German Male Goshawk

[david901 165]

The day before yesterday, I had one flight at pheasant with the gos.

She chased it to a patch of brash in the nearby woodland.

Unfortunately she tried following it in and ended up soaked on the ground due to all the melted/wet snow lying.

After that we went home.

This morning I tried at the same piece of ground. Due to the brash and cover lying in amongst some thick conifers, it can be hard to get a clean flush. Usually the gos gets held up trying to go through the cover or she has to fly around it, giving the pheasant a fair start on her.

I kept the dog in close and tried to pick where I worked him. He showed a lot of interest at some fallen branches. So I worked my way around them in order to get a reasonable slip.

I shouted the dog on and just then a pheasant flushed.

The pheasant burst out, but the gos powered after it, cutting through a clearing.

The pheasant was heading back to the brushpile in the nearby woodland, but it never got that far.

The gos pulled him down a short distance away.

She got a good feed up and off we went home.

[david901 165]

Well the female gos took another rabbit today.

Her success rate is quite impressive if I say so myself.

Most things she catches, she keeps a hold of. Not bad considering her Hallux doesn't work on her right foot.

Its a far cry from her performance last year where I saw her lose rabbit after rabbit and also duff a few pheasant catches.

[muttley94 74]

couldn't agree more!

 

Have you seen the clip of a golden eagle attempting to catch a hare? its on youtube- its one of roy luptons birds and I believe the clip is on the fieldsports youtube channel. its amazing. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it!

 

Muttley

[muttley94 74]

 

this is the one, although there are longer versions

[david901 165]

Thanks for sharing mate.

I remember years ago I had a day out with some folk and one lad flew a male Goldie.

They are fairly agile for such a big bird and it caught a rabbit that day.

A bit of overkill perhaps but it was interesting to see.

[muttley94 74]

yes I am always surprised that they catch anything so small and agile as rabbits and hares! I'd love to see one fly properly! but I do agree, seems like bringing a tank to a knife fight, let alone a gun

[Roper238 0]

Excellent video that.. just been on YouTube an subscribed looks a good channel to follow..

[muttley94 74]

yes they do post some good stuff! not everything is of interest to me but most stuff is good!

 

My personal favourite on youtube is this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHMuDvc7quBoy-tzr_rP0wA

 

but thats just airgun shooting so sorry if its not to anyones taste!

[david901 165]

A couple of pics of some crow hawking with my Gos.

No car hawking involved, just sneaking around trying to get a close enough slip.

[Jerry71 269]

On 03/11/2015 at 15:01, david901 said:

That is one major problem. - Buying a well raised hawk.

Some of the "reputable" breeders are not that reputable it seems.

I think some of the lads who breed from their own hunting stock just as a hobby can be more reliable.

Same with terriers and lurchers, best ones come from lads who breed to keep a line going not for profit. 

[david901 165]

Hardly any rabbits about so starting off with the black stuff. A Jackdaw caught in strong winds.