Owl slammed our DSD upright hen decoy

[turkeyfeathers]

Wish we had it on video.  Youth hunt in NY was this weekend. Daughter was sick but we managed to get out on Sunday. Had a bird rip on roost a dozen times and tight lipped it after hitting the deck. He was 200 yards away and stupid me got excited . I should know better. At least it gave us hope and the heart pumping. But neatest thing was as we were sitting in our blind we see a flash of movement and "bang " and a bounce. Owl came in and smacked the DSD hen deke and flew off with a WTH look I'm sure. The decoy spun 180 on its stake. It flew off to the other field edge for a bit and then glided across the field about 2 feet off the ground. I've never heard of this before. Wasn't a huge owl by any means, maybe a barred owl ?!
I've had fox and coyotes come into the set but never got really close to decoys.

What have you had attack your decoys ?

[ALfwlmth]

I've had coyotes come in 2 different times, with one trotting within a few feet of an Avian X hen and never checked up.  Never sped up or slowed down.  It was as if the decoy wasn't even there.  Owl thing is pretty  cool though, especially with your daughter there.  Well done Dad for getting her out there. Better luck next time. 


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[TRG3]

While I've only had a coyote attack my Pretty Boy and then beat a hasty retreat, I did have had an owl swoop in toward my face while I was in a deer stand bow hunting. I threw up my arm to block him and he veered away at the last moment. It was very fortunate for me that he did not sink his talons into my face. As a result, I keep a close watch on any owl or hawk that lands near me while I am hunting.

[vt35mag]

Coyote and a red tail hawk.  Hawk survived, coyote did not.

[Ozark870Hunter]

Had an owl come perch above my decoy spread, eye it for about 5 minutes, then swoop down and hit the hen decoy just like what happened to you.
Was pretty neat to see.


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[MT elk slayer]

Not so much attack my turkey dekes, but I was out duck hunting on a slough here in Montana. Set up my dekes in the dark and it came to just about shooting light. Had a flock of about a hundred mallards come busting into my spread, knocking over my mojos and landing on top of my dekes, they were so close that I could've reached out and caught them by hand while getting splashed with water. I sat patiently and waited for shooting light. These birds majority are less then 5 ft away from me and the dog is gettin ansy. I'm watching my watch and it is one minute before legal shooting hours. 3 kids come busting out of the willows about 10' from me and just start laying steel into the water ground slapping the birds. I don't know what they were thinking when there are over 200 ducks and decoys on the water in this little slough that Is barely 30' wide and 50' long. I sat there patiently in my blind, didn't even get up and try to get in the cross fire. As the 18 year old or so kids came walking out to pick up their ducks, they had that oh sh*t look on their faces when I turned the dog loose to go pick up their ducks and I stood up in my blind. They came over and apologized for shooting my decoys, ruined over 30 of them including 2 mojos, but didn't even offer to pay for them. Just picked up their ducks and walked away. Pretty penny that they ruined for me, but hopefully they learned their lesson to be sure of their target before pulling the trigger.

[RutnNStrutn]

We've had yotes come in several times. I had a bobcat sneak in once and get in pouncing position but he never pounced, and slipped out the way he came in.
Years ago when using those old foam dekes, I had a bald eagle swoop in and snatch my deke off of it's stake. He flew off with it, but about 75 yards out he realized he'd been had and dropped it.
A couple of years ago, a monster sized bird about the size of a small eagle swooped in, but he had the coloration of a hawk. Never did figure out what he was. He swooped in and grabbed a hen deke by the neck, leaving a bunch of talon holes in the decoy. Needless to say if that was a real hen, it would be dead.
Pretty cool stuff!!!

[Volgobbler]

Red fox ran out of woods and  attacked my friends hen decoy

[Timmer]

 Coyotes a few times.  Once a badger used the tree I was leaning against to hide his approach and then rushed my decoys.  He ran right past me easily within reach.  When he got about 3 feet from the decoys and thry didn't move he bailed.

[mtns2hunt]

Had hawk dive bomb my hen decoy several times. Finally had to run out and chase him off. He flew to the top of a tree and sat there watching for about 20 min.

[30_06]

Had a hawk dive bomb a hen, pretty much freaked out once it contacted the decoy. The coolest thing was two black bears that heard my calling then saw the decoys and couldn't be dissuaded. It was exciting!

Esse quam videri

[WAGinVA]

I have had retail hawks hit my DSDs on two occasions, once an upright hen and this year a feeding hen.

[g8rvet]

Had a coyote stalking my hen.  He hit the wind trail of my Thermacell (and me I reckon) and spun on a dime and beat it out of there.  There was a bird gobbling and he got a pass (I actually killed the bird about an hour later).

Had an owl durn near land on my head in a MS oxbow.  I have dealt with enough owls to know I did not want any of those talons and reacted by waving my gun barrel.  Literally scared the sh*t out of him and figuratively it did me. 

Had an eagle swoop in and steal a duck.  He needed it worse than us, I did not even try to ward him off, just counted that bird in my limit.  Oddly enough he flew right over next to my brother in another boat.  We watched him fly over.  My brother came on the radio and said you will not believe what we are watching.  We said,"an eagle eating a ringneck?!?!?!".  LOL 

[turkaholic]

Humm,  when does owl season open?

[ddturkeyhunter]

On the 26th I had a Red tail Hawk land in the tree and watch a Jake try to breed my DSD hen for a half an hour. It was only when a two year old gobbled started to come that he moved off. As soon as the Jake got 10 foot from the hen the hawk swooped and smacked the decoy. Turned around landed in the tree again but seen me move and flew away but came back and hit the decoy again. If the other Tom would have been a little slower coming in I maybe could have got it on film. But I got him.