To be honest that kind of ground would be ideal Bob if it is bunny heaven....
Cheers Mark
WANTED HAWKING PERMISSION.
- Thread starter Markyr
- Start date
To be honest that kind of ground would be ideal Bob if it is bunny heaven....
Cheers Mark
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
To all and sundry, Markyr is not likely to be roaming over thousands of acres if flying a Harris Hawk at rabbits. I am not biased either way as I don't know him but unless he loses his bird (doubtful with modern telemetry), it should stay within 100 yards or so. If it doesn't work, it is easy to say "No"! Just thought I would try to help him along -- been there, done that.
I had a very good arrangement here for years. I game keepered 600 acres of young forestry and put down birds, fed them, all at my own expense, in return for the right to catch a dozen pheasants a year with my hawk. In return, the owners got some brilliant family shoots about half a dozen days a year without it costing them a penny.
I had a very good arrangement here for years. I game keepered 600 acres of young forestry and put down birds, fed them, all at my own expense, in return for the right to catch a dozen pheasants a year with my hawk. In return, the owners got some brilliant family shoots about half a dozen days a year without it costing them a penny.
give it time you did say you had finish for this year
Hi bob,
Yes I have... I know this post will eventually get lost in the pages the older it gets and I don't want to be a total nuisance and keep posting it. I'll probably have another go nearer the time the next season starts.... Unfortunately I'm one of those people who likes to get things sorted (whatever it is) as soon as I can... Sad I know.
Cheers Mark
Yes I have... I know this post will eventually get lost in the pages the older it gets and I don't want to be a total nuisance and keep posting it. I'll probably have another go nearer the time the next season starts.... Unfortunately I'm one of those people who likes to get things sorted (whatever it is) as soon as I can... Sad I know.
Cheers Mark
buffalo_soldier
Member
- Location
- cumbria
I let a guy with a hawk on a while back.
It sat on top of a shed for about an hour then flew off.
Felt so sorry for him he was around for days looking for it.
It sat on top of a shed for about an hour then flew off.
Felt so sorry for him he was around for days looking for it.
Darren
Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Hi guys, thanks to you all asking if I'm still looking for somewhere to fly my hawk, Darren I will give you a call very soon.
Just an update, I have had to take a backseat with hawking this season due to an increased work load and taking on a new gsp puppy which will hopefully work with my older one when eventually trained..... I am currently hawk-less and due to the amount of time they need to fly them properly I have let her go to someone who can offer this ( I hate birds, dogs and ferrets etc not being used for what they should be and not doing anything ) a very good friend of mine is still flying and the offer to fly his hawk when I can (part time) is a bonus... So no I'm not flying anything but yes I am if you catch my drift. I will hopefully get back into things and sort another hawk out eventually when I can fully commit.
I/we are still looking for genuine places to fly if possible if anyone can still help.....
I hope this answers any doubts....
Kind Regards Mark
Just an update, I have had to take a backseat with hawking this season due to an increased work load and taking on a new gsp puppy which will hopefully work with my older one when eventually trained..... I am currently hawk-less and due to the amount of time they need to fly them properly I have let her go to someone who can offer this ( I hate birds, dogs and ferrets etc not being used for what they should be and not doing anything ) a very good friend of mine is still flying and the offer to fly his hawk when I can (part time) is a bonus... So no I'm not flying anything but yes I am if you catch my drift. I will hopefully get back into things and sort another hawk out eventually when I can fully commit.
I/we are still looking for genuine places to fly if possible if anyone can still help.....
I hope this answers any doubts....
Kind Regards Mark
peteinwilts
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
My first bird was a HH. I used to fly him like a Goshawk before getting the real thing.
This year was a bad year for me. My Goshawk died on New years day (heart attack), and lost my Gyr-Saker after becoming egg bound that infected her liver.
I am taking the rest of the season off, and hope to get a female Gos next year. My last Gos was a German male weighing 1lb 12oz. My quarry is pheasant, crow and rabbit, and although he tried hard, he was a little small for the quarry, hence the desire to get a female.
My male was parent reared, and therefore not a screamer. One of my falconry friends had an imprint Finish Male that screamed like a banshee, so was passed on to another chap who does displays and TV programs.
If I find a parent reared female still available this year, I might snap her up!
This year was a bad year for me. My Goshawk died on New years day (heart attack), and lost my Gyr-Saker after becoming egg bound that infected her liver.
