Roadkill owl

fscwi · Jan 6, 2018

I was just about to arrive at my hunting spot this AM and noticed something in the road. Figured it was a raccoon or possum, but as I got closer I could see it was a bird. Blood dripping from the head, must have been hit shortly before. I put it on the side of the road and continued into the woods before first light to hunt. I went back later and snapped a picture in the daylight. What a shame such a beautiful animal. Does anyone know what kind it is? I think its illegal to possess a dead owl without a permit, but if someone has a permit I could direct them to where it was hit in MOCO. After a bit of a warm up I'll be headed back into the woods until dark.

melikou1 · Jan 6, 2018

fscwi said:
I was just about to arrive at my hunting spot this AM and noticed something in the road. Figured it was a raccoon or possum, but as I got closer I could see it was a bird. Blood dripping from the head, must have been hit shortly before. I put it on the side of the road and continued into the woods before first light to hunt. I went back later and snapped a picture in the daylight. What a shame such a beautiful animal. Does anyone know what kind it is? I think its illegal to possess a dead owl without a permit, but if someone has a permit I could direct them to where it was hit in MOCO. After a bit of a warm up I'll be headed back into the woods until dark.

Looks like a Barred Owl. Shame...just hope no one was rude enough to shoot it.

fabsroman · Jan 6, 2018

I've been to a raptor rehab facility a couple of times with my kids now. They said the leading cause of injury to these birds is strikes from vehicles. A lot of them are trying to eat road kill, and as they come down for the feast, they get whacked by a vehicle. Saw two eagles on a road kill deer the other day, but at least the deer carcass was off the side of the road and into a field, so the birds were pretty safe.

John from MD · Jan 6, 2018

I have hit owls driving to my house through wooded roads. Owls tend to swoop low when after prey and right into your path. By the time you see them in the lights it is too late. :sad20:

5cary · Jan 6, 2018

fabsroman said:
I've been to a raptor rehab facility a couple of times with my kids now. They said the leading cause of injury to these birds is strikes from vehicles. A lot of them are trying to eat road kill, and as they come down for the feast, they get whacked by a vehicle. Saw two eagles on a road kill deer the other day, but at least the deer carcass was off the side of the road and into a field, so the birds were pretty safe.

My sister runs a raptor rehab in Texas. According to her, vehicles are the leading cause of injury (for birds brought to the facility). Pretty sad, but most of the time, it's the distraught drivers that bring them in. Swooping into the path of a vehicle is common.

MigraineMan · Jan 6, 2018

Looks a lot like the Barred Owl that was eyeballin' mah chickens the other day. Sucks that it got in front of a car. The owls and the hawks near us do a good job of controlling the rodent population in the farm field behind us.

fabsroman · Jan 6, 2018

Here are pics of the eagle(s). Tried taking them with my smart phone, but the zoom was pretty crappy (realized last night that the newer phones have a lot nicer zoom). Went back home and got the DSLR, but one of the two flew off before I could get back.

Speed3 · Jan 6, 2018

Owls are super cool, there was one hanging around for a few weeks assuming tearing up the rodents?

He/she let me walk within 10 ft, kinda nuts.

fabsroman · Jan 6, 2018

Speed3 said:
Owls are super cool, there was one hanging around for a few weeks assuming tearing up the rodents?

He/she let me walk within 10 ft, kinda nuts.

Is that a horned owl? How big was it?

Speed3 · Jan 6, 2018

fabsroman said:
Is that a horned owl? How big was it?

I think it's a great horned owl, but I'm no expert. It was big.....close to 2ft tall or so, claws/talons were impressive.

Bikebreath · Jan 6, 2018

fabsroman said:
Is that a horned owl? How big was it?

Sure looks like one.

Those talons will mess you up!

fabsroman · Jan 6, 2018

Bikebreath said:
Sure looks like one.

Those talons will mess you up!

Yeah, about 30 years ago when I first started deer hunting, I had one of those suckers fly/glide toward me across a field. I saw this huge thing coming at me. At the time, it reminded me of a bomber. It landed above me in the same tree I was in. Got my heart racing as it was coming toward me.

I am guessing that the horned owl in Speed3's pic went back to its friends and said, "Damn, I came across a human today in the woods. I remained still as could be and I don't think he saw me. Good thing, because those fingers, hands, feet, and knees, can do some serious damage."

