NJ Winter Meet

[joekoz]

All early reports indicate a High Bunny Population in the area where we have scheduled this years New Jersey Falconry club Winter Meet.



New Jersey Falconry Club


Annual Field Meet


January 25 – 26, 2013


Holiday Inn


1 Pureland Road, Swedesboro NJ 08085 856-467-3322


http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/swedesboro/bdgnj/hoteldetail (http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/swedesboro/bdgnj/hoteldetail)
Rooms are $89, ask for the NJFC Block Rate
Registration Friday Night and Saturday starting at 8:00 AM
Friday Night Get Together 7:00 in Bar / Common Area
Saturday Night Banquet and Get Together starting @ 7:00 PM
Dog Friendly Hotel

[ptotten]

Way to go Mr. President!:D

[joekoz]

I spent the day with another NJ Falconry Club member checking out the area where we have scheduled our upcoming Winter Meet, and all I can say is that anyone planning on attending isn't going to be disappointed.

The hotel is located within a 1/4 mile of Interstate 295 with lots of old industrial park type locations with excellent rabbit cover and squirrel habitat located close by to this Interstate exit, and similar opportunities located close by to the next several interstate exits.

In addition to the industrial park type settings this area contains a lot of farmland type property as you move several miles away from the Interstate.

Although we weren't specifically looking for ducks, there is a lot of wetland on the opposite side of the Interstate.

This meet location holds a lot of promise for everyone attending the meet taking game.

[nycfalconer]

I'll be there ! Let's keep our fingers crossed for the weather!peacee

[joekoz]

I'll be there ! Let's keep our fingers crossed for the weather!peacee
Paul:

If we get a light snow covering I'm predicting that everyone will be seeing lots of bunny slips.

[joekoz]

Just as an FYI for everyone planning on attending the upcoming NJFC Winter Meet.

The officers of the NJFC are commited to helping everyone (especially OUT OF STATE Falconers) who attends our upcoming meet with knowing where to hunt. This information will be available at our registration desk and/or speaking with one of our club officers.

[Chesapeakehawk]

That's great to hear, I am planning to attend and looking forward to it. I will be rooming with Pauline and Greg from NJ, who were just at the PFHT/NAFA meet. See you there!

[joekoz]

That's great to hear, I am planning to attend and looking forward to it. I will be rooming with Pauline and Greg from NJ, who were just at the PFHT/NAFA meet. See you there!

Abby:

Enjoyed seeing the "Young Falconer's Table" picture you posted from the Regional meet, and glad to see that you have obviously made friends with 2 of our club's younger members.

I spoke with Teddy Moritz following our conversation at the Regional Meet regarding you wanting to go out at our meet with someone flying a Harris's. She told me that she was OK with your going out with her if you wanted to see her Harris's and doxies, however she will not agree to flying her Harris's in a cast.

Not sure who else will be bringing at Harris's to our meet, but will keep your interest in mind and do my best to hook you up with others flying Harris's.

Also, FYI I tried to send you this message via a PM, but your PM mailbox was full.

Looking forward to seeing you in 2 weeks at our meet.

[yosemity71]

Joe, thanks to you & the rest of the officers for taking care of everything for the meet! I am really looking forward to it, hopefully their are lots of bunny slips!

[joekoz]

Do you know how say BUNNIES!

We knew we selected a great location for our meet this year and everyone who attended will attest to seeing lots of game.

We had 27 Falconers Register for our meet with several arriving and hunting on Friday, and the remainder arriving and hunting on Saturday.

At our Saturday night banquet we had 59 Falconers and guests and we handed out 25 game pins. The bunnies were everywhere in the immediate area within 2 to 5 miles from the hotel. It was common to enter a 5 to 20 acre parcel of property around the numerous industrial park sites and developments and put up 10 to 20 rabbits in less than an hour. For the few falconers who didn’t take game it wasn’t for lack of slips.

Many who attended also stayed over and hunted on Sunday and our official total doesn’t include game taken on Sunday. I personally saw an additional 5 bunnies taken on Sunday, and I'm sure there were many more.

In addition to Rabbits, we had several Squirrels taken as well as 4 Ducks, 1 Turkey, and a Great Horned Owl/Muskrat combo.

In addition to taking the Turkey with her Harris, Abby from Maryland and her group also put up 7 Woodcock as they beat the bushes looking for game.

