bullet 125 Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 cant beat a days ratting, nice one pointer we went to a local place, my mate took his ferret, two slips and one in the bag, nice buck, missus has agreed to let me fly till the end of this week, my mate who I fly with has finished his season today on a nice buck rabbit too here's to one more week 1 Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted February 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 Yeah ratting is pure fun, I can remember the first rat I caught with a dog and it was good to see our latest terrier get its first one today. I don't do much ratting these days but I'm glad we have two young dogs around because our other three dogs are getting old and slowing down quick. I haven't got as much done with my hawk this season as I wanted to but it's gone OK overall. I think I'll go to the end of this month and then call time on it. If I'm honest I'm ready to stop hunting and start fishing. 1 Quote Link to post
bullet 125 Posted February 8, 2015 Report Share Posted February 8, 2015 i used to do loads of ratting, funny enough ive been invited to the place we've been to day for a bit of ratting next weekend ive been happy with my female this year, she's had 23 rabbits and a cock pheasant, might not sound lot but i have to work and im a carer too just seeing if i can slip a hare on the tally before weekend i'll be going back next month see if i can get to watch them box (mad march as they call it) Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted February 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I had a good start but then I hit a bad patch then a month of bad weather. I think the realisation that my current hawk is temperamental around dogs and isn't ever going to make the grade I desire has resulted in me losing motivation to keep doing as much as possible. I certainly haven't gone looking for hares like I planned to. It appears obtaining a harris at a year old that hasn't done much or seen a dog isn't the best of purchases!!!!!. It's not the end of the world ive learnt a lot from flying her over the last couple of seasons which hopefully will help me when I start with a fresh hawk next season. My mates hawk is on form at the moment putting in good performances but won't have a dog near her so that might have an impact of how we fly our Hawks next season as I want to mainly fly over a pointer. Probably have to be a case of flying one then the other. 2 Quote Link to post
bullet 125 Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I know the feeling mate, flying a second hand bird you'll never knoew whats been done before you as that the learning stage, this female ive flown this year was 7 years old, mustard on rabbit but not so good on anything else unless it gets up at my feet ive flown her around 2lb7.5 oz, im going to drop her weight this week a little just to see if ive flown her at her top weight, time will tell, if she turns out to be better and more committed at the lower weight then i'll look forward to next season with her, if not then I might have to get a new female, my male I had from day one and flown for 5 seasons will take on anything and i know full his history atb bullet 1 Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted February 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't have gone near this hawk. If I do have to get another hawk I'll only consider one that's seen dogs from the start and I'll get it out flying and killing at the earliest opportunity. I have learnt from keeping this hawk though and if I was happy to hunt her without a dog she would suit me fine. She is deadly if on weight and has shown me a lot of sport this season. Unfortunately I'll always want to be out hunting with dogs around no matter what I'm doing. I can catch as much stuff using ferrets or going lamping but I won't be happy until I'm flying a hawk over a pointer. I guess working GWP's is as important to me as flying a hawk is. 2 Quote Link to post
bullet 125 Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 something ive been thinking a lot about, getting a dog to work with Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted February 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I'm breed blind when it comes to dogs, I know that just about any breed could do what I need it to do but I'm a GWP addict lol. Quote Link to post
david901 162 Posted February 9, 2015 Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I had a good start but then I hit a bad patch then a month of bad weather. I think the realisation that my current hawk is temperamental around dogs and isn't ever going to make the grade I desire has resulted in me losing motivation to keep doing as much as possible. I certainly haven't gone looking for hares like I planned to. It appears obtaining a harris at a year old that hasn't done much or seen a dog isn't the best of purchases!!!!!. It's not the end of the world ive learnt a lot from flying her over the last couple of seasons which hopefully will help me when I start with a fresh hawk next season. My mates hawk is on form at the moment putting in good performances but won't have a dog near her so that might have an impact of how we fly our Hawks next season as I want to mainly fly over a pointer. Probably have to be a case of flying one then the other. Mate, you could always man the hawk to the dog. It isn't rocket science. It just takes a bit of time and patience. One of the biggest things to help make a hawk tolerate a dog is rewards. reward with food when around the the dog. Getting the dog to flush game usually gets a hawk to tolerate a dog. Just make sure the dog is well trained and obedient and doesn't run in on a kill. Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted February 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2015 I agree it's not rocket science which is why after doing everything you've said and more for two years and still not getting to where I need to be i've ran out of ideas. Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted February 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 We had a canny trip out lamping last night on Fourtrak73's land. She didn't get to hold onto anything and the nearest she came to catching was grabbing a rabbit at the bottom of a gate but it pulled free. She's lost a bit of fitness lately and it showed but she did put in some nice flights. Looking forward to trying there again. Quote Link to post
Alzarni 3 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I'm breed blind when it comes to dogs, I know that just about any breed could do what I need it to do but I'm a GWP addict lol. I've got a HWV puppy 5mths, the hawk tolerates him cos he's steady, bates like buggery to my Patterdale & the missus's cockapoo!! Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted February 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I do like the look and colour of the HWV's. Just arrived back from a lamping trip but whilst we saw rabbits they were lamp shy and with the clear conditions they were heading for safety before we could get close enough. I gave her a few long flights for practise. Quote Link to post
fourtrak73 1,334 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Your welcome up any time pal just give me a ring I enjoy watching her flying Quote Link to post
fourtrak73 1,334 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 That birds got better recall than most spaniels i've seen Quote Link to post
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