Hello from Wyoming

[wyodjm]

Hello.

Just a short note to say hi. I live in Wyoming and fly passage goshawks and golden eagles.
I hope to read some good things on here.

Dan McCarron

[FredFogg]

Welcome to NAFEX Dan! I think you will find this forum a lot friendlier than the IFF! Lots of really great folks here and lots of great threads.

Just a little note, WE LOVE PICTURES! :D

[Saluqi]

Hi Dan,

Welcome! I hope you enjoy the forum, there are lots of knowledgeable folks here, and now one more! Will there be an eagle take this year?

[dirthawker2004]

welcome dan I cant remember but are you the one I talked to a while back that was using the phi trap to catch frogs and goldens

[wyodjm]

welcome dan I cant remember but are you the one I talked to a while back that was using the phi trap to catch frogs and goldens

Perhaps. I've trapped a few ferrugs and goldens on phai traps. Actually, I'm calling them Anglo-padams now.

DM

[wyodjm]

Hi Dan,

Welcome! I hope you enjoy the forum, there are lots of knowledgeable folks here, and now one more! Will there be an eagle take this year?

Thanks. As far as eagle trapping in Wyoming this year? I seriously doubt it.

DM

[frootdog]

Thanks. As far as eagle trapping in Wyoming this year? I seriously doubt it.

DM

Would that be because of the idiots that could not find thier traps and left them out there?

[harrishawker1]

Dan

Post some pictures when you can.

[wyodjm]

Would that be because of the idiots that could not find thier traps and left them out there?

I don't know. You'll have to ask someone else.

DM

[goshawks00]

Hey Dan, look forward to talking to ya, retired yet?
Barry

[Raptorick]

Welcome Dan,
I believe I seen you do a presentation on hunting and trapping Eagles about 12 years or so ago at a Washington State falconry meet in Tri-Cities?

[everetkhorton]

(welc)Dan.

[dirthawker2004]

I knew it was something like that. if things dont work out this yr can I come up and see ya on a passage frog

[wyodjm]

Hey Dan, look forward to talking to ya, retired yet?
Barry

Hello Barry my old friend. How are you? No, not retired. Still teaching. I love my job.

It's been a few years since you've been out here. I trapped a wonderful passage female gos in November 2007. Flew it and had a ball. I turned her loose in March of 2008. It's great flying passage goshawks. You can turn them loose at the end of the season! :)

I trapped a really nice passage male golden eagle last April. Was just getting him going last September when he got really sick and almost died. Pat Redig and a close vet friend here in Wyoming helped me keep him alive. I think he poked his crop with a bone and it got infected. I've never seen a bird so close to death before that didn't die.

He went through an eclipse moult and dumped every primary and four tail feathers. A bunch of body feathers also. Needless to say my whole season was a wash this year. I'm rope condioning him right now and he is almost ready to turn loose to hunt. I'm going to take couple of trips to Idaho to a friend's place to hawk blacktailed jacks with him. He looks like a million bucks now though and is really doing well.

We are very close friends, my eagle and I. I fed him on the fist almost every day this winter while he was moulting. I'd like to take at least a few head with him before I put him up for the summer. That's the plan anyway.

Keep in touch.

Best,

Dan

[tony123abc]

Hey Dan, if you could be so kind, what is rope conditioning? I have no clue. tony

[wyodjm]

Hey Dan, if you could be so kind, what is rope conditioning? I have no clue. tony

Hi Tony.

This is the first time I have actually used this method of getting a bird into condition. It basically is connecting a section of rope to the bird's swivel, making the bird drag the rope when you call it to the fist. I have a couple of eagle hunter friends in Scotland and Austria that told me about it.

I have modified it just a bit. I have a 10 foot section of braided nylon rope connected to a three foot section of plastic coated chain. I've been going to a different place every night. When I call the eagle to the fist from across a football field the eagle drags the rope and chain behind him. It looks pretty pitiful in the beginning. But in just two weeks, my eagle can now fly a dozen 75-80 yard reps to my fist and he can fly with the chain in the air dangling. He did that last night for the first time. I think it is time to add another section of chain! Wind can be a big help also. I call him to me into the wind and he really has to fight to get to me. The whole thing is based on resistance training. In just two weeks my eagle is already a different bird physically.

