partriges

[Falcons7]

Does anyone who flys at partridge do any work in there favour during the off season?

[Dave Whitt]

I used to put down my own just to fly at, it can be time consuming but is worth it when you satrt flying

[Falconry Equipment International]

Hi Falcons 7 How I wish to be inm your position. I have laods of permission to gamehawk on , but none to keep on :( :roll: SJ

[OutFlying]

fox control, and a few crow traps

[Jack Merlin]

Does anyone who flys at partridge do any work in there favour during the off season?

Winter feeding.

[Falcons7]

Winter feeding is great for keeping your stock healthy for the breeding season and proventing them from looking for pastures new ,litteraly and along with corvid and fox control in the spring -summer your game hawking is only going to get better.
I asked the question about anyone working with there stock of wild greys to see if there is many at it .
Myself and a very close friend have enbarked on a new piece of ground with a modest amount of wild pheasants and greys.Since around mid march we have killed 9 foxes,82 carrion crows ,15 or so magpies and a few misalanius.We sore our first brood of pheasants on the road side today,we pushed them away but what would there chances being if we were to add all those crows and foxes

[GriffMJ]

Whats the best feed to put down for them & where can u get it?

[Falcons7]

There is more feed value in wheat then barly ,its a pitty your so far away as I could fix you up with what we use.We call it Duck mussli ,its got alsorts in,wheat ,barly ,beans ,peas,all kinds of wild seeds,maze etc. etc. etc. and its only £1 per bag that you fill your self and take it from me I can fill a canny bag both the plastic and the two legged type and if your under 18 the 2 legged type is the big horrable type that you carry useing two legs and by know I've lost you!

[Jack Merlin]

Whats the best feed to put down for them & where can u get it?

The gamekeepers will tell you the best is wheat. You may be able to buy it off a farmer or your local feed merchant. I buy it by the tonne which is a lot cheaper than buying it in bags but I prefer not to pay at all!<g>

So at the moment, I have an arrangement with a local grain processer. I do favours for some of the mechanics and they phone me when there is spoilt grain they cannot use or a spill. I am around like a hoodie after a cast ewe!<g> Parting with money is not my favourite occupation.

You will hear a lot of theories about feeding wild birds, but believe me, they will take anything if there is nothing else. Sometimes you will get screenings or cleanings. These are both a waste by-product of cleaning grain. Just make sure you clear it with the farmer as sometimes the stuff is full of weed seeds which he won't want on his fields. Birds enjoy raking through it to get the occasional grain. I know one man who just dumps heaps in odd corners and lets the birds help themselves. Seems to work.

[Varmint]

Kibbled wheat is what i have always found the bird prefer by choice?

Sadly so do small birds, which in turn attracts the full gambit of other feeders and with them the predators.

Vermin control is with outa doubt, the very first thing that needs to be sorted out at the end of your season. Driven fox shoots in Jan are a good start, denning in the spring.

Rats , stoats and weasels need to be kept in check esp in the spring with sitting birds.

Buzzards are a mojor problem For partridge in our area, proven by a scientific study being carried out over a 15 yr period in Perthshire, sponsored by the Game Conservancy.
They currently responsible for an astonishing 49% of total losses of both immauture and mature birds within the study region.

Experiments are being carried out with alternative foods introduced to the close proximity of the heavily effected area's in the form of a Pigeon Lofts, with free breeding pigeons in residence.

Finally, ideal habitat, with balanced headland growth and reasonable terrain in which to flourish!

[Falcons7]

Headlands ,I find are an advantage but not important.Foxes and corvids are the main problem followed by the other stuff ,I have no buzzard problem thank F*&"
Feeding in winter is exellent and can be an advantage for a young game hawk as some flights can be tailor made,not realy what I like to do but when the dark nights are here and your racing against time for a flight,checking where feeders are can be handy provided that you only do this when you have no choise and you don't keep rumbling the same covey at the same feeder.

[Falconry Equipment International]

Headlands ,I find are an advantage but not important.Foxes and corvids are the main problem followed by the other stuff ,.:twisted: that was reason for my comment re not being able to 'keep ' on my permission, unfortun atley we now have buzzards( although we are close to E midlands release site for the red Kite so thee may be sport in the future fo those intrested in pursuit flights <VBG>, However generally qQuite agree here
I have no buzzard problem thank F*&"
Feeding in winter is exellent and can be an advantage for a young game hawk as some flights can be tailor made,not realy what I like to do but when the dark nights are here and your racing against time for a flight,checking where feeders are can be handy provided that you only do this when you have no choise and you don't keep rumbling the same covey at the same feeder.
Yup F07 that all makes sense,Re feeding I feed wheat, mixed with kibble and pellet mix which seem s to help, but in my circumstances is much as the problems Varmint mentions. SJ