Falcon Fitness

[Falcons7]

Hi ,
flew my falcon Regal (9 times intermewed) for the second day running to the kite .She hasnt been flown for 2 years and as she is a breeding imprint ,isnt in a big chamber so was expecting her to be very unfit .
Put the kite up to around the 300ft mark yesterday to which I got a supprise on how easy she got there. Today I put it at about 600ft and it was a walk in the park ,you wouldnt think she had been in the chamber,her wings were like pistons. She has in the past being very fit and kited from an eyas.
I was wondering and it isnt a ''kitings better than traditional ''thing but do you folk who train in the traditional manner find there falcons are still quite fit after the off season or longer .I know one summer wont make a huge differance and an intermewed falcon quite quickly gets match fit again but how do you find them after missing a seasons flying.

[FalconGriff]

I think that you have just quoted one of the very big advantages of kite work. Once they are made to the kite they will go back on it and work there socks off trying to get up and so get themselves super fit very fast. Much faster than any other method in my book!!

[Dean]

Jeff,Should imagine an intermewed bird to be fitter than a fresh penned eyas but I have occassionally had eyas,s almost speck out on their first free flight and often in warm weather!!!I think a kite trained bird has something to concentrate on and will do it with ease daily!!!Even better in cooler autumn/winter!!!

[B C]

Jeff

I think that some birds that have been flown and know the game just come out of the pen and kind of fly on adrenaline so to speak?

My Gyr x Peregrine amazes me most years. He can have been out of action for months during the moult but often kills first time out in reasonable style when he's picked up again.
I reckon that birds that have been succesful don't forget and just get back on the job so to speak.

Strangely though I have found that my birds can hit a flat spot after about a week or so after flying - after being picked up from the moult. I don't know if this is when aching muscles or lactic acid kicks in - just something that I've noticed with mine?

Bernie

[Falcons7]

Hi Bernie
can remember 2 years ago when I last flew Reg ,I over cooked her and made her graft in a good wind first time out .She did 600ft to the kite ,set her wings a couple times on the last 100ft or so then had problems for about 3 days later getting up there ,setting her wings a few times all the way up to the same pitch then after that back to normal ,powering up .I ,and am sure Griff would agree that the kite is a hell of a tool for shaking the cobwebs off the old wings.




HJeff

I think that some birds that have been flown and know the game just come out of the pen and kind of fly on adrenaline so to speak?

My Gyr x Peregrine amazes me most years. He can have been out of action for months during the moult but often kills first time out in reasonable style when he's picked up again.
I reckon that birds that have been succesful don't forget and just get back on the job so to speak.

Strangely though I have found that my birds can hit a flat spot after about a week or so after flying - after being picked up from the moult. I don't know if this is when aching muscles or lactic acid kicks in - just something that I've noticed with mine?

Bernie

[Falcons7]

I agree ,the advantages of the kite are far reaching .Had loads of folk knock me and am sure you have heard it all as well but for me nothing ,and I include the balloon as part of kite training as its the same, equals kiting .Many fantastic falcons have been made the traditional way but thats where it ends .The kite continues to get the falcon fit very quickly year in year out but for me one of the greatest things is retreaving lost falcons. It a hell of a fall back ,luckily only done it once ,a falcon went on one and dropped the transmitter ,put the kite up at random spots, 2 days later in she came from god knows where !



I think that you have just quoted one of the very big advantages of kite work. Once they are made to the kite they will go back on it and work there socks off trying to get up and so get themselves super fit very fast. Much faster than any other method in my book!!

[Falcons7]

Yes I know but you would think anything that has been kicking back for a couple years would atleast show significant signs of it.Im not saying she is fit,cant be but she is fit enough for a set up which she isnt gona get by the way.lol
By the way Dean ,are you still an arm chair falconer this season if you are and still in it come spring can I put a clutch of eggs under you :lol:


Jeff,Should imagine an intermewed bird to be fitter than a fresh penned eyas but I have occassionally had eyas,s almost speck out on their first free flight and often in warm weather!!!I think a kite trained bird has something to concentrate on and will do it with ease daily!!!Even better in cooler autumn/winter!!!

