# Hooks in Pelicans



## Butler879 (Jun 18, 2012)

Had two pelicans begging behind the boat today. On had a hook deep in his neck. The other had a hook in the wing. Is it legal or has anyone attempted hook removal on a pelican? Seemed Ike I could have grabbed it's beak, cut the hook, and pushed it through pretty easily.


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## IrishBlessing (May 13, 2012)

Had the same problem at 3 mile. Was reeling in my bait and pelican grabbed it 15ft from the boat. I just reeled him up to the back of the boat, grabbed his bill shut, and removed the hook from his gullet. I am thinking that is ok? 
Tony


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

Legal...? Don't know...but when a bird gets hooked on Pensacola beach pier....95% of the time the hook and line is removed and bird is released unharmed....A towel or shirt over the beak and head area helps calm birds and keeps them from snapping at you while you're trying to remove the hook....The other 5% of the hooked ones break the line and fly off with the hook....Do whatcha can when you can IMO......


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

IrishBlessing said:


> Had the same problem at 3 mile. Was reeling in my bait and pelican grabbed it 15ft from the boat. I just reeled him up to the back of the boat, grabbed his bill shut, and removed the hook from his gullet. I am thinking that is ok?
> Tony


Good job....!!! :thumbup:


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Hell yes, legal whoe knows i have done it several times. Even if the pelican bites you it doesent hurt at all. I even had a FMP officer take a hook out after i grabed the pelican. It was at sherman cove and the officer was retired.


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## Tcheeks38 (Feb 11, 2013)

from what i know if you hook a bird/any wildlife other than a fish it is illegal to reel it in. They call it harassment of wildlife and i was told you have to immediately cut your line and let it fly off or whatever. Don't ask me why i don't know the reasoning but it probably has something to do with fwc not wanting you to scare a bird to death it being surrounded by people holding it down even if just trying to help.


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## JT Powell (Jun 20, 2012)

It's the right thing to do if possible, it shouldn't matter if there's some law, somewhere that somebody who doesn't have a clue came up with.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Tcheeks38 said:


> from what i know if you hook a bird/any wildlife other than a fish it is illegal to reel it in. They call it harassment of wildlife and i was told you have to immediately cut your line and let it fly off or whatever. Don't ask me why i don't know the reasoning but it probably has something to do with fwc not wanting you to scare a bird to death it being surrounded by people holding it down even if just trying to help.


I'm pretty sure they are under the consideration (like with fish) it is better for the animal to tend to it or let the hook rust out as opposed to some stupid human causing more damage than good...


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## Tcheeks38 (Feb 11, 2013)

yep something like that. i hooked at least a 30" redfish at the end of october 2013 and he made a run near one of those long legged herring birds it scared him and he flew up from the water right into my line got tangled in it pulled the hook out of the red and now i have a sexy shad mirrodine lodged into the right breast of a damn bird. He stripped about 20yds of drag in a second then plummeted back down to the water. i immediately cut the line then went to see if he was alright as i was packing up the car he was walking along the bank and he was walking around fine figured the hooks would wear after about a week. sucks i lost a monster fish and an 8 dollar lure in "one fell swoop"


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Do you really think you'll get a ticket for taking a hook out of a bird? I'd be more inclined to give a ticket for cutting the line and leaving the hook and line dangling!


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## Butler879 (Jun 18, 2012)

I have no idea how long it would take for a hook to rust out of a bird. I can't think it would be the same as a fish. How long does if take a hook to rust out underwater. I could see the one hook clearly and it didn't appear to be rusty. The other was so far in it just looked like the Pelican had fishing line growing out like a hair. Nothing I could have done on that one.


