Red Tail hawk...

[bvanzalen]

The owner of the property I hunt took a walk in the woods and came across a Red Tail hawk feeding on a tom turkey. He said the head was gone and that was about it. He was pretty sure there were no other predator tracks around and was convinced the hawk killed the turkey.

I've come across piles of turkey feathers with no carcass before and firgured it was coyotes.

Do you think a hawk can take down a grown turkey? Seems very unlikely to me...

[mqxlt]

Last month a group of turkeys walked past my stand, then a few minutes later I heard a big commotion from them in the woods. I assumed that a coyote got one of them, but I guess it could have been a hawk too. Last summer I was scouting around in the same area, and a red tailed hawk scared the heck out of me when it took off from behind a tree as I walked past, it had just caught a squirrel and was getting ready to chow. Last year I had one land on a branch about 10feet from me while I was in the tree stand! That was cool!
Also... there is a group of turkeys that hang around my house, one of them is injured, and is hobbling around, I wonder what got it?

[bvanzalen]

No doubt the hawks are cool to watch. Saw one nail a squirrel on the edge of a corn field once. The hawk ate the innards and flew off searching for the next victim...

[timbergsp]

what alot of people dont know or dont realize is a hawk tends to SLAM in to its prey knocking it FLAT out


I beleave a hawk could knock out a human for that matter

So yes I am sure the hawk killed that turkey

all it would have to do is slam into it going 75mph with talons ready

that would be like getting hit with a softball going 75mph with razors on it

scott

[ghsthntr]

friend of mine has pictures of a hawk on his trail cam taking out a turk there are i believe 7 pics if i can borrow the pics ill post them,

[Backwoods-Savage]

With the head gone, I'm certain it had to be a hawk. Also have no doubt that a hawk can take out that big tom. They attack the turkey the same way as they do a chicken. We used to have a problem with hawks attacking our chickens as we live right in the woods and let the chickens run loose. We'd go out and find headless chickens occasionally.

[anonymous21]

The Bigger owls will kill that way also,just take off head and leave the rest.

[bvanzalen]

Learn something new every day... :)

[gregm]

From Wisconsin DNR Website:

"Many animals prey on the eggs and young poults of turkeys. Skunks, opossums, raccoons, snakes, crows, coyotes, foxes, and some rodents will all look for a turkey egg or poult meal. Bobcats, foxes, great horned owls, and red-tailed hawks sometimes kill adult turkeys"

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/bird/wildturkey.htm

[woodsrat]

With the head gone, I'm certain it had to be a hawk. Also have no doubt that a hawk can take out that big tom. They attack the turkey the same way as they do a chicken. We used to have a problem with hawks attacking our chickens as we live right in the woods and let the chickens run loose. We'd go out and find headless chickens occasionally.

I agree. Hawks take the heads off birds. I kept seeing a Red-Tail Hawk that had killed several of my released Pheasants. He would take their heads right off.

[JAG]

I found a rabbit by my bird feeder that had the head removed. But I just recently saw a home video of a hawk trying to take a turkey chick in the spring. There were 2 hens and a dozen or so chicks. The hawk got the worst of the deal. After the one hen chased the hawk into a tree the other hen flew right up and wing whipped the heck out of it. The hawk didn't get a chick......that time.

[Splitshot]

This is more common behavior for owls. Barred owls and Great Horned owls. Why they eat the heads and leave the carcus is unknown to me. I think it is possible the turkey was killed by one of the two owls mentioned above and the hawk found it later or drove the owl off after daylight.

[FixedBlade]

I have heard that brain tissue has more protine in it.