# It never ends!



## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

A couple of years ago the red squirrels were causing problems as usual so I decided to thin them out a little. I was looking out the window when I saw this red squirrel on an oak that leaned over the river. I slid open the door and made a perfect shot. (Great white hunter) and he dropped into the river.

As I watched him floating down the river a red shouldered hawk appeared out of nowhere and dived after the little varmint but had to stop in mid air and hover until the red squirrel floated under a log. With that the hawk grabbed him and flew into the woods.

A couple of days later I shot another one only he fell in the deep grass. Ten seconds after I shot, the hawk appeared again and started searching the area. It only took him about a minute to find the red squirrel snatched him up and flew into the woods.

Who ever heard of any wild animal responding to gun fire in such a manner. He hung around for a few weeks until I ran out of targets and I haven&#8217;t seen him since.

A couple of days ago I noticed a little racoon pop his head out from under my neighbors deck and he looked hungry. We had a roast chicken for dinner that night so I put the caucus over by the deck to see if I could entice him. Yesterday when I went out to feed the birds, there was a hawk at the brisket and he flew off as soon as he saw me.

I got my camera ready and watched all day for him to show up again but he didn&#8217;t. I was expecting a cooper hawk but when I looked out the window I saw him circling and grabbed my camera in time to snap this picture.

Not the cooper hawk I expected, but a red shouldered hawk. Not quite a perfect shot.









He was having trouble keeping his balance,










He did seem to enjoy the meal. He finally flew off as one of our resident eagles flew down the river. I expect him back any time, in fact I just saw him fly past my window heading upstream.









Now the problem is; How the hell am I going to get any work done?


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## ERGOMAN (Jan 14, 2001)

Great pics as usual Ray. I had 8-10 bluebirds around the feeder the other day and took a few pics. My friend said this is early for them, whats your opinion?


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## 7iron (Feb 28, 2005)

Splitshot: A couple of years ago I read an article in an outdoor magazine about deer hunting on an island in Alaska. the article was about shooting a deer and "ringing the dinner bell for the bears". There were several stories of hunters being caught off guard while field dressing game.
Also I have a place in Tawas and every morning the Capt walks out on the dock with a yellow bucket the gulls come out of the woodwork. (he empties the dead minnows out). Any other bucket and you don't see them. My .02

BTW nice pics of the hawk.


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## MRocks (Aug 31, 2007)

Don't know if this is a true story or not. I have a buddy whose family had a deer camp up by Michigamme, on the edge of Mead Paper Company land. He said when the snow is on the ground and they cut down a tree, the deer come running to eat the tender branches that were previously out of reach.

I never knew if he was pulling my leg. Can anyone confirm if this is true?


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Mrocks,

True.

I used to hunt the up a couple of weeks a year when I did, I stayed with an old logger. In winter they would start up thier chain saws and the deer would quickly appear and start eating the tops.

I have heard it from many others so I believe it. 

7Iron, I think I read the same article and I remember either on Jim Zumbo or something Schockly about the same thing.

I almost got a shot at a red squirrel today, but I would like to find out if this is the same hawk from a couple of years ago. The only thing I can think happened is he was flying high when I shot one and watched him float down river or something. No matter, it is very cool.


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## Hoot (Nov 15, 2001)

thanks for the great shots and post Splitshot, that is a real cool story.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

It's not uncommon out west to be surrounded by coyotes that have heard you shooting at pheasants. I've walked right into one that was feeding on one I dropped, before I got there, he did. I've also had coyotes come around when I was grouse hunting, and I've had hawks right behind me when I was out for squirrels with a .22

It's common knowledge and has been a practice for many years that people would go out in the woods in the dead of winter and cut some browse for the deer-as soon as they hear the chainsaw they're there. 

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that's going on all over northern Michigan right now...LOL


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## 7iron (Feb 28, 2005)

I went to www.fieldandstream.com and put, "dinner bell" in the search box and a whole pile of stories popped up! That article was back in 2004 , how time flies!:lol:


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

On a couple of properties I rabbit hunt on, I see the redtail hawks very soon after the dogs sound off on the trail. 

Cool Pics Ray. BTW the wild game dinner is this weekend


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Thanks Linda and 7iron. And here I thought I was the only one. lol I'm sure you would see a lot more stuff if you get tuned in. In the last couple of years I have noticed humming birds on almost every trip down a river. I think they were always there, but now I notice the buzz and see sometimes even a dozen in a day. Easy to see at a feeder, but not quite so where there are no feeders.

A couple of years ago I watched a bumblebee chase a butterfly for about a minute and I still think about it often. What drama was going on? Was the bee trying to kill the butterfly or was he after the sweet smell of nectar or something all together different.

Anyway I appreciate the odd and unexpected things you see in the great out of doors when your paying attention.

Thanks Freepop, but I know I won't be there this year. Let me know how it goes.


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