jimbob77 0 Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 Hi everyone. There is a lot of crows and a few magpies around my end. Does anybody have a good strategy that provides the easiest of slips for entering a male Harris. I know I'm gonna struggle but it's one of my goals this year to get him that fit. All advice is much appreciated thanks Quote Link to post
david901 165 Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 A HH will struggle to catch crow in fair flight, but they can catch them if you get a close enough slip. Some HH can be quite good at them. When getting a hawk entered on them, I get the bird used to catching a crow carcase. I let the bird feed from it so it knows they are good to eat. Then I put a carcase on a line and get the bird to catch it in mid air, making it harder and harder to catch as the training progresses. After a week of this I usually go to a farm where they feed around the sheds. It makes it easier to sneak up close enough to give the hawk a decent chance. Some people car hawk [which is illegal on the public road] but I think its unsporting so I don't do it. But I do drive around the farm roads where I have permission and if I see a good slip, I park my van and get out and walk up before slipping. If you can get your HH to soar, it will have a decent chance on any crows feeding below. If you persevere and like you say get the hawk fit, you will catch crows. Its years since I flew a HH, but it caught the odd crow, magpie and moorhen. If I had pheasant at the time I'm sure he would have caught those as well. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to post
jimbob77 0 Posted October 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Thank you so much for the informative reply. Looks like I'm going hunting on my own first. Just need to get him trained to work with the car and plenty of jump ups. I've just seen one on YouTube that was bloody amazing. He was soaring beautifully and so highly motivated for the chase. It's astonishing how some people get their birds trained to this caliber. I wish I could fly mine in a cast with such a bird in hopes that he would learn something. I'm gonna do my best. Cheers mate Quote Link to post
david901 165 Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 One thing I will say and that is don't give him slip after slip without getting a kill. Young hawks soon get demoralised. Three or four slips at the most and then fling out a carcase for him. I usually put it on a long line and throw it way up high for the bird as he comes towards me. Then give him a decent feed from it. Quote Link to post
j j m 6,536 Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 good advice from above Quote Link to post
Millet 4,497 Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 I have missed rook and carrion with a male gos even with mugging them, A harriss has one chance and we know what that is. haha Quote Link to post
jimbob77 0 Posted October 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 I'm trying to get a crow with my new bought catapult. I'm practicing now lol. That's my biggest fear that he'll never chase them after that. Yes thank you for that. Although I wasn't thinking three or four then a carcas but that sounds a lot safer to me and I bet his encouragement will even increase the first few times. I just can't muck about and get him entered asap. Excuse my lack of knowledge but what is mugging? I know you were talking sarcastically and heavily joking when you were saying a Harris has one chance and we know what that is. Could you explain what you meant by one chance? I've started manning him to the car yesterday and he wasn't bothered in the slightest. He seemed to enjoy the view haha I had the windows down and I was only in second gear but enough to get close to some crows. Cheers Quote Link to post
wildman 487 Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 when he says mugging he means sneaking up from behind or from cover and when he says the hh has only one chance he means no chance but you stick at it pal ive had a few hh and there a very intelligent bird might be better for the bird to first enter him to a quarry abit less difficult like rabbit just to get birds confidence up atb Quote Link to post
j j m 6,536 Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 my mates harris has took crows on good slips Quote Link to post
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