Blackjack, 2012 Imprint NA tiercel goshawk

[colelkhunter]

You are living my dream Ally, but I am gaining on you quickly.

[hcmcelroy]

Ally,

His reactions to sitting the fist and coming to lure and fist are much more important than the 1st kill but what a thrill. He sounds like a rare one fast and eager!

Harry.

[Ally]

Blackjack scored his second duck, drake mallard, earlier this week!

He has also, to date, on his own initiative chased canadian geese more than once, and a blue heron.

Found a few ducks yesterday, the first one busted way ahead of us and Jack was after it like a shot, but it had too much of a head start. Had to walk out into the field a ways but he came rocketing back to the lure.

The next ditch I think I'm going to just have to give up on...it's in a park, and there are always ducks in it, but you can't get them off the water for anything, they're too used to people walking the path. Jack tried his best but right when he'd get ready to tag one they'd plow back into the water.

A friend pointed out to me yesterday that I live right next to the interstate, and that that might have contributed to Jack's intense dislike of motor vehicles. He might be on to something there...but as long as we're not next to a road, this bird is dynamite

Still fantastic field manners...super happy about that. Hopefully we'll come home with duck#3 today.

[PeteJ]

Congrats on the ducks. As for the interstate being part of your birds' dislike of vehicles? Nah, not that likely. Many NA Goshawks are not thrilled by various things mechanical...even things they have never seen before (but may have heard). I had one female that absolutely freaked out over the sound of a diesel engine (that odd clickity clack sound they make), but also chain saws, hot air balloons, all kinds of things that are either scary looking or scary sounding. I swear she could see a school bus or a road grater on the horizon and it would freak her out (they were both the same color yellow/orange you see?). For a while, after I moved south, she would freak out when she saw a jet trail in the sky because where she had grown up, there just wasn't a lot of that going overhead, whereas here we're sort of along a major corridor for airports. My point is, sometimes its not what they've seen, its just as likely what they haven't seen.

[goshawkr]

Blackjack scored his second duck, drake mallard, earlier this week!

He has also, to date, on his own initiative chased canadian geese more than once, and a blue heron.

Found a few ducks yesterday, the first one busted way ahead of us and Jack was after it like a shot, but it had too much of a head start. Had to walk out into the field a ways but he came rocketing back to the lure.

The next ditch I think I'm going to just have to give up on...it's in a park, and there are always ducks in it, but you can't get them off the water for anything, they're too used to people walking the path. Jack tried his best but right when he'd get ready to tag one they'd plow back into the water.

A friend pointed out to me yesterday that I live right next to the interstate, and that that might have contributed to Jack's intense dislike of motor vehicles. He might be on to something there...but as long as we're not next to a road, this bird is dynamite

Still fantastic field manners...super happy about that. Hopefully we'll come home with duck#3 today.

Congratulaitons.

Careful about the canadian geese - if his interest gets serious enough that he grabs one it could quickly turn fatal for him. Especially if comes to ground in the midst of a flock. They are very active flock defenders when on the ground, and he will have to fight off the entire bunch till you get there to help.

[skooky20]

how is blackjack doing