2014/15 Season

[pointer 543]

We went out this afternoon to a place which has the sort of terrain that I love to hunt on. Banks covered in bracken, areas full of rushes and a riverbank. Sadly the rabbit population isn't what it was and we had to walk over a ridiculously large area to get flights. The rabbits that the Hawks did fly at made full use of the bracken which is still standing tall and thick in this mild weather. Both Hawks got to catch a few and tried hard to catch others smashing into cover. Its getting harder to find rabbits in most places now but as long as my hawk gets to fly at a few Im happy enough, I fed her up again on her last one today as I think it's helped with the issues I had with her.

 

Catch 68

[pointer 543]

She was heavy Monday but grabbed a rat, I'd been out looking for a rabbit without success and when a little rat ran across an empty cow shed I let her go. She wasn't that keen and I thought she wasn't going to take it but she lazily flew after it. She jumped off for a chick head and wasn't bothered about it at all.

Last night she was back on weight and had some cracking flights on the lamp but the rabbits kept getting away by going uphill. It's not easy lamping ground. She really tried to get them and is looking down the beam much better now. I was desperate to get her a rabbit after she had put the effort in and eventually one was spotted sat right against some reeds and she caught it before it had time to think about running.

We then caught a few more with two young lurchers, it was a clear night and the rabbits seemed lamp shy so I'm pleased we got anything done.

[pointer 543]

She'd had another rat in the week but I couldn't find her any rabbits out lamping the other night.

 

Today we walked past loads of empty sets and couldn't find rabbits. The rabbit has become a scarce species once again and there are more dead rabbits in the cover than live ones. Eventually we found occupied sets and my hawk caught three. She would have had more but the ferret caught hold of a rabbit which dragged her about resulting in lost time until they settled at four foot in rocky ground. By the time she was dug out the sky had gone dark and it was going to start raining so we called it a day. Things are going to get harder now the rabbit population is so low.

[Accip74 7,112]

I'd struggle to keep a rabbiting hawk going over here tbh, there are rabbits about, in fact I have a charcoal coloured one visiting my garden :-)....but I've only found them in small isolated pockets in the local area.....I'd have to travel a lot!

Still..your number is good for this side of Christmas & you write a good thread mate...;-)

[pointer 543]

Cheers mate

At the start of the season rabbit numbers were the highest for a few years and some were still breeding. Sadly VHD has killed most of them. I'm just glad I've got her hunting rabbits properly again.

[pointer 543]

I wanted a change of scenery today so just went out for an hour local. It was windy which had my hawk soaring around covering a large area. Too big really when we only have permission in one spot but was pretty responsive to my recall. We got to a wooded area and my hawk started flying from tree to tree before going around a thick trunk with a squirrel in front of her. She grabbed it but only had a poor hold with one foot and couldn't get control quick enough on the muddy bank of the stream. The squirrel escaped but had to cross a grassed area and the hawk was soon close behind about to take it. Just when I thought it was about to be all over it disappeared down a rabbit hole leaving a very agitated hawk stamping around looking into the hole and then back to me. I guess she was waiting for me to bring out a ferret but I didn't have one. After that she again followed on nicely before flying across the field and slamming into a moorhen. We could have continued hunting but I was happy to leave it there and let her feed up.

I really enjoyed today's little session and it was fun hunting the hedges and stream. The squirrel deserved to get away and sitting here typing this Im glad my mate was in the other field with his hawk and that I didn't have a ferret with me.

[legacy2013 52]

Good thread mate im loving reading it keep it up!!

[pointer 543]

cheers mate, I'm enjoying this season and I'm learning all the time. I've done a variety of hunting over the years but always wanted to fly a hawk, now that I am I've never been happier.

[pointer 543]

I had hoped to fly her on Wednesday as I had a day off due to watching The Who the night before. Sadly it rained all day so I did nothing but sit at home nursing a fairly severe hangover.

She flew two rabbits on the lamp this week but they don't hang around now and she couldn't catch them, she did try hard and now spots rabbits at the end of the beam so is learning. I have very little lamping ground which needs to change as I could get a lot more done if I did.

