stoaty1
-
Content Count
206 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Articles
Gun Dealer's and Fieldsports Shop's
Reloading Room
Blogs
Calendar
Store
Classifieds
Everything posted by stoaty1
-
thats why falconers fly birds. When on weight they are awsome to watch. Good to hear that you were blown away by the experiance. Its also good to hear that you appreciate the amount of work that goes into getting the birds ready for a day like this. Too many only see the end result and rush out and get a bird and are totally unprepared for the work that goes into them.
-
Male or female doesn't matter but I would only go for an eyass and train it yourself. Males are smaller and therefore weight control has to be more precise. Unless you are flying hares on a regular basis then they will take the same as a female but they may loose a few head due to their smaller foot span, especially in the beginning. Once they have learnt their trade they know how to take quarry. Personally if I am flying in tight woodland then a male if fav as they can manouever slightly better. Females are bigger and carry more stopping power. Comes down to personall choice.
-
Looks very nice, keep us updated on her progress.
-
cheers. I hope for more next season. She now appears mad for feather. She came of a pylon today after pigeon flying past. Finally tracked her down half a mile away under a fishing platform. Apparently she had gone for a duck in the middle of a lake and then swum ashore. She is a strange bird, takes her ages to click onto new quarry but once she does she goes mad.
-
trust me hares are special to me. I have flown hawks at them and run them with dogs. Each one has been an amazing memory that gones on for me a hell of a long time. I fully appreciate what amazing creatures they are - marvels of nature. When they are there in those numbers though they need to controlled. Vermin is a term we put on animals and I am sure the farmers there will class them as such.
-
My first thoughts were - thats obscene shooting that many. However when you think more they are all wild and if they are shooting those numbers year in year out clearly the population can withstand it. Whats more the numbers clearly need to be controlled. Is it because numbers are lower elsewhere that the rest of us think its not on. If he had written saying he had caught that number of rabbits there would have been loads of congratulations and well done's on here. I personally can not even imagine that number of hares or for that matter the damage they could cause.
-
Didn't anyone ever tell you size isn't important, lol. No point in having loads of land if there is nothing on it. Well done on securing more land its always a buzz to work somewhere for the first time.
-
Finally and at last my young female harris has turned her attentions towards feather. She really is a strange bird this one. It took me over two months to get her turned onto rabbits. She would hit the lure or carcasses all day long and then sit there and watch the real ones walk past her. I have flown harris's for nearly 15 years and never seen her like. Any way walking back to the car today and my terrier marks a phessie in brambles. I say marks but it was more like a point. His tail was erect and he even had a paw lifted and was standing stock still. In he goes and a hen come busting
-
Tether both birds side by side for several days/weeks. Time period will depend on the birds themselves. Make sure they can not reach one another. When they are acting better with one another then try them again. They may squabble but do not take any risks and if they start to foot one another then seperate them and try again. You may want to open up a rabbit and let them feed while attached to their perches, again making sure they can not reach the other. If they will eat on thcarcass without attacking each other then get them out hunting. Remember though some birds are not as sociable
-
Welcome and good luck with your bird. When your bird is off the line for the first time it does give you a massive high. However wait till he makes his first kill with you - it will blow your mind. You still have time to get a few kills in before the end of the season so good luck and go for it.
-
Very nice pics. Did you have any problems getting her to take the black rabbits as I know the strange colour can sometimes throw them off? ian
-
Buy one of these sets you will not be disappointed. I got mine today. Kindly made to my own requirements as I like a shorter blade and handle. To say I am impressed would be an understatement. ian
-
Nice looking bird there. Great to breed it and then fly it. Adds an extra dimension. ian
-
These are ruddy great pics. Waiting for the hedge bottoms to clear of cover seems to take longer and longer each year.
-
Great viewing, thanks for posting. Strange thing is I only have to go in the garden and can watch mine feeding their chicks but still good to watch yours. Does your male ever feed the chicks??? When mine had 5 chicks the other year my male took over feeding two of the chicks to stop them fighting for the food when the female was feeding them. Strange thing was he only ever feed two chicks, probably not the same two but he never gave food to three. Wierd. regards ian
-
I have always found that when young a knuckly pushed into the mouth works. When they get older it hurts too much so then I paint one finger in the stuff you put on kids nails to stop them biting them. You only need to do this a few times for it to work.
-
Two cracking looking dogs there.
-
Got one, love it.
-
Hello all. I kept pure EU poleys and bred a litter of hybrids. Both are far more active and alert than ferrets. They also take more handling as kits and to keep them tame. Their eye sight is much better as well. They used to sit and watch birds fly over while the ferrets didn't have a clue. The problem I had with the pure's was that theywere too easily spooked to work and would have skulked. Answer - hybrid. Unfortunately some disease went through my hutches and wiped the pures and hybrids out but not the ferrets before I got a chance to work the hybrids. regards ian
-
We all make mistakes and it will give you something to laugh about over the summer. Another in the bag - cant be bad.
-
Great news. Well done to you and the bird. The moult will seem to take for ever but next season will be here before you know it. ian
-
It amazes me how they do it. I was out yesterday and the rabbits were also loaded with fat. How do they manage to eat enough to pile it on with the weather we have had.
-
stunning photos to match your dogs.
-
They don't all like the look of hares, the size can put them off. I have seen lots of birds fly hares, pull level and think better of it. Once they hit them then they have a rough time and this can put them off again. As yours has not had this happen to her then maybe she just needs a bit more confidence. Try her on big lures, hare carcass's preferably and when she nails it really pull it around so she knows she has to hold on. Keep lifting the hares head while its on the line and when she hits the head let her have it. Just like you probably did with your rabbit lures. Then go out for t
-
Good to hear you pup is coming on well. Cant see why that cross shouldn't be a useful dog in the field. PS love your picture but think you need a smaller ferret box for your daughter, lol. regards Ian