This might sound like an ignorant question... but do you hunt at night with GHO? I though they are naturally more active at night, but then the falconer can't see anything.
Concerning GHO's I wish I could yell this advice!! For those falconers who aspire to fly one, TAKE NOTE! I have handled, trained and attempted to fly an older falconry GHO (my wifes bird) for 5 going on 6 years, he is a handful screemer, footy and a pleasure to hear hoot....but a GHO's attention span is short, you must wieght manage them carefully, creance training and manning them is very time consuming. They will either not hunt or might chase and go to ground. A GHO is really unpridictable so once again the wieght MUST be nailed or they will act stupid in the field. I don't recommend one to any falconer unless you can work with another falconer who is successfully flying and fielding a GHO. This is my main point, going at one with just internet or book info is not smart....It's better to work with a falconer who is successfully flying one again my 2 cents for what it's worth.
i think the GHO is a geat bird to look at, and TV makes them to be a smart bird. but i think you hit the nail on the head, they only care about 3 things, sex, food, and sleeping, i mean they dont have any real enemies do they? and since they are night birds, all they have to watch out for is their self.
now i volunteer at a place that has an illegal imprint GHO, and i must admit a great bird. they fly her to a box for training, but other than that, not much else. but i feel that is the exception and NOT the rule.
Yes, Nate's owl is doing great taking jacks and bunnies on a regular basis. But, you have to be out there in the dark and I stumble around enough during the daylight hours.
i mean they dont have any real enemies do they? and since they are night birds, all they have to watch out for is their self.
Um, The red tailed hawk is one predator of GHO's as GHO's are also predators of RTH.... I thought that was common knowledge. Pretty much everything has enemies in the wild.
Um, The red tailed hawk is one predator of GHO's as GHO's are also predators of RTH.... I thought that was common knowledge.
RTs will prey upon other owls like Barns, Barreds, Short-ears, Long-ears, and the like - but not GHOs. Certainly, RTs (and other BOPs) can be seen attacking a GHO during the day. But their intent is to drive the GHO out of territory because the GHO preys upon them (while sleeping, or eating prey on the ground, or the owl threatens their nestlings, etc.). A RT attack rarely ends in a dead GHO. Usually, it's the other way around. If RTs could successfully prey upon GHOs, there'd be far fewer of them.
A homeowner was watching this adult hawk eating a mouse when it was bushwacked by this GHO in broad daylight. The hawk was killed. The owl suffered damage to one eye, but was otherwise unharmed. That's usually how things go when hawks and GHOs tangle.
(Pic taken by the homeowner)
Man and his devices are the enemies of the GHO (shooting, poisoning, vehicle strikes, electrocution, etc.) Add Mother Nature herself - through disease, injury, starvation, etc. Some claim that GHOs kill other GHOs. It's possible, but I've never seen solid evidence of it.
i mean they dont have any real enemies do they? and since they are night birds, all they have to watch out for is their self.
Um, The red tailed hawk is one predator of GHO's as GHO's are also predators of RTH.... I thought that was common knowledge. Pretty much everything has enemies in the wild.
every thing gets eaten, but not everyone has a steady preadator that kills it. the great white shark is a perfect example. as an adult no preadators, BUT.... there was a documented case of a killer whale killing and eating an adult great white. so to say it doesnt get eaten is inaccurate, but to say a GHO is on the menu like a kestrel or sparrow is inaccurate also.
Post by ghowolfgang on Apr 17, 2011 12:23:31 GMT -5
to marty "scfalconry" I want to train my 6 week old GHO to hunt rabbits i am interested in your knowledge would like to talk to the california falconer who killed 370 rabbits in four seasons thanks gho wolfgang..........
Post by Master Yarak on Apr 26, 2011 11:47:37 GMT -5
Marty did not keep that bird for long. It met with little to no success, he knew it probably would not work out. Yes, I know you can use an owl....but why? 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