Net Guns.

[Shadrach]

The next National Park North of where I live use net guns to catch injured birds.
Someone else I know on the next mountain uses a net gun for their flock of semi feral chickens.
Has anyone had any experience using these and what were their impressions?
https://thenetgunstore.com/

 

[centrarchid]

Experience I have is with rocket nets targeting wild turkeys. Otherwise it was catching feral game chickens that could fly a couple hundred meters with ease. You get one shot with birds before they start learning how to keep you out of shooting range of device shown in video.

Baited traps or a trained dog became my preferred methods for catching those evasive chickens. The nets as shown are a stressor I would avoid,

 

[Shadrach]

Experience I have is with rocket nets targeting wild turkeys. Otherwise it was catching feral game chickens that could fly a couple hundred meters with ease. You get one shot with birds before they start learning how to keep you out of shooting range of device shown in video.

Baited traps or a trained dog became my preferred methods for catching those evasive chickens. The nets as shown are a stressor I would avoid,

I've had a look at the various nets available and I understand your comment better now.
I'm probably going to borrow a net gun from the Park Wardens and see how I get on with it.
There is an injured Goshawk that visits. There seems to be something wrong with one of it's eyes. Being injured I assume it isn't able to hunt for rats in the woods. It seems to have decided that chickens may be doable. There is a slim chance that I might catch it and get it to the Park wildlife care center. I don't really want it here.

 

[centrarchid]

What kind of injury is involved?

 

[Shadrach]

What kind of injury is involved?

I don't know. I can't get close enough to have a good look. One eye is partially closed and looks swollen compared to the other. There are also feathers missing at the back of the eye.

 

[centrarchid]

Hawk might walk into a live trap baited with a fresh carcass if trap in open.

 

[Shadrach]

Hawk might walk into a live trap baited with a fresh carcass if trap in open.

I don't have a trap big enough. I think it's a male and he lands on the ground down one of the banks. I could get him with a net if I didn't mess the shot up.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I don't have a trap big enough. I think it's a male and he lands on the ground down one of the banks. I could get him with a net if I didn't mess the shot up.

Best of luck catching your injured goshawk! I guess that you’ve talked to your game warden or someone else official to let them know about your injured raptor?

 

[Shadrach]

Best of luck catching your injured goshawk! I guess that you’ve talked to your game warden or someone else official to let them know about your injured raptor?

I have. It's they who will lend me the net gun. They will set a trap but they admit themselves that they don't catch many hawks in them.
I can take the hawk to the next National Park North of where I am. I've worked there and they're the experts on wild life repairs.

 

[so lucky]

You know, a few years back there was an eye disease in the Midwest US that ran rampant among the small birds that fed at backyard feeders. It would involve one or both eyes, and seemed to be spread by the birds feeding from the type of sunflower or thistle feeder that required the bird sticking his head partially into a portal to get the seed. The symptoms sound like what you describe with your goshawk. Maybe it got the disease from an infected sparrow or other small bird. Hopefully, if you manage to catch the bird, there is some sort of treatment available.