My Hero

[formercia]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070110/ap_on_fe_st/bald_eagle_rescue

Officer frees bald eagle with one bullet

Tue Jan 9, 11:42 PM ET

DES MOINES, Iowa - A bald eagle owes its life to the sharpshooting skills of an Iowa conservation officer. Though the bird has yet to offer any thanks, Jason Sandholdt is getting plenty of recognition from those who saw him use a single bullet last weekend to free the bird from a branch that hung over a cliff at Lake Red Rock.


"There were accusations of sheer luck," said Brian Lange, one of the kayakers who discovered the bird Saturday and alerted authorities. He added: "It was really a heroic shot."

--snip--

[Libby2]

1. That's great!!

What a nice story.

[formercia]

5. I thought it was something nice for a change.

Half of winning the battle is realizing that there are good things to work for.The thought of a day when we can spend our time loving our families rather than hating an enemy keeps me focused.

[WiseButAngrySara]

2. Good story! I wish someone had caught a photo!

With binoculars, they could see that the bird appeared to have caught a single talon in a knothole in the branch when it landed. Apparently, the bird tried to take off, losing its balance. It hung from the talon, upside down.

Because the eagle was hanging over a cliff and high in the air, ropes and ladders seemed unlikely rescue tools, Sandholdt said. Many in the group thought a mercy killing was the best option.

Sandholdt said he asked for a chance to free the bird with his rifle, figuring at best the bird would fall into the lake and have to be rescued for rehabilitation at a clinic.

"It's safe to say no one had any confidence that I could do that," Sandholdt said of his proposed sharpshooting. "My buddies were waiting for a poof of feathers."

Sandholdt bent a tree sapling over to use as a brace. He used the muzzleloader's scope to take aim, and the bullet traveled 60 to 70 feet, cleanly through the edge of the knothole. Sandholdt figures he hit the talon, too.

The eagle flew away. Officers waited for it to collapse. Instead, the bird kept flying, disappearing over the horizon.

[elehhhhna]

3. K&R

[BoneDaddy]

4. That's why

I said "hey man, nice shot", "what a good shot man".