Last year I CAUGHT ONE MALARD WITH MY RT IT WAS TAKEN ON THE RISE MY RT HAS FLOWN AT SEVERAL DUCKS AND CLIPPED ONE LAST YEAR ALSO, IT DOVE IN THE POND AND REFLUSHED WHILE SHE WASNT READY. THE KEY IS GET YOUR BIRD HIGH AND HIDDEN AND THE FLUSH THE DUCKS TOWARDS HER. I WILL BE FLYING HER ON DUCKS AGAIN THIS YEAR AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT.
You would have better luck on small narrow streams than ponds especially without a dog, the ducks on seeing the RT would prefer to dive. RT's & dogs being at best, uneasy companions. Doing it is mot the problem. The problem is doing it which any regularity. RT's are great opportunists but the opportunity doesn't often present its self.
A people who would trade liberty for security will end up losing both & deserving neither.
Post by austringer84 on Jan 31, 2006 5:56:40 GMT -5
My male harris flew two mallards the other day, the first lasted no further than 100 metres and my hawk pulled up and returned for the second which was still in the water. Once back and in a great position my jack russel was comanded into the water and flushed it, resulting in a catch. was a great flight, maybe 40 metres, and then a perfect aeirial catch, and a good tumble to the ground! That was my first mallard with my male harris, but since have had a couple of good chases, although no kills, I will keep hoping for another!
Well done, Malard are hard to take for any bird [my peregrine has trouble] to do so whith a male harris is excellent. Especially in an aerial tail-chase.
A people who would trade liberty for security will end up losing both & deserving neither.
Post by austringer84 on Feb 1, 2006 10:01:37 GMT -5
We caught another mallard today, Inca did a long tail chase and stayed slightly above the duck, then the duck decide to hit water, Inca pulled up into a tree and waited then my terrier dived in the water, reflushed the duck and inca caught bout 20 foot from the pond!
Just in case there are any doubters still out there, I'm reposting here part of an entry from my training log elsewhere on this forum. I am an apprentice with little experience. Prior to this outing Rex had killed only 1 rabbit and 5 squirrels. "We ended the hunt with a visit to the woods along the creek. Rex immediately took a high perch and I noticed 4 mallard in the creek. I entered the creek, putting the ducks between Rex and me. They clearly had seen Rex as they stayed put even when I got within 20ft of them and some rocks thrown into the water failed to flush them. Finally they lost their nerve and took off. 3 slipped by me downstream, the fouth started upstream then rose vertically, presumably in an attempt to fly over me and join the flock.That was a big mistake. As he lost momentum at the top of his climb Rex came from behind and grabbed his head. They landed together in the icy water only about 6 feet from me and proceeded to float downstream towards a small waterfall. I got to them in time, grabbing the duck's neck with one hand and lifting Rex out of the water with the other. He had both feet clamped onto the head and neck and there was no way he was letting go." This kill confirms what many posters on this thread have already said: high perch, flush towards the RTH, small water, taken on the rise. I think the presence of dense woods along both banks was a great help. The duck were reluctant to enter the woods and therefore were confined to narrow path (< 30ft wide). On 2 flushes since that day Rex has not even come close to success.
Give a man a fire, make him warm for a day. Set a man on fire, make him warm for life.
Very cool! I love hearing stories about RTs taking ducks.
My first-year bird has taken all squirrels so far (nine) but last weekend when my sponsor and I were flying him in a wooded area we came across a half-dozen mallards on a small pond. My sponsor asked me if I wanted to try a duck slip and I got the bird to follow me over to the pond. Unfortunately, I never got to find out how she would have reacted if I flushed the ducks since she bombed after a squirrel before I got the chance to flush.
In any event, congratulations on that duck. It must have been a great feeling.
- Jon D.
"In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
GREAT FEELING? It was exhilarating. Not just because we got the duck, but because the whole thing went step-by-step exactly according to plan. Made me feel like a real falconer. I enjoy squirrel hawking (8 kills so far) but sometimes I feel too much like a spectator. For this slip I was an active participant. In fact, there's no way that Rex would have succeeded without me.
Last Edit: Feb 1, 2006 16:54:22 GMT -5 by RobDeegan
Give a man a fire, make him warm for a day. Set a man on fire, make him warm for life.
I have been asking to hawk alot of new ponds this year to prepare for the longwing and I have noticed alot of mallards this year I hope it stays like this. I have 3 on my pond right now ;D
Well I drove around and checked some of my ponds out since it has been raining there was 30 mallards on one of my ponds. Come on duck season, I think its going to be a good one.
I was reading ducks unlimited magazine and there forcast for this year is great all duck numbers are way up and they predict that this is going to be a very very good year! It said that the spring count was the best since 1955 due to a warm wet spring. It also said it was good in all 3 flyways ;D That is what I WANTED TO HEAR THIS YEAR.