2 eagles found dead from gunshot wounds in Nebraska

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130308/NEWS/130309656/1016#2-eagles-found-dead-from-gunshot-wounds-in-nebraska

Published Friday, March 8, 2013 at 1:15 am / Updated at 1:18 am

(ALL raptors are protected by US law)

Two eagles have died from gunshot wounds in Nebraska in the past two weeks.

An immature bald eagle was shot near the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. About the same time, a golden eagle was found dead with its talons removed, according to federal wildlife officer Brett Bowser.

“Both eagles were shot in sight of the road and may be related to other shootings we have had in the same area,” Bowser said.

FULL story at link.

[Itchinjim]

1. Ted Nugent been hanging out in Nebraska?

[malaise]

2. Well those eagles don't have 2nd amendment rights

so tough luck

[caseymoz]

18. That's right. All we have to do is fit them for guns.

Then they can defend themselves against bad people, and we can cut all the money we're throwing into conservation. Arm the animals and let them defend themselves.

[lonestarnot]

3. Gunner needed a pillow.

[dipsydoodle]

4. Both tragic and disgusting

[Cooley Hurd]

5. If only they were armed...

[liberal N proud]

6. Exactly

[EvilAL]

11. They kinda are heheh,

I climbed up to a bald eagle nest when I was 17 to take a good look at it, wasn't an easy climb and I thought the nest was abandoned. It wasn't and I suffered the consequences of 2 pissed off bald eagles attacking me the whole way down, it was fine while I was protected by branches, they kept swarming at me but couldn't get to me, but when I got about 15-20 feet from the ground the branches were just stubs to hold on to and they were able to get at me, they tore me up with their claws until I fell off the tree, and as big as bald eagles are, they look 5 times bigger when they are flying at you and tearing you up. I looked like I had been put through a cheese grater. Wasn't a fun day.

[Kingofalldems]

7. Gun hicks

[Kolesar]

8. Poachers and vandals are outrageous and irresponsible.

They are not as outrageous and irresponsible as the gun owners who murder people, but they do betray how badly our society manages the "gun ownership" issue.

[onehandle]

9. To desire guns is to desire using them. nt

[RILib]

10. whooping cranes

Several endangered whooping cranes in the Eastern Migratory Population have been shot to death in the last few years. Some of the killers have been caught. The original sentences were obscene - $1, etc. but now they are making it into the five digits. The cost to raise one whooper and train it to migrate behind ultralights is about $100,000 and the Eastern population is about 100 total and not yet self-sustaining. 1-3 whoopers are born in the wild yearly to that population, a rate slowly increasing. One of the whoopers shot to death was First Mom, the first Eastern female to give birth in the wild since the program began.

Anyone who wants to know more or help can read http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

[pipoman]

13. Whooping cranes have been endangered

for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Nebraska near their migratory route, everyone loved looking out for whoopers..the people of western NE do not take kindly to anyone disturbing these large beautiful birds. The biggest problems with whooping cranes is the dwindling habitat, a close second would likely be increased numbers of predators also due to habitat restoration, and re-introduction of native species like wild turkeys (funded with hunting licenses), and pesticide/herbicide use for farming. Also when I was young, sandhill crane populations were in trouble, through conservation and efforts of private advocacy groups (often populated/funded by hunters), the populations of sandhill cranes has recovered almost unbelievably..

[RILib]

21. 15

I think the whoopers were down to 15 individuals at one point. Through huge efforts, there are about 400-500 total now, but still hovering on the edge.

The Western population is endangered by numerous things, including habitat loss and loss of water, but also now potential spills from the Keystone pipeline into water sources on their migration route.

[pipoman]

12. I've been to Valentine NWR

it is desolate, and the whole area is sparsely populated. Federal Wildlife Officers, State Wildlife Officers, local sheriffs, and the population are tough on poachers. This case will likely be solved by tips from hunters who hear of the poacher bragging. While the national average is somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of households have a gun(s) in their homes, I would guess the average is way, way higher west of Grand Island, NE...probably west of Lincoln..If the vast, vast majority of people there were not responsible, or were poachers, there wouldn't be any wildlife there. No, this is likely some kid(s) doing stupid shit that they will ultimately be arrested for..Just have to love the posters who know nothing of these matters stating stupid Brady talking points whenever they get the chance...

[99Forever]

16. What I really love...

... is Delicate Flowers making excuses for their fellow "law-abiding, responsible" Delicate flower brethren.

[pipoman]

17. The "Delicate Flowers" are the statistically challenged

scared puppies hiding under their beds..

[99Forever]

19. What an awful thing to say about your brethren.

Careful, they'll revoke your Man Membership card.

[IMG][/IMG]

[pipoman]

20. LOL

I expect the bitterness to escalate as none of the hiding puppies fantasies even come close to materialization..

[lpbk2713]

14. They couldn't find any neighborhood cats to shoot at.

So they took a drive out in the country to find other fun targets.

[formercia]

15. I hope they took a sample of DNA from that Golden Eagle

Those Talons will show up some Day.