One more go then bed

[Tessa]

Hi All
Recon I might have to put Tessa down to moult without a kill. She has come close but hasn't managed to nab the bunny yet. I will be out again this weekend and then I think I will put her down to moult. She catches the dead bunny on a line but can't catch the live ones.
What do you recon ? I know it's not fair that she hasn't entred yet, I would love her to. How far into the spring can I push her?

Good advice is well received but please no rude ones. Tessa and me have come a long way.

Who fancies a beer at the Falconry fair ? :drinkers: :drinkers: :drinkers: :drinkers:

[Mr_Colin]

Hi All
Recon I might have to put Tessa down to moult without a kill. She has come close but hasn't managed to nab the bunny yet. I will be out again this weekend and then I think I will put her down to moult. She catches the dead bunny on a line but can't catch the live ones.
What do you recon ? I know it's not fair that she hasn't entred yet, I would love her to. How far into the spring can I push her?

Good advice is well received but please no rude ones. Tessa and me have come a long way.

Who fancies a beer at the Falconry fair ? :drinkers: :drinkers: :drinkers: :drinkers:

Ok it was my first season last year and I flew my FHH right until the mid to end of July without any problems. I kept her weight at hunting weight and although she lost some feathers she didn't loose any of the major ones. I flew her this long due to a detachment to Bosnia, which got cancelled, as I was gonna moult her while away. I then Put her weight up and she moulted quickly apart from 3 fathers on her tail.

She hasn't had any problems but what it did do was give her the chance to have lots of pops at young Rabbits that stay out longer as I don't ferret. You should have no problems flying for a couple more months just so you can get a couple of kills under your belt before the moult. I also think that maybe your HH isn't qite at hunting weight yet as it's not hungrey enough to catch, this could be the difference of 1/2 an once.

Lots of people fly HH throughtout the year, so I wouldn't worry too much, more important to get your bird killing before moulting, even if it delays the start of next years season slightly.

Hope this helps, although someone might shout me down as I am still learning myself, but I am only just passing on my experience of last year.

Colin

[Mr_Colin]

oh and a beer sounds good

[Blaze]

How often do you fly her?....May be if you are not flying her through the week and just on weekends its down to fitness?...Im the same as collin just learning myself but it happens!

All The Best!

[CooperMan]

I would keep flying her mate some birds need to go down for the moult to get a good one but I have never had any problems with a harris as long as their feathers are in good nick now you could fly her right through the moult. She may not moult all the flight feathers but alot of them will moult. Don't forget birds are having to hunt through the moult in the wild. If her diet is varied you should be ok.