Fall 2009 Jackrabbit Hawking

[wyodjm]

Here in southwest Wyoming, white-tailed jackrabbits crashed. Big time. I'm looking for spots to hawk jackrabbits, either whitetails or blacktails in Idaho, Colorado, Utah, or Nevada this coming fall and winter, 2009. I've got a new passage male golden eagle that I'm just itching to get going on jacks.

Since I would have to travel, and I'm quite willing to travel, it would be great to get with a group of people who were serious game hawkers to gather somewhere to hawk jacks in an area that has some. Right now, I don't know where to go. There aren't any here, I know that. There has to be pocketed areas throughout the west, somewhere, where there are good numbers of jacks. I'd like to start taking notes and finding out where to take a few short trips this fall and winter.

I would be willing to share an old ridge trapping area here in Wyoming with anyone interested in trapping a passage goshawk, or almost any shade of passage redtail your imagination can come up with. Wyoming is the classic, nonresident trapping state. You just have to buy a permit.

I will be paying attention to this thread. Please don't bury it. It's time to start planning.

In the hopes of good hawking.

[Dirthawking]

PM sent!

[dirthawker2004]

PM sent here too

[tony123abc]

What is causing the crash? Is it just the normal cylcle stuff or is there a known problem? Here in Elko, we have plenty of black tailed jacks, but unlike Rawlins and Baggs Wyoming, our sage is pretty heavy. I had some good jacks in Wendover, Nv. just out of town N/S of I 80. By the radio towrs. tony

[Shehawker]

The blacktails crashed here in North Eastern Utah (most of Utah had low numbers) last year, I'm hoping they will be back in hawkable numbers this next season, they have had a easy winter. If they start poping up again I'll let you know.

Melissa

[ikcus]

PM sent. Nothing better than slaughtering Jacks

[wyodjm]

What is causing the crash? Is it just the normal cylcle stuff or is there a known problem? Here in Elko, we have plenty of black tailed jacks, but unlike Rawlins and Baggs Wyoming, our sage is pretty heavy. I had some good jacks in Wendover, Nv. just out of town N/S of I 80. By the radio towrs. tony

Don't know. Probably just lagomorph population dynamics. But there might be other stuff going on. Here in southwest Wyoming, in the mid 1980's, whitetails crashed and took nearly 15 years to come back. I've seen cottontails crash here and almost vanish for 5-6 years. There are a ton of predators here. When I've gone out hawking jacks with my eagle it is not unusual to see two or three wild goldens every time I go out.

Jacks here get a ton of pressure. A friend and I while casually calling predators on weekends one winter, about 10 years ago, shot and killed 40 coyotes and about 30 fox.

When there are a few jacks to hawk and my eagle is loose you can almost step on a jack before it bumps. They seem to know when there's an eagle loose. When they do bump, I've seen them ferret through the sage brush almost like a pigmy rabbit and not explode in the open like you would expect. By winter, you can pretty much bet all the stupid jacks are gone with only the super jacks with triple digit IQ's left to hawk. Interesting dynamics indeed. I've covered 1000's of miles here in the red desert in fall and winter over the years and it has left me scratching my head a few times.

Whitetails peaked here about 4 years ago, but I wasn't flying an eagle then. Should have been I guess but wasn't. Right now, they're gone around here. No telling when they'll be back up.

Interestingly, southwest Wyoming has one of the densest wintering populations of golden eagles on the North American continent. One winter while trapping goldens, after traveling our routine trapping loop, which is about 140 miles, we spotted 68 golden eagles. Those are just the eagles we saw. I'm sure the broken landscape was hiding many more eagles that we never saw. I always wondered what all those eagles were eating.

Wendover Nevada is very doable for me. I'd like to stay in touch if that's ok. Thanks Tony. Want to go hawking this fall and winter?

Best,

Dan

[wyodjm]

I'd like to thank everyone who has PM'd me the last couple of days. I really appreciate it. The response has been overwhelming. I plan to keep in touch with all of you.

If you are looking to trap a passage goshawk, I know a great place. Wyoming is very nonresident trapping friendly.

Thanks again.

Dan

[raptrlvr]

Southwestern New Mexico is a little far south, but, we have lots of jacks. The vegetation is sometimes thick, but, we also have some open grasslands with footslips. My female HH caught 61 blacktailed jacks in a short season last year. The last time I got a trapping permit in Wyoming, it was $201 and that allowed you to trap any bird you wanted including a golden if you had the right permits.

[tony123abc]

No problem Dan. I have been hitting the google images. I love Wendover so I will get the footwork done and I should be able to set up some decent afternoons. tony

[Chris L.]

