Flying Thru the Moult

Date: Apr 27, 2004

Flying Thru the Moult

Date: Apr 27, 2004

yeah im still flying my female harris,she is still feather perfect so i kept her going, plus with the lighter nights i can hawk longer after work ha ha

Date: Apr 28, 2004

you lucky sods we gave up a month ago, my female harris looks like a second hand feather duster more feathers on the floor than on her, but it is her first moult. i do plan to fly later next year

Date: May 1, 2004

It ok to fly in spring, if you are not hunting.

Try not to hunt nesting birds and other, as they are all pairing up and some have youngs back home.

Wait till late summer if you must hunt.

Watch out for the anti hunting, more around in summer not good for our sport. pal

Date: May 1, 2004

HI

Just got another rabbit! great fun. I can't see any problem.

I told the farmer I would help keep the rabbit numbers down, I'm just diong what I said I would do. If at worst he gets a Doe with young- my heart will bleed!

Happy hunting, Mark,

Ps. as for the anti's, what do they look like?, I havn't met one yet, they all love the bird.

Date: May 3, 2004

basically from my experience antis are any game keeper, or any numb nuts who shoots a gun.

Date: May 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: josh
"basically from my experience antis are any game keeper, or any numb nuts who shoots a gun. "

I can't agree with you Josh.

If you are flying on ground where you have no permission then you'll get flack from the people who are probably paying a high price for the shooting rights. That doesn't make them antis.

I have found most(not all) to be pretty fair if you keep them infomed that you may, occaasionally, have to retrieve your hawk from their land.

The real antis are those who are just plain against hunting.

We all ( shooters, hunters, fishers and falconers) need to stand up for hunting in general. I hope you are all members of the Countryside Alliance and a falconry club that is affiliated to the Hawk Board. http://www.hawkboard.org.uk/clubs.htm

http://www.countryside-alliance.org/membership/index.html

The breeding of certain hybrids would have been banned this year if the HB had not been acting on our behalf. It may still happen next year but they are trying to prevent it.

Your sport is in danger from many sides these organisations are trying hard to keep things going - support them.

Andy

Date: May 4, 2004

well i guess we"ll just have to agree to disagree.

Date: May 4, 2004

I know there must be down sides to this practice, I'm intrested to compare the "normal" routine of putting down to moult early, with a latter moulting. Last year I did it by the book and he had Moulted out by early September but there were so many leaves on the trees and the cover so thick that I wondered why i had moulted early when I could have left it another month.

At the show someone said he may not get a full set of feathers now. I would like to see if this is true, and to hear if others out there have tried different timings, and the results.

Cheers Mark

Date: May 4, 2004

Mark/Chaps

itoothis year putmy female down to moult early ( febuary), i did this after much reasearch,badgering of old timers and pestering of the vet. It seems that the early moult isv important with 1st year birds, as we all know the first moult is quite extreme with many feathers lost at one time. It is thought by those much more sensible than me that by flying during the first moult, can possible lead to poor feather formation due to low nutiant level( vitamins, minerals etc).

but as with you i no not how accurate this is,will have to wait and see.

Date: May 16, 2004

hey all,

personally have never flown through the summer unless i had too (wen working at a centre) apart from that i just would not. Firstly i have seen harris hawks with nearly pure whiter tail fathers through stress specially young birds on there first or second moult. and secondly your showing absaloutly no respect to your quarry ok rabbits will run but partriges pigeons etc wont and its actions like this that will get our sport band. but its ok then you will all get a fishing rod or a dog and move on to the next craze.

rob

Date: May 17, 2004

I agree with you Andy and Rob, Its just to easy to get carried away with a harris. Its like flat pack , DIY Falconry. No tools needed for the sport.

Am glad there are people out there to keep our sport going, and maybe we need to fight our selfs, to say whats wronge and right.

let hope some kind of USA system adopted in Uk. it is needed as we can see.

Date: May 17, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: rob
" but its ok then you will all get a fishing rod or a dog and move on to the next craze. rob "

Thats a bit strong isn't it, people are entitled to try Falconry, provided they get good advice and join a club for support. If they decide they have not the time or some other good reason to give it up and buy a fishing rod thats their choice! and i bet there are thousands of falconers who enjoy fishing and exercising their animals, whats your problem mate??

