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david901

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Posts posted by david901

  1. Dogs On Point

    in Gundogs & Retrievers

    Posted

    Hi David.

     

    Quails arrive from Africa in spring and the hunting season is in August-September.

    When I was a kid there used to be a lot of them, specially in high altitude cereal fields but the fact that Northern Africa has now plenty of irrigated areas, specially Morocco, and the awful netting being practiced by some b*****ds who consider themselves hunters at the coast border has reduced their numbers dramatically.

    The good thing is that you can go and just train your pointer and decide to shoot or not. In my opinion quail hunting is the best school for pointers. As I said, can't wait for them and put my young setter to the test!

    Cheers.

    Q

  8. Newbie

    in Falconry

    Posted

    Hi Bourne

     

    The books I started out reading were Philip Glaziers book - Falconry and Hawking

    and also Emma Fords book Falconry Art and Practice.

    There are more modern books, some are good some are cr*p.

    These books are relatively cheap or get them from the Library.

     

    But a good mentor nearby is the way to go.

     

    All the best

  11. Starting Out

    in Falconry

    Posted

    The bird that you get should match the quarry and terrain that you intend to fly.

    A lot of people advocate a Harris' Hawk which are really good birds.

    But I think that to learn the basics of falconry a Redtail Hawk will teach you a lot more and can be good hunting hawks. [Though a lot seem to get passed on after a season.]

    Harris' are very forgiving and easy to train and hunt with, too easy in some cases.

    I would advise you to go out with as many different people with different types of hawks before deciding.

    You could join your local Hawking Club and go on their field meets and get to see a variety of birds.

    Also you will get to meet some experienced people who can give you advice.

    Keeping a BOP is a long term commitment.

    Too many people, IMO are too quick to buy and swop their hawks. Some will go through several each year.......

    I prefer to keep them and find that as the seasons go on, they improve year on year.

    ATB with your choice.

    • Like 2

  12. New Rescue Bird New Falconer

    in Falconry

    Posted

    Hi Ian

     

    As a rule all Birds will respond better when fat whilst inside.

    Once they get outside, there are loads of distractions for them and they start looking at different options. ie to fly off into the tall trees in the distance...LOL

     

    I would guess that she is still too high in weight.

    Do you know how to judge her condition by feeling her keel?

    Do you have someone to mentor you that can help you? Its always easier if you have someone with a bit of experience that can help guide you.

    Sorry if you already know this.

    Good luck with her mate.

    • Like 1

  14. Golden Eagle - Cwd

    in Falconry

    Posted

    About 16 years ago. I was at a hawking meet.

    My redtail was over weight so she wasn't flying, but I did some ferreting for the others.

    One lad flew his male Goldie, which was surprisingly agile for such a big bird.

    It even took a rabbit about 15 feet from where I was sitting.....

     

    One of the problems with them, is getting them fit enough to take on quarry.

  15. New Rescue Bird New Falconer

    in Falconry

    Posted

    Hi pal

     

    There are different views on how to reduce a hawks weight - the process is called enseaming BTW.

     

    For a hawk the size of a female HH that is kept tethered on a perch,

     

    I personally will fast the bird for a day or 2 before doing anything with it if its at such a high weight.

    I would feed it a low quality diet of rabbit and DOCs.

    Once she will feed off the fist give it plenty of tirings whilst manning it and feed every day.

    At such a weight, she will take a while to get down to a decent weight.

    Don't rush it.

    The good thing about HHs is they tend to be fairly tame and will do some work at a fattish weight,

    ie get her to jump to the fist for her food and then extend the distance until she is on the creance.

     

    If I were you mate, I would start reading some good books on the subject.

    They are not too expensive and can make a good Xmas present to yourself.

    You bought the hawk so its up to you to find out all you can about her management and meeting her needs.

    All advice is difficult to give as I can't see the hawk and its surroundings.

     

    All the best.

     

    PS. You will need to invest in a fairly large amount of equipment, with telemetry being the biggest cost.

    • Like 1

  20. Clumber Or Brittany Spaniel

    in Gundogs & Retrievers

    Posted

    I've got 2 Brittanys.

    They are not really spaniels as Stroller has pointed out.

    They are definitely working dogs and stopping them can be the problem.

    There are a few clips of them on Youtube.

    Check out Rathcormack Gun Club.

    They are not all as calm and easy going though.

    Most are hard work to train.

    Think of them as a pointer or setter that range quite far rather than spaniel that works close.

  21. Marshall Telemetry

    in Falconry

    Posted

    Any one use Black Falcon Telemetry ?

    If so do you rate it ?

    Hi mate

    I use the Black Falcon set up.

    I've had it for over 12 years [maybe more] and think its fine.

    I have used it for both hawks and falcon,

    It has a lifetime guarantee and once I had a problem with a transmitter it was replaced free of charge.

    Though to be honest I have now bought a separate transmitter from Falconry Electronics.

    Another experienced longwinger I know used this system for years without issue, but he has now just bought the new Marshall GPS system.

    I think the Marshall system is probably the better system.

  22. Gloves

    in Falconry

    Posted

    The Pineo are quality products.

    Do you guys order from the USA and get it posted to the UK?

     

    I quite like the look of the Pendleton. I prefer smaller, thinner gloves than some of the huge gauntlets that are for sale.

    Though having said that my first redtail went through the outer layer of a double skin glove.

  24. Falconry Books And Some Other Questions.

    in Falconry

    Posted

    Hi. I have a very large collection of falconry books , and birds of prey about 500 in all [god knows what I will do with them as I get older] J.Mavrogordato are a great read , there is a lot more good prints if you can get a copy, These are good reads I have them all and signed ,A Manual for Hawking L.O Broin. Understanding Goshawks, D.A.Perkins. Gamehawk . Gamehawk Field and Moor. Turner and Haslen. All My Life with Hunting birds, L.De Bastyai. The Hawking of Japan. Shortwingwdhawks, E.W. Jameson. Good luck.

    That is a nice collection Dave.

    There are some very good books that you mention.

    Though I have been told Perkin's Understanding Goshawks isn't up to much, though I have never read it.

    I think that some of the older books are of much more use to the beginner than some modern ones.

     

    Cheers

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