Dan,


I would enjoy coming to the jack gathering. I have a hen harris that is hungry for jacks. Please put me on the list. Keep me informed on when and where you come up with a date. I will most likely fly to where ever you are so if you could get a major airport near by that would be great. If not no worries, I can figure something out. Always rent a vehicle and drive to you guys.

Great idea and I am looking forward to this.

(Side note- I am going to move this thread to the meet/club area and I will make it a sticky, that way it cant get buried thumbsupp)

[ikcus]

Outstanding. If all goes well, I will definitely be showing up as long as it is a few weeks after my OR. jack trip.

[wyodjm]

Dan,
I would enjoy coming to the jack gathering. I have a hen harris that is hungry for jacks. Please put me on the list. Keep me informed on when and where you come up with a date. I will most likely fly to where ever you are so if you could get a major airport near by that would be great. If not no worries, I can figure something out. Always rent a vehicle and drive to you guys.

Great idea and I am looking forward to this.

(Side note- I am going to move this thread to the meet/club area and I will make it a sticky, that way it cant get buried thumbsupp)

That would be great Chris. You and I should keep in touch. However, I'm basically a guest myself. I'll be traveling also. Right now, Colorado and Nevada look like good prospects. We have the summer to figure this out. I wasn't looking to start a meet. If you're like me, I like keeping things small and shy away from crowds.

I just want to go hawking.

Best,

Dan

[wyodjm]

Outstanding. If all goes well, I will definitely be showing up as long as it is a few weeks after my OR. jack trip.

That would be great. We'll have the summer to work this out.

Best,

Dan

[oscarpack@yahoo.com]

Hi Dan,
I noticed that Kansas is not on your list of states, but, Garden City, Kansas, the week before NAFA meet is where it's at for eagle falconry.
Lots of game and some great speakers there as well. Also alot of jacks in the Oklahoma panhandle and down south into Texas. Make it if you can.
Oscar

[wyodjm]

Hi Dan,
I noticed that Kansas is not on your list of states, but, Garden City, Kansas, the week before NAFA meet is where it's at for eagle falconry.
Lots of game and some great speakers there as well. Also alot of jacks in the Oklahoma panhandle and down south into Texas. Make it if you can.
Oscar

Hi Oscar:

Thanks for the kind offer. Kansas is too far for me to travel. I'm looking closer to home for regular hawking triips throughout the season. That's where eagle falconry is at for me! :) Besides, I'm not an IEAA member. Never have been.

If I had any sense, I'd just fly ducks here at home with a passage goshawk. But I love eagles.

ATB,

Dan

[Chris L.]

That would be great Chris. You and I should keep in touch. However, I'm basically a guest myself. I'll be traveling also. Right now, Colorado and Nevada look like good prospects. We have the summer to figure this out. I wasn't looking to start a meet. If you're like me, I like keeping things small and shy away from crowds.

I just want to go hawking.

Best,

Dan

Dan

I am with you as well, I like it small and I just want to hunt. Keep me posted on a place and date.

Chris

[GregMik]

Too bad MN is not on your list.....

Greg

[wyodjm]

Too bad MN is not on your list.....

Greg

Never had a list so to speak. Never thought of it like that. Just looking for places within reasonable travel distances to hawk jacks.

ATB,

Dan

[GregMik]

Never had a list so to speak. Never thought of it like that. Just looking for places within reasonable travel distances to hawk jacks.

ATB,

Dan

Dan,

Moorhead has herds running around. MFA falconers have permission on most of the good ground. If you want to take a trip let me know.

Greg

[wyodjm]

Dan,

Moorhead has herds running around. MFA falconers have permission on most of the good ground. If you want to take a trip let me know.

Greg

Thank you Greg.

Dan

[GregMik]

Thank you Greg.

Dan

Dan,

I have made several trips up there with HH, Ferugs and RT's and it is lucky we see one rabbit caught. We have a great time running around, but the catch ratio is really low. I would love to see a good eagle catch a few....hehhehehe


Greg

[wyodjm]

Dan,

I have made several trips up there with HH, Ferugs and RT's and it is lucky we see one rabbit caught. We have a great time running around, but the catch ratio is really low. I would love to see a good eagle catch a few....hehhehehe
Greg

From your description, it sounds like you're chasing whitetails. Do you have whitetails?

Dan

[GregMik]

From your description, it sounds like you're chasing whitetails.

Dan


So I actually made my point in type.....:D


Greg

[wyodjm]

So I actually made my point in type.....:D
Greg

The whitetailed jack rabbit and the golden eagle. The jack, perfectly formed for evasive maneuvers honed specifically for evading the eagle, and the eagle, perfectly formed to chase and counter the last second evasive moves of the jack.