 

Today we seriously struggled to find rabbits over a big piece of land covered in ice and snow. My hawk is spooked by snow and followed a few rabbits without trying to catch them. Other rabbits wouldn't bolt and had to be dug out. In the end both Hawks caught two rabbits each which isn't great but the population is so low we are simply finding it hard to find enough bunnies.

[pointer 543]

Sunday was windy but I ventured out, she kept letting the wind carry her away and was acting up. She did try for a few things but wasn't successful. After a while I got sick of tracking her down in increasing high winds and went home.

 

Last night I travelled down into North Yorkshire to a mates permission but we didn't see many rabbits sat out. One was missed and then she caught but couldn't hold onto another one. Disappointing but she tried hard so I can be pleased with that. Once back home i lamped a field and she spotted a rabbit running at the end of the beam, it was a long way off and although she closed the gap enough to try for a strike it made it to safety.

 

Rabbits are so rare where I go now the WWF needs to stop worrying about Polar Bears and concentrate on the poor bunny lol.

Edited December 16, 2014 by pointer

[pointer 543]

My hawk was taken out twice lamping this week but although she had some good flights she didn't manage to get hold of one properly. Twice she caught but couldn't get the rabbits under control before they pulled free. She did get to catch a rat and a vole this week plus miss a few rabbits, pheasant and moorhen. The wind and rain has made it hard to get out as much as I'd have liked.

Today was windy but we were invited out to a wooded area beside the River Swale in North Yorkshire. There was a lot of cover which made ferreting difficult and catching rabbits almost impossible. Still I like seeing my hawk trying to catch them as she fly's around the trees and bushes. By the end of the day she had caught two rabbits after putting in a lot of effort, the last one was grabbed as it was getting to ground and she did well to hold on until I got there to help. The wind did at times give my hawk problems but it confirmed to me once again that I need to find more woodland to fly her in, at least it gives some shelter and allows some hunting to be done. If the forecast is right for tomorrow we won't get out.

[pointer 543]

Couldn't fly her on Sunday due to strong winds and she didn't get to fly at anything on the short session before dark on Monday. I was going to try and find one in the lamp last night but it started raining. She caught a rabbit this afternoon so although we are finding it hard to find quarry sometimes she's still ticking over nicely.

[pointer 543]

I woke up christmas morning with a blinding headache after drinking too much Coors the night before. I wanted to get my hawk a look out before the festivities started. All my pointer found were pheasants which resulted in the hawk following them across fields with me sweating after her cursing. I couldn't even go for the re-flush because she kept ending up off permission. As I was heading back to the motor the pointer went on point and up shot a pheasant taking my hawk across a field out of sight. I couldn't see her and didn't know which way she had gone, she didn't return to my call but the telemetry soon told me what direction she had gone. I found her trying to locate her quarry in a big bush. The dog couldn't find it so I took her home not wanting to push my luck any further with dinner almost ready to eat.

 

I went to a Boxing Day meet but got back in time to fly the Hawks for an hour before dark. We went into a wood but thick fog made for poor visibility. A few squirrels were located and we got to witness the exciting hunting that they provide. Both Hawks got to grab squirrels and it was the first one we've seen taken by my mates Harris. A good day.

[pointer 543]

I spent this morning watching a couple of lurchers hunt rabbit. A mate had his young spaniel with him and I had my pointer pup just to let them get a look out. This afternoon we again went into a wood where a few squirrels were seen but today the Hawks just couldn't catch one. We did get to see good flights and I like watching a hawk stabbing its feet into the ivy around the trees to flush the squirrels. My hawk calls out now for help when she knows something is below her but there wasn't much we could do when they were high up in trees. We blanked but the sport is top class so it's not so bad to go home empty handed. After dropping my mate off with his hawk I spent another half an hour hunting where she tried to catch two pheasants but was only left with feathers in her feet from one of them and strangely she didn't get to catch a rat at this spot, maybe they have finally moved away in search of food.

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

Unlucky mate, all going well I should have a pointer for next season, about time I bit the bullet and got one. Just hoping to drop on a nice one or an older pup. Got to make my mind up on what breed first lol