Life Finds Away…………..

The incident made me realize that no matter how crowded the east coast becomes, life will find a way….Where there are cities, there are pigeons, and where there are pidgeons there are apparently predators.

I\’ve grown used to seeing these amazing birds of prey all over my more natural confines in southern New Jersey, but it was a complete shock in a major football stadium. On a bowhunting excursion a few years back, I was hunting about 50 yards off the edge of a farm field. The field had plenty of deer attracting \”Jersey Fresh\” produced just waiting to be devoured, but for whatever reason they weren\’t interested that night. Instead, as it turned out, I was in for one of the most interesting nights of my life.

I was sitting in a tree stand about 30 feet above the ground, just minding my own business, when another large red tailed hawk decided to pay me a visit. He landed on the branch of a dead pine tree only 15-20ft in front of me, at eye level. Now, during bow season you are allowed to be clad entirely in camouflage, and for me that meant that only my eyes were exposed.

The hawk must have seen my eyes, because as he sat on his branch he kept bobbing his head like he was trying to figure out just what I was. Unfortunately, he that I fit into the category of things he could eat, and flew at me. The speed of his movement startled me and I threw my arm up in front of my face expecting an imminent impact. That protective movement, apparently, was all that was necessary for him to realize his mistake and at the last minute he hit the air-brakes and flew off. He was so close that when he pulled away I felt the wind from his wings…If I hadn\’t been covering my face I probably would have been able to touch him.

Fortunately, for both of us no one was physically injured in the attack, and we both learned a valuable lesson.