Put the two together and you have the perfect marriage of predator and prey.


ATB,

Dan

[wyodjm]

Dan

I am with you as well, I like it small and I just want to hunt. Keep me posted on a place and date.

Chris



Hi Chris. That will be great. We'll stay in touch.

ATB,

Dan

[oscarpack@yahoo.com]

Hi Oscar:

Thanks for the kind offer. Kansas is too far for me to travel. I'm looking closer to home for regular hawking triips throughout the season. That's where eagle falconry is at for me! :) Besides, I'm not an IEAA member. Never have been.

If I had any sense, I'd just fly ducks here at home with a passage goshawk. But I love eagles.

ATB,

Dan

I totally understand about it being too far! As for not being an IEAA member, you don't have to be, or I am personally inviting you as my guest.
Same here on the duck hawking, that is the best flight here in central Oklahoma, with a longwing of course! I caught a few with a gos, but we are better suited for falcons here, in my opinion.
What is it with this love of eagles thing? I have not caught much with mine but, I can't get it out of my head, what incredible creatures!
I feel a bond with the one I have, we are one.
Oscar

[wyodjm]

I totally understand about it being too far! As for not being an IEAA member, you don't have to be, or I am personally inviting you as my guest.
Same here on the duck hawking, that is the best flight here in central Oklahoma, with a longwing of course! I caught a few with a gos, but we are better suited for falcons here, in my opinion.
What is it with this love of eagles thing? I have not caught much with mine but, I can't get it out of my head, what incredible creatures!
I feel a bond with the one I have, we are one.
Oscar

I understand. There are a few people, however, in this country who are experienced eagle hunters that never will understand that pair bonding relationship you're referring to. I don't know how you can spend so much time with an eagle and not see it.

I've heard it said that when it comes to a trained golden eagle that it's not a matter of if you're going to get grabbed by your eagle but when you're going to get grabbed by your eagle. This statement is completely foreign to me.

Certainly not a passage golden eagle. Passage birds are very gentle. You have to respect your eagle. No doubt. They are very powerful birds. They're also very smart. Very smart. It doesn't take an eagle very long to figure out its falconer. This is the key. You have to respect your eagle. But you can never be afraid of your eagle either. There's a difference.

I guess you can do things to a passage eagle to make it aggressive. But why would you want to? Perhaps a mal adjusted imprint, or rehab bird that has changed hands a few times with inexperienced people. Bad history issues.

But not these passage birds. If a passage golden eagle becomes aggressive to its falconer, something seriously wrong is going on. That's why I keep to myself. There's so much bad information out there that it makes your head spin sometimes.

Hats off to you Oscar. Cherish that relationship with your eagle. It's special. Perhaps like nothing else in falconry.

ATB,

Dan

[Heatherg]

Dan,
Greg is right....there are "HERDS" of jacks....and I would love to share the success with someone else....I (my birds) managed to catch 3 last year on a weekend trip. Its loads of fun!!!:D

[oscarpack@yahoo.com]

I understand. There are a few people, however, in this country who are experienced eagle hunters that never will understand that pair bonding relationship you're referring to. I don't know how you can spend so much time with an eagle and not see it.

I've heard it said that when it comes to a trained golden eagle that it's not a matter of if you're going to get grabbed by your eagle but when you're going to get grabbed by your eagle. This statement is completely foreign to me.

Certainly not a passage golden eagle. Passage birds are very gentle. You have to respect your eagle. No doubt. They are very powerful birds. They're also very smart. Very smart. It doesn't take an eagle very long to figure out its falconer. This is the key. You have to respect your eagle. But you can never be afraid of your eagle either. There's a difference.

I guess you can do things to a passage eagle to make it aggressive. But why would you want to? Perhaps a mal adjusted imprint, or rehab bird that has changed hands a few times with inexperienced people. Bad history issues.

But not these passage birds. If a passage golden eagle becomes aggressive to its falconer, something seriously wrong is going on. That's why I keep to myself. There's so much bad information out there that it makes your head spin sometimes.

Hats off to you Oscar. Cherish that relationship with your eagle. It's special. Perhaps like nothing else in falconry.

ATB,

Dan

Hi Dan,
I don't know for sure, and I can only assume, but the referance to getting grabbed by an eagle may have been meant as more of a deterant than a prediction. Maybe a falconer that has not developed the skills to keep their birds from footing them and are thinking eagle would view this as a good reason not to go for an eagle permit. In which case served a good purpose. But as I stated, I really don't know. It made me think, as you pointed out, respect not fear is called for.
I really wish you would not keep to yourself. Your actions will speak volumes to seasoned falconers, no explanations are needed, your skills will shine through.
Thanks for the kind words, and I wish you and Eli the best of luck.
Oscar

[Kaden Stenlund]

Up here in the Cody area there is still a thriving population of rabbits... I saw one in my yard this morning and I saw a couple by beck lake while I was fishing... I don't have a hawk right now, but I can still see that there are rabbits here.