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## Fielro (Jun 4, 2012)

Seems like the thing to do is to remove the hook, however common sense goes out the window with some of Florida's rules and regs


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## weedline (Aug 20, 2011)

never cut the line the excess line will kill a bird way faster than a hook will pelicans are pretty easy i never have hooked many but have untangled hundreds that flew into power prow beach fishing and they are easy just throw a shirt over their face and they calm down as far as a hook use the same judgement u do with a fish if u can get it out with minimal harm do it but like with fish sometimes that could do more harm than good


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## froggy (Feb 7, 2014)

*made to be broken*



Tcheeks38 said:


> from what i know if you hook a bird/any wildlife other than a fish it is illegal to reel it in. They call it harassment of wildlife and i was told you have to immediately cut your line and let it fly off or whatever. Don't ask me why i don't know the reasoning but it probably has something to do with fwc not wanting you to scare a bird to death it being surrounded by people holding it down even if just trying to help.[/QUOTE
> 
> laws were made to be broken. or you can have the jury nullify the charges. do not go quietly and never back down....MOLAN LAABE
> 
> ...


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Fielro said:


> Seems like the thing to do is to remove the hook, however common sense goes out the window with some of Florida's rules and regs


Yup, I have hooked up with a half a dozen or so of them & always get them de-hooked, albeit with some (or much) difficulty sometimes. Haha.


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## Tcheeks38 (Feb 11, 2013)

lastcast said:


> Do you really think you'll get a ticket for taking a hook out of a bird? I'd be more inclined to give a ticket for cutting the line and leaving the hook and line dangling!


I'm not saying i think its the right thing to do. I love all animals (except some cats and sharks and all dolphins) and would do anything to help them out but i watched some people at the okaloosa pier reel in a hooked pelican and hoist him up with a basket net and remove the hook and after they did it one of the guys that works there warned everyone that was there that the reeling in of the creature was harassment of wildlife and could be a punishable act thats all i was saying. I'm not cruel if it was as easy as whistling/calling a dog and they run over and i remove a hook then i would do it everytime but i don't feel comfortable dragging a bird to me with a hook in him while he is struggling/fighting against me. I can kind of see how that part might qualify as harassment.


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## weedline (Aug 20, 2011)

i will take my chances and will go to court before i would cut the line and if u are afraid of the law tighten the drag down and break it off at the knot any fisherman should know thats the weakest point when guys catch tarpon or sails off the pier and let them go do they cut the line no they pop it off at the knot 99 times out of 100


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## Tcheeks38 (Feb 11, 2013)

thats what i did. i wasn't about to give the bird 50 yds of my super slick. he only had about 18" of florocarbon leader attached to the mirrodine.


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## foxtrotuniform (Nov 11, 2013)

weedline said:


> never cut the line the excess line will kill a bird way faster than a hook will pelicans are pretty easy i never have hooked many but have untangled hundreds that flew into power prow beach fishing and they are easy just throw a shirt over their face and they calm down as far as a hook use the same judgement u do with a fish if u can get it out with minimal harm do it but like with fish sometimes that could do more harm than good


This is correct. A hook and a few feet of line is a death sentence to a seabird. I've seen far too many come into wildlife rehab centers over here, twisted into a contorted mess with their wings all tangled behind their backs. 

I you can land them, do it. Toss a towel over top of them, get a hold of their head, and keep them from flapping without squeezing them. They'll bite you if you let them. If they do bite you, don't freak out and rip your hand away. You'll tear off their head and make yourself bleed. They're just birds. Don't be a pansy. 









(My dad, he vet, demonstrating, "It's just a bird, girly man!") 


If the hook is all the way through, try to mash the barb and back it out. If you've got nippers strong enough to cut it, (easier said than done with offshore gear)

If they've got a hook embedded in the front of their wing or buried somewhere where you can't get it out without seriously hurting them, or if you suspect they've broken a wing, please consider stashing them in a rod locker, baitwell, or other small compartment where they can't thrash around, and dropping them off at a rehab facility on shore. There is one really close to Bayou Chico in Pensacola. It's right behind the firefighter training tower on the north side of Navy Blvd before you cross the bridge from downtown. Animal control should also collect the injured bird from you if you call them. Or, (gasp) maybe even FWC would be willing to meet you at the boat ramp with a carrier to help transport the injured animal to the bird doc. I'm sure they'd rather do that then drive around doing life jacket checks all day. 

If they get treated before they get sick, they will almost always recover and be able to go free in a few days or a month. If they get weak and stressed and are picked up on the beach a week later, they're usually too far gone to help.


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