Fish Thief.........Caught!!!!

[choo-choo]

I got home late after a long drive home from Mexico Bay last year. I was way too tired to clean my fish - 3 , 18/19 inch browns and a 19 in.walleye . I took them out of the cooler the next morning and layed them out on my lawn . I then went back into the house to get my fillet knife .....got sidetracked with a phone call...then as i got to the kitchen i looked out and saw the fish thieves!!!! A mature bald Eagle and some turkey vultures. I grabbed the camera, and was able to get a few pictures through the patio door glass. The vultures kept their distance from the fish, and the Eagle...but they annoyed him a little too much , so he flew off with one of my fish!!! Guess which fish he took off with?

[potsie225]

walleye

[ray koziatek]

Ya shure that ant a little baldy in training?

[choo-choo]

walleye

Yup....the walleye .

[choo-choo]

Ya shure that ant a little baldy in training?

Hi Ray...glad you made it back home safely from the sand, and salty water.....I'm not sure i understand about the "little baldy in training ?

[ray koziatek]

looks like a young bald eagle they dont get a white head for a year or two

[choo-choo]

looks like a young bald eagle they dont get a white head for a year or two

Oh, I got you now Ray....The pictures are not that clear ..taken through my patio door glass. But you can kinda make out the "ugly" vulture head on the one way to the left,peeking out from behind the porch post.

[FISHINMAN]

Great pictures

[lakebound88]

looks like a young bald eagle they dont get a white head for a year or two

Nailed it.

[ Post made via Android ]

[choo-choo]

looks like a young bald eagle they dont get a white head for a year or two

Nailed it.

[ Post made via Android ]

Nailed it???...actually they don't get their adult white head and tail feathers until their about 5 years old. The 3 turkey vultures on the ground in the picture (there was a bunch more vultures in the trees)definately kept their distance from this mature eagle...and they jockeyed around, but would not get close to the eagle or the fish . They did not enjoy each others company,as i got to watch them from my kitchen at about 20/25 feet for a few minutes , before the eagle took off with my walleye !! The ugly vultures hung out in the red oak, until i wallked out to flush them. It was a great experience being so close for so long , and would gladly "accidently" sacrifice a walleye, or trout for that matter to a bald eagle anytime. I love having the eagles around , and i consider myself lucky to live with them here on the Delaware. They are really special birds, incredible eyesight and flying abilities...awesome hunters and parents... the top of the food chain here on the river.

[ray koziatek]

yea i didnt see the other birds on the ground when i click on the pic it actually gets smaller ,must be a setting on my puter...one of the spots i hunt in the fall is on a steep side mtn .. and their are 2 eagles who visit on ocasion prety cool looking down on them as they fly down the river path.

Thanks for sharing...mywifes notebook is too small for my ageing eyes or my mom was right about what causes blindness..

[choo-choo]

yea i didnt see the other birds on the ground when i click on the pic it actually gets smaller ,must be a setting on my puter...one of the spots i hunt in the fall is on a steep side mtn .. and their are 2 eagles who visit on ocasion prety cool looking down on them as they fly down the river path.

Thanks for sharing...mywifes notebook is too small for my ageing eyes or my mom was right about what causes blindness..

Hey Ray...no problem...my eyes are definately failing me too...especially low light situations or smallprint etc.. Man, my mom was right too!!! Funny !!

Sounds like a nice spot to hunt, probably not to many people or houses around...and you get to see bald eagles while waiting for that bomber buck to show up !!!

And good luck to you Ray this year on the Big Pond, whether just fishing for fun , or fishing the tournaments. I Love your fishing trip stories...you make us all laugh. And we get to learn stuff from you from all your years , day's and hours you've spent on the water. Putting the time in , and trial and error ,is the key to learning and having consistent success...and you seem to have done that. Sometimes the unluckiest and smallest little details can mean the difference in an ok box and a full HEAVY box.!! Looking forward to your fishing adventure stories this year....GOOD LUCK....choo choo

[ERABBIT]

Nice pictures ....................I had a woodchuck problem around the house a few years ago and got busy when I dropped one with the .17 ( boy those thing hit hard for there size) anywho the next day the turkey vultures were all over it the next day............sooooooooooo I would pop them and leave them till they got done then just pick up some fur and a few bones for the headge row............one day I had the same thing as you going on didn't get any close pictures of the eagle but did on the turkey vultures..............I'll take a look see and post some up.............

Two eagles came in .......

didn't get any good pictures of the two togather...........

I love this one.....

chow time for the turkey vultures.......

waiting for more.....

close up of the ugly bugger............

[choo-choo]

Nice job on the picturesERABBIT...i need to upgrade and get a good camera so I can take better pictures. Thanks for sharing ....some real pretty country up your way....beautiful!!

[biglaker]

This is what happens when i release my lakers at Quabbin reservior in Ma.

[choo-choo]

Nice action shot picture biglaker !!!They learn quickly where to get their next meal!!!