Total Beginner

[RemyBolt 420]

Hello everyone.

 

I was out running over the weekend and was stopped in my tracks watching a few different kinds of birds of prey.

 

It got me wondering about hunting with them, so thought I'd post on here and ask a few questions. But I'll keep it to one at a time.

 

How would someone totally new to falconry start?

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

Find somebody already in the game and learn from them.

[charlie caller 3,654]

Get a couple of good books also, you will learn a lot, become confused, which in turn will lead you to ask questions, on here and elsewhere, anything by Martin Hollinshead is a good read, as are quite a few others.

[britdog 15]

Go out with someone main thing is be patient its not rocket sciance but takes time make sure you have land before getting any type of hawk

[RemyBolt 420]

The world has a massive sense of humour.

 

Today I found a baby crow on the floor of our office carpark.

 

With the wife working at a vets, and having a desire to rescue any animal...I now have a corvid to look after.

 

Ironically, I now have started...I guess.

[RemyBolt 420]

Sadly, Scratch has passed away. He will be missed. I think the fall from a massive tree may have had something to do with it.

[roba7736 1]

Read Read Read as much as you can soak as much info as you can about falconry. While reading try to find a mentor somebody who knows what they are doing. That the way a lot of other people got into it.i certainly did

[budharley 945]

Find yourself a mentor for atleast a couple of seasons to see how much work goes into keeping and flying a bird not just flying but seriously hunting a bird keeping it fit to get the best out of it . Ask yourself this before you even consider going any further do you have the TIME

[arcticgun 4,548]

In an ideal world getting out for at least one season with a falconer or Hawker and also reading a few quality publications, Ideally I would keep away from the internet forums, at least until you have established one clear method of working with your chosen bird, there is some excellent stuff written, no doubt a lot works but until basic understanding is instilled I think it gives too many options, you see it time and time again people asking questions when they are already being mentored, just muddys the waters further.

 

Books wise Id go for Philp Glasier, Falconry and Hawking, Nick Fox, Understanding the Birds of Prey, both standards imho, invaluable references , always something to go back too.

 

Also too be considered, Time, can you really afford to spent the time required, which is not half as much as some would like to think, but it still takes time each and every day. a lot more in winter, when lights limited, weathers awful, patience, as with any sport relying on the weather its apt to go wrong, can be very frustrating. Holidays can be awkward, not easy just to off when you feel like it , not many willing or able to lok after the hawk in your absence. Field and hunting skills, do you have any rellevent experience cos the hawk wont, so that's to be considered, lastly land have you got permission, very little point if not, (also a dog and ferrets can be needed in most cases)

 

All the above considered if that don't put ya off then maybe one day ya just might

[pointer 543]

It's a great hunting sport to get into, I'm looking forward to next season because I think I learnt about it last season but never really got a good run at it. This time round with more land, more rabbits on the land and getting to know a lad who has a Harris as well it should go better. The lad has a young lurcher which we took out for an hour yesterday up the dales to let it see a few bunnies. It was hunting away like a good un by the end so even if the wind stops us hawking we can always go out with his lurcher to pass the time lol.

 

Really looking forward to next season, my hawks just dropped her last feathers so it won't be long now.

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

Ye me too mate, starting to get itchy now lol. shes all done its just how long I leave her now, wait till September time I think once the fields are done. Need to get her on some easy bunnies because she ill need the confidence booster. Can't wait to see what this season brings

[pointer 543]

I hadn't even thought about the season and planned to just start at the beginning of September but after seeing all those young daft bunnies darting around and using those nice earths on the riverbanks..........yeah that got me thinking about hunting with the hawk again.

My mates got his first Harris so a few easyish kills will do us all good lol. I think he enjoyed the little trip out with us after work yesterday on the Durham Dales. His young dog at times was glued to my GWP in the cover which will do it no harm at all. Just a really enjoyable stroll in good company......... And for the first time in a few years some rabbits to look at ha.