[Peregrinus]

Hi Dan:

If you find yourself in SE Oregon, stop by! Ron and I would love to have you. The jack numbers are very good here, we have excellent permissions on lage ranches, and there's plenty of BLM land.

Bridget


That would be great. We'll have the summer to work this out.

Best,

Dan

[wyodjm]

Hi Dan:

If you find yourself in SE Oregon, stop by! Ron and I would love to have you. The jack numbers are very good here, we have excellent permissions on lage ranches, and there's plenty of BLM land.

Bridget

Thanks Bridget. I appreciate it.

Dan

[wyodjm]

It doesn't look that great for whitetails around here. I'm checking other parts of the state.

How are the jack numbers around the Rocky Mountain west? Has anyone been out scouting?

[Dirthawking]

It doesn't look that great for whitetails around here. I'm checking other parts of the state.

How are the jack numbers around the Rocky Mountain west? Has anyone been out scouting?

PM sent!

[Rage]

Still looking good here in southern Colorado.

[ikcus]

I have got word that Central Oregon's jack population is really down from the last 3 years. I will be headed to Western Nevada\Eastern California in about 6 weeks. I will report accordingly. So far, here in Central California, the jack population looks a lot better than last year. Fingers crossed.

[wyodjm]

Anyone on here live or hawk in Moffat County, Colorado, on the Northwestern slope? Say around Craig, Meeker, or Rifle?

I was wondering if there are any hawkable jackrabbit numbers around there.

Dan McCarron

[Chad L.]

Anyone on here live or hawk in Moffat County, Colorado, on the Northwestern slope? Say around Craig, Meeker, or Rifle?

I was wondering if there are any hawkable jackrabbit numbers around there.

Dan McCarron

Dan,

I was just over on that side of the hill not long ago and did not see any significant numbers of whitetails, only a few in a few days. The numbers on my side of the hill here on the front range are looking promising this year however.

[dirthawker2004]

from what I here from a eagle flying friend of mine he is seeing good #s of jacks around here.

[Rage]

Young Jacks are all over the place on my main field. I havent checked the others but if they are anything like my favorite one, we will be getting jacks for sure. Just got to convince my gos that she needs to grab and hold on this year. lol

Dan you are welcome down any time. Im sure we could put together a field that is huge for your eagle. My main field is only 1400 acres, not sure if that is big enough.

[wyodjm]

Young Jacks are all over the place on my main field. I havent checked the others but if they are anything like my favorite one, we will be getting jacks for sure. Just got to convince my gos that she needs to grab and hold on this year. lol

Dan you are welcome down any time. Im sure we could put together a field that is huge for your eagle. My main field is only 1400 acres, not sure if that is big enough.


Thanks Chuck, I appreciate it. Right now, I'm looking for places as close to home as possible.

Best,

Dan

[Shehawker]

Been doing spotlighting work looking for Black Footed ferrets the past few days and have seen a good number of cotton tails and a few young jacks here in NE Utah, much better than last year when we did not see any at all. Might not be a spectacular population but its much better.

[wyodjm]

One of the essential factors in successful game hawking is having the slips. Our jacks (and cottontails) here in southwest Wyoming have crashed. I haven't been getting slips for my eagle. Even fox are down around here, although I have no real motivation to hawk fox with a male eagle. I just don't want to risk getting him injured. I'm not saying it's impossible but I'm attached to this eagle I wouldn't want him getting injured. I have caught fox, legitimately with female eagles and fox fight back many times.

A passage gos flown on creek ducks near town would have been the ticket. I'm finding myself at that place, perhaps some of you have been here before also. You know, the could have, should have thoughts.

With life thrown in, traveling a few hundred miles to get a jack slip isn't turning out to be the opportunity I thought it would be.

Of course, eagles do live a long time and rabbits will eventually come back around here. Eli is a cool eagle. But having him follow me for a few miles every time I turn him loose, with maybe a cottontail slip once in a while and then calling him to the lure gets old after a few weeks.

Ever been in one of those places? I love eagles, but hawking ducks with a gos would have been more fun than this. I envy people who have multiple jack slips at their feet, day after day. Count your blessings. :)

I reckon I could call coyotes the rest of the winter. I'm not complaining. But it would have been nice to catch some stuff with this eagle.

Notes from the field.

Dan