pheasant

[Jiff]

hi guy's,on the first couple of trips out in the field sky persued phesant with a vengeance but was unlucky,now that she's taken a few rabbits,she shows little or no interest in them,i would like her to take phesant given the chance,what can i do to sharpen her interest in them once again ?
for anyone that doesnt know me and sky, she's a female harris' hawk.

[Wightwings]

Hi Jiff, try a sing lure with Pheasant wings and a good reward attached.
I do find that the fems are more prone to the fur than the feather tho, its the agility and power thing. She will be happier ( and more suited) to these type of more direct power flights chaseing down the fur, whereas the males are smaller and more agile, thus better for the feather.
Not that she wont take em, I certainly hope so or im ******ed with my fem (mind i can borrow the missus' male :wink: )

[Matt]

sound advise there whitewings , jiff u could try a hood just for a short wile and only let her see [pheasants ducks ect] it would sharpen her if thats all she is aloud to fly for just a few weeks.
all the best matt

[North East Harris Hawker]

if you need some pheasant wings, ive got a few sets in my freezer jiff :D :D :wink: heheheheh :lol:

[Jiff]

i'll swap ya for some lucky rabbits feet... :lol:

[North East Harris Hawker]

lucky for me and unlucky for the rabbit i take it? :lol:
its a deal! your bird will catch pheasant too mate, just a question of time :wink:

[Kornie]

easiest way to get your bird on something. Feed it what you want it to catch. How I got my bird entered. remember the reason she chases...for food!

Feed pheasant and she will catch pheasant.

[The Late Lord Lucan]

Jiff wrote

what can i do to sharpen her interest in them once again ?

Give her some easy pheasants.......make sure that she will get them.
Keep her away from bunnies for a while, she will find bunnies easy compared to a pheasant, and at a point where she is showing reluctance to take them, you need to show her that pheasants are a good thing.
Once you have got her interest up again, make the pheasants harder. If you can keep her on pheasant and away from rabbit at this stage, all the better.
One word of warning though, it is really not a good idea to let your hawk take the pheasant, or any other bird for that matter, on the ground, you should avoid this at all costs....however frustrating it is not giving her the flight.
A female Harris is capable of taking pheasant in fair flight, if she gets into the habit of taking them on the ground, it will be hard to persuade her to do otherwise. Many peoples Harris hawks will take pheasant & duck, but most do it when the bird makes cover. They will tail chase it until it dumps and then take it. You really want to try to avoid this scenario if you can. Goshawks should never (in my opinion) be slipped at a bird on the ground......FLUSH & GET THE GAME ON THE WING FIRST. In the long run you will be glad you did, you will have a bird that tries a lot harder, and a bird that gives you a much better quality of flight.

Regards,
Lucky.

[North East Harris Hawker]

Jiff wrote

what can i do to sharpen her interest in them once again ?

FLUSH & GET THE GAME ON THE WING FIRST. In the long run you will be glad you did, you will have a bird that tries a lot harder, and a bird that gives you a much better quality of flight.

Regards,
Lucky.

spot on advice there LLL 8)

[Varmint]

Feed pheasant and she will catch pheasant.



if so, why doesn't my Kestrel catch Roe Deer when i feed it venison....LOL

[NightOwl]

do any of you guys put down your own birds?
if yes who do you get your poults from and how much do they go for?

dont pay more than a quid each ! best if you to get the ones the breeder has left over after he has sorted out his regulars ! ;) .............

[NightOwl]

anyone know for any breeders as near as possible to south wales?