Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Falconry Friday! the season is at an end (pics)

The days are getting longer, the thermals are rising, and the birds are getting squirrely -- after 7 months of flying it's time to be done for this season.

This last flight, it took Lily 3-4 flushes to get her head in the game -- even at ideal weight the hormone thing is stronger than the killing thing.

Still, she proved out well for only having her for 3 months - almost a dozen pheasants in that time added to 90-some rabbits from the HAHAs.

click to make bigger:

Good captures there (pun intended).

As usual, outstanding pics!

Do the "ha-ha's" and redtail prefer different food? Birds over bunnies?

no, just happenstance with the timing of trapping the RT -- too late to really get on rabbits this year

What I find Amazing is that the Life Span of these Birds can be up to like 25 years? That is quite a few Seasons and quite a bit of Game taken!

Pretty incredible considering you could probably wear out a new Rifle taking that much Game over 20 years or so.

our two Harris Hawks are finishing their 3rd season now and in the wild that's the break-even point on survivability skill set .

(birds that make it to year 3 live 10yrs on avg in the wild, 20 in captivity)

even though they've already bagged over 250 head of game, they're really just coming into their prime now.

I've never really told anyone, but they're essentially Harris Hawk royalty (straight descendants of Malcom and White Wing). their line has averaged careers of 800-1,000 head apiece.

The RT is but a wee young grasshopper and has much to learn but is off to a great start!

Thank God for this thread. It's a great thread and it isn't about Trump or cruz. This place was starting to stink but you opened the windows. Thanks

Do these birds get released back into the wild? Or do they just become part of your living room furniture?

the harris hawks, no. the red tail? maybe someday.

they have their own on-site housing, both indoor and outdoor options during the offseason. we have a rather large outdoor flight chamber for them.

Just incredible, You have me thoroughly intrigued about this very unique Sport.

Bugout, you can check my video channel for some of the stuff I posted earlier in the season:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7U6zMmDLa6woenZ1hh8kVg/videos?shelf_id=0&view=0&sort=dd

Great pics! Love these threads.

Takes me back to grade school, where my 5th grade teacher and scout leader was a falconer. Bird he had that I remember was a peregrine, bit trippy walking into class one day to see it on a rest behind his desk. He used pigeons from his barn for hunting.

Thank you! I bookmarked it so that I can do that the next time I get to the Kids House and a faster connection.

Wow, I really appreciate this and the videos. Very impressive.

Thank you,

It really is very cool. I like the concepts of "Quiet" and "Selfguided" in this, It definitely takes the "Flinch Factor" out of the equation. lol

I hate to see the season end, post some pics every now and than!

Very nice Matt!

I still have a bunch of pics I haven't used....