Cattleman Kills Mountain Lion In Ray County

[jdmidwest]

A Bald Eagle picking up a fawn or a lamb sounds a little far fetched. I know adult Goldens are capable, but they're much bigger than a Bald. I think the only thing the Balds hunt is fish and from there its cripples or carrion.

I assumed it was Bald Eagles, but it was northern Michigan and there could be Goldens. He just said he had a problem with eagles.

[Wheatenheimer]

I've never shot a bird of prey and don't condone it, but .......

Justin, I would like to think that you and a few others detected my facetiousness statement of shooting Redtailed Hawks due to the chance encounter that one bird killed one yippie dog. That is how asinine this topic apears to me.

Granted, I love dogs (big and small, I have three of my own), I also love most creatures that roam this planet........the jury is still out on spiders and humans, though. I also understand that there is a food chain and we are fortunate to be at the top of it. Cattle just happen to be somewhere further down the rung from us and Mountain Lions. Granted if this cat was attacking a herd of cattle or someones dogs or other beloved species, action would have to been justified. But it wasn't. It was in a flippin tree!

I see dudes that look like sex offenders every day. Do I shoot them in the head because they may do bad things to little boys and girls, but they haven't yet? No!

Cast aside your ignorance and take notice of the reality that is our natural environment. Sometimes sh!# happens and sometimes it may just be natures way of giving us a slice of humble pie that makes us question "Are we really at the top of the food chain?"

[eric1978]

Granted, I love dogs (big and small, I have three of my own)

That's the most I've seen you type in months...that shift change must have you feeling better already!

Your dogs are in no danger of aerial attack. Blockhead is too big, Bones is too fast, and Stumps is too short and moves like a sloth...he (she?) just looks like a rock or a big clod of multi-colored dirt from the sky.

[Justin Spencer]

Justin, I would like to think that you and a few others detected my facetiousness statement of shooting Redtailed Hawks due to the chance encounter that one bird killed one yippie dog.

Definately did, I was just pointing out that as we have more hawks around more and more people are shooting or wanting to shoot (my wife for example) them because they are increasingly preying on chickens, game animals, yorkies, etc. To be honest this doesn't really bother me (even though I enjoy seeing birds of prey) but I am not, and do not want to be a part of this activity.

[Steve_IA]

Wayne, How much larger is a Golden Eagle over a Bald Eagle?

steve

[Al Agnew]

The two species are roughly the same size. Females of both can be up to 20% bigger than males. Immature bald eagles can actually look bigger than adults because their tails are longer. Lots of people misidentify immature balds as goldens and are convinced that goldens are bigger.

Golden eagles, however, are much better hunters and probably stronger. They will eat carrion but most of what they eat they kill themselves. Bald eagles do some hunting but more fishing and eat more carrion.

While goldens can be found all over the U.S., they are fairly rare east of the Great Plains. If you see a dark eagle near water in Missouri and eastward, it will almost certainly be an immature bald. If you have seen quite a few of both species, as I have, it's fairly easy to tell them apart in flight, because bald eagles appear to have much bigger heads. Reason for this is that the "shoulders" on bald eagles are farther back and there is more body in front of the wings, and also immature bald eagles have heavier bills than goldens.

Bald eagles may not have the most exemplary habits, but there's no doubt they are majestic looking birds.

[Steve_IA]

Thanks Al... We have had a pair of bald eagles nest in a large tree along the shore of our N W Iowa lake during the last four summers. It is a very "residential" lake and the nest is only a few feet from the house of a woman I know. The pair have produced one offspring each of the last three years. I find it fascinating to stand under the tree so close and watch them, however, I'm still surprised that they chose to nest so close to humans. Our DNR officials have told me we have three other nesting pairs in more isolated areas of our county.

steve

[taxidermist]

Piebald eagle or Appaloosa eagle

[denjac]

Ben Franklin wanted our national bird to be the wild turkey. I think it would have been a much better choice.

The gamecock was in the running too.

[Wayne SW/MO]

The two species are roughly the same size. Females of both can be up to 20% bigger than males. Immature bald eagles can actually look bigger than adults because their tails are longer. Lots of people misidentify immature balds as goldens and are convinced that goldens are bigger.

I'm confused Al, why would someone mistake an immature Bald for a bigger Golden? The few Goldens I've seen were all obviously larger. I saw a mature Bald and a Golden come off of a gut pile one time and with that close comparison there was no doubt what the bigger bird was, even without the color comparison.