The real clue, however, is to observe his recovery time. By the time he gets to the fist for the food reward, his mouth is wide open and breathing hard. He only does that for a minute or so now and is back to normal.

I'm going to try and get 25-30 reps out of him with the chain and rope everyday for a couple of more weeks before I turn him loose for the first time.

Traditionally, I understand this method originated in Asia. Falconers would use this conditioning method on intermewed goshawks. They would attach a rope to their goshawk's swivel. They would tie a series of knots in the rope. They would soak a few knots in water to add weight to the rope. As the bird's conditioning progressed the falconer would soak additional knots on the rope to keep adding weight. Similar to jump-ups, the falconer can find a small hill and actually fly the bird uphill to the fist. I like this method better than jump-ups anyway. Especially with an eagle. Can you imagine the conditioning over time when you fly your bird uphill dragging a rope? That's basically what I'm doing, but I'm using a section of chain and a shorter section of rope. I also don't have to use a creance. At least I'm not.

I can't believe I've never heard of doing this before now. The nice thing is it can really get a bird into condition fast. I am also flying my eagle three ounces heavier now than I was two weeks ago. He also seems to like doing it now that he has the hang of it.

I hope this explains the concept a bit. However, I'm still very much a student concerning this method. My friends in Scotland and Autstria are still coaching me. :) They have been using the method to get eagles into condition for years.

My best,

Dan McCarron

[kimmerar]

(welc) Dan. Thanks for posting that rope training method. Sounds like a great way to get a bird in shape. Keep us informed and again welcome to the forum. Can't wait to read more from you.

[goshawks00]

ha ha Dan... some where in the 1500+ posts or so and about two years ago probably, I wrote a long how to ..as far as conditioning my goshawks using a 5/8th" cotton rope... Start training the hawk to fly to a barrel perch filled with rocks up to a couple inches of the top. Now the barrel has the tidbit inside , and unseen by the gos... Quickly they learn to fly there on speculation... Once they got that, a rope is added and you let them "pay" it out as in fishing...(btw you still making bamboo fly rods-- free advertisement<G>). As the hawk gets the game you can start choking down the drag and make them work harder... There is a bunch more that you can do with this..like flying to the barrel and nothing there then flying back to the fist for a tidbit... then it's a small step to doing multuiples... Most know about doing restraints ... this is just a spin on that but horizontal rather than vertical... Another great way to feed lots of food and still make weight the next day.
.02,
Barry
Barry

[wyodjm]

ha ha Dan... some where in the 1500+ posts or so and about two years ago probably, I wrote a long how to ..as far as conditioning my goshawks using a 5/8th" cotton rope... Start training the hawk to fly to a barrel perch filled with rocks up to a couple inches of the top. Now the barrel has the tidbit inside , and unseen by the gos... Quickly they learn to fly there on speculation... Once they got that, a rope is added and you let them "pay" it out as in fishing...(btw you still making bamboo fly rods-- free advertisement<G>). As the hawk gets the game you can start choking down the drag and make them work harder... There is a bunch more that you can do with this..like flying to the barrel and nothing there then flying back to the fist for a tidbit... then it's a small step to doing multuiples... Most know about doing restraints ... this is just a spin on that but horizontal rather than vertical... Another great way to feed lots of food and still make weight the next day.
.02,
Barry
Barry

Hello Barry:

I had a feeling after I posted something about the rope conditioning, someone would come out of the woodwork and say they've used the method before. That's cool. It might as well have been you! :)

It doesn't matter to me who invented it, modified it, or made it popular. I just wanted to get my bird into condition. It seems to work great. The spin you describe, however, seems way too complicated to me. I'm sure it works great for you. I just like to keep things simple. :)

Nope, not making graphite fly rods anymore. I may again some day. I never did make bamboo rods.

Best,

Dan

[goshawks00]

I'm with you on that Dan.. I forget who even told me about it, but it may very well have been a good friend and goshawker in Scotland. It's not complicated at all, just hard to write<G>..,it also beats walking back and forth across the football field with a eagle while dragging a chain!! Glad to see you are about ready to fly him good luck...

Had some friends over the other night and found some pics of you and your old eagle from a long time ago. Also found the pics of us stands on the edge a bluff beside a Frug nest...that was wild only nest I've ever walked into.

Barry

[Aquilachrys]

Hey Dan, Welcome to NAFEX buddy.........still expect a phone call though.
Cheers.....Daryl

[Chris L.]

