Hawk Problems

[Amy and Annabelle]

We live in the country and have a big fenced in area for Annabelle to run around in. Lately there has been a hawk watching and circling her from above. Today he swooped down to try to get her and luckily I was able to get there in time to scare him off. I don't know what to do other than have my neighbor shoot it down or keeping her on the 6ft leash at my side. She weighs 14lbs and even if she is too big for him to carry off, he still might hurt her trying. Any other suggestions?

[Amy and Annabelle]

Wouldn't hurt to try. Apparently scare crows don't phase them any.

[M Kol]

I'm not sure where you live or how it's zoned.  Actually from what I've read the hawk is probably protected. So maybe contact your state's Department of Natural Resources for advice first?

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I would take them seriously.  I have lots of hawks around here. I've seen them swoop down to pick up rabbits and they are QUICK!  They can go almost straight up and straight down.  Even if they can't carry her far, I've read they will pick up an animal and drop it and then repeat it.  Sometimes here they'll circle in pairs.  I would not let her out alone. Sometimes they'll circle overhead to check out Finn -- I can't imagine what they're thinking but I wave my arms and yell and they must think leave that crazy woman alone.  Since you say she swooped down, can you shoot the hawk if you're defending the dog?

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I think you only could in defense of a person :/ I'll have to read up on the laws my self, it's been a while but I think if a species is protected you can only shoot with intent to kill if it's it self defense of you or another person. I guess you could say it was targeting you/a family member?

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I'm pretty close to you guys in Michigan I think but I have very close friends that live in the country were as I live in the city and when Moose was a puppy I would see Hawks out and looking very interested. It's very scary when they start circling! I never had any issues with them bothering Moose because he was always leashed with me and Loki was close by and by the time Moose was able to run around off leash in the yard he was much too big for a hawk to target.

These same friends have medium sized dogs so not that the Hawks are a huge threat to them(it's more that they could seriously injure them) but they leave a large pot and pan outside and have banged them together to get rid of the hawks if they got too close or started swooping. Thinking about it a) not sure if it works or if there's any fact behind that and b) they probably look absolutely crazy!
Their dogs are also now grown and 40-50lbs though so I don't think they have ever seriously been targeted by the Hawks. Good luck! I hope the hawk just goes away!

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

We had a hawk swoop down over our patio and skim our brick fence to attack a mother quail and 13 babies.  We were in shock when it came so close to us on the patio.  Since it flew over the roof and our patio was on the backside, it probably did not even see us sitting there until it was directly above us.  I ran to the gate and down the drive to see what it had attached and its wingspan was covering a shrub rose - the mother quail and 13 babies probably did not even see it coming!  None of them survived!  Neither did my shrub rose.  We also have a large Northern Harrier that sits on the back corner of the neighbor's lot and attacks his song birds!  My neighbor has been trying to get rid of him to no avail.  Some hawks can lift as much as 12 - 15 lbs I have heard, but never witnessed that. I would really keep an eye on your little one.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Aw, sad about the mama quail and her babies. As I saw him swoop down over Annabelle, I noticed the size of it's talons were huge. I have never seen one that close.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Now I am worried.  I haven't ever seen a hawk specifically by our house, but it is one more thing to add to my worries. 

[Amy and Annabelle]

Isn't that the truth. It seems like it is always something.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Once in awhile I see 2 hawks, but it is mostly just the one being the pest. I'm sure they have diminished the bunny population on my property. I haven't seen a bunny in a week. Usually Annabelle and I would see them scamper off when we went out early in the morning. There were about 5 of them in June and then 3 for quite awhile and now none. It probably ate all the bunnies and is now interested in Annabelle. I am going to try a brightly colored safety vest for her and see if that helps. A friend suggested placing pie tins out on the fencing. I guess they don't like shiny, so I will try that too. Maybe keep a metal pot and spoon handy just to scare it away when I see it overhead. A village about 15 miles from my house had a problem with feral pigs in the area, so I guess it could be worse. I can't imaging coming face to face with one of those beasts early in the morning. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Amy, someone told me today that you might try calling your local wildlife management office and they might trap and relocate the hawk.  I also learned that larger hawks can carry up to 20 lbs.  Don't know how big yours is.  Good luck.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Thank you, I will try that. He is big. I think he could carry off Annabelle. We were talking more tonight about getting another puppy, I said not with that hawk around.