Post by Falcon Boy on Sept 3, 2004 16:53:07 GMT -5
We had quite a discussion on this topic a while back....
It can be done, but IMHO not with great success, and it does not bring out the best of the bird IMO. I do not feel that you can consistantly catch ducks as you can rabbits and squirrels. There was an artical on it in american falconry magazine a while ago, it said they had a male RT, they would put it in a tree, then flush teh ducks towards it.
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
Post by birdguy888 on Sept 3, 2004 22:16:20 GMT -5
Absolutely doable, especially if you have a small tiercel or an extremely strong hen. Either put the bird in a tree as mentioned or use my preferred method. What do every pond have around it (besides other ducks)? it has a bank and there are bushes. It is the element of surprise. You can easily sneak up a bank to slip the hawk because you have to walk up the bank which keeps you hid or you have thick bushes which keeps you hid. Once you are in place you just cast the bird hard towards the water and as soon as the ducks take off flying the hawk will instantly go for the closest one because it is the last to start flying; especially if it was so startled it has to "run" on the waters surface to help build up speed to fly.
Ooby
Ancient Member Warning: 50% For Vulgaritey and Profanity
Sounds like the exact same way people hunt a gos at ducks.
As ive said many times, my sponsor fully expects me to take waterfowl with my bird. Im sceptical but im an atomaton when it comes to what the sponsor says. Be assured i will keep yall updated with successes and failures.
Post by birdguy888 on Sept 4, 2004 13:32:39 GMT -5
If your sponsor expects you to take duck with a red-tail you need to find a new sponsor. You have to have good training techniques and an extremely fit, or fast flying red-tail for duck. Duck is not a normal prey base for a broadwing of any species. Out of all the birds I've hunted with I have only had two that were as capable as a HH or a Gos on duck. One was a rufous tiercel and the other was a huge hen Harlan's.
YEP, I'M BACK TEMPORARILY. I'm still raising baby parrots and will be for about the next 5 months but I'll try and keep an eye on the board in the meantime.
Ooby
Ancient Member Warning: 50% For Vulgaritey and Profanity
Post by birdguy888 on Sept 4, 2004 16:51:07 GMT -5
Oh, thank goodness. We were talking about the context of writing earlier in another post on how confusing it can be when someone write something. LOL having high expectation of your apprentice is understandable. I am actually very difficult on my apprentices but only because it needs to be that way.
Ooby
Ancient Member Warning: 50% For Vulgaritey and Profanity
ya lol. He hunts duck with all three of his birds (peregrin, gos, HH), and really wants me to give it a go with a male red tail. It will however be far down the road most likely at the very end of the season or next season depending on how much i screw up the bird, or how well the bird responds to my ham handed training.
At the moment though, i feel i am limited at learning anymore, with out a bird to learn from. I have more book knowlege than i know what to do with, and i need to put it all into practice. So im just trying not to forget any of it and wait till trapping season opens.
