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Sean
07-03-2006, 01:17 PM
Its another long one…
Got they keys of my uncle and headed of to there summer house up at the glens of antrim for a fishing and hunting weekend. arrived on friday night, watch tv, got dinner and things. and then headed out lamping just before midnight. rolf weighed 1lb 5.9oz was snowing but the rabbits were still out, rolf didnt get much easy chances, as they werent staying long on the lamp, think theve been lamped before. but there was one squatter that rolf homed in on and then backed of up into a windbush, dunno why he done this? he was on weight? anyway we called it a night and got back at about 2am. went to sleep and then up again at 6.30 the next morning. got the ferrets collored up, meat ready and weighed rolf and he was 1lb 5.7oz. headed out at about 7:15 .walked from the hosue to the hunting grounds (never done that before ) and was hunting for about 7:30. first set a rabbit came out and straight backin again, so i put rolf on the fench post and i hid well out of the way. the rabbit bolted, with rolf crashign in after it, but it didnt run far to get into thick cover. next set i put rolf in a tree, but he choose the wrong branch lol, a branch on the far side of the fench line. i decided to put the ferret down, and a rabbit bolted along the fench line, rolf missed the first second or two of it and then as he seen it he gave chase. but diodnt get there in time. next set was a goodun .had rolf on fist and put ferret down. out pops a buck and a very fat doe :( standing otuside an entrance on the far side. rolf didnt chase, ( i dunno why, but hes started to waittill they bolted cleanly first, maybe cos they usually goes back down if he dont lol) then a rabbit bolted straight across to the far hedge but rolf didnt get it. came back and the sitting rabbits were gone. then a rabbit bolted down the hedge line and im sure rolf hit it but mustnt have had a good hold. back up to the set and rabbit number 3 bolted, into the far hedgerow with rolf missing it again(small fields , what can i do lol) rolf then took stand on a telephone post above the set. and out pops rbabit number 4, straight into the same direction as teh last, but rolf hits it 3/4 of the way there. rabbit jumps and rolf does a bit of a summersault with it . i climb over teh fench runnign like hell hoping he holds it and he did. when i got there he had two feet on the head, he must have changed his footing when heh was getting the kicking. nice big buck rbabit too, so didnt have to worry about teh pregant doe.rabbit number 20 for rolf and me first snow rabbit lol was only about 8:15 at this time, but decided to give him a feedup for his effort. got the ferret back it teh box, and took rolf up on a liver. on the way back i seen a two guys carrying bags of feed, so i showed them rolf and droped teh question, a little extra permission for us next year :). got back to the house, put him on teh bow and got a good fry up. then headed out with the fishing rod. when i got there my da had already been fishing and had lost a good seatrout, we fished teh mornign and i managed to get an escaped rainbow from the fishfarm lol. a fish is a fish !. anyway back to hawking. saturday night i got to bed early, setting my alarm for 1 am to try the lamp again. got up, rolf weighed in at 1lb 6.3 but i didnt know if he had passed all his crop over. decided to give it a go anyway, drove this time to the land, as u neveer knwo what u will see on a saturday night. went to put rolf in the box, let go of his jesses(dont put him in with lease) and as i go to close teh box, teh little **** divedout, and was able to make his way up onto a neighbouring hosue with the lighting, i went went into the boot to get a bit of meat from the bag, and when i looked up he was gone, he was about 3 houses away and wouldnt come to the fist. eventually came down to a bit of broken tile that was on the floor lol, musta thought it was a bit of steak. so took him up and decided not to fly him lol. put him on his bow and went back to sleep. the next day I went fishing in the morning and went to try some new land I got a few weeks ago but hadn’t checked out yet. Weighed 1lb 5.6oz. got there at about 12:30 and the farmer showed me where his boundaries where. There was a few fields above a road that lead to the very peak on the mountain and full of snow and then a few fields below the road. Headed out to the peak of the mountain trying a few sets but seeing no tracks in the snow we had no chance. After an hour dilly dollying on these fields we headed down below the road. Tried a few fields but the fields were just to tidy for anywhere a rabbit could even dig a set in lol. Eventually came to a few fields of Christmas trees about 4-6 foot high. Soon as I went in rolf took chase to something, I didn’t see it but im sure it was a rabbit. He raised above to trees to persue and then a great stoop, but no rabbit. Then walked on down and this time I seen the rabbit, off he goes, rises in the air again and then that all amazing stoop, but no rabbit. Its some job trying to find him to in the trees lol. Walked up to the top of the field again and crossed over, no rabbits in this one that I or rolf could see. We then found a nice set that showed some treacts in the snow, at the corner of the field. Down goes the ferret and rabbit comes out, sits a second and then bolts, straight into the trees, rolf chased and stooped again, but the rabbit got away. Took a wee while finding rolf, might have been cos he was on the rabbit? And I couldn’t find him to help. But eventually he rose up in the air and came back. 50 yards down was another set, but the rabbit just bolted 5 yards into cover, with rolf crashing in without any success. Continued walking down the field and rolf left the field in hot pursuit, again I didn’t see the rabbit but was still an good flight, ending in another stoop, he then got up and carried on chasing, amazing. Checked for a few more sets and couldn’t find anything. We decided to head back to the permission I hunted yesterday, on the way back at the side of the field was a large pile of trees thrown on top of eachother. Got my dad to stand at one side, and I was standing at the other to try and flush it between rolfs legs. Put rolf in a low tree only about 6ft or so. And in goes ferret. About a 5 seconds rolf drops straight down into the cover, then a rabbit runs out, rolf goes in hot pursuit through the field of Christmas trees and I heard the rabbit. Success rabbitnumber 21 for rolf! Ran in, dispatch it and went back to get the ferret. Dunno if the ferret pushed it out, or if it was just in a seat under the tree, but was a great flight anyway :D. . so it was a great end to the season with defiantly some of the best flights and stoops. Gave rolf a good feed up and headed home.
Heres some pics of the weekend, most is on Sunday but there is a pic or two of where I was hunting on Saturday, but I took pics of the land during fishing lol. both sides of the mountains too. Hope yous like them,

