Owl Attacks Rabbit Trapper's Face

by
posted on February 28, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (14)

Kevin O'Neil of Nova Scotia can confirm that owl's do in fact have large talons.

He was en route to check his rabbit snares when he spotted a barred owl sitting in a tree. O'Neil says he "talked" to it. I have to wonder what he said, given what transpired 30 minutes later.

"On the way back to my truck carrying a couple of rabbits, a barred owl swooped down and struck me in the face," he told Nova News Now. “First it knocked me over in the snow but it didn’t go for the rabbits. It went right at my face. The pictures tell the rest—it was pretty freaky.”

Pictures of O'Neil's bloodied face are available here and here.

I have to say, the Canadian wilderness is not without its perils, but this is the first owl-on-trapper attack of which I'm aware.

H/T The Outdoor Pressroom

Latest

W H2026 09 Hardwarew3849 TAH 1797Leadredux
W H2026 09 Hardwarew3849 TAH 1797Leadredux

Hardware Review: Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB

Check out Frank Melloni's in-depth review on the Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB.

Shane Mahoney Receives AFWA Lifetime Achievement Award for Conservation Leadership

Shane Mahoney, president and CEO of Conservation Visions Inc., received the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies’ (AFWA) 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at a September ceremony in Lancaster, Pa.

Colorado Voters Reject Right to Hunt and Fish Measure

On November 3, Colorado voters rejected Amendment 83, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have designated hunting and fishing as the preferred means of managing the state’s fish and wildlife populations. To pass, the amendment needed 55 percent of the vote or more. It fell about 10 percentage points short of that minimum.

The 8mm Mauser Family

The 8x57mm, also known as the 8x57 JS, the 7.92x57mm Mauser or the 8mm Mauser, has been with us since 1888, and has directly—or indirectly—brought us a wide array of cartridges which we hold dear. Let's take a closer look at that array.

2026 Federal Duck Stamp Winner Announced: A Synergy of Art and Conservation

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in late September that Robert Hautman of Delano, Minn., won the 2026 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest with an acrylic painting of a long-tailed duck pair (seen above at the official ceremony).

5 Keys To Make This Your Best Upland Season Ever

Tired of walking long distances and coming home empty-handed? Here are five keys to help boost your bag of birds this year.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.