The Christmas Hare - A seasonal hawking tale

[martin hollinshead 13]

The Christmas Hare –

A seasonal hawking tale

 

With Christmas only a short flight away, I thought I’d offer this hunt account. The story finds me out with my wife, border collie and Harris, desperate to set the Boxing Day menu. http://business.virgin.net/fernhill.press/extract8.htm

 

Hope you enjoy the tale,

Martin

[Kat 3]

Thank you for posting that Martin! What a great read especially as you ran to the hawk lol I bet that hurt so much!! I was there with you for a few seconds

[martin hollinshead 13]

Thank you for posting that Martin! What a great read especially as you ran to the hawk lol I bet that hurt so much!! I was there with you for a few seconds

Thanks Kat,

Yes, what a run with that terrier-bitten leg! Can you imagine how good that hare tasted!

Martin

[jasper65 6]

Thats a lovely read Martin! it opitimises what Hare hawking is about.

 

Only ever taken two Hares in my time and one was with someone else bird, this bird was "Belen" and belonged to a Austringer I got very friendly with in my area Bob Haddon! she was 18 at the time 1996 but still did the job like the pro she was.

 

in May 1997 BFC mag Bob did a tribute to her including the other two people's accounts in the field who flew her, I must admit by the time she was 18 she lacked a bit in style but made up for it in experience! I feel Honoured to have been one of the people graced to fly her before she finally passed away.

 

Jasper

[martin hollinshead 13]

Thats a lovely read Martin! it opitimises what Hare hawking is about.

 

Only ever taken two Hares in my time and one was with someone else bird, this bird was "Belen" and belonged to a Austringer I got very friendly with in my area Bob Haddon! she was 18 at the time 1996 but still did the job like the pro she was.

 

in May 1997 BFC mag Bob did a tribute to her including the other two people's accounts in the field who flew her, I must admit by the time she was 18 she lacked a bit in style but made up for it in experience! I feel Honoured to have been one of the people graced to fly her before she finally passed away.

 

Jasper

Hi Jasper,

Thanks for your comments. I haven’t seen Bob Haddon for many years. I of course remember Belen. I saw her fly a few times – at Bob’s and at a WHC meet – in what must have been the beginning of the 80s (81,82?). Seems like ages ago now. Guess it was!

Martin

[jasper65 6]

Hi Jasper,

Thanks for your comments. I haven’t seen Bob Haddon for many years. I of course remember Belen. I saw her fly a few times – at Bob’s and at a WHC meet – in what must have been the beginning of the 80s (81,82?). Seems like ages ago now. Guess it was!

Martin

 

Hello Martin

 

I still keep in contact with him and some summers he will come over a stay with us for a few days, he packed up breeding early 2000's but still likes to get out with people and their birds now and again.

 

He was probably the last Falconer I realy got out flying regulary with on most days, since he moved away I havn't come across anyone close by to fly with regular! consiquently I don't get as often myself these days but get out on my own and enjoy the odd day out with pals who come down to fly.

 

I should say Belen was pretty much on the top of her game early 's? I heard plenty of stories about her in her younger days includeing one of her flying a Cock bird over the top of a church steeple after being slipped on high ground and taking it well before the put in, it was always nice to talk and hear about different flights over a nice bottle of Red ...

 

Take care Tony

[skycat 6,173]

Great read: I've never been hawking for hares but it sure gets the blood racing reading that.

[Guest bullterrier]

good read that mate.. ..john

[martin hollinshead 13]

good read that mate.. ..john

 

Thanks John (and Penny),

Hare hawking really is addictive stuff – and not limited to the brown hare. Away from the even and orderly arable, what could be more of a lure than the mountain hare? The whole experience is so different; and on difficult ground and when hares are not particularly abundant, this type of hawking can throw up plenty of challenges. Although it’s taking us away from the Christmas Hare theme, maybe I could offer a flight account? It’s the same team as before but this time we are Scotland in November. This snippet comes at the tail end of a chapter (from Harris Hawk Days, 2005) that runs over several pages and sees us in demanding mountain country and has me struggling on against illness, the doctor’s orders – and common sense!

http://business.virgin.net/fernhill.press/extract2.htm

Martin