[Stoops]

Hi Jeff,

I do notice differences in first outings after the moult. It often seems more a mental thing that needs to click or get focused again rather than a huge recovery of physical fitness (for the birds that is - in my case it's both). After just a summer off it seems they can turn the turbo on again when they really want to.

The kite does give focus. I’ve had the experience of my tiercel (one you bred BTW and which is now 4 times intermewed and a cracking bird) going straight up to it after the moult and in a few days going any height to it. He doesn’t get the same purpose back into hunting as quickly without it – even with great set ups.

My Gyr hybrid wasn’t kite trained and for several seasons took ages to pick up pace hunting again. Funny thing was it wasn’t a gradual transition – rather one day nothing and the next day tearing up the sky. Now (8 times intermewed) he just needs a few flights to get the dust off. He doesn’t forget what he’s meant to be doing. I suppose they go on improving.

[Dean]

Yes I know but you would think anything that has been kicking back for a couple years would atleast show significant signs of it.Im not saying she is fit,cant be but she is fit enough for a set up which she isnt gona get by the way.lol
By the way Dean ,are you still an arm chair falconer this season if you are and still in it come spring can I put a clutch of eggs under you :lol:
Been flying a friends perlin for a month or so,had a great time but he is selling it friday!!!Its only really through lack of funds Jeff that I havent flown this season,I have kindly been offered a couple of this years untouched falcons in the past week absolutely free but would,nt take one up this late,fitness and position would be a problem now regarding weather conditions and lay offs!!!Unless I kited of course!!!:lol:

[CJTaylor]

Hi ,
flew my falcon Regal (9 times intermewed) for the second day running to the kite .She hasnt been flown for 2 years and as she is a breeding imprint ,isnt in a big chamber so was expecting her to be very unfit .
Put the kite up to around the 300ft mark yesterday to which I got a supprise on how easy she got there. Today I put it at about 600ft and it was a walk in the park ,you wouldnt think she had been in the chamber,her wings were like pistons. She has in the past being very fit and kited from an eyas.
I was wondering and it isnt a ''kitings better than traditional ''thing but do you folk who train in the traditional manner find there falcons are still quite fit after the off season or longer .I know one summer wont make a huge differance and an intermewed falcon quite quickly gets match fit again but how do you find them after missing a seasons flying.
My own 7/8ths gyr , was flown twice to the lure before being taken out hunting , it seems to fly effortlessly to pitch , and just in a straight line up !!,funny thing reading this thread Jeff , i was thinking the same thing myself a week or so ago , im now under the impression that i dont actually need to do any fitness work with the 7/8ths at all , just take him out when im going hunting , his first kill this season he wasnt on the wing 30 seconds , just up at 45 degrees pitched at about 4-500 feet , the dogs flushed , he stooped hit and was sat on his prize! , he didnt even have his beak open ,he found it no effort at all........i do think possibly with young birds , they do need fitness training , but there is a condition called "muscle memory" this is well documented in physical sports etc , where by any one who has reached a certain standard of physical fitness/condition , finds that even with long layof periods the body quickly returns to its previous stature ...google this and you will see........im wondering if it works ten fold in hunting hawks.....colin

[Judd Casper]

Hi ,
flew my falcon Regal (9 times intermewed) for the second day running to the kite .She hasnt been flown for 2 years and as she is a breeding imprint ,isnt in a big chamber so was expecting her to be very unfit .
Put the kite up to around the 300ft mark yesterday to which I got a supprise on how easy she got there. Today I put it at about 600ft and it was a walk in the park ,you wouldnt think she had been in the chamber,her wings were like pistons. She has in the past being very fit and kited from an eyas.
I was wondering and it isnt a ''kitings better than traditional ''thing but do you folk who train in the traditional manner find there falcons are still quite fit after the off season or longer .I know one summer wont make a huge differance and an intermewed falcon quite quickly gets match fit again but how do you find them after missing a seasons flying.Hi Jeff Lexy done 600ft on her first day out this season,I havent laid a hawk off for a season so don't know on that one but i think a made hawk can go up pretty high from day one out the pen.