I am taking the rest of the season off, and hope to get a female Gos next year. My last Gos was a German male weighing 1lb 12oz. My quarry is pheasant, crow and rabbit, and although he tried hard, he was a little small for the quarry, hence the desire to get a female.
My male was parent reared, and therefore not a screamer. One of my falconry friends had an imprint Finish Male that screamed like a banshee, so was passed on to another chap who does displays and TV programs.
If I find a parent reared female still available this year, I might snap her up!
Hi Pete,
Sorry to hear about your tragedy... I've been there with one of my hawks in the past and surprisingly it upset me more than I honestly thought it would... She was a true star. Can I assume your male gos flew at 1lb 2oz? Being a german bird!!!
I truly love goshawks and like you I will fly one, one day.... Land and time permitting. Hopefully a nice finnish female.
Good luck with your quest and if things transpire and you get your hawk please keep us all posted on how she's getting on.
Cheers Mark
Sorry to hear about your tragedy... I've been there with one of my hawks in the past and surprisingly it upset me more than I honestly thought it would... She was a true star. Can I assume your male gos flew at 1lb 2oz? Being a german bird!!!
I truly love goshawks and like you I will fly one, one day.... Land and time permitting. Hopefully a nice finnish female.
Good luck with your quest and if things transpire and you get your hawk please keep us all posted on how she's getting on.
Cheers Mark
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
My first bird was a HH. I used to fly him like a Goshawk before getting the real thing.
This year was a bad year for me. My Goshawk died on New years day (heart attack), and lost my Gyr-Saker after becoming egg bound that infected her liver.
I am taking the rest of the season off, and hope to get a female Gos next year. My last Gos was a German male weighing 1lb 12oz. My quarry is pheasant, crow and rabbit, and although he tried hard, he was a little small for the quarry, hence the desire to get a female.
My male was parent reared, and therefore not a screamer. One of my falconry friends had an imprint Finish Male that screamed like a banshee, so was passed on to another chap who does displays and TV programs.
If I find a parent reared female still available this year, I might snap her up!
My male gos flew at 1lb 12oz and took a lot of rabbits and cock pheasants without much trouble. The key is to train them to take hold of the head which they will do if they are always fed on the head. Just put your bag on the kill, exposing just the head and feed up. I learnt that one from a 16th century book on falconry. Forget about feeding DOCs and frozen quail if you want peak performance but get yourself a steady supply of pigeons or feed only game. A Croatian friend of mine flies only small European tiercel gosses and catches a lot of cock pheasants and rabbits. Size is not everything!
peteinwilts
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
I 'was' thinking of another bird when I wrote 1lb 12oz! He flew at 1lb 5oz.
He took rabbits and cock pheasants, but was kicked off of more than he caught. He also took Mallard, but normally ended up trying to drown it. I had him wrapped up inside my bodywarmer on more than one occasion during snowy days.
Size is not everything, and I love the agility smaller males give. However, I do find those extra few ounces give the edge when the quarry goes to cover, and the bird follows on foot.
I could be tempted with a Finnish or Finnish x Male, but a german female or similar would be ok. A Finnish female is overkill for most quarry in the UK, and I would end up looking like popeye after carrying a 3lb lump round for a season.
He took rabbits and cock pheasants, but was kicked off of more than he caught. He also took Mallard, but normally ended up trying to drown it. I had him wrapped up inside my bodywarmer on more than one occasion during snowy days.
Size is not everything, and I love the agility smaller males give. However, I do find those extra few ounces give the edge when the quarry goes to cover, and the bird follows on foot.
I could be tempted with a Finnish or Finnish x Male, but a german female or similar would be ok. A Finnish female is overkill for most quarry in the UK, and I would end up looking like popeye after carrying a 3lb lump round for a season.
Good luck Peter, keep us all posted if you get a Gos, I would love to hear how you get on with him.
I would also like to thank Darren from this forum for his kind hospitality, who I went up to spoke to today, fingers crossed we can help eradicate some of your rabbits. Cheers!!!
In my heart I am seriously thinking about ordering a Gos for next season as I desperately want one.... My head says no until work settles a little and I can guarantee an abundance of quarry to fly at.... All good things come to those who wait!!!.... I hope.
I would also like to thank Darren from this forum for his kind hospitality, who I went up to spoke to today, fingers crossed we can help eradicate some of your rabbits. Cheers!!!
In my heart I am seriously thinking about ordering a Gos for next season as I desperately want one.... My head says no until work settles a little and I can guarantee an abundance of quarry to fly at.... All good things come to those who wait!!!.... I hope.
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