Hacking and rearing and the Harris

[Ben C]

It is also thought that hacking improves mental conditioning as falcons receive a greater number of stimuli and experiences when out at hack. Most falconers would agree that a hacked falcon is superior to a falcon taken straight from the breeding aviary.

I got this from Mark Robbs Gyr sight. Now I know I bang on about rearing, but you'll have to bear with me because its still new and exciting etc etc. But if you use a bit of logic, then surely the same would apply to a harris in terms of PR, creche and imprint. That the stimuli given to a young hawk is key to making it a better bird.

Is my logic right or am I barking up the wrong dog??

[Shaun Byrne]

Ben, are we talking about wild hacking or pen hacking?

[Ben C]

The Gyrs look like wild hack to me. But I could be wrong. But this doesn't alter my thinking does it?

[Shaun Byrne]

The Gyr Saker and Gyrs that Mark breeds are all wild hacked.

It was the HH I was talking about.

I have a breeding pair that will rear to about 13 weeks then the female gets agressive with them. When I remove them they go into a 30ft x 20ft x 20ft high open pen. They are left alone and fed through a chute for about 2 to 4 weeks.

These are the steadiest birds I have personally trained and so far all have been as near to silent as possible.

I've never had a solitary bird left like this as I make sure the last 2 go together, so dont know what effect this would have on a single young bird, noise etc.

[Moritz]

Mark Robb wild hacks his Birds, but also uses a big big aviary for hacking. You can see a photo of it on his homepage.

I think it would not be good for the wildlife around to hack HH but a big aviary like Mr Robb uses is probably the best for a p/r HH. I would like to do it one day.

Moritz

[Shaun Byrne]

Mark Robb wild hacks his Birds, but also uses a big big aviary for hacking. You can see a photo of it on his homepage.

I think it would not be good for the wildlife around to hack HH but a big aviary like Mr Robb uses is probably the best for a p/r HH. I would like to do it one day.

Moritz

Think you may find that they are all wild hacked this year Moritz, the high winds we had last winter re-arranged his hack pen.

[Moritz]

Alright I did not know that, must mean a lot work for him this coming year. :wink:
Is he going to build his big pen new?

Moritz

[Ben C]

Thanks fellas.....my thinking is more along the lines of how much stimulation effects the behaviour and temprement of a Harris. If wild hacking makes a gyr a better bird, then would emulating this with a harris be another way of rearing. If so what kind of behaviour would we see in the Harris? And therefore by extention does the stimulus of imprinting/creche rearing serve to make a better Harris (even though it noisy at times).

H4wka: I hope you don't think I am making any specific comments about how you rear your hawks, or anyone else for that matter. It is purely a theoretical discussion, and I am no way challenging your experience etc etc :) :) :) :) I am just thinking aloud really.

Cheers Ben

[Sprout]

How does hacking stand legally? Effectively we are releasing non-indigenous species and cannot guarantee 100% their return? Again, not criticising anyone just wondering? I tame hacked my pereXprairie as he became noisy/footy and an absolute sh*t when first started training, the hacking settled him down although did nothing really for fitness (he spent the majority of the 2 weeks at hack sat on the house chimney!)

[Ben C]

Yep your right it wouldn't work in the UK, but in the states???

Anyone from the US tried it??? :) :)

[Moritz]

Hi Sprout,
what is the difference between hacking and flying a bird free? It is the same! Less birds get lost during hacking then during flying free while hunting and training.

Moritz

[Goldie]

How does hacking stand legally? Effectively we are releasing non-indigenous species and cannot guarantee 100% their return? Again, not criticising anyone just wondering? I tame hacked my pereXprairie as he became noisy/footy and an absolute sh*t when first started training, the hacking settled him down although did nothing really for fitness (he spent the majority of the 2 weeks at hack sat on the house chimney!)

This becomes a bit of a grey area. I realise you are referring to HH but ALL hybrids are non-indigenous species. It is also to be remembered that unless you have the appropriate permission/licence you cannot release indigenous species into the wild either!. Hacking seems to fall under a different categorie as does releasing your Hawk/Falcon everytime you fly it.
Confused ? well thats falconry for you, nothings as straight forward as it seems :lol:

[Sprout]

True, but I know that the Hawk Board had big problems a year or so back because new legislation trying to be brought in would have made flying non-indigenous birds illegal. This was spotted in time and ammended. As I said it was a question, I don;t have a problem with hacking but not sure where we stand legally with it especially with non-indigenous birds. It could provide big problems again with the conservationists.

[Goldie]

Yep your right it wouldn't work in the UK, but in the states???

Anyone from the US tried it??? :) :)

Not a need to hack them in the states Ben, you just take one from the wild and end up with a fitter bird that already knows how to hunt :wink:

[Ben C]

So i could actually hack my Harris then Goldie????? Not that I need to mind.

I've opened a can of worms here sorry :oops: :oops:

[Goldie]

Sprout, I know it was only a question, thats why I answered :lol: and defined it as a grey area. you are quite correct about the Hawk Board and the problems they had. AKB usually keeps me up to date on the matters.

Ben, slightly tongue in cheek but you partially hack your HH everytime you allow it to free fly or follow on :lol: unless you want to differentuate between tame hack and wild hack and then that is a whole new thread :wink:

[Moritz]

You can hack any bird any time. try it with the HH. Should be fun. But you will need a lot space for that.

Moritz

[Ben C]

I understand.........and I am smiling slightly :wink: ............I had never thought of it that way, but in truth its exactly that isn't it?? No wonder Cody is so good he is almost a wild harris :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I can handle changing the thread, so please do? What is the difference between a tame and wild hack, and while your at it, why bother hacking at all. Other than to put injured hawks back in the wild????