For those who imprinted accips this year...

[Falcon Boy]

No real interest in a CR's pricetag, i made a post on that thread. Feel free to lock this if you want i was bored and looking for an interesting topic to discuss but it ain't really important.

[voslerdo]

My tamehacking went very, very well. He doesn't bate or scream and he is wonderful to be around. The only thing I'd do different is to make to the hood from the start. I like being able to hood for many small reasons and a couple of big reasons. One is when I have to cast the bird...he resents it so right now.

[kimmerar]

I'm glad you were bored Noah - I think this would be a great thread. It will help me when I get my chance to try to imprint an accipiter.

Come on guys/gals - I know others had ideas with there first after they were finished and in the field you might say - well, I wish I would have worked on that more or something. Even with my first passage coops - I have things I would do different with my next bird. For one thing - I will hood from the beginning (and that was not in my plans at all - didn't want to ruin the bird and make her aggressive) - what a difference a hood made for this passage coops. That opinion could change with my next, but for now......

[Shortwingn]

If the trhead stays open I will comment. There are so many things it would be a big comment.

[Chris L.]

It will stay open.. i think it could be a great thread.. if not we can take care of it

[kimmerar]

If the trhead stays open I will comment. There are so many things it would be a big comment.

Great - please post. If that's what Noah wanted to read then I'm sure he didn't really mean for Chris to close it.

[FredFogg]

I imprinted a female coops 3 seasons ago. The first thing I would do before imprinting any accipiter is to fly a passage one first. I didn't fly a passage coops first and I think by flying one first, you learn more about the bird and know more of what to expect and what you would like to turn out.

As far as things I would do different, I would make sure the bird would either be with me at all times or someone else (24 hours a day). I worked night shift and slept during the day, so she wasn't exposed to people 24x7. I think the best imprints are raised in a house full of kids and dogs.

I would make more of an effort to expose the imprint to everything. I missed a few things (lawn mowers, tractors, fish aquariums, etc). She would just take off when I flew her near a running lawn mower.

I would find the hunting weight quicker. Again, something I think one would be better at doing if they flew a passage first. She had great lure response, chased, but never caught and I flew her at that weight (400 g) for a month thinking she just needed more time and experience. Wrong! She developed aggression out of frustration and this was due to flying her to heavy. Totally my fault! Her hunting weight ended up being 375 g for that year and a little heavier the next 2 years.

If you are going to car hawk, fly to the fist, if not, only fly to the lure. I only flew to the lure the first year and it made car hawking very difficult. I had to get out of the car each time to recall. The second year, I flew her to the fist and she would return on a missed flight and fly right back in the window.

That is all I can think of right now, if I think of more, I will post them later. I am sure some will disagree, but this is just what I believe based on me imprinting one coops.

[kimmerar]

Great info Fred - thanks