Magnificent bird, but I would pick me over a horned owl mano a mano. Of course, when you guys saw me afterward, you would be saying, "Damn, what happened to you?" My response, "You should see the owl."

rgramjet · Jan 6, 2018

fabsroman said:
Yeah, about 30 years ago when I first started deer hunting, I had one of those suckers fly/glide toward me across a field. I saw this huge thing coming at me. At the time, it reminded me of a bomber. It landed above me in the same tree I was in. Got my heart racing as it was coming toward me.

I am guessing that the horned owl in Speed3's pic went back to its friends and said, "Damn, I came across a human today in the woods. I remained still as could be and I don't think he saw me. Good thing, because those fingers, hands, feet, and knees, can do some serious damage."

Magnificent bird, but I would pick me over a horned owl mano a mano. Of course, when you guys saw me afterward, you would be saying, "Damn, what happened to you?" My response, "You should see the owl."

Funny, i had a similar experience hunting off Rt 7 in Loudoun County VA.

Got into my stand before hunting light. Sat still for a while, not shooting light yet. All of a sudden I hear a noise coming towards me weaving through the close grown cedars. Next thing I know, there is this light round face heading straight for me. I think it was planning to land on me thinking I was part of the tree.........(that would have Sucked!) It changed its course at the last second and flew away.

Will never forget that moment.

MigraineMan · Jan 6, 2018

fabsroman said:
Magnificent bird, but I would pick me over a horned owl mano a mano. Of course, when you guys saw me afterward, you would be saying, "Damn, what happened to you?" My response, "You should see the owl."

If you'd like to put that theory to the test, I have a rooster. He's made me and my son bleed more than once.

(I would have said "mean" rooster, but that would have been redundant.)

Bikebreath · Jan 6, 2018

I drove a plumbing supply truck in the mid 70’s. Coming up from out of LaPlata/Waldorf, I detoured into Cedarville St. Forest, just to drive my 18’ flatbed through the woods.

I was bombing down a road and glanced out the passenger side window and there was an owl keeping pace with my truck, head cock and staring straight at me...I think my jaw dropped. I turned back see the road in front for part of a second and looked back at the owl, but it was gone.

It’s long been a favorite moment.

fabsroman · Jan 6, 2018

rgramjet said:
Funny, i had a similar experience hunting off Rt 7 in Loudoun County VA.

Got into my stand before hunting light. Sat still for a while, not shooting light yet. All of a sudden I hear a noise coming towards me weaving through the close grown cedars. Next thing I know, there is this light round face heading straight for me. I think it was planning to land on me thinking I was part of the tree.........(that would have Sucked!) It changed its course at the last second and flew away.

Will never forget that moment.

lol - this was out in Loudon County. Right off of the road that the Izaak Walton League range is on. Now, when I drive out that way, I cry at all the development I see.

fabsroman · Jan 6, 2018

MigraineMan said:
If you'd like to put that theory to the test, I have a rooster. He's made me and my son bleed more than once.

(I would have said "mean" rooster, but that would have been redundant.)

No doubt the owl would make me bleed too. However, the owl would be on the losing end of that fight, with me needing a lot of bandages. End of the day, the rooster would be in the pot unless it picked the flight route instead of fight.

rgramjet · Jan 6, 2018

fabsroman said:
lol - this was out in Loudon County. Right off of the road that the Izaak Walton League range is on. Now, when I drive out that way, I cry at all the development I see.

The land we hunt is on rt 7 across Goose Creek from the GC Country Club.

I agree about the development. My buddys parents house used to be where Rt 7 is. The stone wall is still in the median. Sad.

ted76 · Jan 6, 2018

There is a big time federal fine for just having any feathers of a raptor, without a permit, unless you are a native American.

Bullfrog · Jan 6, 2018

Bikebreath said:
I drove a plumbing supply truck in the mid 70’s. Coming up from out of LaPlata/Waldorf, I detoured into Cedarville St. Forest, just to drive my 18’ flatbed through the woods.

I was bombing down a road and glanced out the passenger side window and there was an owl keeping pace with my truck, head cock and staring straight at me...I think my jaw dropped. I turned back see the road in front for part of a second and looked back at the owl, but it was gone.

It’s long been a favorite moment.

That is a great story. It makes me wonder, if it had been a dark, moonless night instead of (I'm assuming) daytime, you might have told a different kind of story... or else resolved never to tell anyone about what you saw that night. (Think mothman, jersey devil, etc.)

Roadkill owl

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Ultimate Member

Attachments

Member

Ultimate Member

American Patriot

On the spreading edge of the butter knife.

Defenestration Specialist

Ultimate Member

Attachments

Ultimate Member

Attachments

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

R.I.P.

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Defenestration Specialist

R.I.P.

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics