Hooding imprint gos's

[Keith Robert Talbot]

Another topic! Why are so few imprint goshawks hood trained, is it particluarly difficult to do? I understand that a good imprint should be bomb proof but i believe hooding is a very handy extra string in your bow. i have a new gos ordered for next year and fully intend to hood train her, i just wondered if people chose not for any particular reason?

Keith

[Berkut]

Keith,
You are spot on.Bomb proof or not, there are no disadvantages to hooding a gos. The ones I have imprinted have taken the hood well till about 45 days and then displayed some resistance. Either due to a lack of confidence in my ability to carry on,and/or the worry of upsetting the bird , I have dispensed with hooding from then.

A friend of mine has imprinted a total of 3 gosses this year. He has persevered through the problematic times and all three birds hood a treat,with one foot tucked up within seconds of being hooded.

ATB,
Neil

[Keith Robert Talbot]

Hi Neil,

Many thanks for the reply its encouraging to hear that you have also found gos's to start to resist asn i totally know what you mean about afraid to push it. i did with mine for a while and he started to become afraid of the hand so naturally i'm worried about hooding a new baby next year. Probably alot was due to my clumsy hooding so i will try next time and your friends experience gives me confidence.

ATB

Keith

[Jack]

It is not just a goshawk thing. It is just that once a hawk is somewhat used to you it will fight the hood unless it is hooded regular enough to get used to it. Most young goshawks will fight it in the beginning, and most falconers do not want to **** the hawk off at them, so they stop and forget it. Goshawks, as any hawk, benefits from being hoodable. They will fight it, but is you wait until the hawks weight is down to a tractable level you can just persist until the hawk gets used to it. They will give up fighting eventually and start hooding well if you put forth the effort. Don't worry about ****ing the hawk off. He will get over it. They do not hold grudges like we do. Just be patient and take your time and the hawk will eventually give it up. There are also little tricks, or techniques, if you will, that will aid you in this. When you go to slip the hood over the head the hawk can snake the neck and head around quite easily, making it almost impossible to get it on. They draw the head down into the shoulders so you can not get it completely over the head too. So, I will ease the chinstrap up under the beak and just as I am about to raise it up and over the head I will roll my fist to make the hawk break it's concentration and in that instant while it is trying to balance itself I slip it right on over. If the hawk draws the head in I will drop the fist suddenly and the hawk usually raises the head right up into the hood. If this does not work, do not be shy, take a finger to the back of the head and push it right on into the hood. A better way would be to put pressure against the top knot toward the back and the hawk will lean forward into it in an attempt to prevent itself from falling over backwards. It just takes a little imagination.

Jack

[Berkut]

It is not just a goshawk thing. It is just that once a hawk is somewhat used to you it will fight the hood unless it is hooded regular enough to get used to it. Most young goshawks will fight it in the beginning, and most falconers do not want to **** the hawk off at them, so they stop and forget it. Goshawks, as any hawk, benefits from being hoodable. They will fight it, but is you wait until the hawks weight is down to a tractable level you can just persist until the hawk gets used to it. They will give up fighting eventually and start hooding well if you put forth the effort. Don't worry about ****ing the hawk off. He will get over it. They do not hold grudges like we do. Just be patient and take your time and the hawk will eventually give it up. There are also little tricks, or techniques, if you will, that will aid you in this. When you go to slip the hood over the head the hawk can snake the neck and head around quite easily, making it almost impossible to get it on. They draw the head down into the shoulders so you can not get it completely over the head too. So, I will ease the chinstrap up under the beak and just as I am about to raise it up and over the head I will roll my fist to make the hawk break it's concentration and in that instant while it is trying to balance itself I slip it right on over. If the hawk draws the head in I will drop the fist suddenly and the hawk usually raises the head right up into the hood. If this does not work, do not be shy, take a finger to the back of the head and push it right on into the hood. A better way would be to put pressure against the top knot toward the back and the hawk will lean forward into it in an attempt to prevent itself from falling over backwards. It just takes a little imagination.

Jack

Good post Jack.

[Keith Robert Talbot]

Jack, thanks some really good tips there that i will try next year, made very interesting reading, thanks

Keith

[CanadaManada]

What do you all think about late stage hooding for imprint gohawks, then?
Lets say a 5 y/o who has never seen a hood.

Justin

[OutHawkn]

It is not just a goshawk thing. It is just that once a hawk is somewhat used to you it will fight the hood unless it is hooded regular enough to get used to it. Most young goshawks will fight it in the beginning, and most falconers do not want to **** the hawk off at them, so they stop and forget it. Goshawks, as any hawk, benefits from being hoodable. They will fight it, but is you wait until the hawks weight is down to a tractable level you can just persist until the hawk gets used to it. They will give up fighting eventually and start hooding well if you put forth the effort. Don't worry about ****ing the hawk off. He will get over it. They do not hold grudges like we do. Just be patient and take your time and the hawk will eventually give it up. There are also little tricks, or techniques, if you will, that will aid you in this. When you go to slip the hood over the head the hawk can snake the neck and head around quite easily, making it almost impossible to get it on. They draw the head down into the shoulders so you can not get it completely over the head too. So, I will ease the chinstrap up under the beak and just as I am about to raise it up and over the head I will roll my fist to make the hawk break it's concentration and in that instant while it is trying to balance itself I slip it right on over. If the hawk draws the head in I will drop the fist suddenly and the hawk usually raises the head right up into the hood. If this does not work, do not be shy, take a finger to the back of the head and push it right on into the hood. A better way would be to put pressure against the top knot toward the back and the hawk will lean forward into it in an attempt to prevent itself from falling over backwards. It just takes a little imagination.

Jack

Couldnt have said it better myself....
I hood train every imprint, falcon or hawk. The one "secret" is to hood early in the birds life and hood often. Remember hawks are creatures of habit.....

[MusketMad]

who in their right mind is gonna sell a goshawk to you :lol::lol:;)