Death by Squirrel

[harrishawker]

:-[I have just heard that a HH died whilst trying to take on a Tree Rat.
In Fact Both Died from their injuries. Have heard of Birds being bitten but not killed by them.
Has anyone else?

[Weasel]

Yes, I have "heard" stories of a big squirrel biting an RT on the back and killing it. I have no way to confirm this, so it has gone the length of the grapevine.

[Master Yarak]

I have never heard of an RT being killed by a squirrel. I have heard first hand from someone flying a Harris that his bird died from injuries received by a grey squirrel. It was in Kentucky. This same fellow told me of many that were placed in breeding projects due to career ending injuries from squirrel bites.
Yarak

[jeffro]

i've heard of a squirrel killing a RT by biting into its chest cavity and puncturing a vital organ. Harris hawks are much more thin legged than RT's and really dont handle the bites as well. I did have a squirrel get on my HH's back last season. It never reached the skin though, and i got there almost immediately to assist.

luckily with a little experience my HH's are have learned to bind with the head. Usually they will release it if they dont have good control. Then try to recatch it. sometimes my birds piling on helps also but that is just as scary. I always fly my HH with chaps, but they ride up alot still exposing the base of the foot.

[jfneumann57]

which style chaps do you use?

[jeffro]

i've been using the gary brewer style.

I also have some homemade ones that closely resemble them. I wanted to make a pair with a little foot strap. Something to go under the foot to hold the chap down. But i am scared it will snag on something and hang the bird in a tree.

Any suggestions on chaps?

[jfneumann57]

i used the really tall ones on gary's page they don't seem, to go up much

[jeffro]

i'll check those out. i have the original ones

[jag]

What is Gary's page? Would like to get a set of chaps.

Thanks, Joe

[rt]

I will only fly squirrels with a big hen rt, but that is me I have seen male redtails that would slay them and get nay bite same with harris hawks but I have also seen alot of nice hawks ruined too.