Attaching Transmitters.

[Berkut]

Looking for views on attaching/mounting transmitters and any bad experiences.
I prefer tail-mounting but that has its risks.My female gos pulled out both deck feathers in one season and they have never grown back in.She has gone from a bird that never damages a tail feather to one that is always needing imped as the other tail feathers now break easily without the support of the decks.
Also had a tiercel peregrine with a transmitter attached to the leg.It struck a partridge and the cable tie burst and the transitter fell off.Luckily it happened in front of me so no harm done. In frosty weather cable ties are brittle.
Lost female gos for 3 days due to battery failure in a brand new transmitter.Wouldn,t be so bad but I had already tracked her on a cock pheasant half an hour earlier.
Now always have 2 transmitters on and if one is leg mounted it is cable tied with 2 cable ties.
Regards.

[Claire]

Some members have posted pics of backpacks for transmitters its worth doing a search on here, seems to keep the transmitter out of the way too
try here http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9156&highlight=backpack
looks like sakersucker is the one to ask

[FlameHairedFalconer]

I prefer a button bewit for leg mounting than cable ties - you can check the leather regularily for wear and stretch and no problems with brittleness.

FHF

[GriffMJ]

ive got both a home made backpack and the marshal trackpack there realy good can be a bit fidley to fit but i find them beter than tail mounts Andy.........

Andy....how did u fit your backpacks? Did you take the bird to the vet to get it done?

[Coedhirion]

Always used leg mount with cable tie for non hunting birds, never had problems with cable tie in cold weather. Tail mount with 4 point on to both decks done with cable ties now adays. Never a problem until this year when my friends 1st year MHH pulled off mount, bell, transmitter and both decks, on a barb wire fence!! He had brittle feathers to start with and had already had half his tail imped in. Only time will tell if the decks will grow next year and if so how well.

[Kevin Massey]

staples ? :-)