Hawks while rabbit hunting.

[Duncsquatch]

I was out chasing rabbits yesterday and as is not unusual had hawks using my plodding about to their advantage.  Just curious if I could do the same?  They would sweep the area flying very low about 3 to 4 feet off the ground.  Usually about 100 yards ahead of me back and forth seemed very thorough.  They would watch a bit see where I was heading and then sweep the area in front of me.  It was cool to watch and listen to them barely make a sound as they whizzed by.  I was thinking that perhaps a guy could circle a area less likely to have rabbits first and sort of direct the birds to sweep areas and perhaps scare critters into the area that is the easiest to get a shot?  Conversely the hawks might just make the critters hide deeper in the thickets and then I would never see them, I feel this latter would be more likely to be true.  What do you think?  Only saw a couple of rabbits and didnt get a shot.  The ground was very muddy at some points I was sinking 6 inches into the ground.  Didn't help my chances.  I did find where I think they are feeding at night though so it was not a total loss.  It was a new spot for me.  As always I had fun out in the boonies and shot at some stumps on my way back to the truck.

[Jerry Russell]

We host a hunt every year for Purple Heart recipients where 300 plus pheasants are released.  It is simply unbelievable the staggering number of hawks that appear as soon as we do.  The sky is full of them.

[Zbone]

Have any idea what species of bird of prey? Without confirmation of species, hard to tell what was going on... Different species hunt different ways, and you stated "hawks" meaning more than one, and assume in Washington state... I know "Harris" hawks will hunt in packs (usually mom, dad, and the year's offspring), but not sure and don't believe Harris are native to the state of Washington, more native to the SW like in Arizona...

[Scott Barr]

Zbone,  I was thinking exactly the same.  I think Harris hawks are the only American hawk that hunts cooperatively. Scott

[Duncsquatch]

Yep looked at google pic of a Harris hawk and that is the one.

[Izzy]

I had a Coopers hawk dive on a rabbit that I chased across a field while bunny hunting last winter. The hawk did not kill and the rabbit made it to its burrow.

    Neat to see but Im not the biggest fan of uncontrolled predators. Far too many hawks around that are having grave impact on native grouse, woodchucks and rabbits. The pheasant, while non  native were welcome by most but are all gone now. Ive seen Red Tails kill baby turkeys as well  in spring. I think that coyotes get blamed for a lot of what hawks are responsible for.

[Duncsquatch]

Actually the birds I saw where nothern harriers upon a closer comparison to pics

[monterey]

I had a golden eagle scarf up a jack rabbit that I bumped out of the sage.

[maineac]

I would think rabbits would crouch and let camouflage work for them, rather than run from a hawk, or you. I think you are more likely to push them to a hawk than vice versa.

[ARriverdog]

Yep that low flight over the field is classic for a Northern Harrier.  They can almost be stationary in the right wind.  They are gorgeous.

[Roadkill]

Had a family of burrowing owls watch us hunt chukars from rocks.  Never moved and I was within 10 yards of them.  We have a ranch we hunt rabbits on, and if the G.H. Owl is on the light pole we move on.  There is nothing as cool as our raptors.  Never seen one casting in front of me, but they do watch us.

[McDave]

Remember, they do this for a living.  Whatever you think of, I bet they've thought of it first.

[mangonboat]

Full-grown rabbits are actually a bit large for Northern Harriers to deal with (long wings but  small bodies and beaks), but your hunting activity through the fields is likely to stir up mice and voles, their favorite prey. Harriers will do the same thing when farmers are cutting hay.

[tomsm44]

I have a coworker that has three red-tailed Hawks he hunts with.  I had a chance to go with him a week back and it is a blast to watch them hunt.  He made me leave my bow at the truck though.  :(

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I'm quite certain they were referring to hawks when folks used the term "having a hay day" We have quite a few big red tail hawk families around our place. We see them almost daily in warmer weather, and still see them a lot in the winter months too.

These Red Tails are big birds when fully mature.

We also have a few Kestler hawks nesting in the area. one year they nested in my hay loft & i had little shop hawks running around here before they were even old enough to fly...They were the cutest little buggers, but man can they take a chunk out of your finger in a hurry.... I caught one and took it in the house to show my wife, and the little bugger took a bite out of my finger...LOL


I think hawks are very cool....

[Pryor]

I was sitting in a turkey blind this year minding my own business when I heard what sounded like a strong wind coming down the mountain.  Only had long enough to think what is that when a Golden Eagle slammed into my taxidermy jake decoy.  I sat completely amazed at the power of this bird.  It broke the carbon arrow steak for the decoy and it and the decoy slid about 6 feet on impact. I waited to see what would happen next, but all that happened was the eagle destroyed my decoy before I could get out of my blind and scare it off.  awesome experience.

[fujimo]

once i was sitting dead still in some thick brush, along a deer trail, in my asat leafy suit, and a hawk flew down from somewhere behind me, and perched on my head!! sat there for at least a minute before swooping off- really not sure which one it was- about the size of a big pigeon. could feel its claws/talons gripping in my scalp- lucky for me, i have an imperfect head, so the good lord decided to cover it with a mop of hair!!    :D

[Zbone]

Duncsquatch - Yeah, am guessing Harrier too, and as mangonboat mentioned, probably watching for smaller critters to stir...

Kirkll - Kestrels are actually a small falcons and not hawks (I know, I know, some mistakenly call them sparrow hawks) Pound for pound though, Kestrels have the strongest talon grip of all birds of prey...

[Scott Barr]

Just knit-picking for those few that may be interested:  "Hawk" is a broad category.  Subcategories are: beutos (think red tail, red shoulder and harrier), falcon (think kestrel, peregrine and prairie falcon), and  accipitor (think sharp-shin, cooper and goshawk). All Hawks.  Raptors is an even broader category that adds crows, eagles, vultures and owls.  Probably more than some of you want to know.  For me though I love sharing the outdoors with them.

Scott

[Zbone]

Scott Barr - You left out eagles, vultures and owls...