Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Dave]

Walking Sid along the rotary trail on the Chilliwack -Vedder this morning I counted about 20 eagles, fairly new arrivals. These birds are hungry, looking for fish carcasses.  Due to low chum returns and the recent high water on the C-V, these carcasses are hard to find, if there at all.
So, here’s a thought - how about checking your freezer for some “past due date” fish, moose, deer, etc,  you would eventually put in the dumpster … bring it out to C-V next fishing trip and distribute in an area where birds could find it, but away from as many people as possible.  Crows will be the first to find it, gulls next, then the eagles will take over.
Obviously, all wrapping of these products goes home with you.

[DionJL]

Why don't you let mother nature do her thing?

[alwaysfishn]

Walking Sid along the rotary trail on the Chilliwack -Vedder this morning I counted about 20 eagles, fairly new arrivals. These birds are hungry, looking for fish carcasses.  Due to low chum returns and the recent high water on the C-V, these carcasses are hard to find, if there at all.
So, here’s a thought - how about checking your freezer for some “past due date” fish, moose, deer, etc,  you would eventually put in the dumpster … bring it out to C-V next fishing trip and distribute in an area where birds could find it, but away from as many people as possible.  Crows will be the first to find it, gulls next, then the eagles will take over.
Obviously, all wrapping of these products goes home with you.

What you are suggesting may be illegal and just doesn't make sense to do...... These are wild animals and wild animals shouldn't be fed so they don't become dependent.

[chris gadsden]

Saw a fellow release a steelhead the other day, an eagle tried to pick it off as it scurried for cover.

[Dave]

Hmm, hummingbird feeders ( now year round ), seed sticks for juncos and chickadees, suet for Stellar Jays and Flickers, etc,etc.  Why is that OK but feeding predators not so?
Problem is Dion, mother nature let down a few species this year, big time.  I'm not suggesting this be common practice ... just tide these birds over this period of little food.

Illegal?  see above.  Would love to that contested. 

[Matt]

Eagles are eating fish carcasses that otherwise would become food for valuable recreation species such as coho, cutties, springs and steelhead juvies as well as downsteam sturgeon populations.  Anyone care to join me at the Rotary Trail parking at the crossing to waste a couple bald eagles tmr?
 

[newflyguy]

While not ILEAGLE (see what I did there) , its not something I would suggest.  Trust me the last thing you would want is an eagle mistaking you as competition for food or a threat and letting you see their talons up close and personal - doesn't feel good.

[DionJL]

Problem is Dion, mother nature let down a few species this year, big time. 

As smart as you may think you are, your wisdom pales in comparison to Mother Nature's billions of years of experience. If she "let down" the eagles this year, I'm sure there is a reason.

My opinion is any time that humans interfere with nature they f* things up.

As for the legality of the idea, I think the fact that you had retained so much fish you could not consume it is the illegal part.

[arimaBOATER]

Low chum returns on the Sqaumish R (sp?) has alot of el hungry eagles about.....

The 6pm BC Global TV News today had a report about a bird watcher who says 1300 aprox eagles are about the Delta Dump !!!
The guy said he has never seen so many there.
They wait till they see a seagull trying to eat a big piece of food ...then the keen eyed eagles fly in (3-4 the guy said) & steal the food away.

Imagine eagles are now acting like vultures ...left-overs. I's imagine it is not too healthy eating as ya can imagine the bacteria-germs etc...in all the garbage. Not like eating a fish from the water...

(Rod...good vid on that coho ya hooked on River Road NE Richmond I'd guess....THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY...8lb test...good fighter!..Looks like the current may have helped the fish abit also)

[Floater]

LOL sometimes i love this forum! we went from feeding eagles to bashing someone for the amount of fish that they retained this year. . . come on now guys.

[BladeKid]

As for the legality of the idea, I think the fact that you had retained so much fish you could not consume it is the illegal part.

lmao!! not that i'm taking sides, but actually laughed out loud on that one.


Every problem in nature that we try to "fix", was caused by us in the first place.

[Dogbreath]

Eagles are scavengers.

[Matt]

As for the legality of the idea, I think the fact that you had retained so much fish you could not consume it is the illegal part.

x2 

[skaha]

--While filleting halibut at a remote boat launch... Buddy Eagle scared the H out of me... I didn't know the local procedures.

--These guys lined up and patiently waited for the smorgasbord.. They didn't even fight over the offering as they could see there was more to come... instead they gave me the evil eye for not working fast enough.

--It was the first arrival swoop over my head that gave the locals a chuckle.

--I try to stop myself from doing the amateur biologist stuff... If MOE put out a call for donations for a one time feeding program.. I'd send in the money or give up a meal if they asked... but I wouldn't initiate this on my own.

--On the other hand for sure make your observations public... such as the dump piece on BCTV to get people aware of the situation.

[Dave]

As for the legality of the idea, I think the fact that you had retained so much fish you could not consume it is the illegal part.

Say what?   You obviously don't know me.
I totally agree in a perfect world these birds would be fine and should be left alone but this year's poor chum returns have made for tough times for eagles.  Personally I would prefer to see them eat natural food as opposed to dump pickings but everyone has their own opinion.  Thanks for yours Dion.

As to assisting "Mother Nature", sad to think what the salmonid numbers would be like today on the C-V if we had declined to intervene (think off channel refugia, spawning and rearing channels, Chilliwack River hatchery, Culus Lake sockeye) when populations began crashing.