside the road to watch them "plant" the birds and then before the hunters can even get their dogs out of the boxes, one or two will get picked off by the Hawks. Last year, a juvenile eagle got into the act.
Kind of cool and comical at the same time.
Kind of cool and comical at the same time.
The laws are the problem. I don't condone breaking the law. My point is that the law is outdated. It seems the feds are fast to add something to the protected list, but once it's there, it's there forever. I'm not saying we should start a hunting season for hawks, but the protection should be lifted if they're a nuisance. Just the same with black vultures. If I'm witnessing these things terrorizing my livestock, I shouldn't have to wait for some federal employee to come and handle it when I'm perfectly qualified to do it myself.
I'm pretty sure that a bird farm can get a permit to kill hawks if they are preying on the farm birds.
The guy who had the plantation could have went at things differently.
I am pretty sure that raptors were regarded as varmints and could be shot on sight before the raptor protection laws were set in place in the late 60's. Their populations are no longer threatened...IMO it should be easier to get regulated kill permits.
The guy who had the plantation could have went at things differently.
I am pretty sure that raptors were regarded as varmints and could be shot on sight before the raptor protection laws were set in place in the late 60's. Their populations are no longer threatened...IMO it should be easier to get regulated kill permits.
When done correctly, smoked hawk wings are amazing !
Really,wow...that's greatI'm pretty sure that a bird farm can get a permit to kill hawks if they are preying on the farm birds.
The guy who had the plantation could have went at things differently.
I am pretty sure that raptors were regarded as varmints and could be shot on sight before the raptor protection laws were set in place in the late 60's. Their populations are no longer threatened...IMO it should be easier to get regulated kill permits.
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