56 



.^^ 



Figure 11-A. 

 iug to owl. 



-Cooper's hawk decoy- 



the operator. The owl is mounted on a 

 pole and the hawk is dispatched by the 

 operator's shotgun when he makes for 

 the owl. This device is graphically pic- 

 tured in Figures 11 and 11-A. The owl 

 decoys are sold at $25 each and the same 

 house carries a crow call and crow decoy 

 which sell at $1 each. 



Wholesale destruction of hawks by 

 means of this device is by no means ad- 

 vocated. The cooper's and sharp-shinned 

 should always be destroyed, but it is to 

 be remembered that many hawks are 

 valuable destroyers of mice and other 

 enemies of the farmer and comparatively 

 innocuous in so far as birds are concerned. It is always possible, of course, 

 for individuals of a harmless species to develop depraved habits, but many 

 breeders are inclined to convict the hawk on insufficient evidence. In the 

 literature issued in connection with the owl decoy mentioned above, it is 

 stated that "many of the hawk species are not as destructive as most 

 people imagine, and such as the red 

 tail, meadow, broad wing and red 

 shoulder, which all come well to the 

 owl, should be spared." The great- 

 horned owl is one of the worst enemies 

 of game birds and it will work great 

 havoc on a game farm unless promptly 

 attended to. 



Crows are very destructive. Mr. 

 Dunn attacks them by placing half an 

 egg shell containing raw egg mixed 

 with strychnine just outside the rear- 

 ing field. One crow caught in this way 

 is likely to rid the place of his fellows 

 for some time to come. A conspicuous 

 object which the wind will keep con- 

 stantly in motion makes a good scare- 

 crow, but any device must be changed t^ ,i t^ i i * 



. . Figure 11. — Decoy owl used for com- 



from time to time. batting destructive species of hawks. 



