Looking For Help Please

[kruby01 114]

Im looking into getting a Harris Hawk, Im not rushing into it with my eyes closed either.I have been out a lot over the years with friends and their hawks but have lost touch with them now so I have picked up some tips etc from them and Im looking to get my bird in about 12 months so this is my time to do research etc. Im going to build my own mews but I was wondering what else I need to start buying to get up and running and any other tips people can offer? I understand It is a big commitment and will need to be flown very often. I have plenty of permissions and lots of quarry. I am a first time owner although I have flown a Harris and a Spar, My main quarry will be rabbits which is why I am thinking Harris. Any advice will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance

Billy

[lor123 12]

if you get a good book it will help out personnally i like 'The harris hawk' by lee william harris plenty of info in their will help you out.

[DanAdams 10]

I don't keep em myself but a friend of mine does glove, jesses, scales, perch, hoods sorry can't think of anything else of top of my head ATB Dan

[kruby01 114]

I will have a look at that book. Thanks mate

 

Thats one thing I wondered aswell about hoods as I have never seen my mates use them and I dont understand their use

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

hoods are to keep the bird calm i used one for the first season until we coped the birds beak with him hooded and after that he wont let me anywhere near him with one doesnt matter how many times ive tried. i still manage perfectly without one but i would still rather use one. the bird still goes mad now when i show him one. best thing to do is find a mentor the season doesnt start until september time as the hawks are currently replacing damaged feathers they did through the season. buy a decent book i recommend the lee william harris book aswell. you will need telemetry to track the bird that costs anywhere from £200-£400 used. could be around £800 new. try reading through other threads about the same thing theres been a few over the past weeks. try putting a post up for someone to mentor you next season, the bloke ive offered to take out next season did and he had two members offering to show him the ropes. atb

[kruby01 114]

hoods are to keep the bird calm i used one for the first season until we coped the birds beak with him hooded and after that he wont let me anywhere near him with one doesnt matter how many times ive tried. i still manage perfectly without one but i would still rather use one. the bird still goes mad now when i show him one. best thing to do is find a mentor the season doesnt start until september time as the hawks are currently replacing damaged feathers they did through the season. buy a decent book i recommend the lee william harris book aswell. you will need telemetry to track the bird that costs anywhere from £200-£400 used. could be around £800 new. try reading through other threads about the same thing theres been a few over the past weeks. try putting a post up for someone to mentor you next season, the bloke ive offered to take out next season did and he had two members offering to show him the ropes. atb

Some good points covered there thanks alot mate. Its been about two years since I have been out with a hawk so a mentor would be good to refresh my memory. The only person I know now that keeps BOP is a fella with an eagle owl but its just a pet its never been worked which I dont really agree with but each to their own

[lor123 12]

hoods are to keep the bird calm i used one for the first season until we coped the birds beak with him hooded and after that he wont let me anywhere near him with one doesnt matter how many times ive tried. i still manage perfectly without one but i would still rather use one. the bird still goes mad now when i show him one. best thing to do is find a mentor the season doesnt start until september time as the hawks are currently replacing damaged feathers they did through the season. buy a decent book i recommend the lee william harris book aswell. you will need telemetry to track the bird that costs anywhere from £200-£400 used. could be around £800 new. try reading through other threads about the same thing theres been a few over the past weeks. try putting a post up for someone to mentor you next season, the bloke ive offered to take out next season did and he had two members offering to show him the ropes. atb

this is good advice, dont scrimp on telemetry, alot of people cant afford it or will say sure its more than the bird or you dont need it with a harris they dont fly far. well when your harris is fit it does fly far.

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

im sure you will find someone bud theres loads in the game. just make sure its somebody who knows what there on about and not just an overnight know it all hawker

[lor123 12]

im sure you will find someone bud theres loads in the game. just make sure its somebody who knows what there on about and not just an overnight know it all hawker

yes this is very good advice, theirs alot of knowalls out their.everyone are still picking up and learning things with every season and every bird is different has its own ways about it or little things it does. if you dont get a good mentor you could very well end up with an aggressive bird

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

id say best way to get a mentor is to offer to drive them to the hunting grounds providing the cars big enough you carnt just expect to be trusted and taken out for a season for nowt, a mentor needs to know the lad they are taking out is trustworthy as there gonna know where your hawk is, how the aviary can be get into and even when the house will be empty, it worries me how more often than not the first question people ask especially young men is how much the hawk is worth. and word soon spreads about the lad with the massive eagle at the bottom of the street, it only takes one wrong un to know. so you deffinetly need to earn the hawkers trust and it will help to have something to contribute and although it might not seem significant it will be a big help for a falconer to be drove to the grounds

