pointer 543 Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 How's people's Hawks going? Mines had a slower moult than normal and still has a few feathers to come down, we should still be out by the beginning of September. For now I'm just doing a bit of fishing and spending time with my young pointer. 1 Quote Link to post
youcanthide...BANG 1,051 Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Just waiting for everything to harden off and make sure no feathers are still in blood. Not in a rush though Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I wouldn't say I'm in a rush but I do feel ready to start hunting again. I like to get off to a good start as you never know how the season will go with the weather, quarry numbers and possible injury. Quote Link to post
Lee C 55 Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Gutted that my birds had to go. Good luck with the season to you all. I miss my daily routine with them. Cover look thick but seen a lot of bunnies and pheasants about. ALL THE VERY BEST Leee Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 That's a shame Lee. Mixy has killed a lot of rabbits where I go this summer but we will do what we can. The cover is thick like you say but I think the hedges around the stubble fields and a few open sets should allow me to get something done. Quote Link to post
bullet 125 Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 cant wait but like you its going to be September for me, waiting for the kids go back school then pull the female goshawk out, bring her down steady and have her going by October hopefully, then pull the male goshawk out around December and do a couple of months with him that's the plan anyway, good luck for this coming season folks 1 Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted September 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 (edited) I've had my hawk out for a week but the cover is ridiculously thick, even for early season it's crazy. Still it's good to be out. She was still a touch overweight and a bit unresponsive until Wednesday but she has caught five rats one of which was bolted by a ferret out of a dry stone wall high up in the dales. Lack of fitness showed yesterday as I tried to get her a rabbit and she missed a few, in the end she got to jump on one that the ferret had knocked about before it bolted. I won't count it in her season tally but she needed to get hold of one after missing others and I let her have a feed from it. It's been a slow start but hopefully we can get some momentum going now. Edited September 21, 2015 by pointer 3 Quote Link to post
lurchers 2,768 Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Nice going mate Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted September 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I've seen some good flights this week but heavy cover has made things difficult. We did try and bolt a rabbit for her on Wednesday but the sets were empty and a low rabbit population is an issue. I'd hoped they would breed well but that doesn't appear to be the case. I had a bit of a panic on Thursday when she caught a rat against a fence and it had grabbed her beak and was hanging on. Thankfully no damage was done and the rat was dispatched quickly. Ten kills so far so not a great start but not terrible. 1 Quote Link to post
bullet 125 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) nice one, good start, just got mine on the line at the mo, she's still food flicking so still some to go yet, sat here typinging this whilst she's sat on the fist(bird,not the missus lol) wont be long Edited September 28, 2015 by bullet 1 Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 To be honest I'm struggling, sets that were full of rabbits last season are empty now and although ive seen a few rabbits around the cover it will be a while until it dies back and cold weather pushes the bunnies to ground. I've seen some good hunting the last few days but a lack of quarry is a worry but something that will hopefully be sorted out by begging invites off mates. Quote Link to post
bullet 125 Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 its crap when it gets like that, see loads through out the summer and then the season kicks in and seems to be none about, guess im lucky really as ive a lot of ground in all areas around me, plus plenty of mates who take us on theirs for a day or two just to watch the birds go, ive done two days ferreting and a few hours lamping which bagged me 14 in total to keep my freezer going till the bird n ferrets starts catching 1 Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted September 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 I have a few good mates that will help me out like they did last season so I'm not panicking just yet lol. 1 Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted October 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 Nothing much to talk about this week just a load of near misses and walking around sweating in the ridiculously warm weather. I have had my hawk flying over my pointer and we got to see some good dog work and flights on Saturday. She only connected with one rabbit but it towed her around the hill and I couldn't get to them quickly enough before it pulled free. I've also had her crashing down after stuff in front of my young pointer so that's a promising start and hopefully will lead to a good partnership. She did get to take another two rats and two pheasants one of which was caught in flight as they twisted around trees. We are not having the best of starts this season but I'm not too worried as my main aim is to get her working properly with the pointers. The Hawks lack of fitness is the main reason she hasn't caught more so that's something to work on. Quote Link to post
pointer 543 Posted October 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2015 Quarry has often been hard to find and with only upto an hour after work to do anything we've often been running out of daylight before bagging something. However my hawk is working with my dog brilliantly and I'm seeing the type of hawking I prefer, flights over a pointer. The bracken makes things difficult and she would be catching more if I went ferreting or lamping but the sport this week has been great and I'll continue to concentrate on getting the hawk/dog team I want. 1 Quote Link to post
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