Post by harrishawker on Oct 15, 2009 10:06:23 GMT -5
Master Yarak ;D is far more knowledgeable than me on tree rats and we are good cyber friends and he knows that i don't always agree but that does not change anything off the pitch so to speak however I was just pointing out that a big bird with big feet is not all that it is about in my view Aerodynamics come into it and speed of the kill.
Anyway....what is a master falconer in the states classify?
Is it as good as a Ancient Falconer ;D
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From what I've seen,"impact" seldom plays a very big role in squirrel hawking. What's important is the strength of the grip, so larger bird=larger feet=stronger grip. I know the really large, really experienced squirrel hawks kill their prey fairly quick, at least sometimes, but most of the time the falconer has to move in and help them with it, if you want a quick kill to reduce the risk of injury.
From what I've seen,"impact" seldom plays a very big role in squirrel hawking. What's important is the strength of the grip, so larger bird=larger feet=stronger grip. I know the really large, really experienced squirrel hawks kill their prey fairly quick, at least sometimes, but most of the time the falconer has to move in and help them with it, if you want a quick kill to reduce the risk of injury.
There is what I will term as the "slashing or raking" attack. This involves the bird striking the squirrel either going up the trunk or down it. It DOES have everything to do with weight. These types of attacks do not happen often but the larger birds seem more successful at them. Then of course there is the tear-drop stoop. Striking the squirrel with full force on the ground. This too has everything to do with "impact". I have seen them hit so hard the bounce up from the impact.
Now, as far as killing them in my experience few die quickly. Most fight until the very end. I know that I killed more than 80% of the squirrels my bird caught. Please keep in mind these were fox squirrels. The grey squirrels we killed in the end of her career died much quicker. Yarak
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away
Post by harrishawker on Oct 20, 2009 16:50:39 GMT -5
Getting too see a strike off a trunk must be fantastic. Never had that. Had them striking from above on branches and on the ground. If it attacks on the trunk surely attacking the rat as it's going down the trunk is a risky business for the bird due to the position of the rat.It would have to get it by the head by going verticly down on it then heading towards the ground giving it a chance to slip like a 'Thumble' in football A strike for a well experienced bird i should think Interesting stuff!
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Here's a bad camera video of my RT raking a squirrel off a tree trunk. The Buck gray weighed 31oz and my hawk (39oz) took a bite to the cere and 2 gouges were left in her beak.
Joe
Last Edit: Oct 21, 2009 2:06:12 GMT -5 by jballone
Here's a bad camera video of my RT raking a squirrel off a tree trunk. The Buck gray weighed 31oz and my hawk (39oz) took a bite to the cere and 2 gouges were left in her beak.
Joe
Good stuff.
I love the sound of your Adrenalin pumping away.
I spoke to a guy the other day who said obviously large females with big feet are the way to go so i stand corrected on my views However a reasonable sized RT can handle a normal Grey squirrel.
However he went on to say that he has known a fox squirel to literally stand it's ground against a RT almost like a mexican stand off! Don't know if anyone has come across this?
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Post by Master Yarak on Oct 21, 2009 7:07:17 GMT -5
I have seen it. They only do it once. One we moved past was hidden. Once past it it ran towards the hawk out on a limb and began barking. The hawk spun around and nailed it before it make back to the trunk. I also had one come out of nest and ran and jumped on the hawk while it was fighting with what I will assume was the squirrels mate. I have witnessed a female run between the hawks feet (nutmeg) grab one of its offspring out the nest and run back past the hawk, down the trunk and stashed its young in a hollow log. It repeated this three times. The hawk was occupied eating one of her kids. She saved three out of the four. Amazing. Yarak
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away
Post by Master Yarak on Oct 23, 2009 7:03:20 GMT -5
Actually after the bird drives a few of them into the dreys they begin to hit them without any help. It reminded me of an Avon commercial. "Avon Calling" Attacking the nests was fun to watch but ALWAYS made me very nervous. Sticking feet blindly into a nest was a sure way of getting bit. It would push the chap higher up on the leg giving the toes more exposure. She did not seem to care. It was as though her instinct for self preservation completely vanished. I have seen some reckless hawks. None moreso than her. Precision and timing she also developed.
Early on she was discriminate about where she would grab. She received no bites until she was six. That season she changed. She would no longer discriminate on where or how she grabbed. I asked her why the change but she just gave me the middle talon.
Yarak
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away
Actually after the bird drives a few of them into the dreys they begin to hit them without any help. It reminded me of an Avon commercial. "Avon Calling" Attacking the nests was fun to watch but ALWAYS made me very nervous. Sticking feet blindly into a nest was a sure way of getting bit. It would push the chap higher up on the leg giving the toes more exposure. She did not seem to care. It was as though her instinct for self preservation completely vanished. I have seen some reckless hawks. None moreso than her. Precision and timing she also developed.
Early on she was discriminate about where she would grab. She received no bites until she was six. That season she changed. She would no longer discriminate on where or how she grabbed. I asked her why the change but she just gave me the middle talon.
Yarak
I have had this with a HH as they are so clever. In it's 5th year it just gave up on me and started to self Hunt. No matter what i tried she was not going to have it. I gave it to a mate and he got the treatment too. In the end we put her into breeding.
Good Hunters i have found get clever and usually kill themselves. They just don't discriminate and just think they can smash through a wall. RT are tough but HH are not that tough.
As they say...'Only the good die young'
How come i have not died yet then
In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.