roll on next season:supz:




Sean
07-03-2006, 01:18 PM
and more

Sean
07-03-2006, 01:20 PM
one more

Saker-Clive
07-03-2006, 01:27 PM
So when are we getting an invite over for a weekends hawking. I'll even bring the rifles and you can have a play with the big boys toys;-) :supz:

BFC 007
07-03-2006, 01:28 PM
:supz: good one sean- i reckon you are YOUNG FALCONER OF THE YEAR lol
:supz:

Joey
07-03-2006, 01:30 PM
top story mate and top picks cant wait to here wot he will be like next year keep up the good hunting have you caught anything else this season except rabbit mate cheers

Sean
07-03-2006, 01:58 PM
only flown him at rabbit, did come across 2 pheasents and a few ducks at the start of the season but he chased and backed off at the last minute everytime, one pheasent was a runner and he was 50 on a post above it, but he just didnt have the confidence then, and never really shown him any swung lures

Sean
07-03-2006, 01:59 PM
and clive your more than welcome to come over any time, but bring the bird, alot better than any gun :P

Dave G
07-03-2006, 02:37 PM
good season for you sean but remember next season will be harder as im coming to live by you and will be hunting all your land lol well done mate know but ralf up for a good rest and let him have a good moult cheers dave

Saker-Clive
07-03-2006, 03:24 PM
i'm just packing me bag now mate:wink: ; as for pheasant etc. if you can get hold of any head and necks (a little late out of season I know) feed them through the moult, it will give him the idea for next season, and by feeding the heads, Rolf will go straight for the head when he chases:lol:. If you have a game butcher near you, go in and ask, he may still have some in the freezer.

Sean
07-03-2006, 09:12 PM
i have a few pheasents already for the moult :) uncle got me them. cant complain though, great sport with the rabbits :)

ChakChek
07-03-2006, 09:17 PM
im sure you could find a few more if your into creeping about at night with a catapult ;)

not that id advise such activities... hehe

Joey
07-03-2006, 09:22 PM
im sure you could find a few more if your into creeping about at night with a catapult ;)

not that id advise such activities... hehe
a catty more like a baseball bat lol:wink:

Big JoeJoe
07-03-2006, 09:29 PM
:supz: good one sean- i reckon you are YOUNG FALCONER OF THE YEAR lol
:supz:

I'll second that Paul. Well done Sean

Cheers Joe

Sean
08-03-2006, 08:09 AM
thanks again guys :) gonna be a long summer lol

Talon
08-03-2006, 01:09 PM
thanks again guys :) gonna be a long summer lol

get some sea fishing done..get into them sea bass.:supz: :supz:

Sean
08-03-2006, 07:03 PM
i am actually gonna look into it this season, maybe go out with someone whos done it before. but will never give up on teh seatrout either ;) . never thought id say this, but fishing aint my favourite sport anymore lol

Dagash
12-03-2006, 04:34 AM
excelent work m8

JayHawk
12-03-2006, 06:51 AM
top season sean i'm over the irish moon for you be patient during the moult its always along one for us all well done on your season with rolf will you be at the falconry fair.....?

jayhawk

Sean
13-03-2006, 09:01 AM
cheers jay :) yes ill be at the fair for sure

HawkNorth
18-03-2006, 09:36 PM
you have had a successful season a good start to build on excellant

Sean
19-03-2006, 11:00 AM
:D thanks HN, we gotta meet up sometime next season for a spot of hawking

OwlsFoot
19-03-2006, 11:02 AM
NICE ONE MATE THE VIEWS LOOK SPECTACTULAR EXCELLENT:supz:

Sean
19-03-2006, 08:23 PM
aye they are :P :D

HawkNorth
27-03-2006, 07:53 PM
:D thanks HN, we gotta meet up sometime next season for a spot of hawking

Looking forward to it,same goes for you down here