Use bells or not ?

[Fox]

I have not as yet put a bell on my redtail because i dont want the noise of the bell ringing. I think i will when he goes free for safety so i can locate him if the worse happens.

Most of my hunting instincts tell me to remain quiet, this is very true when you are ferreting so that the rabbits will bolt and not lay up. I feel a bell would be a warning to my approach.

Do you all use bells ? If not why not?

[Johnny]

Ive got bells on my red just because its my first bird and when flames free i can hear where he is ,it could spoil my chance of a kill but it gives me some idea to find him !

[Saker-Clive]

Bells wont spook your quarry, if you use quality bells as well they will make it easier to pinpoint where he is.
today, my Saker ranged out about 600 yards and although we could still see her in the air we could also hear her bells.
I've alwys had bells on my Harris and it has never hindered him catching anything. Before your intended quarry knows whats happening, it's already got a foot on it; sometimes I've seen rabbits stand up to see what the 'tinkling' is and wallop!!!
Don't forget, rabbits, pheasant, partridge etc. aren't used to the sound so they are either inquisitve about it or they will flee; your bird will then see them running or about to take flight and the chase is on.
This is another reason NOT to over work your land or they will become accustomed to the sound and stay hidden.

Hope this helps.

[Kornie]

Silence is a key to hunting but this does not change the fact that bells ARE a neccesity. You would be have to be a luntatic not to put bells on your birds first season. Fair enough when your bird really does know its way around your land and its got telemetry.

I flew my harris bare at the beggining of the season for thrills :twisted: but she caught somewhere and without that tinkle tinkle I was oblivious to where she was.

After a while though you do learn how to silence the birds bells. I will stay up tonight and ponder as to wether there is a solution to silencing bells in the field...say when your on familiar ground.

[Jay]

I agree totaly with what Kornie and Saker Sucker said, bells are absolutly required, expecialy with a new falconer. It is amazing how well these birds can blend in, I put my bird up last year he just sat there as my friend and I climbed some trees to get some tree rats going. Nothing moving we came down and the bird is no where to be seen. We had bells but didn't hear them, I put a tidbit on my fist blew my whistle and my bird came out of nowhere, actualy he was just where I cast her to. Point is that these birds can stay extreamly still, imagine if that bird was on a kill with out bells I would never had seen him, and theres no way he would give up a kill to come to the fist if I stood out somwhere and tried calling.

[Jiff]

hi guy,'s,well me and sky had our first trip out on thursday,i must admit that the bells when mooching,sounded like big ben to me,but was i glad when she headed off through a thick mixed wood,i could hear her but could i hell see her untill i was ontop of her,i bolted rabbits to spite the sound of the bells,i think that too frequent visits to the same warrens should be avoided,that way the quary wont associate the bell with danger,

[Hawkmaster]

I AGREE with everyone above you must use them, try it and see which you prefer?

I do not bell at night for lamping, well sometimes I do, but anyway long story and I do not always bell a bird on hack so it does not draw attention to the hawk around people.

Take Quinn, she has been out since this morning and I have been out flying Vinny. Came home and she amazingly was very close. No bell, so nobody knew she had been sitting on the wall waiting for me!

Seems like I now have a homing falcon, I am going to try and expand on this.

[Johnny]

Looks like you got a good one hm i remember me red out all night went back the next day called couldnt see or hear anything (head wrecked went back an hour later he presto he was there ?
Good feeling aint it
Johnny

[Hawkmaster]

It is not something 'I KNOW', I am just experimenting and seeing if it is possible? Today she was waiting for me 20 foot from her mews in the dark?

[Bones]

Never leave home without them :!:

[Bill]

I agree bells are essential.
I also firmly believe untrained or unfit birds should absolutely ALWAYS have bells on them. Have you read the post - Luck of the Irish - falcon dissapeared out the mews door, falcon chews through leash. If they have the wrong furniture on or cannot yet hunt for themselves you need bells to give you at least some chance of saving the hawk.

[Adam Barrett]

another reason not to only put the bells on when you are out flying.

[Bones]

Well said Bill the B*****d falcon i'm trying to catch not got none fitted what a nightmare :evil:

[Bones]

I only ever remove them from my birds during moult when they are in secure aviary with double doors and replaced the minute i remove them for manning following season hope this helps

[Jiff]

a rabbit from the butcher a pound, a ferret although prized free or a few quid,a well trained hunting hawk,price-less,no more to be said

[Fox]

You all have made my mind up, I will use the bells !!

Thanks.

[Hawkmaster]

I once lost a female Gos after her deck feathers, bell and telemetry, were pulled after a fight with a cock pheasant. I nearly stepped on her twice in the days that followed. Had I heard tham, may have been a different story?

[Saker-Clive]

Just to confirm your suspisions, today I've been tracking my Saker for 3 1`/2 hours after she decided to have a good fly about. I'll put it in detail on the Diaries section, but basically after tracking her with the telemetry, driving past the signal incase she kept comming ,then going half way back; I pin pointed her to a clump of trees and posts half a mile away. I called and swung the lure and she took off and came over. Before I could definately say yes it's her, I heard the bells...... and found sanctuary!!! after she came down we gave her a good feed up and went home.
I am definately welcomed into the world of 'longwings'. :D

[Hawkmaster]

Snap Clive, I retrieved Vinny 11.5 miles from where we were flying this morning and to top it off we were burgled at home too!

[Kornie]

sheesh, im sorry HM,

[Hawkmaster]

2 Mobiles, a PDA, DV camcorder, Digital camera AND my falconry Jacket full of stuff????

[Saker-Clive]

Don't forget the full set of golf clubs and.........................for insurance purposes.

