Breaking point

[milo 74]

Well im realy not sure if im cut out to hunt a red tail ? ive had dexter for a little over a week now and ive manned him down to prob average 3 hrs a day,ive got him comming to the glove well over 30 yds on the creance but his response is terrible !

 

The chap i had him off seemes a genuine guy he told me he flies at 2lb 7...but ive got him to 2lb 5 and a very slow response so i dropt him again to 2lb 4.7 and still hes got a shit response,he does call slightly but only when he sees the food on my fist,im just wondering how long i should give it untill i make my choice weather to say thats it,i realy dont want this bird to beat me but i dont know what else to do...Maybe another 2 weeks of creance work then see what happens...Any ideas..

[jasper65 6]

  On 08/03/2012 at 18:09, milo said:

Well im realy not sure if im cut out to hunt a red tail ? ive had dexter for a little over a week now and ive manned him down to prob average 3 hrs a day,ive got him comming to the glove well over 30 yds on the creance but his response is terrible !

 

The chap i had him off seemes a genuine guy he told me he flies at 2lb 7...but ive got him to 2lb 5 and a very slow response so i dropt him again to 2lb 4.7 and still hes got a shit response,he does call slightly but only when he sees the food on my fist,im just wondering how long i should give it untill i make my choice weather to say thats it,i realy dont want this bird to beat me but i dont know what else to do...Maybe another 2 weeks of creance work then see what happens...Any ideas..

 

My old male was 2lb 8'ish when I took him up in the first year, he came down to roughly 2lb 2 to get him going. don't forget the weather will be getting milder and milder this time of the year plus most peoples Hunting birds will be dropping feathers and moulting ............

[paulus 26]

  On 08/03/2012 at 20:10, jasper65 said:

  On 08/03/2012 at 18:09, milo said:

Well im realy not sure if im cut out to hunt a red tail ? ive had dexter for a little over a week now and ive manned him down to prob average 3 hrs a day,ive got him comming to the glove well over 30 yds on the creance but his response is terrible !

 

The chap i had him off seemes a genuine guy he told me he flies at 2lb 7...but ive got him to 2lb 5 and a very slow response so i dropt him again to 2lb 4.7 and still hes got a shit response,he does call slightly but only when he sees the food on my fist,im just wondering how long i should give it untill i make my choice weather to say thats it,i realy dont want this bird to beat me but i dont know what else to do...Maybe another 2 weeks of creance work then see what happens...Any ideas..

 

My old male was 2lb 8'ish when I took him up in the first year, he came down to roughly 2lb 2 to get him going. don't forget the weather will be getting milder and milder this time of the year plus most peoples Hunting birds will be dropping feathers and moulting ............

[stoaty1 35]

Do you know how to assess the birds condition by feeling its keel? Does it feel sharp? It may well have flown for the previous owner at that weight but you have not had the bird long and it may still be settling down with you. I have only briefly flown a red tail in the past but know that they can be tempremental when they want. I personally would go back to basics with the bird. Limit the call offs to only 3 or 4 a session and give it a good reward each time, hence the low number of recalls per session. Get an instant responce and then good reward. Then step up the distace.

 

good luck, Ian

[milo 74]

Thanks for the advice guys,i have dropt him to 2lb4.3 and im going to get him back out today on the creance and see what happens,last night he did start to call in his mews not that bad but still !

 

Im just hoping i can get him out flying free asap so i can lift his weight up slowly i spoke to the guy last night and apperently he said he flew him at 2lb 6 and at 2lb 5.3/4...i just feel sorry for the bird the guy i had him off only had him 6 mths they guy before him kept this bird locked up in a garage with no daylight ....How can people treat such a stunning looking animal in such a way..makes me want to puke...

 

Im going to stick with it has long has i can but if he does start calling im worried my harris will pick it up...so i better hurry the f...up

[milo 74]

Well the red tail has started to call cant bloody win can i,bring him down in weight he calls take him up he wont respond ! now im in the sh..t because ive got to watch my harris dont pick it up....Tried him at 2lb 3.8/9...and stll a crap "dont give a shit response"...have i been had over ? GOD KNOWS...

