Quote Originally Posted by red_tailed View Post
I think the fear of pissing off and possibly ruining an imprint gos stops more falconers from hooding their goshawks.
I would agree.

Pissing off a goshawk, particularly an imprint, is not something to be taken lightly. However, they are not nearly as delicate [mentally] as they are made out to be. My suggestion is to be as delicate as you can and do your best to avoid upsetting them, and when they get upset anyway just remain calm and diffuse the situation as much as you can. Certainly do all you can to avoid adding to the fuss.

For me and my goshawks with regards to hooding - once the hood comes out it is going on. I do it as gracefully as I can, and after 2 decades I have learned some tricks to get it on. But if that means they hang gently like a bat for a few minutes while the hood goes on so be it. Eventually, the hood becomes a positive because from their point of view all the scary stuff goes away when the hood is on, including the hood iteslf. provided that the hood fits well.

If you know Operant Conditioning there are a lot of ways to polish up hood manners in a goshawk. Even though I am good at OC, I usually dont bother to make that a formal project. But hooding certainly could go onto the list of OC games to play while the baby goshawk is growing up.

I just hood each and every day while being handled, and let the routine work itself out. So long as I can get the hood on within 5 minutes I am satisfied.