I vote libertarian, Obama was running on the democratic party ticket so he did not get my vote or my support. My concern for raptors is not based on their majesty h as their utility. Wolves and mountain lons as predators are very effectively replaced by man, raptors that have been driven out of any given area have not been effectively replaced by anything. Also do you think the conservation officer is going to be making decisions based on his sensibilities? I suspect that they will make their choices based on the population data that exsts regardng the species of hawk that is giving you the problems. With mammal species large litters can be produced, because of the realities of flight raptors can only have a few offspring and very few young birds make it to adulthood. Raptor populations can be very vulnerable, and we need them. Your attitude of "nothing matters if they are hurting my livestock" is a reckless one, one that on a whole has really damaged a lot of livestock. Look at the tragedy of the commons, or the depletion of fish stock. No one did those things with the intention to destroy their livelyhood, it was done because what is best for everyone is seldom a matter of each one of us doing what is best for ourselves. Shared resources must have access restricted, not completely but to a reasonable degree. The attitude that that restriction is unreasonable prevents a Nash equilibrium from emerging and prevents everyone from being sucessful. I am not telling you to not kill the hawk, I am telling you that you need to follow the laws, incompetence of local law enforcement aside. The Bald and Golden eagle protection act is about majesty, but the other acts regarding destruction or capture of hawks are based on ecology.

I have no way of knowing if anyone bothered to look at my beauties, since I got no replies in what I viewed as an urgent situation. I made the decision after some thought, that I was going to leave the cats alone. After all, I told myself, that I was planning on finding some host plants for cats, and so now I have. I know they're moths and not butterflies, but after more looking around, have found that they most likely will not kill the plant. Sue, who would like to know if anyone has read this

I make my suet mixture using suet or lard. I melt the fat in a glass bowl in the microwave until liquid. Then I add crunchy peanut butter, which melts in the hot fat. Then I add the dried ingredients - corn meal, flour, oats (usually ground in blender), ground eggshells, crushed nuts, a little jam or jelly, etc. The mixture is about 1/2 fat, 1/2 dried ingredients - maybe a little more dried. I aim for a mixture that is the texture of Play-doh - it clumps together easily for the suet log, but also crumbles into pieces that I spread in a tray feeder. I made the suet log over 3 years ago out of an old red Pine log and glued lots of perches and branches. It did not have much bark on it - which is fine, except that over time the log has darkened quite a bit, perhaps because of the oils in the suet mixture. Also, most of the perches and branches have broken and fallen off. This birds don't seem to care. If you put perches on the log, this will enable many more birds to eat more easily. However, this isn't necessarily a good thing because with mine, it enables the Starlings and Blue Jays to hog the suet log, and it encourages House Sparrows. My suet log is pole-mounted with a squirrel/raccoon baffle, so nothing gets onto the log but the birds. Here's what the suet mixture looks like - Some Bluebirds on the suet log a couple years ago. They don't eat that much on the suet log any more, because I usually spread crumbles in a tray for them.

Pretty sure you can shoot it with a permit in some states, not sure. Either way I think the easiest solution is owning roosters. I live near a lake with a lot of birds of prey and my roosters have killed many hawks trying to get their girls. I have issues with the large owls personally, they have even broke into my coops and kill for fun. I absolutely hate birds of prey and wish my roosters could slay the owls too. I'm not down to go to jail over birds but I have told my neighbors who also hate them I know nothing if some of them go missing around here lol. Plenty of shotguns in our neighborhood going off when we see them flying around, the wild quail population has skyrocketed this year! Also, if ones attacking your pets or livestock you have the right to protect them within reason. I killed a hawk with a golfball sized rock once that was attacking my cat, killer aim to the head! No regrets, heft vet bill and my cat lost its ear.