Apache - 2011 Imprint Male Goshawk

[rocgwp]

I posted the pic as I was leaving from with my phone, so here are the details.

I am finally figuring out how to hunt woodcock here in Texas. It's taken me 3 years, but I'm getting there. I found a hunting spot that is hawkable last week. I can drive up to it and it consistently holds birds. Last week I moved 20 birds in an hour and half. This morning I moved 9. Apache caught 1 and then I shot the rest of my limit with a gun.

I knew the wind was supposed to get up, so I flew Apache first thing this morning. Apache rode the fist hooded while the dogs worked out in front. The cover is pretty thick, so I figured it would be easier to maneuver with him hooded. About 5 minutes into the hunt I realized my female wirehair hadn't checked back in with me. I usually hunt with beeper collars, but the batteries were dead today so I was collarless. I started looking for her and finally found her here:


I snapped a picture of her and then unhooded Apache. I began making the sh-sh-sh-sh sound I make when flushing for him. Apache was slicked down looking. The bird flushed and had a hard time clearing the brush. It was about head high when it finally cleared and Apache was already on his way. Apache was pumping hard and closing fast. The woodcock banked left and I could only see about 30 ft of the flight. I pulled the telemetry out and found him about 20yds away plucking his prize

[BestBeagler]

AWSOME! The male imprint coopers I had this summer caught a few. But he made them look slow. I had heard woodcock were these super fast speedsters and he caught all of them off the initial flush. At first I was wondering if they might have been sick but they looked healthy and were fat and were in perfect feather condition so I don't know I guess coops are just really fast! They were fun to hawk though. Congratulations you are doing awsome!

[rocgwp]

Love it when it all comes together...a great woodcock dinner tonight courtesy of Apache and the dogs...

[JeffNH]

That looks delicious...
Enjoy!

[rocgwp]

Apache is currently up for the molt. He's 900g and still really tame. We've been playing games in the mew. I have him free lofted and he has begun building a nest. He dropped his first 2 feathers today thus the long wait begins for the molt...

Had a great season with him. I can't wait to fly him again this fall.

[Robin]

Read this thread with great interest...looking foreward to your next season.

[rocgwp]

...looking foreward to your next season.

That makes 2 of us...

[Ally]

Jeff, thanks so much for sharing your experience with Apache. I'm getting my baby boy this coming Thursday and am planning on using the same methods--I'm so excited to see them working out so well for someone!
Can't wait to read his second season.

[rocgwp]

The molt so far...

[FredFogg]

Jeff, I am getting ready to put up some perches in my gos breeding chamber and I like the one in the above picture. Can you take a picture of how it is attached and how did you make it?

The gos is looking great! I know some folks love it when they are brown but man, that gray/blue is just beautiful!

[allredone]

The molt so far...

Oh my GOODNESS! That's it. Next year a male for CERTAIN. Those feathers look like a mirror for a blue sky!

All the male North American accipiters are just so much more handsome with that stronger blue cast to them.

Thanks for the update Jeff! Keep them coming!

[sevristh]

Ok, so is it just my monitor, or was the color enhanced on that picture Jeff?? That gos looks like a blue jay!

[rocgwp]

No color enhancement in the previous photo, I think it is just the way the sun is shining on him. He is handling another hot and humid Texas summer well. He self regulates on food and keeps himself around 900g. I interact with him daily. His routine is I walk in and he runs to his tire perch and waits for me. I offer the glove and he hops up. From there I either weigh him, hood him, or toss something frozen for him to catch. Once he catches his prize, I trade him his meal and then I usually hang out for a little bit and then let him be.



Here is the picture of his favorite perch. It is one piece cut from a single 2" x 12". The length of the 3 sides are all equal at ~12". Very easy to cut and make. It is very sturdy and is fixed to the wall with 3 screws. This design was not my idea, so I take no credit for it. It has worked great though.

[FredFogg]

Here is the picture of his favorite perch. It is one piece cut from a single 2" x 12". The length of the 3 sides are all equal at ~12". Very easy to cut and make. It is very sturdy and is fixed to the wall with 3 screws. This design was not my idea, so I take no credit for it. It has worked great though.

I really like it Jeff! Any reason you don't have some sort of perching material on it? I know some folks are fanatics about perching material but I have seen dozens of photo's of plain tree limbs and perches like yours in chambers and it seems to work ok for most folks. I have 3 tree limbs in my harris hawk breeding chamber, along with other types of perching materials and so far, their feet have stayed in good shape.

[goshawks00]

I'm a believer is s--- happens, and I can see a goshawk spearing it's self or getting a wing wedged along the wall... If you give them enough opportunities to injure themselves eventually they will.

[FredFogg]

I'm a believer is s--- happens, and I can see a goshawk spearing it's self or getting a wing wedged along the wall... If you give them enough opportunities to injure themselves eventually they will.

What if you put caulking all the way around where it attaches to the wall? Do you think it would be ok then Barry? I hadn't really thought about a feather getting caught but I see your point now. And like you said, if it can happen, it eventually will.

As far as spearing themselves, I would just cut off that end to be flat or rounded.

[Dirthawking]

You could always just cut a reverse wedge to put in there to fill the gap to a point that a feather would not get caught.

[rocgwp]

It's been a roller coaster ride this week. Last Saturday I went to feed Apache and everything was fine. He jumped to his perch and waited for me, hopped to the fist, and then caught his frozen chick that I tossed. I then traded him a quail for the chick as normal and left him to eat his prize.

