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i am going to join falconry forum, Ive got lots of question, Louise i think you might be better starting up topic in the off topic chat.

i am very interested

Tony
 
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I am a member of the falconry forum also though i wouldnt recommend it for a beginner there are so many opinions on there and if you are a beginner knowing which one opinion out of hundreds is the right one can be tricky. There is also alot of bitching that goes on and they are quick to criticise beginners to the point many are put off the sport all together. For someone like me though it is great because it allows me to get in touch with local falconers and ask specialist advice to the right people.

regards
louise
 
Louise you think that Falconry forums have to many people offering different advice ?

Just wait until the spring and see what advice is offered here to members questions,most problems will get at least 5 different answers on what to do.
 
No its not that because at the end of the day thats what forums are for debates. But what i mean is you will get at least 30 replies to one question and many replies can be totally wrong, all contradict each other and at very least just confuse the hell out the asker. Also people start arguing over their opinions, threads closed and people banned. all over keyboard warrier syndrome.

regards
louise
 
all contradict each other and at very least just confuse the hell out the asker. Also people start arguing over their opinions, threads closed and people banned. all over keyboard warrier syndrome.


Deja Vu going on here in Sweetumsville.
 
sorry Louise Ive got some question's:laughing-smiley-004,

At present i don't keep mine in an "aviary" its a mews.why is that is one better than the other.
as she is not loose during flying season she is tethered to a bow perch.do you have to keep your HH like this or could you still work her and let her catch her own food and be housed in the aviary all year round.
how do you feed,on the glove in the mews, does she see you place her food, is she a vocal bird, does she scream at you.

when you put her up for moult do you feed every day, do you very the time you feed and how much do you feed is it all at once, what is the main diet and do you supplement it with anything.

I'm on the IFF forum but haven't posted yet is there a forum you can recommend.

the last time i ask as meanly questions like this was when i started up beekeeping, you no how it is.

land to use the bird for me isn't a problem coz i cover a bit with the pigeons etc for some farmers,
there seems to be a split between f/m HH reading between the lines there are sum that don't think a HH is good for a beginner like myself.

Regards Tony:cheers2:
 
To be fair Admin the BBKA is much better than it was esp since a certain "brigade" gave up to a large extent.

As for multiple answers to issues then yes there always will be, just some will be more correct than others.

Those who have a couple of hives in the garden and work bare handed taking a couple of hours to manipulate the BB and never kill a bee will say one thing.

Those who have worked for tons of honey and migrate to achieve that will have other ideas entirely, and KNOW that what they suggest works. And even more to the point will work pretty much every time.

Then there are the academics.

and so on.

PH
 
*grins*

I have my certs. ;)

PH

PS. A Scottish education has a always been highly regarded..:)
 
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sorry Louise Ive got some question's:laughing-smiley-004,

At present i don't keep mine in an "aviary" its a mews.why is that is one better than the other.
as she is not loose during flying season she is tethered to a bow perch.do you have to keep your HH like this or could you still work her and let her catch her own food and be housed in the aviary all year round.
how do you feed,on the glove in the mews, does she see you place her food, is she a vocal bird, does she scream at you.

when you put her up for moult do you feed every day, do you very the time you feed and how much do you feed is it all at once, what is the main diet and do you supplement it with anything.

I'm on the IFF forum but haven't posted yet is there a forum you can recommend.

the last time i ask as meanly questions like this was when i started up beekeeping, you no how it is.

land to use the bird for me isn't a problem coz i cover a bit with the pigeons etc for some farmers,
there seems to be a split between f/m HH reading between the lines there are sum that don't think a HH is good for a beginner like myself.

Regards Tony:cheers2:

ok doke i will do my best to answer all these questions though bare in mind there may be many possible answers.

1) a first season bird should be kept tethered in a mews whilst being flown, this is for many reasons but mainly leads to a tamer more well manored bird.
2) Once in the second season the hawk can be "free lofted" all year around though i chose not to because i like the more regular contact.
3)you train them to come to you for food and whistling her signals her to come to you or follow you. you train them through weight management. weighing them everyday to keep them at a level of "hungreyness" that makes them coem to you for food or hunt for there own.
4) mine is none vocal though many harris hawks can be they are just a talkative species and prone to it. Though training them properly can go a long way to avoiding such a vice.
5) during moult she gets fed everyday on a mixed diet of rabbit, quail, chick, pheasent venison etc. this i sometimes suppliment with a mineral additive.
6) the IFF is by far the main forum but as i say not a brilliant place for a beginner. the best thing for a beginner to do is join there local club or find themselves a local mentor.
7) the fhh vs mhh debate has gone on forever and shall continue to for a long time to come. It all depends on the game you want to hunt. if you land has mostly hare, pheasant and rabbit then a fhh is best. if you have mainly crow, moor hen and rabbit then a mhh. I have flown both and prefer fhh's though everyone has their own opinion.
8) harris hawks are ideal for beginners with a mentor and the right attitude. You will learn alot and have alot of fun. They are forgiving and adaptable. some wont recommend them to beginners and i am sure they are not suitable to some people (young kids and stupid people) haha but who would trust them with any bird.