The New Jersey Falconry Club would like to thank everyone who attended for making this such a successful meet. At our Business Meeting we made a unanimous decision to hold our meet at the same location next year.

If you had any thoughts about attending this meet and didn’t, make it a point to attend next year. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

[rkumetz]

OK. I will bite. What is a "Great Horned Owl/Muskrat combo"?

[joekoz]

OK. I will bite. What is a "Great Horned Owl/Muskrat combo"?

Ron:

One of our club members has a very agresssive Red Tail. This bird has a history of tangling with other raptors. Prior to this meet, this bird took down another Red Tail in flight as well as a Red Shoulder.

As I understand it the bird was put into a high tree position and this falconer and a few others with him started to beat the bush when they saw the Red Tail stoop into the brush. When they arrived at the scene, the Red Tail was on top of a Great Horned Owl that was feeding on a Muskrat.

By the way, I was up visiting my daughter and her husband at their farm in Richmond, VT over the Christmas Holiday. What I've come to experience is that rabbits in their area are as common as Unicorn! If any of you Vermont falconers want an opportunity at slaying rabbits get a group together and make it to our meet next year. You wont be disappointed.

Best Regards:

Joe

[rkumetz]

By the way, I was up visiting my daughter and her husband at their farm in Richmond, VT over the Christmas Holiday. What I've come to experience is that rabbits in their area are as common as Unicorn! If any of you Vermont falconers want an opportunity at slaying rabbits get a group together and make it to our meet next year. You wont be disappointed.


That is kind of an exaggeration. They are definitely more common
than unicorns. (but only slightly) frus) The next time you are up here give me a call and I can come down and help you beat brush. You need to wear good chaps though in case one of those unicorns breaks right under you.

[robbeth]

Everyone I talked to had a great time including my self.Would also like to thank everyone that made the trip and made it the best meet ever.peacee

[dliepe]

The meet reaffirms the high caliber of falconry being practiced in the State. Awesome Job by Joe and all of those who organized this meet.

[yosemity71]

Me & my daughter had a great time at the NJFC winter meet! I was one of the very few who didn't take game, but it wasn't from a lack of rabbits. Plenty of slips & my hawk pulled fur, we just couldn't close the deal. Thanks to Joe & all the officers (& spouses) for putting together a great meet!

[falcobob]

We are starting to get quite a few pictures from the Meet coming in. You can check them out on our NJFC News and Events page @www.newjerseyfalconryclub.com (http://www.newjerseyfalconryclub.com)

[Ken S.]

Looks like it was a great time, sorry I missed it this year.

[HGlider]

"When they arrived at the scene, the Red Tail was on top of a Great Horned Owl that was feeding on a Muskrat."

What was the status of the GHO? I'm not that interested the the Muskrat. But the RT should have only gotten an assist pin.

[joekoz]

"When they arrived at the scene, the Red Tail was on top of a Great Horned Owl that was feeding on a Muskrat."

What was the status of the GHO? I'm not that interested the the Muskrat. But the RT should have only gotten an assist pin.

box2 I'll leave it up to you to explain that to the Red Tail! boxinggpeacee

[falcobob]

From what I heard... the GHO was fine and released but kept following them around wanting it's muskrat back.

[Jersey Blue]

It was my RT that caught the GHO. This is her third year with me and I have to say she is the best RT I have flown so far. Last year she caught a large passage RT. This year she has caught a RT and RS hawk so far.

We were hunting for squirrel in a wooded area along a creek. She flew with a purpose into a briar patch about 50 yd ahead of us. I ran there assuming that she has caught a squirrel but found her binding toe to toe with a GHO. I went in break them apart and my RT released its grip to bind on the half eaten muskrat. The owl refused to fly away and it stood there five feet from us as I was attempt to secure my bird then trade off the muskrat. The GHO stood there for almost ten minutes and I thought she was injured. As I walk over to pick up the GHO it flew away.

I am assuming that my RT got grabbed by the GHO as well because for the next several days she was off the game. She did not show any signs of lameness but she was not crashing the briar patch or hitting the branches after a squirrel like her normal self. Overall, it was a great meet with lots of games in the area.

[Jersey Blue]

Sorry, I forgot to put my name on the bottom.
Pak