Gos imprint or parent r.

[Coedhirion]

I can't make up my mind which to go for, read some of the posts & still not sure. 24 hrs 7 days a week available so time & effort not part of the problem, just which is best ?????????oh & how many shop keepers will chuck me out when I take a little bundle of fun for my weekly shop :lol: :lol:

[Hawkmaster]

Have you flown a Gos before?

[Coedhirion]

Friends Gos,..... & she's flown all from eagle to little owl with all the stops in between (incuding Gos.) & imprinted lots over last 19 years so I have probably one of best teachers in country!! So she says do .. an I jump !! result is great hunting & super flying. She has a kite etc. so all equipment there too

[Hawkmaster]

OK in that case I would say if you have flown and got enough experience from a parent reared bird, then you can move on to an imprint, but there is more work and less things you can get away with. BUT you will have many more benefits too and IF the imprinting process has been done correctly then you should be MUCH better off.

[Gaz]

then you should be MUCH better off.
:?: Why :?:

[Hawkmaster]

Gaz I have found many little things that much the whole Goshawking thing a bit more pleasant, like being able to have a bird that is not twitery of anything new, being able to leave longer periods between flying and not paying for it in a big way, flying with other hawks, not flying away and over the hills after quarry but waiting for me to pick up, following on is easier to achieve. Things that could all be done with a pr bird, but would take longer. And of course AI breeding.

[Tim Laycock]

My sentiments entirely, especially the over the hills and far away part.
Imprinting has to be done just right though or your wading through the brown smelly stuff.

[Coedhirion]

So what about the people who have imprints suddenly turn real nasty & attack in a big way. It sounds quite common.

[Jay]

Yup exactly what Hawkmaster said. If you can devote the time and skills needed to an imprint they are a pleasure to work with. My sponsor has 30years in the sport and swears by them. He has used telemitry the whole time and only needed it once, what fun it it to go tracking a PR or a badly trained imprint? If done right, these birds will tolerate just about anything you can throw at them. My sponsors bird can go to a new spot, with strange people, new dogs, and not give a rats ass. As long as the bird is introduced early to these things and worked with properly they are great.

[Tim Laycock]

Forget imprints that attack you.
Thats the least of your worries, I know someone who imprinted a finnish female (The full two grands worth by the way) badly and all it would do was run(not fly)at all) around after him and scream for food.
an expensive mistake?. I think so!.

[Jastreb]

IMPRINT!
Just give yourself time and do it properly! You will enjoy a lot! (PR are good, but imprints are little bit better)!
Come here in Croatia and try to fly wilde caught passage or 3 - 4 years haggard. They are good, but you are always on the edge of LOOKING FOR YOUR BIRD!

[HawkNorth]

could i ask? how old for picking up and is duel 7 to 10 week different bird
for male or female