Sorry to hear though mate. I was done way back in the early 90's, not a nice feeling. Chin up; upward and onward.

Don't forget the 2 telemetry units.

[Johnny]

Paul sorry to hear m8 ?
I told the wife off the other day about leaving windows open ?
Remember when i got me house robbed a few years ago (what i did was rounded the suspect up took him to a remote field and beat the living day lights out of him )
Police wont do naff all they are to busy catching speeders to pay for the war and them casino,s are only another way to get the money in ?
I hope you find out who it is
*******s

[Johnny]

sorry for swearing it just got me back up

[Johnny]

Ive just tried to phone you then paul did they take your phone aswell ,
Get it back on and see if you can get any clues off the scum !
Our hearts go out to you m8
Johnny

[Wightwings]

should chop the little bleeders hands off id say. once got done on boxing day! came home from the pub to find the front door on the chain inside. realised what was wrong kicked the door in but the b"""""""rds had heard me and scarpered.
took the chrissy pressies the lot.

[Ian Wileman]

The main problem in this country is not the burglers (they are generally drug addicts that are trying to fuel their habits), or other criminals, its the sentences they get when caught! My childhood friend was kicked to death in Spain by his girlfriends cousin on holiday.....TWO YEARS! I neighbours brother was beaten to death outside a pub in Belle Vale (Liverpool)...three years...down to eighteen months for 'good behaviour'. If for example, they caught the scum who robbed Hawkmaster and sentenced them to ten or fifteen years for the crime it would be a huge deterent for future would be burglers. HARSH DETERENTS!

It works as well. I have a system for the kids in class....one rule.....do the right thing...nothing else...just the right thing! If you dont do the right thing...suffer the consequences. I have just stopped a kid from going on the German trip this year for kicking another boy between the legs. He has not raised a finger to ANYONE else since. Harsh I know, but everyone else in school is enjoying a more peaceful atmosphere!

[Bubo]

i think many people are backing down and becoming very laxist and it takes people like you Ian to keep the young on the right track. It is amazing what kids get away with now a days and it is at this crucially young time they need to be corrected. A smacked ar*e never hurts anyone.
I am sorry about your mate Ian.
bubo

[Wightwings]

agreed 100%

[Johnny]

Banning the cane and giving teachers no leg to stand on is a shame ,christ we had some teachers in our school that would take no shot you looked up to them ,never done me any harm getting the cane it just kept you in line ians got the right approach the wifes the same she wont take it in the class room they are there to learn ?

[Bubo]

i agree with you totally johnny, the teachers have been stripped of their authority and the kids know it!!

[Debbie]

My mates little girl touched the pc cord mummy said no then proceded to tell this 3.5 year old why she sholdl not touch the pc cables.

Lets just say they were is A & E for 4 hours this morning as PC landed on her and concussed her.

Don't you think that little chat did the world of good :twisted:

If she had smacked her I doubt she would of done it and would of been fine :x :roll:

I really do wonder about people nowadays. I was slapped alot and it did me no harm :D

A case I was involved with went to court last month lets just say he got 18 months community service the girl got a life times sentance she will never get over and a scar that will haunt her both physically as well as mentally for life. Justice they call it :x is putting it mildly.

Good one Ian for banning that kid from the german trip - he'll regret that for the rest of his life :wink:

Back on the topic though - Can't imagine why anyone would never not put bells on their birds. let alone telemetary but thats another thread :wink:

Debbs

[Wightwings]

hells BELLS :lol: we lost our way there a little bit didnt we lmao

[Fox]

[Debbie quote]
Back on the topic though - Can't imagine why anyone would never not put bells on their birds. let alone telemetary but thats another thread
[/quote]

Why do people put bells on cats ? My question was a valid one.

Haveing read the whole thread i can see that the benefits of bells far out way the disadvantageous, so i will use them.

I would like to see all cats dead !!!!

[Saker-Clive]

Morning Fox,
Just for reference I use Dave Nobel bells, no.5's leg mount and no.9 tail mount (big). They are about £12-15 per pair.

Not all that gen'd up on Reds but my Harris with bells is almost silent, apart from when he shakes his tail (which is a trait for HHs) and when he 'bombs' out of the trees after something.

[Fox]

Good morning,
I do have a few bells that i got off ebay, they vary so much in tone only 1 out of the 5 i have seems any good.
So i will check out these Dave Noble bells Saker.
That is the trouble with ebay you cant tell 100% what you are getting.

[Saker-Clive]

All bell pairs should have a different pitch; one should be higher than the other. I think this helps for peoples varying hearing ranges, and one will be heard more easily at distance to the other one.

Take a look at Westweald falconry, he's brill.

[Bubo]

[
I would like to see all cats dead !!!!

nooooooooooo they make excellent alternatives for those who cant make dummy bunnys hehehehe
:P

[Debbie]

[quote="Fox"]
Why do people put bells on cats ? My question was a valid one.[quote]

Hey Fox,

I did not mean your question was not valid - far from it :?

I was just giving my opinion as to why anyone would not do so.

Good comparison about the cat collar bells but they are cheap and tinny and loud and thus serve their purpose to scare the garden birds with the slightest of movement.

My mate uses bells she gets from the states on her 4 Macaws as they free roam the gardens when they fly the bells are silent but on landing and shaking she can locate the little swines anywhere usually in next door but ones cherry tree in the summer much to his annoyance :lol: - he'd love to use them for target practice :wink:

Debbs

[Finnish]

MOVED THREAD!