Had another tricky one today. He nailed one high up a tree but was straddling a branch. Eventually got free and lost his prize in the earthward plummet ?
I find the David and Goliath struggle of a bird taking a hare approx 4 times it's weight a huge challenge. That's why a lot of wild hawks learn the hard way and won't take on a hare. It is a big ask.
With all forms of falconry it's down to the human element to set up sporting slips. Don't slip on a hare in it's form or stand by the hole when ferreting or slip on game birds on the ground. Stand back and get someone to flush the game and slip when in motion at a decent distance. Watching a hawk take game in it's natural surroundings under sporting conditions is what it's all about.
Oh
I would have to say that its down to the person flying the hawk to make the flight sporting. How anyone can say its a waste of a good hare is ludicrous. A hawk of an average two to three pond in weight against a fit hare that would weigh eight pound on average, how can that be unsporting!
Muggings do happen when tree flying but ferreting in woods or open hill country is excellent sport, if you engineer the slips correctly.
Everyone to their own I suppose!
There are hazards everywhere to be honest, he hit a fence flat out last week stopped him instantly. Fly a hawk is full of hazards, electricity poles, fences etc. I'm afraid it's one of them if it happens it happens.
I have never heard of a Harris that big we had birds direct from the superior imports and they would take hare at 2lb 10oz and they were a decent size. That's some bird!
Yes the squirrel flights can be very spectacular at times as they are three dimensional. You sound like a hard man to please. I think rabbit flights can be very sporting if set up correctly, as for hares I think they are a very big ask even eagles struggle to subdue them when captured. Especially if you consider the average weight of a hare compared to a hawk.
He weighs approx 1lb 11oz