People That Fly Multiple Birds In A Season.

[CrowHawker 227]

I own 9 birds I have a pair of peregrines that were flown hard for 4 seasons then I put them into a Hugh pen to breed from I do not fly these as it would be devastating to my project if something happened to either of them. This season I will be flying my AK up till November or when it gets real cold then she will be put away to moult so I can pick her up in April time.il also be flying a cast of 3 Harris hawks they will be hunting come 1st of October I'm also flying my gyr/peregrine and female imprint peregrine from the above I have a friend flying both me terciel's and my 2nd year apprentice flying my hybrid falcon, but I have lots of time in the winter to fly my birds.

[pointer 543]

Now this type of thread is why I pay for an Internet connection every month. Although you have a lot of time available to you what happens when you get those days, often several days in a row, when there's only a few hours when it's not raining or windy? You won't get time then to fly them all. Or do you have other people that would take them out?

Also why do you hunt Harris in a cast. I've done it and will do so again this season but only in woodland. I find it a bit unsporting to be honest even if I can appreciate the pack hunting style. It does result in kills though but the few times I've done it the quarry would have escaped if only facing one hawk. I guess I'm asking why keep three Harris hawks!!! I imagine there's a story behind how you've ended up with that many.

 

I find it hard to come to terms with having birds flown for a few years then just penned up regardless of how big the pen is. I've read the stuff about how a bird of prey is happy to be fed and secure but there's just something in me that finds it wrong somehow to completely cage up these birds for life. I know I'm probably thinking of the birds like dogs and I know they aren't. Still I couldn't do it, I often wonder if my three ferrets in their 8 x 4 x 6 foot pen have enough space as they aren't worked all that often.

 

I can assure you I'm not looking for an argument I'm just giving my thoughts on a few things and accept I haven't had the experience to really have a opinion. I know Nick fox mentions flying multiple birds in his book and if I remember right he says it starts out well but it's hard to keep going all season. I don't own the book so can't quote him lol.

[CrowHawker 227]

I make a lot of sacrifices in the summer that means I can hawk in the flying season the only times I don't get out with all the birds it's peeing down that's the same for everyone, if say I only have a couple of hours I just do fitness work ie kiting the falcons and just take the Harris hawks into the woods, it is over kill but one is my first Harris and she is 15 her first son who is 12 and a rescued female that is 6 that I don't think is safe to rehome.i know their are plenty that won't right on this thread as they don't fly all their birds everyday let alone monthly but I fly mine every minute I can! I don't mind you ask questions I have nothing to hide mate

[pointer 543]

You clearly have the time, land etc to fly multiple hawks. I know when my hawk was injured last season I did wonder if I could keep two hawks so that I would never be without one to hunt with. I guess I was beginning to convince myself that I could fly them together or one after the other or lamp one or both. Common sense though made me realise that working full time will always make hunting one hawk enough of a challenge for part of the season. I keep holidays back to use up in the hunting season but even then it's not ideal, I've got to know a lad who also has a Harris so that will mean if travelling to hunting grounds we can fly both one after the other which lets me see more hunting and if one is laid up injured we can still go out with each other's.

 

Although I think cast flying can be slightly unsporting I'm not against it, I've often worked two lurchers together and most of the rats I've seen caught by teams of terriers had absolutely no chance of escape. Yet I enjoyed every minute of it. I've recently got access to a couple of woods containing Squirrels and I'm hoping that two hawks working together will provide us with some good sport.

 

I know I'm always wondering how some dog lads and now bird of prey owners find the time to work everything. I have no other commitments except work and even then it only takes ten minutes to get home so for much of the season I can be out hunting for an hour or two. Yet I still struggle sometimes to get out as much as I want to. I'm picking up a GWP pup in a couple of weeks as my pointer is eight now and it concerns me that it's another thing to have to spend time on if I'm to train her right. Then I see lads with half a dozen young lurchers and I think they must have forty hour days ten days a week lol.

 

Great thought provoking thread Crowhawker I hope others post about their stock and time management etc etc.