regards
louise
 
yes thanks for replying louise,

mine is none vocal though many harris hawks can be they are just a talkative species and prone to it. Though training them properly can go a long way to avoiding such a vice.how did you train her what was your technique.
i have read that you shouldn't let the bird get food dependent with its handler,
and this is something that concerns me as i believe that this can bring on screaming if not done well.
i have three females in my house hold that seem to scream at me when ever they can, if the bird does it as well this might just tip me over the edge.:laughing-smiley-014:laughing-smiley-014.

what weight do you fly her at and can she catch pigeons on vertical flight.

who did you buy your bird from and how old was she and how soon did you entered her and was she successful on her first try.



i can see myself sitting in a field for half a day trying to get the bird out the tree on my first attempt.:beatdeadhorse5:
have you ever had a bird stuck up a tree and if so how did you get her down.

Regards Tony
 
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yes thanks for replying louise,

mine is none vocal though many harris hawks can be they are just a talkative species and prone to it. Though training them properly can go a long way to avoiding such a vice.how did you train her what was your technique.
i have read that you shouldn't let the bird get food dependent with its handler,
and this is something that concerns me as i believe that this can bring on screaming if not done well.
i have three females in my house hold that seem to scream at me when ever they can, if the bird does it as well this might just tip me over the edge.:laughing-smiley-014:laughing-smiley-014.

what weight do you fly her at and can she catch pigeons on vertical flight.

who did you buy your bird from and how old was she and how soon did you entered her and was she successful on her first try.



i can see myself sitting in a field for half a day trying to get the bird out the tree on my first attempt.:beatdeadhorse5:
have you ever had a bird stuck up a tree and if so how did you get her down.

Regards Tony


1) i did many things to try to avoid a screamer. too many things to go into on here but things your mentor would tell you as you go though training with your first bird. Dont buy your bird to young though must be at least 16 weeks old. as the younger it is the more prone it is to seeing you as a food bringer. though you also dont want them too old either as this makes them more difficult to train between 16 and 20 weeks ideally.

2) i fly my fhh at 2lb 8 oz.
3) she will not catch pigeons as they are too fast, and she will not do vertical flights as you describe this is falcon territory. she usually hunts from my fist or from trees.

4) i bought my harris from a random breeder advertising in a bop website.
( not advised but i was a beginner desperate for a bird and it was end of breeding season so you took birds where you could find them) She was 20 weeks old. i had her flying free in 2 weeks and killing within the month, my first kill was a rabbit that had been injured by a fox.
5) a friends bird went into a tree, it started raining and as it was a youngster its feathers absorbed all the water and it refused to come down. in the end after 8 hours in minus temperatures and pouring rain we managed to climb to her and get her down. harris hawks dont fair well in cold damp conditions and she could have died to we simply couldnt wait till the morning for her to dry out and come down.

hope this helps

regards
louise
 
2) i fly my fhh at 2lb 8 oz.that must be a big bird.

thanks for your reply's louise.

RegardsTony
 
2) i fly my fhh at 2lb 8 oz.that must be a big bird.

thanks for your reply's louise.

RegardsTony

yea she is quite. doesnt always work to her advantage though makes her slower up to speed.

louise
 
Hellooo

Hello all I am back.. The year before last i joined with all good intentions of reseraching as much as i could in the view of starting with bees. My degree and work took over however andi spent the whole summer in wales 09 and 10. However good news as my degree and spending the summer away has finished but my enthusiasm for beekeeping is still strong.. Last year i purchased all the 'outfit' and i have kindly been gifted a smoker and some kit for making frames. I am now all of the gear and no idea.. well some of the gear but still no idea.. I am desperately in need of a mentor or some kind person local to east yorkshire who wouldnt mind perhaps showing me the ropes with their own hives this year with the view of me hopefully getting all the kit and knowledge required to start my own next year...
Big fingers crossed you all dont think i am being cheeky asking and will welcome me back..:)
 
Hi Louise - these are the Yorkshire local assocations listed on the bbka site. The one closest to you would be a good place to start. Some have their own websites

YORKSHIRE
Airedale http://www.airedalebka.org.uk/
Barkston Ash http://************************/local/barkston-ash/
Barnsley
Beverley http://www.beverleybeekeepers.co.uk/
Cottingham
Doncaster
Easingwold
Halifax http://www.halifaxbeekeepers.co.uk/
Huddersfield http://************************/local/huddersfield/
Idle & Bradford http://www.idlebeekeepers.co.uk/
Leeds http://www.leedsbeekeepers.org.uk/
Norton & Malton
Northallerton
Richmond http://www.richmondbeekeepers.co.uk/
Ryedale
Rotherham http://www.srba.org.uk/
Scarborough
Sheffield
Wakefield
Wharfedale http://www.wharfedalebka.org.uk/
Whitby http://************************/local/whitby/
York http://ydbka.org/
 
Louise. Welcome back. You're certainly not being cheeky - far from it, it's good to see such a responsible approach. Good luck! If I can help in any way, it will be a pleasure, especially after reading your fascinating account of your adventures with the HH!

Looks as if you are off to a great start, with so many local contacts.
 

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