Golden Eagles and Dogs...

[Montana]

I was out yesterday with 3 of my dogs... Just giving them some exercise a couple miles north of town. There was a large Golden Eagle circling overhead. I didn't think much about it at first. There was a cold wind, so I got back in my truck and watched the dogs. Before long the Eagle came closer.... He came lower and lower and appeared to be zeroed in on one of my dogs. I got out of the truck and started yelling and waving my arms. By this time the Eagle is no more than 30 feet above one of my dogs. I ran toward my dog and the eagle moved away and then circled back. I got the dogs back into my truck and then watched. He circled over my truck for about 20 seconds and then glided down a coulee out of sight. He really don't show much fear... I think if I had not been there, he would have attacked. Has anyone else ever had a similar experience?

Two years ago I was hunting with one of my dogs in September and I had a similar experience, but this one didn't come as close. He circled above my dog and I for 5 or 10 minutes......just kind of followed along above us, but he was probably 50 feet up...still kind of spooky, but I had my shotgun then, of course, and had he gone after my dog I would have had to shoot even though it's illegal.

Several years ago my son and I watched a Golden Eagle take down an antelope fawn. The fawn was running away and this eagle swooped down from behind the fawn and knocked it to the ground. The fawn got up and ran into a coulee with the eagle following. It went out of sight, so we don't know if it killed the fawn or not. We watched the whole episode through binoculars.

[Doc E]

Many times, birds of prey will follow dogs (and coyotes) in case the canine scares out a smaller animal (rabbit - mouse - gopher etc) that the bird will easily catch and have breakfast.

May or may not have actually been zeroing in on your dog.

.

[Mountaineer]

Avain predators soon learn what flushes game.....falconers depend upon it.

That said, lightning can always strike.

[marysburg]

My little 32 lb Britt would be snack size.

[gock5]

Ummm...you may want to see the following clip on what Golden Eagles can do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_ZtiaYm1YY

The are used as "hunters" of wolves in Europe/Russia. I'd be very careful!

[dasfzero]

well the golden eagle got this child! almost....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE0Q904gtMI

[boonebrit]

After watching those vids above, I doubt anyone will let a golden swoop down low on their dogs again. WOW !!!

[Gertie]

The one with the kid is a fake. http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/eaglegrab.asp

The other one is pretty cool but that wolf looks more coyote size to me. Either way eagles are awesome but I wouldn't be real excited to see one circling my dog.

[ezzy333]

The one with the wolf is filmed in Mongolia and their wolves are more the size of our coyotes.