Bloody Tree Rats!!!

[DeathFromAbove]

For some reason my FHH has shown a new found aggression and hatred to squirrels, she never used to blink an eye even if one ran right in front of her, always waiting for the preffered rabbit or pheasant to be flushed but recently she gives it ten nill whenever one of the lil gits shows itself, it's led to some fantastic technical flights and they're entertaining to watch (while i'm belting it along through the woods after them hehe) but i fear one's gonna inflict a serious bite on her. She's not caught any yet, mailny cos they find a rabbit hole or other cover before she can bind to them, and if she does i intend to take them straight off her with no reward. Is there anything i can do apart from not rewarding her if she does get one to stop her chasing them? Apart from the damage they can do to a hawk it's ruining some decent flushes cos there's millions of the lil sods around.

[HunterPaul]

exactly the same happened to me with a fhh I had...she hit her third season after never batting an eye at them. i think she thought they were tree ferrets lol....then in her third season I could not put her up a tree or do any following on without her scanning the trees and chasing like a nutter...she copped a couple by accident and boy did it make me sweat...luckily I was waiting at the btm of the trees or not far off and just cut there throats no ****ing about ...one of them was trying to chew her toe off ...I was very lucky I had no injuries...the bird was experienced enough to hit them in the head....but it was only going to be a matter of time...I thought she'd pack in after encountering a couple at close quarters...but it just made her hate them more...my answer ..I took out the rifle and thinned the population down...flew her less from trees...and they(the squirrels) get the idea and are not so blase when they here the bells.... or see a human...I have to say I never flew her at squirrels on purpose, and even was flying a red whos supposed speciality was to fly squirrels and still didnt fly them...they are little ******** and no animal should have to deal with an angry one..

[Dave G]

hi i have the same problem with my male harris who loves chasing them ,he has caught 2 which puts my puts my heart in my arse pocket till i can get the sod off without a bit which like you said can finish a hawk,ive sat looking up a tree and watched him play cat and mouse with squirrels going around the tree all the calling will not unfix the little sods mind off the squirrel untill he has lost the sight of it all i can do is try to avoid areas which have a squirrel population which is hard so like your self heeeeeeeelllllllppppppp someone how can this be stopped :)

[Kanati]

they are great flights to watch, but I cant help holding my breath until its all over and they hopefuly get away! My harris dont seem to home in on them. They see them and somtimes they have ago and somtimes they dont...I hope they dont get keen on them. What are peoples views on what to do if one is caught??? Rush in and help, or leave the hawk to it so as not to distract her from her dangerous quarry???

[DeathFromAbove]

yeah - bites like little pitbulls, if they were the size of rabbits they'd rule the land hehe. may take ur suggestion and thin the area with a gun a bit paul. luckily i do have some land with minimum tree rat population but i vary the land i fly her on to keep my quarry guessing and to keep her interested. though about getting some of them squirrel chaps to have on her just incase but i'm told they arent that much use.

[DeathFromAbove]

they are great flights to watch, but I cant help holding my breath until its all over and they hopefuly get away! My harris dont seem to home in on them. They see them and somtimes they have ago and somtimes they dont...I hope they dont get keen on them. What are peoples views on what to do if one is caught??? Rush in and help, or leave the hawk to it so as not to distract her from her dangerous quarry???


Definately rush in and dispatch it as soon as poss i would have said, lessen the chance of a crippling bite. as they can take a toe clean off i'm told

[HunterPaul]

when shes got one of them ******* things in her feet I dont think youll be able to do much to distact her...get in there and get the f****er dead asap... shooting em is the safest way ...they make a great stockpile of moulting food....chop off the head tail and feet though so she cant recognise the evil creature as food...and I have to say im partial to a nice squirrel pie ...in my opinion it tastes better than rabbit....but id eat anything with a crust on...I do love a pie...

[Coedhirion]

If a hawk takes a squirrel I grab the thing's head as qick as I can with my gloved hand so it cant turn and bite the bird. I despatch it by placing the bottom of my thumb stick on its skull and pushing down hard to crush the skull.
I know the meat is high food value, but only the ferrets get it, just in case the hawk can tell that the meat is squirrel. I guess skinned, frozen then fed a few weeks later they probably shudn't, but I just won't risk it.
I always give a 'recall' whistle when they fly a squirrel and swing the lure like a mad man. Often this makes the hawk hesitate for just a split second so the thing escapes.
I use squirrel anklets that I made, I posted a picture some when, somewhere on here. They work OK and I can fit them without casting the bird. Tho I leave them on all the time during hunting season unless I am not flying a bird for 3 or 4 days (which dosnt happen much)

[Sparrow Hawker]

If there's plenty of squirrels around could be worth having a walk round with an air rifle!

I try and stay away from them but last season my harris took a squirrel and was bitten, not badly but he was on a course of antibiotics for a good few weeks, and it resulted in a hefty bill! I agree the flights are entertaining but for me its not worth the risk!

