Hawk problem? Talk to your DNR!

They had a DNR officer come out. Four hawks were perched about when he arrived. They were able to show him several pictures of multiple hawks stalking their chickens, and the DNR said "that is ridiculous! Just start shooting them." He left the family with his business card with a case number on it - no permit issued.
This second hand story has my 'skeptical radar' blaring....not that I don't believe you Trish, but I doubt the young man telling you the story.
Even if the DNR guy actually said that, I'd certainly want it in writing.
Huge repercussions if you get caught breaking that law.
 
We have a farm, and are legally allowed to shoot predators and pest animals, including Bald Eagles, if they are harassing or threatening our livestock. We’ve only resorted to this with ravens and eagles that are attacking our newborn lamb twins or triplets so far. They usually respond to warning shots, but every few years we have to kill a particularly persistent individual. The eagles and ravens wait until a ewe has a second lamb and is distracted with that, then peck the eyes and rectum of the undefended twin, sometimes to death, but often just horribly maiming it.
Always check your local laws, but remember that farms have many rights that individuals do not...
 
Keep in mind the difference in Your State & FED LAW... don't get confused because the state you reside in may not prosecute you, you could still be in serious trouble on the Fed level.

It may be legal on a state level, "I" would not be bragging on the internet if I may have violated some Fed statutes
 
Good info by may highly depend on particular DNR officer.

Try fishing line over the top of your run (versus or besides netting or fencing).

My theory is that in aerial predator eyes:
netting/fencing (which is safe to walk over while trying to break through) = you are desperately trying to protect your chickens, whereas
fishing line (danger of tangling) = you are trying to catch the predator (welcoming it into the chicken run and just using chickens as bait), so the predator think "they are already onto me and I better stay away from that evil person's entrapment"
We used bright orange baling twine before we finished fencing the top of the run. It worked well and was easy to work with. Someone also mentioned hanging old cds from the twine. Didn’t try that, but apparently we didn’t need to. We have hawks, eagles, owls, and crows...
 
I have netting over my run. The hawks have never perched on it. They do, however, perch nearby and then swoop in or land in our yard.
I tried cds - not for hawks just sparrows - worked for a day. Now, they are back to their regular shenanigans.
 
I am in no way bragging about anything illegal on the internet. Canada has serious laws both Provincial and Federal protecting wildlife and far stricter Firearms Regulations that the USA. We also have Federal laws protecting Farms and Livestock, that trump those laws.

I have no idea if The USA has a federal Right to Farm Act, or what laws you have in place regarding livestock, but where I live if an animal, domestic or wild, is on your property and harassing your livestock you are within your rights as a farmer to put it down.

Doesn’t apply to city dwellers, or hobby keepers, you must be a registered farm and earn a certain amount of money on your property from farming. I don’t advocate violence as a first response, but it is sometimes necessary to protect your animals from predators.

Again, I live in Canada, on a farm. I don’t know what the laws are elsewhere, but it never hurts to look into them. I would think similar protections are available elsewhere.
 

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