I returned on Sunday and found that Apache didn't eat his quail. It's been hot, so I wasn't too concerned. I had been letting him self regulate and he had been holding his weight at ~900g. He hopped to his perch and we did his normal feeding routine.

When I returned Monday, Apache had not eaten the quail from the day before. I was now concerned! Not eating 2 days in a row is not normal for him. I weighed him and he had lost ~100g. His breathing rate was normal at less than 25 breaths/minute and everything looked fine except for him not eating. I put him in his box so I could make the 2.5 hour drive to a vet that knows falconry birds well. Throughout the day Monday his mutes began showing green color in the urates. Asper was the main concern.

The vet looked him over and drew blood to send off. Everything looked fine when examined. The x-rays were clear for asper, fecals were clear, and there didn't appear to be any major concern other than not eating. I took him home and he would eat small amounts (10-15g). I began feeding him small meals every 2hrs to try and maintain his weight. Once the blood work came back it showed a high white blood cell count and low red blood cell count. The signs looked like possibly avian malaria, so we began treatment for that.

Yesterday, during his first feeding he regurgitated his meal. I loaded him up and made the 2.5 trip back to the vet knowing something was really wrong. Twice on the way he lost his balance and "passed out" in his box. I removed the perch from his giant hood so that he was standing in his box. Upon arrival, we initially thought it was low blood sugar. I left Apache with the vet knowing if something happened at my house, there wasn't anything I could do and we had already exceeded the knowledge of our local vet. The vet called me later that evening letting me know that symptoms progressed and it looked neurological. Signs were definitely pointing to West Nile. He began treatment for West Nile at that point.

Unfortunately, Apache did not make it through the night. The vet is currently doing a necropsy, but it looks like he succumbed to West Nile virus.

Apache was definitely my favorite bird I've ever flown thus far. I will fly a goshawk again someday and will attempt to raise it the same way I raised Apache. It sucks that things ended like this and I watched my bird and hopes for this next season go down the tubes so quickly. Sometimes this sport really know how to kick you in the crotch. High emotional highs and low emotional lows...always hoping for the next epic flight.

[Saluqi]

Really sorry to hear this Jeff, you did everything within your powers to help, sometimes we are at the mercy of things that are out of our control.

[JRedig]

Wow, i'm so sorry to read this Jeff. This is one of my favorite threads to check back on, his interactions sounded and looked amazing. Bummer.

[goshawks00]

Jeff, I'm so sorry to read this.... As the breeder of Apache I was more than over joyed to see how well he did for you. You both were great examples of what dedication, and consistency can do. It really does hurt when these kinds of things test your metal. I know, been there done that, with my own birds and the ones others have gotten from me. That is always the downside of breeding, as I have known each one, at least in part, and they all have a special place in my heart.

Good luck in your next bird and I hope it turns out as good as Apache.

[harrishawk_79]

I'm truly sorry to read this and to be honest its things like this that scares me the most yes in this case it was west Nile but I'm always worried about asper and stress with my gos your thread was great and you did a awesome job I look forward to read. Your next charge really sorry

[hcmcelroy]

Sorry to hear Jeff. This sport can deal some blows.

Harry.

[goshawkr]

Jeff,

That bites.

A good friend of mine refered to goshawks as "The roller coaster ride of madness." That thought frequently comes to mind with goshawks.

[FredFogg]

Wow Jeff, sorry to read this! I too really enjoyed your progress with him and how well he turned out. Falconry has the highest highs and the lowest lows, that's for sure!

[colelkhunter]

......I don't even know what to say. Sorry just doesn't cut it man, but that is all I got. You and Apache put me on the path to raising blue the way that I did. I am thankful for that as she is coming along in fine fashion. Terribly sorry to read this.

[PeteJ]

Sorry to hear. You did real good with him and I'm sure you would be able to repeat with another one. The WNV/Asper thing is always a constant threat with those of us living this far south due to the heat factor adding to the stress level, particularly with Goshawks.
Again, condolences on your loss.

[DirtHawker]

I am so sorry to hear that, it is an awful blow. I have followed your thread with great interest since you got the bird from Barry, and celebrated your sucess with him. My condolences, but thank you for sharing your experiences with him.
Sue

[Dirthawking]

Dude that sucks! We wondered if you were there for the same reasons we were, but we did not want to ask and overstep bounds.

[rocgwp]

Dude that sucks! We wondered if you were there for the same reasons we were, but we did not want to ask and overstep bounds.

You wouldn't have over stepped your bounds at all. He looked good the night you saw him. I was amazed at how fast things turned.


Thanks for the condolences from everyone...

[allredone]

Very sorry Jeff. Apache may be gone but what you learned and shared with all of us is for keeps. Thanks for this thread Jeff.

[wingnut]

I know exactly how you feel. It sucks to start over but that's what you gotta do. It probably won't be the last time.

[BestBeagler]

Sorry hear this Jeff.

[Ross]

Sorry for your loss. I had followed the thread with interest. This was the first time I was aware of many of those training techniques.
The worst part of falconry, most here know your pain.

[kitana]

Oh Jeff, I don't know what to say. I feel for you. Apache was a tribute to your dedication and training methods, and i was as we all were waiting to see how his second season would unfold. Sometimes life sucks, but I wish you to see a flicker of Apache in the hawks that you will surely train after him.