15 replies to this topic

[hawker]

My new bird (100 days old) out near Modesto. This was his 7th bunny

[CHIN SQUIRREL]

That's very cool! I also liked your other post on your hawk hunting exploits. Keep 'em coming, they're awesome.

[ratassassin]

Nice

[yoteblaster]

Real cool, I have always wanted to do the Hawking, however, I hear they are way more work than kids, which I have 3 of, so no thanks, but still awesome to think about and see. Thanks for the cool pics

[Thumper Dunker]

Thats realy cool. Now you need an eagle to go get some yotes. What typ of hawk is that?.

[Heywood]

Or just teach it to drop goats off cliffs. The first minute thirty and at the 5 min mark is the good action.

[hawker]

He's a North American goshawk, captive bred in Colorado and shipped to me at 22 days old. Great video, eagles are pretty smart. A friend of a friend flies golden eagles at wolves in Mongolia -- she's this young girl and totally rocks, I hear she's taken hundreds of wolves/foxes. :)However, I'm pretty happy with my small hawks... I don't relish the idea of flying something that's really smart, has a long memory, and is quite capable of killing you.

[sportyg]

That is just awesome...

[hawker]

Back in the field and our 2nd bunny flushed became catch #8. It tried to go into thicker cover but the gos got ahead of it, and it started running toward me. I feinted left then ran toward it, so with the gos coming up on its left and me coming from the right, it was forced uphill and into thinner cover. He kept after it and got it, about a 50 yard flight.

[.22guy]

This is awesome stuff! Do you eat the rabbits or let him enjoy the prize?

[Jeff]

What work is truly involved in falconry (or is it hawkery in this case)? Specifically starting up. I've read lots of info on it, about the long, drawn out apprenticeships, and expensive classes and such. Or is it just..."here's my permit, can I buy your hawk?"

[BullsEye]

Why do you step on the rabbit? Is it to keep the hawk from flying off with it or to keep the rabbit from running off? Great pictures.

[Thumper Dunker]

Realy cool. Great pictures.

[hawker]

@22guy: the rabbits are his, for the most part. It tastes OK but to me there are far better meats out there. If I can get him to take ducks & pheasant, those will be mine. @bullseye: he has a slight tendency to want to drag (we call it 'carry') the rabbit into cover. I keep one foot on it until he realizes he can't go anywhere with it, settles and gets to chowing down. He'll eventually stop trying to carry. Right now I don't want to draw his ire by getting my hands in there to kill the rabbit, as much as I'd like to. So the foot also keeps the bunny from running away. These days I'm sticking it in the side with an awl so it dies a little faster.@jeff: 3 main pieces to starting: - take the test from F&G, - build housing for your bird, - find a sponsor. The third is the hard part since apprenticeship is a minimum of 2 years and good sponsors are hard to find. (There are falconers who will sign up anyone, but they're not likely to give you a whole lot of help either. If you kind of know what you're doing, i.e. you can read the books and talk to other falconers and figure it out, then this might be a perfectly good option. But if you need some hand-holding, you'll want someone more involved.) You will be initially outlaying $1000 at least -- books/videos, building materials, perches, leashes, gloves, all the hardware. And this is all before you get the hawk. (You better be sure you want to do it before you do it ) Best thing is to just go hawking with people & see what it's all about.Count on an hour minimum per day with your bird, and several when you're hunting. I hunt 4 days a week usually about 1.5 hrs for the hunting, and I have 2 hrs driving on top of that. Yeah, my gas bill sucks. That is the closest field I have, I'd like to find something in Livermore which is only 25 minutes for me -- I scouted 3 spots today, 2 were nothing, 1 had jacks but no bunnies. I did find a small covey of quail, though There's no reason to pay for classes... join CHC and go to the meet (January, Bakersfield), meet people. There's a fair number of falconers around Sac.You'll trap either a redtail or a kestrel. Technically speaking, someone can transfer a Harris hawk to you, but I don't recommend it because Harrises are too friggin' easy. Trap a wild bird, tame it down, train it to come to you, go hunting. It's an amazing process you'll never forget. The more time you put in, the faster your bird will learn and be a good hunter with you. If you only deal with the bird on weekends, it's had 5 days to forget what it's learned... know what I'm saying?That was a little scattered but I hope it answers your question. If I didn't, keep asking.

[Jeff]

So, I'm assuming the F&G test gets you a license to own a falcon/hawk, as well as trap one? Thanks for the info...

[hawker]

The test is only one part. The license application has to be signed by your sponsor. He/she also inspects your hawk house (mews) and checks off that you have proper housing. Only after all that you get the license and that gives you permission to trap between Oct 1 and Jan 31.ps/ checked out your fb page, you do some nice work there!