Dan,

Welcome to NAFEX! I hope you enjoy the forum. We look forward to hearing more about your eagles. If you have any pictures, please don't hesitate to post them. I, for one, am always very fascinated with eagles.

Again, welcome to NAFEX!

Chris

[tony123abc]

Hey Dan, thanks for the info. I kinda figured that was what it was. I thought I responded to your explanation earlier, but I guess I forgot to enter it.crazyy As I do not see the entry. Again, thanks for the info. Tony

[KidK]

Hi Dan,

Welcome to NAFEX! I am very glad to have you here. (welc)

You wrote a great description on using rangle a few years back that really stuck with me. It has helped me out with birds (from falcons to goshawks to redtails and Cooper's hawks) numerous times.

I have used it enough now to know how and when to apply it and appreciate its value.

Perhaps at some point, you will write this out in a post for everyone else.

It is some good stuff...

Best Regards,

[wyodjm]

Hi Dan,

Welcome to NAFEX! I am very glad to have you here. (welc)

You wrote a great description on using rangle a few years back that really stuck with me. It has helped me out with birds (from falcons to goshawks to redtails and Cooper's hawks) numerous times.

I have used it enough now to know how and when to apply it and appreciate its value.

Perhaps at some point, you will write this out in a post for everyone else.

It is some good stuff...

Best Regards,

Hello Kory, and thanks.

I'm very sure, based on your description that you know far more about rangle now than I do! :) I'd love to read your lesson on rangle and I'm sure I'd pick up a few nuggets of gold myself.

Best,

Dan

[GregMik]

Dan,

Welcome to NAFEX, I knew it would not be that long till you found it.

I have been using rope training for the last yr, was told by a friend in Wales.

(welc)

Greg

[wyodjm]

Dan,

Welcome to NAFEX, I knew it would not be that long till you found it.

I have been using rope training for the last yr, was told by a friend in Wales.

(welc)

Greg

Hi Greg. Thanks. I have you down as friend on here. I clicked the box anyway! :)

I just figured out how to post photos on here!

Best,

Dan

[wyodjm]

(welc) Dan. Thanks for posting that rope training method. Sounds like a great way to get a bird in shape. Keep us informed and again welcome to the forum. Can't wait to read more from you.

Hello Kim:

Please accept my apology for not getting back with you. I just saw this. I didn't mean to blow you off.

Thanks for the welcome.

My best to you.

Dan

[kimmerar]

No problem Dan. Great to have you here. I enjoy reading your post.

What's the average time it takes you to get a golden free flying from the time you trap it and what age bird do you prefer to trap???

[wyodjm]

No problem Dan. Great to have you here. I enjoy reading your post.

What's the average time it takes you to get a golden free flying from the time you trap it and what age bird do you prefer to trap???

It really depeands on when you trap it. People have their differing opinions, but usually a coulple of months. There really isn't any big secret with eagles, perhaps other than the fact that they're probably way smarter than many of the people flying them! :)

Personally, I like two-three year old birds myself. They have experience, yet still juveniles.

Best,

Dan

[FredFogg]

Dan,

Just read your article in American Falconry on Trapping Golden Eagles using an Anglo-Padam, it was excellent! I doubt I will ever fly a golden eagle as where I live just doesn't support the game for one, but after seeing an eagle chase jacks at the Amarillo meet, I would definately think about it if I ever moved out west. It is always good to read about how others trap, fly, and handle different types of birds.

Thanks,

[wyodjm]

Dan,

Just read your article in American Falconry on Trapping Golden Eagles using an Anglo-Padam, it was excellent! I doubt I will ever fly a golden eagle as where I live just doesn't support the game for one, but after seeing an eagle chase jacks at the Amarillo meet, I would definately think about it if I ever moved out west. It is always good to read about how others trap, fly, and handle different types of birds.

Thanks,

Thanks Fred.

[outhawkn]

(welc)...........:D

[tumble]

Just read your article in American Falconry on Trapping Golden Eagles using an Anglo-Padam, it was excellent!

I didn't even make the connection when I read it the other night. Very well put together Dan, with excellent descriptions.

[wyodjm]

I didn't even make the connection when I read it the other night. Very well put together Dan, with excellent descriptions.


Thanks Tom.

Best,

Dan