Lucy, imprint Perigrine.

[Venividevenatio]

This year, I imprinted a female Perigrine----Lucy. It was my first experience of imprinting, but I have hunted with longwings imprinted by others, and was fortunate to have an experienced imprinter, close at hand.

Since August, Lucy has essentialy been tame hacked. It has been very frustrating seeing attack after attack at quarry not coming to a succesful end, becuse Lucy had forced them down, and they did not want to 'play' anymore. I followed gyrxpeales advice, and did not drop the weight, as he pointed out that this may create animosity when the time comes for breeding with Lucy.
What has resulted is a very, very fit falcon.

Yesterday, I unhooded her and showed her several crows dotted about the field. It was unfortunatly downwind, and she flew into the wind, and over a wood, where she gained height, I assumed she was pigeon hunting the trees again. The crows all left apart from the two that had been nearest me. I assume they were intimidated and did not wish to commit to an escape plan. I thought that was going to be it....
Next thing, Lucy was traviling at pace over the field and shallow stooped one of the sitting crows. The crow, took off and headed for the wood, but by design or chance Lucy cut it off from its escape, and up they both went, and up, and up, till they were just 2 dots.
This does not happen often, but she has done it before, in the realitivly enclosed country I hunt over.

They started to descend, and Lucy put in several short stoops, the crow finaly crash landing on the field. That is usualy the end, as Lucy stops chasing when the quarry no longer 'plays'. Not yesterday, she hit the crow on the ground, and bound.

Fortunatly they were only about a hundred yards away, as the other crows started to head in to help out their stricken friend. Lucys nest pals...the dogs... were soon there and put the crows off.
Lucy has just come of age!

Lucy was bred by Kentish, and again, is yet another credit to Terry, thanks for selling her to me Terry:D .......

[Berkut]

Paul,
Great read,even better result and a cracking looking peregrine.
Well done and here,s to many more.
Regards,
Neil.

[Pogger]

Congrats on your first crow with Lucy! Here's to many more. :D

[BlackShaheen1]

well done . hears to many more happy hawking

[Graham Stuart]

Great thread mate keep it going with your progress....graham

[GyrXPeales]

I'm so proud of you two Paul, really outstanding!! You've turned the corner and there is no looking back now. It's never the quantity of the kills for a first year imprint, it's always the quality. You laid the proper foundation and that's the important thing. It can be frustrating until the switch is flipped to the on position, but now you can see all your hard work pay off. You can also start to tweak her weight and put an edge to that sword.
Really well done Paul and I'm sure Lucy will enjoy looking at her picture while sitting on your knee tonight.:lol:
My Very Best to You and Lucy,
Jeff

[Kentish Falconry]

Well done Paul, nice to see it all come together at last
Happy Hawking
Terry

[SeagulBasher]

well done mate first of many now shes tasted the nice warm flesh there will be no stopping her well done :supz:

[Merger]

Congratulations,, nice of you to mention Terry for breeding,, but I would say,ny on 95.5% of everything youve achieved with this bird is down to yourself, as a falconer, well done for not rushing with an imprint, I know the flights you had early on did not result in kills thro,lack of aggression, thro higher wieght, but believe me you would not have saw them at all, at parent reared wieght, that early on, now shes had a little succses, of her own back, your in for some serious fun..and some spectacular flights..

[Hacker]

The start of an illustrious and rewarding bond between yourself, Lucy and the forthcoming quarry list:supz:

[MitchellBrad]

First off Congrats Paul. Secondly you got superb advise from someone who understands imprints. This is the one thing I don't like about imprints but if your willing to take the time and wait until the bird matures your in for some wild flying just like you saw.

I suppose Jeff, Lucy and you deserve a round of applause. One must not forget the breeder who provided you with the raw material.

Brad

I'm so proud of you two Paul, really outstanding!! You've turned the corner and there is no looking back now. It's never the quantity of the kills for a first year imprint, it's always the quality. You laid the proper foundation and that's the important thing. It can be frustrating until the switch is flipped to the on position, but now you can see all your hard work pay off. You can also start to tweak her weight and put an edge to that sword.
Really well done Paul and I'm sure Lucy will enjoy looking at her picture while sitting on your knee tonight.:lol:
My Very Best to You and Lucy,
Jeff

[Agent D.]

awesome. great read, sounds very similar to my experiences when i was getting "roxy" my imprint going. naturally i stuffed her on the first one we caught and have never looked back, less playing and regular kills.
good skills, congrats.
bet she nails the next one straight away.

[Venividevenatio]

Congratulations,, nice of you to mention Terry for breeding,, but I would say,ny on 95.5% of everything youve achieved with this bird is down to yourself, as a falconer, well done for not rushing with an imprint, I know the flights you had early on did not result in kills thro,lack of aggression, thro higher wieght, but believe me you would not have saw them at all, at parent reared wieght, that early on, now shes had a little succses, of her own back, your in for some serious fun..and some spectacular flights..

Thank you (all) for your kind comments.
Lucy was actualy at the same weight that she has been floating around for weeks! I will be ready to take a little weight off ,if the obedience starts to waver, with her now knowing about alternative food sources!!
When sourcing a bird, always remember that you can not make a silk purse out of a sows ear!

[RedNoseK9]

Fantastic post and i am glad she is doing well.

good luck with the rest of ya season

wez

[Puddle]

Great pic paul.:supz:
That land looks very familer it was not a sugarbeet field that has not long been cut was it :goodman:

[Venividevenatio]

Great pic paul.:supz:
That land looks very familer it was not a sugarbeet field that has not long been cut was it :goodman:

Potatoes, lifted months ago....

[Laggan]

Really enjoyed reading that. Thanks.

[Puddle]

Potatoes, lifted months ago....

with a BIG irrigator in the middle of the field :lol:

[Merger]

Thank you (all) for your kind comments.
Lucy was actualy at the same weight that she has been floating around for weeks! I will be ready to take a little weight off ,if the obedience starts to waver, with her now knowing about alternative food sources!!
When sourcing a bird, always remember that you can not make a silk purse out of a sows ear!How very true!! it must be nice for some of the breeders on here to, finally hear how some of there birds actually get on, during the season, most of the birds I bred, I havent the foggiest Idea how they faired, wich as a breeder, takes out a little of the pleasure sadly...the icing the cake for me, however is the fact youve done all this,,, with a pure peregrine!!!

[1ABHawker]

well done to both of you, was waiting for this post.