[Lee C 55]

Here is a list of bits all feel free to add or shoot down bits from it. Here goes

 

Get a good mentor! Join a club Go out for season or two with them, if you can't get out with them all the time due to work or another do you have time to have a bird? Joining a club, you don't need to get involved with all the politics just get out of it what you want and need to know get out on field meeting and see who knows what .

 

Telemetry is a must they can be right next to you in cover and you dont see the buggers. Play with it and get to know how it works in fields and woodland learn to pinpoint the beep.

Feed the bird away from house !! when you get started on the training and try not to fly it in the garden my bird is fairly quiet because of this. I Free lofted for 2 weeks with sight of me around garden but not pestering him just letting him get used to surrounding and noises. He is fed with foodshoot in the side of aviary with no vision of me feeding him then cault up and maned down started on the fist sitting all over touching and jumping to - feeding on the fist. Then transfer to the flying area to do this as soon as possible. Then jumped fed and flown in the field. His sister was maned straight away fed and flown in the back garden by the owner. She screamed all the time. You could hear her inside the cafe we would meet at before field meeting and she was in her box in the van and outside parked down the street!!!

Bowing is fine but on a short lease so he, she can not pick up a lot of speed if baiting as leg can get pulled with very long leashes as they can pick up a lot of speed before jerking to a stop.

Not showing the bird where food is coming from is one key to quiet. You can take the bird to the food, put it in different places and take the bird to it!

If you keep in sight all the time when feeding the bird sees you as a perant and will call for food all the time !!

 

If you get it wrong harrises are a nightmare if screaming all the time!!

 

It will be your bird and best you do it your way. Just wanted to try to help you get off to the best start.

I'm sure your mentor will have his views on this.

Good luck and enjoy the hunting with the bird. I would also recommend hooding I didn't do this and wish I had. Also ferrets are a god send to produce game as it is very difficult to just walk up enough game, get the bird entered AS SOON AS you can if they learn they can catch from a young age it is a great start.

With the hooding tacktic I would start as soon as the bird sits on the glove but is still a bit nervous. I left mine till he was sat very confidant on the glove and he is like a snake when the hood is near his head, to confident. I think if its done early the bird is still a little on edge and will accept hooding. You can leave it on for a bit slip it off and spend time sat down with him just slipping it on wait a bit slip it off. More additions ! I would stroke his feet chest wings tail as well so he is confident with you touching him all over, helps with inspecting him under feet wings etc.

When out in field and feeding bird up that is sat on glove cover food with right hand and pass food to glove from behind glove underneath the birds tail and put to glove this stops the bird baiting forward at the sight of food if you feed him from the front also he will grab out with feet towards the food/your hand, this can make them footy. Get a large cut of leather fold up and put in hawking vest. When hunting and taking bird off prey cover rabbit completely with the leather hold rabbits leg !! Throw a chick head away from bird and it should release its hold on the rabbit and move to the food on floor, scoop up rabbit in to back of vest.

You can never have enough land to fly on!

Books are great but nothings quite like the real thing !!

Most people with large aviaries have pea gravel down sand is good in small weatherings but needs to be kept dry or it just goes to mush! So pea is good. + can be replaced after years. Look at where you will be putting the perches as the bird will projectile poo behind where it sits!! I would recommend lining the inside with fomex or stiff plastic board this can be wiped down easily. Heating is another thing to consider and in the first year they are quite venerable to frost cold + drafts, do not put away wet, hair dryer the bird but dryer must be Teflon free as Teflon will poison the bird and kill it, don't leave bath in in winter. Put perches out of drafts and if very cold you could box and bring the house, worth it as all your hard work will go out the window if they get wingtip / frost bite on wing.

Also where windows will face, nice to see bird but can contribute to calling if he can see you all the time. I have 30 mm spacing in my bars. Look out for cats on roofs pestering or cat proof roof with nets. I have also made it so I can slide in two shutters. I can have half window when cold and bird can sit at back and full window in summer. Also put window perch below window level bird can see out but poos below window level.

