Last Few Sessions.

[pointer 543]

We've had a few little hunts over the past week missing most things but some nice flights on squirrel and pheasants even if they escaped. I've been getting a few rats and the first squirrel of this season so I'm not complaining too much.

 

[pointer 543]

[pointer 543]

[pointer 543]

[Bluebell h 69]

Well done fella ! I've been out twice this week not had a kill my self fella . Atb lee

[pointer 543]

Cheers mate.

I've had a week of mostly misses but my hawk seems to be finally getting over her hatred of dogs and dosent even scream at strange dogs that walk on past us, its taken a lot of time and some effort to get her to stay in the same field as a strange dog so I feel I'm getting somewhere with her.

She also had a short flight on a hare in a wood which although she was probably never in with a chance of catching it was still nice to see. It was the first time I've had her in a proper wood so it's been a fun week with some good hunts on the odd squirrel lately but they escape into the big ivy covered trees. Great to watch though.

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

Nice couple of hunts mate, but couldnt deal with the rats myself lol

[Bluebell h 69]

I enjoy them woods fella ! But at the moment round here there's loads of cover still about ! Hopefully I'm out at the weekend if I can find sum open sets to ferret . Atb lee

[pointer 543]

I don't mind rats and I've enjoyed hunting them with a hawk. I treat them like squirrels and I know they can bite back so I'm on the scene in a second and the rat is secured so it can't harm my bird.

[craigynewall 28]

Well done mate had a couple of squirrel flights this week aswel but lyk u sed they get into the ivy far to quick but still amazin to watch the bird gets so frustrated [BANNED TEXT] it jus suddenly disapeers ha. Rabbit population this yr seems right down round my way this yr which was heeving last yr dunno whats happend man. Had a crackn flight on a male pheasant which she pulled a few feathers from but it just slipped away an belive it or not but she got back up mid flight and chased the phez lyk think she thought she was a gos for a second ha didnt stand a chance though and sudddenly backed up round to me after a loudd hooo from meee lol. Im off to acomb in the morning with the bird and ferrets to do some open field sets and finish off in the woods close by fingers crossed for a decent dday. Well done mate good pics keep thm comin.

[pointer 543]

I'm hoping things will start to pick up now with the cover dying back. Ferreting will become something I can start doing shortly.

[pointer 543]

It was raining up the dales this afternoon so I only managed to bolt one rabbit which the hawk caught during a short spell between showers. We did take the lurchers out for an hour as well so we had a canny couple of hours with a few rabbits caught.

No pics as I'd left my phone at home.

[pointer 543]

I'd been out for half an hour on Tuesday just before it got dark when the hawk took off into a tree line beside a stream. Seconds later I heard her crashing through cover but when I got over to her she was stood on the bankside soaking wet. I imagine she had gone for a moorhen or rat and missed. The plan was to go lamping last night but the wind was far too strong.

This morning I had a good hunt on two squirrels which lasted around 45 minutes. At times I knew where the squirrel was up at the top of the tree but the hawk would still be convinced it was near the base where she had last seen it. Several times I had to get her back on the glove and across to the other bank where I would put her into a tree and then by thowing sticks or a stone at the branches the squirrel would move slightly and she would see it. There were some real exciting bits of action but in the end even though I could still see a squirrel at the top of a tall tree I walked away and carried on hunting. I didn't think she was going to get this clever critter and it deserved to get away after being pursued for so long. Feeling disappointed it was only a small consolation when she dropped from a tree into bramble catching a rabbit by the back leg as it went into the set. I carefully got hold of the other leg and extracted the bunny from the ground. This afternoon I took the old lurcher out with her and after missing a rat she caught another. As I was dealing with the hawks kill I turned to see the lurcher had caught another rat. Not suprising this dog has killed more rats than rabbits. I should be content I suppose but I can't help feeling a bit down after missing two squirrels one of which was hunted on and off for a long time.

 

Edited November 30, 2013 by pointer

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

Nice one with the rabbits

Squirrels drive me up the wall, had a flight at one myself today and it made its escape before the hawk could get it

[pointer 543]

The squirrels normally escape into the ivy covered trees, the one today was running up and down and around a big bare oak and it still out smarted her. Very frustrating but I have to admire it lol.

 

It would have made an easy catty or air rifle shot as it was clinging onto the side of the tree for minutes at a time with the hawk on the other side unable to see it.