[kruby01 114]

id say best way to get a mentor is to offer to drive them to the hunting grounds providing the cars big enough you carnt just expect to be trusted and taken out for a season for nowt, a mentor needs to know the lad they are taking out is trustworthy as there gonna know where your hawk is, how the aviary can be get into and even when the house will be empty, it worries me how more often than not the first question people ask especially young men is how much the hawk is worth. and word soon spreads about the lad with the massive eagle at the bottom of the street, it only takes one wrong un to know. so you deffinetly need to earn the hawkers trust and it will help to have something to contribute and although it might not seem significant it will be a big help for a falconer to be drove to the grounds

That is my main problem i had to get rid of my car, endless problems so decided to get shut but now i am on foot for a while

[charlie caller 3,654]

if you get a good book it will help out personnally i like 'The harris hawk' by lee william harris plenty of info in their will help you out.

Not in any way a criticism of you mate, but I think that book is a pile of shite, for a beginner, much better in my opinion are Martin Hollinshead books, that guy really knows his stuff and for any prospective HH owners really do take things to another level.

[grovsey 74]

get the nick fox dvd set worth its weight in gold

regarding a mentor you got to remember over the years there is so many people come and gone a lot of people wont waste there time or they have taken them to there hunting ground showing them the ropes only to find the person has been poaching there land behind there backs( had it done my self ).

land is the hardest thing to aquire these days as 99% of good land is gone and you will find it hard to come by imo but I hope you do ,remember you can have 1000 acrea but without game on it its usless,so find ur hunting land and then look at what quarry you got to go at ,then get a bird to suit the quarry as its amazing how many buy a bird for looks and then realise the bird is not upto what there hunting ,this is where a good mentor will guide you as once you understand bird management you can fly any bird

Edited May 21, 2013 by grovsey

[kruby01 114]

get the nick fox dvd set worth its weight in gold

regarding a mentor you got to remember over the years there is so many people come and gone a lot of people wont waste there time or they have taken them to there hunting ground showing them the ropes only to find the person has been poaching there land behind there backs( had it done my self ).

land is the hardest thing to aquire these days as 99% of good land is gone and you will find it hard to come by imo but I hope you do ,remember you can have 1000 acrea but without game on it its usless,so find ur hunting land and then look at what quarry you got to go at ,then get a bird to suit the quarry as its amazing how many buy a bird for looks and then realise the bird is not upto what there hunting ,this is where a good mentor will guide you as once you understand bird management you can fly any bird

Thats what I have been thinking about and I have plenty of rabbits about that dont present a good shot so thats what pointed me to harris hawk as I have read they are great for rabbits and may also catch the odd bird too which is perfect for me. I have alot of permissions already as me and a friend share our land and the owners are fine with that as we alternate etc and get the job done and they know we both respect the land. I know what you mean about the mentor though as I have considered taking people myself and then Ive thought no its not worth it as I already have problems with poachers on a few bits of land

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

 

id say best way to get a mentor is to offer to drive them to the hunting grounds providing the cars big enough you carnt just expect to be trusted and taken out for a season for nowt, a mentor needs to know the lad they are taking out is trustworthy as there gonna know where your hawk is, how the aviary can be get into and even when the house will be empty, it worries me how more often than not the first question people ask especially young men is how much the hawk is worth. and word soon spreads about the lad with the massive eagle at the bottom of the street, it only takes one wrong un to know. so you deffinetly need to earn the hawkers trust and it will help to have something to contribute and although it might not seem significant it will be a big help for a falconer to be drove to the grounds

That is my main problem i had to get rid of my car, endless problems so decided to get shut but now i am on foot for a while

 

That makes it harder to get a mentor then, doubt anybody will put themselves out to pick you up and drop you off after. so looks like your stuck with the books and dvd's, although if you get the right sources you will be fine. main thing is research a few methods pick one you like then stick to it, don't be combining bits and pieces, it will turn out wrong. And don't be afraid of starting a topic up with a question however simple it may seem, theres loads willing to help a newcomer out and will also give some of us something to do other than counting the weeks down to the end of the moult ha