Just some things to think about.If you are after a bird I would see if there is a falconry club near you and ask the members for a good breeder they would recommend and get a couple of peoples advice about the breeder as there are a lot of breeders and some that will sell you anything!! Get out with the club on field meets do some ferreting for them ask if any one has a Harris you can fly for them.

 

Touch bird and get to know feel of him if breast is full of meat he is maybe fat and can be dropped a little more in weight use scales as well!!

If no meat and sharp he is very low in weight fat should not kill him sharp breast to low can!! Again use scales. If he is very sharp in breast (breast bone sticking out = Sharp to touch) and flown he may lack in energy and you will see him fade away and not have power to keep up or fly up. Stop take him back feed small amount and egg yolk from chicks as if he is in trouble Massive amounts of food can use more energy than he has left to digest the food!!!! yolk and small amount of food to start will pick him up and give him the energy he needs to then eat a larger amount. Repetition manning and confidence is the key for the bird to perform it's not all about starvation. Remember food going threw the birds system can play a key factor when training a young bird. He does well you jump him a lot great you reward a little more food great, next day you weigh him good weight but you try a lot earlier in the day and he's not as good. This may not mean cut his food again. It may mean he still has food going threw his system so not quite as hungry as day before so perceiver rather than starve to death.

 

Remember the ferrets need energy as well so if it's a long day a drink of water and some yolk from chick will give them energy and keep them hydrated.

These littler fellers are the un sung heroes and I would say a must for anyone with a hawk.

 

Always check button ends on leashes

Cope beak before putting up for moult

Check inside birds mouth and take a peek when feeding him, Vlad managed to get a cartilage loop from a pheasants wind pie over the end of his tongue and study at the bottom of it cutting off the blood supply, saw it when feeding yellow black and blue tongue !! Vets!!

Remove tail mount before moult as Vlad managed to get his beak stuck between tail mount and moulted feather as the tail mount kept the moulted feather attached to the un moulted and of course he was pecking at it!

 

Spend time picking out bits of use. We are always learning.

Young birds are like a sponge if they know they can catch repeatedly with success ! Then they will always put in the effort when they progress as they won't know failure. MAKE SURE THEY CATCH A FEW TO START ! GET THEM ENTERED

They are very clever.Mine won't hood because I left it too long and that wasn't really that long into training, when your on you own and the bird is up and the ferret kills in and won't let go of the rabbit - come out. You need to dig, as soon as I get the spade out he is there sat on the floor watching me dig because he knows what is in there and it a right pain especially on a wet / damp day. I could always change all his kit and tie him up but he can still see what is going on and it's a lot of faffing about if only I had hooded him I could use a clip / bullets in the anklets hood him and he would be none the wiser it small thing like this we learn. I am part of the Northamptonshire raptor club and spent a few years at the raptor foundation. Its worth seeing if there is a club near you that you could go along on some field meetings to get various experience from different people.

Marytin who bred my harris is a fantastic what he does not know is not worth knowing. The guys at the club call him the bird whisperer!! He offers advice rather than giving it and a lot is common sense that you just don't stop and take the time to think about and by that time the deed is done and the bird remembers you mistake and takes advantage the next time. Bit like kids if you have any, you leave the chocolate on the side and say no turn you back and it gone and there is a big mess. You should have put it away out of reach problem solved but you were to busy thinking about something else. Stop think, think what the actions may achieve or the consequences they may produce and always pick out the positive bits, make a note of them and enforce them.

It is a long-term commitment!!

Hope the above helps

All the best

Lee

Edited September 20, 2014 by Lee C

[pointer 543]

Good post mate, sums it all up nicely.

I think with a good knowledge of keeping stock and of general hunting with a dash of common sense the mentor thing isn't essential with a Harris hawk but in saying that it's still the way to go if its an option.

[youcanthide...BANG 1,051]

That's a cracking post, make a seperate topic and get that pinned in here