Sam

[Falcons7]

!!!Unless I kited of course!!!:lol:[/quote]

I LIKE A MAN WHO SEE'S THE LIGHT ,GET A KITE SORTED ,WHY MISS THE SEASON :supz:

[Falcons7]

Yes ,I know of muscle memory and Im sure it has a huge bareingon matters .Im a believer in getting a falcon as fit as you can its first season as it makes life easy in future years


My own 7/8ths gyr , was flown twice to the lure before being taken out hunting , it seems to fly effortlessly to pitch , and just in a straight line up !!,funny thing reading this thread Jeff , i was thinking the same thing myself a week or so ago , im now under the impression that i dont actually need to do any fitness work with the 7/8ths at all , just take him out when im going hunting , his first kill this season he wasnt on the wing 30 seconds , just up at 45 degrees pitched at about 4-500 feet , the dogs flushed , he stooped hit and was sat on his prize! , he didnt even have his beak open ,he found it no effort at all........i do think possibly with young birds , they do need fitness training , but there is a condition called "muscle memory" this is well documented in physical sports etc , where by any one who has reached a certain standard of physical fitness/condition , finds that even with long layof periods the body quickly returns to its previous stature ...google this and you will see........im wondering if it works ten fold in hunting hawks.....colin

[Falcons7]

Guess your right Sam ,how did she do the next couple of days ,any signs of stiffness. I havnt flown today ,work :cry:

Hi Jeff Lexy done 600ft on her first day out this season,I havent laid a hawk off for a season so don't know on that one but i think a made hawk can go up pretty high from day one out the pen.

Sam

[Judd Casper]

Guess your right Sam ,how did she do the next couple of days ,any signs of stiffness. I havnt flown today ,work :cry:Hi Jeff after that first flight it took her some time again to get back up to that point again and beyond..but she done it all without the use of superglue and Preston's finest just wild game you can't beat it:lol:


Sam

[Redbull]

i think its hard to beat a load of silver boyos put under them to get them fit, going up again and focused in. as for the superglue i dont use it,im a cellotape man myself, its a lot cheaper.;)

[Falcons7]

What is a ''silver boyos'' and you never said when you were coming up with ya falcon

i think its hard to beat a load of silver boyos put under them to get them fit, going up again and focused in. as for the superglue i dont use it,im a cellotape man myself, its a lot cheaper.;)

[Redbull]

yeah il have to try and get up somtime, im flat out at work at the min but when i get time il let you know.
steve.

[BBD]

Falcons right after the moult do tend to fly really fast and good first time out again noticed it many times over and over we had a lazy falcon end of last year that performed at an amazing level first couple of times out and back to his lazy self once again.

I love trying different methods to gain fitness from Kites, Balloons, Lure work released games and RC plane. use different game for my falcons as much as I can from pigeons, guinea fouls, peasants, gulls, ducks, to hunt the ultimate game of Kirwan and Houbara I however dont do rest days weather is more than perfect here during the season so I fly everyday when the falcon performes very good with a long and difficult persuit I reward him next day with something easy short and big thats thats his only rest.

Off season for the moult well a decent sized chamber all you can eat.

[Falcons7]

Iknow what you mean ,its like there pleased to be out again. Where are you from ,Nammy doesnt sound like a holiday destination lol.


IFalcons right after the moult do tend to fly really fast and good first time out again noticed it many times over and over we had a lazy falcon end of last year that performed at an amazing level first couple of times out and back to his lazy self once again.

I love trying different methods to gain fitness from Kites, Balloons, Lure work released games and RC plane. use different game for my falcons as much as I can from pigeons, guinea fouls, peasants, gulls, ducks, to hunt the ultimate game of Kirwan and Houbara I however dont do rest days weather is more than perfect here during the season so I fly everyday when the falcon performes very good with a long and difficult persuit I reward him next day with something easy short and big thats thats his only rest.

Off season for the moult well a decent sized chamber all you can eat.

[BBD]

Dubai UAE actually I have no idea how I got Nammy but it sounds good now so.