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Author Topic: Aerial Thief  (Read 2443 times)

Offline Gamalot

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Aerial Thief
« on: Mar 20, 2021, 08:04 AM »
Fishing a local lake on Monday and had a pickerel on the ice when another flag popped. While catching the second fish an eagle swooped down and swiped the first one. Luckily I had removed the hook.
Later I caught another smaller pickerel that was fatally hooked. I left it on the ice and watched the eagle grab it. I mentioned this to a buddy and he thinks it is illegal to feed the eagles which I have never heard and I can't find any regs saying one way or another. Does anyone know the real answer?
If I agreed with you we would both be wrong!

Offline mikez

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Re: Aerial Thief
« Reply #1 on: Mar 20, 2021, 08:32 AM »
If there's a length limit it's probably illegal to keep the small ones - even to feed the eagles.

Offline Gamalot

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Re: Aerial Thief
« Reply #2 on: Mar 20, 2021, 09:28 AM »
As long as its legal size you can do whatever you want with them but they count towards your daily limit.  As far as I'm concerned "legal" is breathing for pickerel. I can't stand them.   ;D  Good luck to anyone trying to prove you were intentionally trying to feed a specific type of bird or animal on the ice.

Agree Frogger, I have no use for freshwater Barracudas either and most of the ones I do catch practically inhale the bait and hook making it a PITA to get the hook out without tearing their guts or gills out. Eagles, as much as I love seeing them coming back in good numbers, they are pretty much just flying rats in search of easy meals. On the local Bashakill swamp we have Snakehead fish, an invasive species. Eagles thrive on them so they do serve a beneficial purpose there. I see them often on road kills like buzzards.
If I agreed with you we would both be wrong!

Offline trapper2000

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Re: Aerial Thief
« Reply #3 on: Mar 20, 2021, 10:15 AM »
a eagel will never turn you in for feeding him

Offline Zeker259

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Re: Aerial Thief
« Reply #4 on: Mar 20, 2021, 11:32 AM »
Monday probably was okay, but Tuesday the season closed. As Trapper said the eagle wouldn't care.  ;D

 :tipup: :tipup: :tipup: :icefish:
Fishy, Fishy down the hole. Please come here and bend my pole. I jig and jig you take my hook and then I take you home to cook.

Offline 62&done

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Re: Aerial Thief
« Reply #5 on: Mar 20, 2021, 04:01 PM »
couple years back I watched two eagles wear down a sea gull over Fultonville ( next to the Mohawk)  It was an entertaining tag team match that ended up on the Fonda Speedway. Those eagles chased that gull for over 20 minutes all the while screaming and screaching by both gull and eagles   Eagles gotta eat
    I like watching the eagles especialy when they come to feed on my fish guts

Offline hunts2long

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Re: Aerial Thief
« Reply #6 on: Mar 21, 2021, 06:56 AM »




Couple pictures I have gotten over the years out front of the house. I saw the eagle kill the blue heron....h2l
Northville, NY

Offline Gamalot

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Re: Aerial Thief
« Reply #7 on: Mar 21, 2021, 07:33 AM »




Couple pictures I have gotten over the years out front of the house. I saw the eagle kill the blue heron....h2l

My buddy has a small trout pond with some big browns in it and would invite the eagle over to take out the Blue Herons. He has found 4 dead browns about 4-5 pounds each and all with holes in their bodies from being stabbed by the Herons. The stream that runs from my yard into his pond is loaded with very small brookies in the early spring and early summer but the Herons swallow them once the flow slows down and water level drops. Herons are protected but the eagles don't follow the rules.
If I agreed with you we would both be wrong!

 



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