New Hawk Anyone?

[david901 165]

Who has put down a deposit for a new hawk/falcon?

What are you getting - size, sex, species etc and what quarry [if any ]do you plan on hunting ?

[spar123 24]

A new musket for me hopefully this year. :boogy:

[david901 165]

A new musket for me hopefully this year. :boogy:

Hi Spar123

 

Nice one

 

Are you going to imprint him?

And what do you intend to hunt with him?

[spar123 24]

hi,yes an imprint & hunt starling,s mainly under license.atb ade

:victory: :victory:

[muttley94 74]

Maybe next year or the year after for me, the wait is killing me but thats when I will hopefully be in a situation when I have the time to fully commit to a BoP! until then all I can do is read my books and live through guys on here and youtube

[david901 165]

Maybe next year or the year after for me, the wait is killing me but thats when I will hopefully be in a situation when I have the time to fully commit to a BoP! until then all I can do is read my books and live through guys on here and youtube

That is a wise choice mate.

If you don't have the time to fly them regularly, they won't get fit enough to take on challenging quarry, which is where the fun is in hawking.

[stevo79 569]

How often do the need to be out??

[pointer 543]

My hawk injured herself five weeks ago and after medication and X-rays it may still take weeks before she uses her foot properly again. Thank the Gods for hawk insurance. If the worst happens and she doesn't heal 100% I'll have to obtain amother hawk.

[david901 165]

How often do the need to be out??

That is a good question.

A lot depends on your quarry and how you fly it.

For example if flying a Harris Hawk at rabbits off the fist, it generally needs to be fitter than if you are flying it from trees.

The height from the tree gives the waiting hawk a bit of an advantage. Therefore the hawk flown from the fist would need to be a bit fitter so needs to be exercised more.

If flying it at harder to catch quarry eg gamebirds, it will generally need to be fairly fit. An unfit hawk will quickly learn it can't catch them and will give up easily.

If the hawk is fit and CONFIDENT it will give you some cracking long distant chases.

 

In short I try to get my gos out at least 4 or 5 times a week sometimes weather permitting we get out 6 times.

Every week he gets a crop-busting gorge and then he misses a days feeding/flying.

If I couldn't fly him at least 3 times a week, I wouldn't bother and then I would do fitness work with him on his days off.

 

I know some folk only flew their hawk once a week, but to me that is not so good for the hawk.

Generally the more you fly them, the better they become.

This is just my opinion, others may have different thoughts.

 

Cheers

[adamj328 1]

I have 2 harris hawks and I fly them pretty much everyday for a min of 2 hours a day.

[pointer 543]

I wouldn't keep a hawk if I couldn't get out with it 3/4 times a week and daily for some of the season but some weeks the weather makes that impossible. I wouldn't have kept a working dog that I couldn't hunt with regularly either so hawks are no different to other hunting. It is a fact that many falconers may take a hawk out almost daily but only have a short season with it where as others may only get out 2/3 times a week but go from the beginning of September until the end of March. Personally I prefer the idea of a longer season. Many Hawks are flown well and regularly for a couple of seasons and then never leave their chambers for the rest of their lives. It can be a funny game.

[low plains drifter 10,331]

 

How often do the need to be out??

 

That is a good question.

A lot depends on your quarry and how you fly it.

For example if flying a Harris Hawk at rabbits off the fist, it generally needs to be fitter than if you are flying it from trees.

The height from the tree gives the waiting hawk a bit of an advantage. Therefore the hawk flown from the fist would need to be a bit fitter so needs to be exercised more.

If flying it at harder to catch quarry eg gamebirds, it will generally need to be fairly fit. An unfit hawk will quickly learn it can't catch them and will give up easily.

If the hawk is fit and CONFIDENT it will give you some cracking long distant chases.

 

In short I try to get my gos out at least 4 or 5 times a week sometimes weather permitting we get out 6 times.

Every week he gets a crop-busting gorge and then he misses a days feeding/flying.

If I couldn't fly him at least 3 times a week, I wouldn't bother and then I would do fitness work with him on his days off.

 

I know some folk only flew their hawk once a week, but to me that is not so good for the hawk.

Generally the more you fly them, the better they become.

This is just my opinion, others may have different thoughts.

 

Cheers

That's interesting mate, I don't keep birds myself, but always thought it was more to do with getting the birds at the right weight (yarak) that was needed to make them keen to work ?, had a day with a falconer last sunday flying a few different birds, my dogs take all my time up, but I would love to get involved with falcons/hawks if I ever get the chance

[david901 165]

 

 

How often do the need to be out??

That is a good question.

A lot depends on your quarry and how you fly it.

For example if flying a Harris Hawk at rabbits off the fist, it generally needs to be fitter than if you are flying it from trees.

The height from the tree gives the waiting hawk a bit of an advantage. Therefore the hawk flown from the fist would need to be a bit fitter so needs to be exercised more.

If flying it at harder to catch quarry eg gamebirds, it will generally need to be fairly fit. An unfit hawk will quickly learn it can't catch them and will give up easily.

If the hawk is fit and CONFIDENT it will give you some cracking long distant chases.

 

In short I try to get my gos out at least 4 or 5 times a week sometimes weather permitting we get out 6 times.

Every week he gets a crop-busting gorge and then he misses a days feeding/flying.

If I couldn't fly him at least 3 times a week, I wouldn't bother and then I would do fitness work with him on his days off.

 

I know some folk only flew their hawk once a week, but to me that is not so good for the hawk.

Generally the more you fly them, the better they become.

This is just my opinion, others may have different thoughts.

 

Cheers

That's interesting mate, I don't keep birds myself, but always thought it was more to do with getting the birds at the right weight (yarak) that was needed to make them keen to work ?, had a day with a falconer last sunday flying a few different birds, my dogs take all my time up, but I would love to get involved with falcons/hawks if I ever get the chance

 

 

To get the best out of them, there is more to flying them just weight management.

 

Think of them like a good quality running dog.[ or any athlete]

They need to be fit, - hunting it once a week and then leaving it locked up for the rest of the week just won't do that.

They need to be full of muscle and not fat, that is why they are weighed, it makes it easier to gauge their condition.

They need to be confident and believe they can catch what they chase.

 

Some folk just rely on getting their weight right and can have success at hunting them at less demanding quarry, but unless they are fit and confident, they will struggle against the more demanding quarry, which give the best flights.

[Moorman 1 1,343]

Just had my last day out with my female Harris this season, had three kills today. Flew her almost daily at beginning of season, then down to three days a week, sometimes only two.

When I go out though I'm usually out for the day. She has attained a great level of fitness and confidence, as a lot of her flying has been at bolted rabbits on open moorland.

Very pleased with her first season's tally 143 Rabbits, 13 Pheasants, 4 Squirrels and a Moorhen. 161 head.

[Accip74 7,112]

Just had my last day out with my female Harris this season, had three kills today. Flew her almost daily at beginning of season, then down to three days a week, sometimes only two.

When I go out though I'm usually out for the day. She has attained a great level of fitness and confidence, as a lot of her flying has been at bolted rabbits on open moorland.

Very pleased with her first season's tally 143 Rabbits, 13 Pheasants, 4 Squirrels and a Moorhen. 161 head.

Nice going mate ;-)