I can't speak for your areas of the globe, but i know what's happening to the rabbit population in S.E. Mo. 1) just like any organization, our conservation dept is driven by money. they make most of their money from Deer & Turkey tags and from duck stamps, so these animals get the lions share of the dept's attention. 2) Farmers are clearing out more and more fence rows, therefore habitat is on the decline. 3) Coyotes are plentiful, both in and out of town. They eat anything they can catch and hold down, including cats and small dogs. Over-predation is a problem.
All of this info is directly from the Conservation Department in the State Capitol. They told me that quail is being prioritized for the next two years, then they will start working on rabbit and squirrel. We'll just wait and see what happens, i guess.
sounds simallar here only bear (grizzly more so) moose and elk get lion's share. Although with the help of our local falconry association we are getting better refinments to the regs. Mr. Beebe is driving them nuts last I heard. Last year we were allowed to start with the bow hunters. Lot of good that did me there is no local special season for bow hunters on grouse and ducks unless I go down to Vancouver. 6hr drive ya mary would love that.
Post by Falcon Boy on Feb 28, 2004 16:48:29 GMT -5
Yeah i dont know why the bunnies are not out, but i tell ya, Top is going to be released in a while, and he needs to start catching stuff again becuase if he dosent im not going to release him untill he does (i wouldnt feel right knowing that hes not going to make it)
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
Here is another observation: Zach flew his RT yesterday at 1134 grams. That's about 60 grams higer than her usual flight weight. He flushed 4 bunnies for her. The first ran right under her. She seemed a bit confused about it, but then she took off like a thunder bolt after it. Again, she hit it on the butt and it ran away. Volo shot after the second one immidiately. It was an exciting, hard flight. This one out ran her, but Volo gave her a good run for the money. Volo didn't even TRY for the 3rd or 4th bunnies. Zach, frustrated as hell, tried to call her to the fist to go home, but he noticed that she was really looking at something... then she took off and stapled something to the ground. Hit it hard! Zach ran after her and found her footing a king snake. Now, if you'll remember, she caught a snake last week too when she could have taken a rabbit. I think this bird is set on snakes. They're plentiful, filling and much easier to catch than CTs. She missed two flushes, ignored two more but flew strong, far and succesfully to the king snake. I think it's baggy time. Zach is even considering letting her pounce a rabbit in the mew (an almost certain kill). Summary: At 1134 grams she made two really good but unsuccessful flights, but she ignored two rabbits... She absolutely crashed into that king snake... so, weight must not have been the problem. What are you thought's??
I would not let her eat the snakes if you are planning to intermew her. If you are going to keep her, then keep it on rabbits, becuase if you let her eat snakes, she will keep catching them.
Baggies is highly debated, ive been thinking the same thing for my bird, i honestly dont want to lean either way, but if you do do it, dont do it in the mew. Plant the rabbit somewhere, act like you are hunting, and smack the bush its in. It wont run real fast, or atleast, it shouldnt from what i hear. I am told that is the best way to do it.
I havent been able to fly Top alot recently, weve had 20 mph winds every day!!!! Im going to try to get out both days this weekend.
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
Two more very close misses (Zach flew her fat, @ 1400 grams) ... but no snakes this weekend! And, no, Volo doesn't get to eat the snakes.
FB, ppl debate the use of baggies all the time, but they use them all the time, too. It is confusing.
Volo is flying stronger and harder than ever. I think a baggie would help her; 1) experience a bit of success, and 2)understand what is expected of her. Not necessarily in that order.
I can see the bennefit of entering this particular bird on a baggie. I would'nt say that about every bird. The use of baggies should be used judiciously. We haven't done anything yet, still thinking about it. Zach really wants her to grab one on her own. He's flying her 3-4 times a week. You have to give him credit for trying!
I also have been thinking about baggies for a long time, i would like my bird to grab one on its own though, so im not sure what i will do. We have been plagued here!! Past 3 weeks have been 20-40 mph winds and 70 deg. weather! THIS SUCKS!!!
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
70 degree we go to 50 today although i couldn't get out of work today. The snow is melting and it's a horrer to walk in the fields. But the gophers might be up sooner if this keeps up.
I guess we should count our blessings: the wind hasn't been that bad here. We have a field three houses down that has plenty of bunnies in it (you can flush 3-5 in less than 10 minutes).
Zach and i talked about the baggy thing again tonight. Our sponsor is advising us to slip Volo on one soon... give her that taste of success we spoke of earlier. Zach is holding off, "just one more flight and maybe he'll hit one!"
Zach read some of the posts here, and he's thinking of trying the gound lure idea first. Do you tie a full crop on the ground lure, or do you call the bird off the ground lure to the swing lure with a full crop on it? What's worked for ya'll?
For training like that, i put it on the ground, let him see it and start flying, then run the other way dragging it, as soon as he hits it, i stop and jerk it a bit to simulate a struggle.
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
I guess we all have our methods for Mary I started with just call pieces clipped to the ground lure and set it in front of her. once she got to hitting the lure when she saw it I stopped putting pieces on the lure and just used a pickup piece. I then got my daughter to hide the lure in a bush and hide around the house and when Mary and I got near the lure she'd pull it as fast as she could. I'm not sure who had more fun my daughter or the bird. Anyway thats how I've done it and if nothing else it hasn't hurt our training. Best of luck Chris Foster
I tried them with some changes: my three year old saw me and Zach running with the lure. He thought that was great sport and came to help. "What the heck?", i thought. Now i can't get it away from him. He's so proud of helping Zach train his "eagle"!
The call meat works to, Chris.
Volo is working at 44 ozs. Zach is a bit leary of flying her that heavy. He will drop her weight by this sunday and we'll hunt again then. Lets hope this lure does the trick.
I know this has nothing to do with bunnies but the my daughter has accually seen some marmots about. They are about a month ahead of schedual but I'm not going to complain i'm going out this weekend to try for some of the pups. Not as much sport as rabbit or hare but we don't have any rabbits here and hare closes for the month of April. Marmots and gophers have their own challange mostly getting close enough to catch them before they reach their borrows. So after gophers we go hi ho hi ho. Chris Foster
Aren't you taking the same chance while squirrel hawking? A lot of people are doing it. We did a bit of squirrel hawking at our last state meet.
I have met some people who are dedicated to that prey, and couldn't give a hoot about rabbits. Some of them use squirrel chaps, others say they're useless. They protect the tarsus, but not the toes. I havent' heard of very many injuries developing into anything serious i.e. bumblefoot. But that is a real possibility.
Hmmm... This looks like the start of a new thread! However, to tie squirrel hawking into this thread, wouldn't it be a viable addition/alternative to huinting bunnies?