What would you reccomend

[FalconryChick]

In my area we have loads of game (rabbits, pheasent, and pigeons -- all with fairly high populations) the OHC has reccomem=ned i start with a red tailed hawk or a harris hawk, for all you who know about these birds what would you reccomend?

[Tim Laycock]

Male Red.
The perfect prelude to a Goshawk 8)

[OhMyGod]

harris would be best on these quarry species

[Adam Barrett]

I think it depends if you want to progress further in falconry in the future and fly a variaty of differant birds at differant quarries.

if you do i would suggest a male redtail.

if you purley want to get into falconry for a wide variaty of sport with one particualr hawk that go grow in experiance along with you for many seasons you will not find a better candidate than the harris.

IMHO

8)

[Tim Laycock]

Train a Harris Hawk......Then learn how to train everything else!
Train a Red Tail............Train anything 8)
Nuff said!

[Hosehead]

What's the average temp in the fall during hunting season ? Could miss a lot of days with a Harris. My Redtail hunts well down to about -10C below that she's good for one kill. Kurt

[Tim Laycock]

Exellent point! In the UK we dont usualy have to consider these things but for you folks across the pond I suppose it can be a very limiting factor.

[SakerYZF]

Male Red!

[SparsTheOne]

i will have to say a harris even thou i,m flying a redtail,but i have been flying hawks for 18 years now.

jase.

[PeregrinesUK]

Train a Harris Hawk......Then learn how to train everything else!
Train a Red Tail............Train anything Cool
Nuff said!
100% agree!

[Achilles]

I would describe myself as a novice novice. Hence the question: Why a male Redtail and not a female? :? :? :?

[Roo]

I'm a novice too, so what i'm about to say may be complete rubbish :mrgreen: I would wait for an experienced member to confirm/reject what i've posted!

From a few topics on this forum I have gathered that the Males tend to have slightly better behaviour, less aggressive. Also I imagine they would be a better bet because they are a slightly smaller size, although the margin for error in weight control is a lot greater in a bigger bird i.e. a bigger bird is less likely to fall ill/die from a lack of food!. A male red is probably big enough for a beginner, a large aggressive female red wouldn't be quite so good to someone with little experience!

[Sprout]

Either, its horses for courses.

[Sprout]

Some one has to :wink:

[Stormy007]

Train a Harris Hawk......Then learn how to train everything else!
Train a Red Tail............Train anything 8)
Nuff said!enough said only mines a female r/t even better.pete

[Stormy007]

Train a Harris Hawk......Then learn how to train everything else!
Train a Red Tail............Train anything 8)
Nuff said!deffo if u can train a female r/t u can train anything,beleive me.pete

[Tim Laycock]

I would describe myself as a novice novice. Hence the question: Why a male Redtail and not a female? :? :? :?

I was thinking primarily from the aggression point of view but without wishing to sound sexist, I think a female red is a little too heavy for a 16 year old girl.
(It was a bitch to lug one when I was 12 and I was not a small lad)

[Tr1gger]

Harris. Evertime. as the voting suggests.

I know 4 people who have flown redtails. 3 of them sare scared.

[MickeyDredd]

Harris. Evertime. as the voting suggests.

I know 4 people who have flown redtails. 3 of them sare scared.

Pussies :!: :lol: :lol:

[Dave G]

ive a fem red big bird big feet ,get nailed think it would knock the confidence out of a leaner and the bird would either get left in weathering or sold on quick, ive a male harris great to handle soft as a brush and switches on to hunt not footy at all and very intelegent great first bird

[FalconryChick]

lol i think i have some confidence lol i used to bull ride lol so i'm pretty sure a injury isn't something i'm scared of lol i thinki'd more or less be scared of losing the hawk on a hunt or something. we'll still have to make the choice... and i want to make a good one...

[Tim Laycock]

Get a Redtail then :wink:

[Shaun Byrne]

Get a Red Tail... Then go on to train a Gos
Get a Harris......No need to go on :D

[Grovsey]

my first bird was a male redtail and he was great fun untill he smashed his wing up,still got him as a home is for life ,they ar egreat onn anything even hares,they dont do round bushes they go through them,
great bird

[Tim Laycock]

Get a Harris......No need to go on
No need or wont be competent?
You decide!

[Wes]

Well you've heard about everyone's oppinion, It will take alot of thinking to make a wise decission, concider the landscape, time, type of game, experience you have, access to legal property to fly the bird are some of the many other things to think about as well. Not just the type of bird to choose. Match the bird with you're area for success.
I fly a Female Red tail.
Good Luck
Wes

[Tr1gger]

I've seen a female redtail fly. If u need to lose some weight get a female redtail. Chasing it over the hills will get u fit allright.