Date: May 17, 2004

alright mark,

not got a problem just a couple of things in this topic wound me up abit like my heart will bleed if he catches a doe in kit n an anti is any game keeper or anyone with a gun lol both great comments the sort of comments that will get our sport band. as for plenty falconers enjoying fishing and excercising there animals i love fishing and enjoy running long dogs and do so quite often. i think you'll understand the topic of people moving on too new crazes a bit more wen youve been in the game a bit more and dealt with some of these pricks who think its great to parade round with a bird on the fist cause they think it looks gud, only too move on too the next phad a couple of months later leaving a totally messed up bird which is then passed on too another dick too wreck some more.

all the best

rob

Date: May 18, 2004

Flat pack falconers are every where rob, they know it all. They know all about the country side and will tell you how long they have been doing it. I feel rainy days a head with DIY FLAT PACK FALCONER They even buy the jesses

Date: May 18, 2004

hey pal,

made me smile that comment about buying jesses lol most of theses flat pack falconers wouldnt know were to start with a pair of jesses let alone a hood lol. but your right they do think they know it all and im sure mark will come back telling me ive got a problem or hes been doing it longer than me but too be honest i just enjoy flying birds and dont want too see this privalage taken away from me n like minded people by flat pack falconers as pal would say lol

all the best

rob

what you fly pal? n where u from?

Date: May 18, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: rob
"hey pal,
made me smile that comment about buying jesses lol most of theses flat pack falconers wouldnt know were to start with a pair of jesses let alone a hood lol. but your right they do think they know it all and im sure mark will come back telling me ive got a problem or hes been doing it longer than me but too be honest i just enjoy flying birds and dont want too see this privalage taken away from me n like minded people by flat pack falconers as pal would say lol
all the best
rob
what you fly pal? n where u from?"

not all new falconers are diy we all start somewhere and alot of falconers wont help anyone this is why we get screwed up birds (we all make mistakes its a matter of learning from them)

Date: May 18, 2004

Hi Ian, there are good and bad olf falconers and good and bad new-bees, to the sport. Sorry I did not mean all new comers. Only the one that know all. I still learn new tricks from new and old falconers. We need to work togather new and old to keep the sport going. Ian there are great people out there who will love to help.

Real falconers are 99% good people.

Am in london (yes hard to find hunting grounds) it ok for hawks but not for falcons

Date: May 18, 2004

This is getting really good lads, some real talk going on.... maybe i should stir it up a bit more often.... Birds going great still had a rabbit last Wednesday, one on Friday and another yesterday evening!! not bad for one man a Harris and a beating stick.

By the way someone said that hunting this time of year is not showing the quary respect, how much respect is shown to rabbits when we put ferrets down the burys???.. but great fun i'm sure, must try it someday

Cheers Mark ( flying male Harris from MFI )

Date: May 18, 2004

aammmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Hi mark

WHAT UP DO

Date: May 18, 2004

Hallo Everyone

I am new to this site. I thaught you lot liked killing poor defencless creatures? What difference does it make to the Bunnies what time of year they are killed?

Confused Charles

Date: May 18, 2004

hey mark,

three rabbits in the last week aye not bad bet they were all bucks in good condition too, as if they will be young or pregnant does or does tired from rearing young. so wen you say its not that bad well yer it is, a buzzard with one wing could catch them. come down next year and we'll see how your bird and your bird are doing you never know we might even get on lol if you wanna keep stiring it up by all means do so.

all the best

rob

charles you thought us lot liked killing defensley rabbits well you thought wrong so **** off!

Date: May 18, 2004

hey ian,

i didnt mean all newbie falconers was more refering to this indervidual topic and some of the comments that had been made. your right some falconers wont help but like you say then you gotta do it on your own but thats life aye! but i'll think you'll find most lads willing too help.

if any offense was caused from my posts i apologise.

all the best

rob

Date: May 18, 2004

Sorry charles,

I guess you sweep the ground in front of you when you walk so that you dont kill any ants and other small animals, dose it matter HOW BIG OR SMALL or what time of a year

Date: May 18, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: rob
charles you thought us lot liked killing defensley rabbits well you thought wrong so **** off!"

You obviously have problems expressing yourself, are you typical of Falconers or are you an orriginal Wa*k*r, thats wanker in case your dim as well as inarticulate

Charles

Date: May 18, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: rob
charles you thought us lot liked killing defensley rabbits well you thought wrong so **** off!"

You obviously have problems expressing yourself, are you typical of Falconers or are you an orriginal Wa*k*r, thats wanker in case your dim as well as inarticulate

Charles

Date: May 18, 2004

Charles

I have a pair off bell for you to to put on, so that the ants can hear you coming or is it cum ing while you wa*k , so you can save the poor ants you anti:

biggrin:

Date: May 18, 2004

Hey Pal

When your bird is on a kill, do you stand over it tossing yourself off?... bet you have a little dick to.

Charles

Date: May 18, 2004

Hi Lads

Things seem to be hotting up tonite. Try to be nice to each other my kids read this stuff

Adam

Date: May 18, 2004

so it you thats been watch me tos off,

I found you used tissues in the bush.