david901
-
Content Count
353 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Articles
Gun Dealer's and Fieldsports Shop's
Reloading Room
Blogs
Calendar
Store
Classifieds
Posts posted by david901
-
-
I've never flown a female HH, but from what I've seen and heard, some can be very good hare hawks.
If hares were my main concern, I'd go for the biggest female I could get and enter it early before the hares get too big to build its confidence.
Every hare it caught, the hawk would get a massive feed up on warm flesh.
Just my opinion.
- 1
-
That the only way to keep the Gos feathers good with the loop perch.
Hi Sean
I actually keep my imprint freelofted all year round.
Feather damage is never an issue with her.
-
Hi Muttley94
Some of the best flights I have seen are where the quarry escapes.
To me Falconry is not about catching large quantities of game,
but instead watching a hawk/falcon performing at its best on difficult quarry.
-
A fun days hawking. That's what its all about.
It looks like you have decent rabbit ground there mate.
Do you still have good numbers where you live?
-
-
great seeing you work her despite the injury, I think there are those who sadly wouldn't bother, just shows never to give up on or underestimate the birds! great stuff mate
Thanks mate.
Before her injury she very rarely lost any quarry.
She always was a good hawk, making the most of any opportunity.
It seemed worthwhile persevering with her.
- 1
-
-
Nice one Sean
I like the loop perch you have.
That is how I kept my first gos as well.
-
-
I did the same with my female Sean.
She had a slip at some gulls first though, but the wind picked up before I could slip her and the gull she singled out managed to dodge her.
It was a good flight though.
-
Crows can be a bit intimidating for some hawks and may require a weight reduction????? Maybe not though.
I found getting a few easy slips and kills gets a gos fired up for them.
Every season I will give the hawk a few carcases and I also use a crow carcase as a swing lure exercise.
Crows are difficult for female gosses, but they will take them, perhaps not as efficient as a male though.
They are never easy [unless car-hawking, which I dislike]
Once your bird switches on to them, you will get some good flights and [dare I say it] more entertaining than rabbits
The good thing about using a female, is they won't give your hawk too much trouble once caught.
The German male I have can take a bit of a beating from them and they can break away from him if I'm too far away to help.
Once a female has a good grip, its game over.
Pete Smith has a good video on youtube showing his male crow and magpie hawking.
-
Hopefully it will dry up a little before the season ends mate.
If you continue with your gos, you will still get slips at crows.
-
Hi Sean
Good to see you're still going at it.
Hopefully the weather will quieten down and we can get some decent days flying.
-
I'll throw my twopence in.....
As the dog is only a pup, I would let him find out he CAN'T catch the birds. The only way he will learn this is from experience.
I let my Brittany hunt up and point snipe from an early age. After I flushed them, he would be off chasing them.
Eventually with a combination of him learning they were uncatchable and also with me instilling the STOP command, he steadied up.
Brittanys are quite excitable as a rule, but they are also smart and will work out what works and I wholeheartedly agree with Casso's comments above.
I believe that it is important for them to be around game at an early age, where they are still learning about life.
I think this helps with this particular breed.
Everyone has their own methods that work well for their breed.
Perhaps join a Brittany forum for more specific breed oriented advice.
-
You should perhaps contact the IBR or Independent Bird Register.
Someone may have posted their lost hawk on it.
Cheers
-
I bet they are still cheaper than a Vizsla though
-
They sound an ideal hunting companion.
Out of curiosity how much would a well bred setter cost?
Cheers
-
Thanks for sharing Andrew.
What are they like when working woodland?
Do they range too far out or will they keep in touch with you?
I like what I have heard about setters.
Derry Argue used to breed his own line a while ago and the book he wrote gives some good information about them.
-
Hi mate
Its a case of if she learns to adapt.
Last year on the same bit of ground, I bolted 6 rabbits out.
She caught 5 of them, sometimes more than once, but couldn't hold them.
She finally nailed and held the sixth rabbit, so I fed her up and went home.
A similar thing happened the next few times we went out, so I ended the season.
Before the injury, she very rarely lost any quarry she got a foot to.
The thing is, she is a smart hawk and uses her brains, so I thought what the hell, I would give her more chances to learn.
If she carries on like this, I will be very happy.
- 1
-
She nailed another rabbit today.
Caught it immediately, but it broke free, but she set off after it again into a strong head wind and secured it.
Cropped up again and a couple of days off.
- 2
-
Well I have started flying my female imprint gos who has a damaged foot.
This bird rarely if ever let anything get away previously, but unfortunately due to tendon damage she has had a difficult time holding quarry.
Last year I bolted 6 rabbits out for her one day and she caught 5 of them. Sometimes she would catch them a couple of times before they would get away.
She eventually held onto the last one, so was cropped up.
I had her out last week and she nailed a mallard and then a few days ago she caught 2 rabbits, letting the first one get away, but thankfully she held the second one.
It will be good to see if she can learn and adapt to holding them with one good foot.
- 2
-
Hi does anyone know if you have to have a license to have any bird of prey?
In the UK you don't need a license. Though some birds have to be registered with an A10 certificate.
For the likes of Harris' Hawks and redtail hawks no certificate is needed.
You should start off by reading some good books on the subject.
It will stand you in good stead and you will learn the basics.
Christmas is coming up so its a good idea to get your nearest and dearest to get some as a present...LOL
There are a few posts already on falconry books.
Try Philip Glazier's Falconry and Hawking to begin with.
All the best.
- 1
-
Hi everyone thanks for great advice really appreciate it and will take all comments on board, like I said I'm new to falconry and never done it before but willing to learn anything and everything about it and will definately put 100% into it. This is why I'm trying to get as much info as possible so I know what I'm doing and getting the experience, getting to know the Harris etc, I don't want to get a Harris and not have a clue what I'm doing this is why I'm asking so many questions. Thank-you for reading carlotti :-) PS I am female lol I am writing this as some of you referred me as mate lol thanks again
You should try and get out with as many people as you can that are flying a variety of birds.
You mentioned getting a Harris', which are great hawks, but you may be more suited to a different species.
Are you going to hunt with the hawk, or just fly it for fun?
- 1
-
There are a few clubs in the Yorkshire area.
Try and contact them, they may be able to put you in touch with someone willing to guide you.
- 1
Fhh On Hares
in Falconry
Posted
There's some footage on Youtube somewhere.