[jasper65 6]

  On 10/03/2012 at 20:28, milo said:

Well the red tail has started to call cant bloody win can i,bring him down in weight he calls take him up he wont respond ! now im in the sh..t because ive got to watch my harris dont pick it up....Tried him at 2lb 3.8/9...and stll a crap "dont give a shit response"...have i been had over ? GOD KNOWS...

 

Think I would now put him down to moult and get a good diet into him, you can then look to start over when he is finished.

 

most things are out of season and obviously breeding now plus a good moult will do him the world of good ...........

[milo 74]

I know where you comming from jasp..but this bird is 100% feather perfect and i realy thought id be able to keep him just flying thro the summer mths,not only that its my mentor has pointed out to me that he thinks the bird has been ruined by the first owner that kept the bird locked away for almost two years,the bird dont tuck his wings in when hes carried on the fist ? theres a lot of things starting to come thro regarding the bird...a few facts are(1) the weight hes not even close to flying at 2lb7(2)..hes calling more often.(3)..i dont think hes seen trees ...(4) he wont keep his wings tucked..andits only been 2 weeks...i hardly think now hes taken what the guy told me he took.

[CityHunter.uK 12]

Have you tried the food on a lure just if a falcon has only been flown to a lure and picked up from a lure its never going to come easily to a fist over distance. The guy who had been flying it may well never have flown it to the fist. Also I dont usually find it necessary to spend as much time with birds manning up as you are spending with this redtail. Hawks make decisions pretty quick as in the wild the prey is there and if the bird doesnt make a quick decision its opportunity for food is gone so dont hold your hand out for long periods. when you are trying to get it to the fist. remember distance is not important speed when the fist is presented is. Put his weight up a little bit and reduce your distance of recall. Offer the bird the chance to come for no longer than 3 seconds then drop your hand and ignore the bird turn your back walk out of site anything just ignore the bird for 1 to 2 minutes then reoffer your glove again for only 3 seconds maximum and see how he responds to this. The bird is probably coming slowly as he feels confident that the food will always be there when he decides to come and get it and by holding your glove up for long periods you are reinforcing this negative behaviour. Are you actually show the bird food when you call to the fist if so stop and take it right back to basics so that the bird is coming to your glove to look for a titbit that way you can increase and decrease the reward as well as on occasion having no reward when the bird comes to the fist. Variable schedule reinforcement is the same thing that addicts gamblers. Once the buggers are hooked they will come just incase. I know you fly your harris so eveything I have put is probably me trying to teach you to suck eggs but you never know what people know or dont so please dont take offence.

 

I had a red tail once but it was too aggressive to work in built up areas so I moved it on. Once I am flying for hunting only I think I may get one as they are awesome looking birds and very aggressive hunters

 

ATB

City

[milo 74]

Thanks for all the imput and good advice,i contacted my old friend and mentor again last night and he told me that he thinks the bird was ruined by the first owner who had him,he said hes flown 2 red tails over the years and none of shown the things this bird has done i.e.holding wings out where ever he goes,he did say i needed to drop his weight again but the calling gets worse,he dosent think the harris will pick it up but there is a slight chance...one that im not going to take,il weigh him in 30 min then back out with him on the creance.

 

The manning ive done with him was spot on hes boombproof with sheep/cattle/horses/cars/lories/people/tractors you name it...i can touch him all over feet head chest..Has for the bird hunting like ive been told i doubt it very much

[grovsey 74]

Reds are not like a Harris and have to be bang on weight I meen bang on ,also I'd get a good fitting hood on this bird to reduce the bird from calling ,calming the bird down ect

Regarding manning don't think having a bird sat on a glove for hrs works as it defo don't u want the bird on the glove with a tiring this way the bird thinks of the glove as a good thing plus it's occupied

 

[j j m 6,596]

id put the bird down to molt bud

[Millet 4,497]

I put him down to moult also..the last thing you want is him finding a nest full of wood pigeon's..

[Jarrod 1]

See there has been a lot of advise given so goin to ask dose anyone live in halifax area because i have about to buy a harris and would like some one to take her out with. Help with advise on training if possable

[grovsey 74]

Try gaining what is needed to train a raptor and flying one instead of another person f*****g up another inosent bird