[Fawkes]

I would have to suggest a Harris - tho I'm a bit of a newbie myself. It's really hard to lose a Harris, if that's what you're worried about. They're really intelligent and a lot of fun to fly. On top of that, if you find know anyone else who wants to get into falconry, you can easily fly these birds in a cast.

Where are you from? Some one mentioned that temperature is an issue over here - its going to be one of my problems when I get my harris.

[OutFlying]

Hard to lose a Harrishawk ??????????? The ibr website has loads of found / lost harrishawks listed. A fit and motivated harris can fly quarry for great distances and can easily be lost in these situations combined with difficult terrain without telemetry. To say it is hard to lose a harris hawk is a myth, maybe an unfit poor hunting one is - a fit one is a different matter.

OF.

[Wightwings]

I think ( hopefully ) he was refering to the socil nature of the HH OF...

[Wes]

I've seen a female redtail fly. If u need to lose some weight get a female redtail. Chasing it over the hills will get u fit allright.


Well if that's what you believe I'll let you. I've flown two different F R/T's and I don't run, as I walk on an artifical left leg, maybe it's just the difference between a passage and a captive breed? or perhaps the method of training you have witnessed? I have witnessed harris hawk hunters chase their birds all day, I don't blame the Harris breed, it's just the way some people fly/hunt their birds.
Wes

[FalconryChick]

i live in the city of kawartha lakes ( i'm about 2 hours north of toronto) so i am trying to make a desision best for the bird i know i am going to have a heated wall in my mews when it is done( everything is on hold because i am going to be moving down the street and around the corner lol) but i';m not sure about a harris in the winter that is one of my main concerns...

[SakerYZF]

Wes, you say you have an artificial leg, i almost lost my leg a few years back due to some **** ****ing about with his shotgun , im ok for now but i might face losing the leg at some point in my life.. if you don't mind me asking how easy is it to carry on with flying your birds with an artifical leg , is it above the knee missing or below?

[Wes]

SakerYZF, Three hunting seasons with two different birds and returned home after every hunt with my birds. So yes I quess I do ok, with just a set of bells and no electronics.
Yes I lost my lower left leg when a car turned in front of my Harley when I was 23 yrs old, I walk with a staff when I hunt as an aid. I also trained bird to follow close. This has worked for me, it's not the only way as there may be other training methods I'm not aware of, know your limits and the limits of your bird and decide for your self.


Wes

[OutFlying]

Wes, you say you have an artificial leg, i almost lost my leg a few years back due to some **** **** about with his shotgun , im ok for now but i might face losing the leg at some point in my life.. if you don't mind me asking how easy is it to carry on with flying your birds with an artifical leg , is it above the knee missing or below?

My brother lost his leg above knee in a motorbike accident, still walks the moors with his 2 pointers. Walks with a stick on uneven ground - no problems on more even ground. He uses the stick, to keep the speed of walking up not as a necessity to be able to walk (if you understand).

Jim.

[Wes]

Jim , Yes I understand very well, I use the staff to help dispatch, flush game, also helps support the hawk are just some of the ways I use a staff.
Wes

[SakerYZF]

Thats pretty cool to hear , i wans't sure i'd be up to it if i ever lost my leg, encoraging to hear , thanks :)

[Wes]

SakerYZF, I Didn't say it's easy. I've read a report somewhere, that it takes twice the energy to walk with a prosthetic. I do have other problems as well. There are stills days I can't walk, but the days I can-- I'm gone Hawking.
Best to you, If I can be of help PM or email me
Wes

[SakerYZF]

Would't imagine its easy at all, i was out hawking with a friend and his gos with a huge metal frame on the lower part of my left leg , took me an age to get anywhere, i've got one of thouse never give in attitudes though and im sure i'd find a way not matter:), what is it your flying RT's?

[Wes]

It's all in the mind, No Quit attitude :partyman:

[SakerYZF]

hell yeah :)

[SoaringSilver]

This might sound stupid to alot of you, but thought id ask anyway..

There is alot of hybrids out there, is there not alot of Red Tail/Harris hybrids knocking around ?

I understand when breeding two different types of birds together you are trying to produce progeny that may improve on both the parents, Not sure what this breeding would achieve, but im sure it would be a nice beginner bird.

Go easy on me with your replies :oops: :P

[Hawkmaster]

I don't think there are many! Besises that I know why you ask, but I must say if you want the extra power get a female HH you can make her everything you want :lol:

[SoaringSilver]

seems a real mixed bag of opinions in this thread though, hard for a beginner to make head nor tail of it really :?

I just thought id ask about the hybrid incase anyone has had experiences of them. Do you think it would be a good bird ?

[Wes]

Different birds, Different attuides, as well as age and types of birds, there is not only ONE answer to a question like this!
Wes