HH

[Wightwings]

agreed not worth the risk at all but if the bird is persistant fit some squirrel chaps for a bit more security....( if already mentioned ignore this post couldnt be reallt arsed reading the whole thread too nuch to catch up on;-) )

[DeathFromAbove]

Aye opinions on the 'squirrel chaps' vary a fair bit, I don't purposefully fly her at them and would be happyer if she left them alone altogether but in the meantime i may get a pair just for a little added peace of mind should she catch any of the lil sods. think she's having a 'hunt anything that moves' phase lol. and since she's not caught one yet she doesn't know she won't get rewarded for it.

[KestrelFan76]

me and my friends actually managed to shoot 48 of them in one day we ended up getting drunk and playing rugby with them it turns out that you can kick a squirrell a lot further than you can a rugby ball

[Coedhirion]

me and my friends actually managed to shoot 48 of them in one day we ended up getting drunk and playing rugby with them it turns out that you can kick a squirrell a lot further than you can a rugby ball
What you did with them when they were dead is realy a bit sick. OK I'm a prude, but I have respect for my birds quarry. Plus if you were careful were the shot went (depending on gun type) you wasted one of the best quality food. If you felt there was a risk of the skinned flesh attracting your bird to take squirrel, then it would give ferrets a darn good boost.
I will get off the soap box now !!

[HunterPaul]

and id like to step right up on it...I am disgusted that you would treat anything with so much disrespect...Im not alover of squirrels by any stretch of the imagination but the thought of booting one around like a rugby ball even if it is dead makes me sick to the stomach...I may wind a few people up on this forum but there are lines that should not be crossed...I dont care wether its the best food in the world...I shall now step down off the soap box...

[Minty]

me and my friends actually managed to shoot 48 of them in one day we ended up getting drunk and playing rugby with them it turns out that you can kick a squirrell a lot further than you can a rugby ball


Kicking squirrells around must have been fun and then all home for Jelly and Cream and early to bed as its your first day at school tomorrow.:roll:

[MattSpar]

me and my friends actually managed to shoot 48 of them in one day we ended up getting drunk and playing rugby with them it turns out that you can kick a squirrell a lot further than you can a rugby ball
I, for one, consider the Grey Squirrel to be a very sporting quarry, and enjoy flying them.
I must remember however, if the opportunity ever arises, not to go hawking with this bunch.

[JFSeaman]

But no one answered about how to stop the HH from going after squirrels.

I don't think you can. I think like the Red Tail, the Harris is hard wired to this native prey. It's dramatic flights for sure. But bites can be deadly to your bird.

I read of chaps made from vet wrap. Flexible and the squirrels bite the wrap not the scales/skin of the bird. And safe, all the other chaps get hung up in branches too easy.

The only thing I can come up with is to convince your bird that rabbits and pheasants are easier and to wait for them to be flushed.

and you other guys, DONT BE DISRESPECTFUL TO THE QUARRY. We have enough problems keeping falconry legal all over the world, it doen't help if some anti sees a comment like that one. I hope the moderator removes it soon for all our sakes.

[HunterPaul]

the problem with trying to convince the bird that rabbits and pheasants are easier quarry is that if flying the bird to its full potential..and getting to the quarry quick sharp is you end up with a bird that will have a go at just about anything....and a little fast moving thing like a squirrel seen through the eyes of a hawk like this ,is just fair game...from what I can tell damage control seems to be the only way..thin them out wear chaps, keep your fingers crossed..and if unlucky enough to catch one get there and despatch it asap... spectacular though the flights may be ..id give them a wide birth..
and I agree with you on the anti front lets not hang ourselves and give them more ammo to throw in our direction..

[DeathFromAbove]

Aye cheers for all your thought and viewpoints guys, altho i can say with certainty that i won't be playing footie with any! as a rule i don't mind squirrels but as i said they're a pest when i'm out flying. guess it's a risk we all take eh... anyone know the quickest and best way of dispatching said offenders if they're caught?

[Coedhirion]

and id like to step right up on it...I am disgusted that you would treat anything with so much disrespect...Im not alover of squirrels by any stretch of the imagination but the thought of booting one around like a rugby ball even if it is dead makes me sick to the stomach...I may wind a few people up on this forum but there are lines that should not be crossed...I dont care wether its the best food in the world...I shall now step down off the soap box...
Cheers, thought I may be the only one who noticed. Hope they remove the offending post soon. Not sure I even believe the ....... any way. hope it was just in his dreams.

[Jester]

me and my friends actually managed to shoot 48 of them in one day we ended up getting drunk and playing rugby with them it turns out that you can kick a squirrell a lot further than you can a rugby ball


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[HunterPaul]

jsut read somewhere that you are only fifteen...this is no excuse for your actions.. your probably sat thinking 'what a set of old ******s' but hopefully one day youll wake up and realise just how right we all are and will see it through a more educated eye...I hope so ..or you may be the sort who buys a high powered rifle anmd sits up a building picking ppl off in the local high street...who knows ...please read what has been written over your actions and try to learn from it...its not just about NOT posting stupid threads ...its about NOT doing stupid mindless things...you care for your bop ferrets dog etc ..so you must have a certain amount of responsibility, dont let that disappear once you leave the back garden...stop going on the **** at 15 youve got plenty of time for that when you get married...and start to grow up and think about planning the future ..... and youre probably thinking ..shut up ******...(gently put).. but I expect that anyway.... Paul ..the dad