Falcon Kill In Mid Air

[barnesyboy86 14]

Spars a good shout.

 

There isn't much online of the AKs, just similar to what you've said. If I ever get another, Ill have to come up your way and show you on Starlings. It's a different experience to the big bird hunting. I don't mind seeing people lure fly these birds but when they take them out catching worms, you have to ask yourself, what's the point lol

 

I had to put the work in but it was well worth it seeing a supposed worm hunter hitting Starlings. Great fun!

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

ha i see what you mean bet there fun to fly and hunt, yes definitely have to see the bird if you ever fly another one, a few members are still on about a field meet, would be nice to see a few faces off here. something definitely needs arranging

[ayrshiretaxidermy 29]

In mid air falcons pierce the neck vertebrae with the beak tooth. It happens in a split second so it looks as though the impact does the damage when really it's a calculated kill. Hawks are different and can be a little messier as they go for whatever chance available. I've seen Goshawks drag maggies to the ground from flight and do the job with force.

 

Are you saying a falcon stooping at 200mph, suddenly stops an inch from its target and gives it a love bite, so quick its almost invisible? What a lot of peeeesh!

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

so what does happen can i ask? ive tried searching on the web but havent came up with an answer

[arcticgun 4,548]

I falcon I use strikes with closed foot (like a fist) aiming for the head (or any part) of the hare that its pursuing, however this depends on how the slip/chase comes up, sometimes he has the height advantage or simply uses it, then then closed fist stoops come in, followed once the hare slows or turn's by desperate attempts to bind, which can be messy to be honest. Sometimes he simply powers off the fist and tails chases, failing to use his power to gain height, simply a desperate attempt to catch up and grab, when in striking distance, maybe this season he learn to administer the 'kiss of death' in said calm manner save an awful lot of feather damage and sprinting over plough on my behalf.

 

Although Im not a gamehawker Im pretty sure that the idea the falcon has is to use height and drop onto unsuspecting quarry and knock the stuffing/fight out of it, much easier to dispatch once on ground, sort of like dropping a penny on someones head of blackpool tower lol then runnign down and punching them aterwards, oh and eating them, birds will use different styles some bind every time or attempt too, some punch, some simply miss althogether, great fun can be had from simply allowign the falcon some freedom once its fit and eventually you will see all styles of flights, maybe not classical falconry but all good fun maybe?

Edited May 30, 2013 by arcticgun

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

so is that the same that happens in mid air, thats what i thought happened originally. as the birds just fall straight out the sky. im presuming the force of the hit doesnt kill the bird but knocks it out, but then again a 2lb weight dropping on your head at 200mph is enough to kill anyone

[arcticgun 4,548]

thats about it mate, likesay its not my game at all, would love to try it, but really its for the chosen ones with money and time to perfect, I would love top fly a female peregrine on grouse and a tiercel on partridge, mmmm dreams, my sport is a compromise, but I flew my hybrid hard on lure and he was extremley fot, given freedom and adjust to weight and shown a few carcass he turned to hunting feather with limitied sucsess Ive seen him learn to use height and wait on (of sorts lol) then stoop at spped just missign a crow he was after but his full weight hit its wing and damged it mid air, the crow was winded and had a broken wing all in mid air totally out the blue, he simply sreamed and tail spun to the ground, em lad stooped him again on the way down and then laneded on him, somewhat bemused by his lack of fight on the ground, being that he used to hare and rabbit lol likesay he just got lucky whilst learning something new but it shows the potential of the power they have..

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

sound like your having a great time out with him. cant wait for the moult to be over so i can be back out

[arcticgun 4,548]

Im over the moon his feathers are shifiting and the new un's are coming through, he looked like an RSPCA case be the end of last season, I failed to source some fethers to imp in, had a few but he soon got through those lol hopefully this year he take it a litte mor ein ghis stride and last a little longer

Edited May 30, 2013 by arcticgun

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

no wonder tackling those hares all season, all the best for the moult and next season carnt wait for it to come around again im having withdrawal symptoms ha

[arcticgun 4,548]

no wonder tackling those hares all season, all the best for the moult and next season carnt wait for it to come around again im having withdrawal symptoms ha

he missed far more hares than he caught maye, most times jhe simplyu harried them and delivered the odd unexpected bend playing firmly into the dogs favour, of all the flights the last was the one he did alone and performed at his best, he coming season will decide weather he weds totaly to this game or not.

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

its not all about a kill at the end of the day, the flights alone are what we fly for, a kill is just a bonus. is this the only bird you fly can i ask?

[arcticgun 4,548]

yeah mate , I lost my female Harris the year before in a hunting accident, sao decided to take the plunge and try a falcon, he has been a pleasure to fly, simply working him on the lure would do for me to be fair, hunting out with him is just a pure bonus, likesay he only youg ad I feel I have not even scraped the surface of what he may be capable of, he is fearless sod, cannot wait to get back out with him,

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

at least your harris went doing what she did best rather than stuck in a breeding chamber like alot of hawks are. you sound like your having a great time with him roll on next season

[DogMagic 461]

There are a few slow motion strikes on this vid. It shows the falcons cleave the ducks head in half with an outstretched hook as they fly past fast then land and feed

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-FZdIrKyBk