Who's Imprinting in'09?

[Saluqi]

What are you going to imprint?

What strategy will you use?

[everetkhorton]

Paul:
I have been giving a imprint a lot of thought, the biggest draw back for me is keeping the bird in the house, my daughter has allergy's real bad. If she has an attack she has to go to the hospital for a shot. She does not live at home anymore but I will just not take the chance. I would like to try a cooper hawk. I am not sure how I would do it, I would read all the post on the forum for a start.

[KidK]

A goshawk (captive or wild take perhaps) OR a Cooper's hawk.. one or the other for sure..

Going to jump on the band wagon and try the tame hack.

I hope I can make Bryant a nice female goshawk to catch ducks, squirrels and snowshoes with.

[goshawks00]

Paul, I've been mulling this over for the best part of a year now... and I still don't know... if Rockette the Finnish female does the deed, I will be flying a new Fin/NA cross male...something new, never lown a mutt gos. Or maybe my natural pair of Fins will go this year...if so, it will be a full Fin. though I'm not sure of what flavor. Then there is a possiblity of a Euro spar... and if that doesn't work, maybe a new female coop, as I am leaning on making a breeding pair.
Which ever one ..it will be imprinted and tame hacked, got some new idea to try..
Barry

Oh and I keep getting these calls from guys offering HHs, but I just don't think I can pull the trigger on one yet?

How about you?

[Saluqi]

Paul, I've been mulling this over for the best part of a year now... and I still don't know... if Rockette the Finnish female does the deed, I will be flying a new Fin/NA cross male...something new, never lown a mutt gos. Or maybe my natural pair of Fins will go this year...if so, it will be a full Fin. though I'm not sure of what flavor. Then there is a possiblity of a Euro spar... and if that doesn't work, maybe a new female coop, as I am leaning on making a breeding pair.
Which ever one ..it will be imprinted and tame hacked, got some new idea to try..
Barry

Oh and I keep getting these calls from guys offering HHs, but I just don't think I can pull the trigger on one yet?

How about you?

Wow! You have a got a ton of options Barry!! It's nice to have options. No, no new birds for me, both of my gosses came through the season just fine, so I'll be sticking with them for next year. I'm done flying Frieda for the year, and Lou I'll keep going a bit longer, though they're predicting 70's this week (15 degrees above normal!) so I may hunt today and tomorrow and call it quits.

[hcf]

hi guys,
i shall be keeping back a couple of finnish females , both of which will be imprinted. i also hope to breed my 7/8 gyrs which are very white , so female from them would be nice. depending on what colours my 3/4 gyrs produce ,one of them.oh and perhaps a female peregrine. all to be imprited
the joys of having a breeding facility

andy

[raptrlvr]

Paul I am still waiting to hear from NM wether or not I get to take a gos this season. They were supposed to hold the drawing on Friday, but, for some reason they didn't according to a couple of the NM falconers. If I pull a gos, I will imprint. The last I heard, no one in NM put in for the peregrine take this season.

[Saluqi]

Paul I am still waiting to hear from NM wether or not I get to take a gos this season. They were supposed to hold the drawing on Friday, but, for some reason they didn't according to a couple of the NM falconers. If I pull a gos, I will imprint. The last I heard, no one in NM put in for the peregrine take this season.

Welcome to the darkside!!! Well, maybe I'll ask them for another drawing and throw my name for peregrine.....

[Falcon Boy]

Paul I am still waiting to hear from NM wether or not I get to take a gos this season. They were supposed to hold the drawing on Friday, but, for some reason they didn't according to a couple of the NM falconers. If I pull a gos, I will imprint. The last I heard, no one in NM put in for the peregrine take this season.

If they'd open it up to nonresidents you'd get more people putting in for the peregrine....at least one anyway

[Saluqi]

If they'd open it up to nonresidents you'd get more people putting in for the peregrine....at least one anyway

We asked, state said "NO!!!"

[Falcon Boy]

Yea i know it....

[tumble]

Hoping to pull a wild female gos. I'm still trying to gather tips from experienced goshawkers for my strategy, but I suppose it will probably end up being more or less a recipe bird for my first one, with some variations. A coops is tempting but I need a duck and hare slayer for now.

[raptrlvr]

Paul, If I don't get the gos draw, do you think we could convince NM to let us pull a peregrine? I know where to go from last season. I am sure they would not go for it.

[jfseaman]

If I do, it will probably be a Gyr x Barbary tiercel.

Same as I have done with the last four.

Take him to a clean tank with food in it. In the house, watching TV, with the dogs. Lure in the tank, glove in the tank, hood in the tank. Make a game of hooding with light in weight oversized hood. Food tied to the lure in the tank when he can start tearing it himself. Running around in the yard until he trys to fly. Telemetry on before hard penned. Lots of interaction. Taking to public places. Jesses on when tail shows through down. Tethered when jumps out of tank too often. Tame hacked from the truck.

A difference this time is I want a high flyer so there's more to the program but it's worked before.

2 of 4 are silent except in spring when courting, the younger 2 are more 'talkative', however, if I turn my back and walk away or am obviously doing something else they are silent. Other people can be around the birds and they are silent, it's just me that they talk to. Which is good for future breeders.

[BestBeagler]

Tercil NA Gos Following Barry’s method or at least try I really want to tame hack but I am dead scared of some idiot shooting it or it getting drove over. I am still wondering if it would be a good idea to get pictures printed of the bird with my phone number and some info on them and distribute them through the neighborhood. What do you think? Isaac

[sevristh]

Tercil NA Gos Following Barry’s method or at least try I really want to tame hack but I am dead scared of some idiot shooting it or it getting drove over. I am still wondering if it would be a good idea to get pictures printed of the bird with my phone number and some info on them and distribute them through the neighborhood. What do you think? Isaac

I think I would keep it to myself. John Q Public is an idiot an normally doesn't notice anything that doesn't slap him in the face. I've flown my red-tail at the local college numerous times and NOBODY notices her. And she has bells on. People in general are just not observant. I think if you hand out fliers, you are more likely to tempt that ONE idiot that would think it'd be cool to shoot and stuff a hawk...

[sharptail]

If they'd open it up to nonresidents you'd get more people putting in for the peregrine....at least one anyway

Hi Noah,
Wyoming allows a non resident take of peregrines. There has also not been much interest with residents in recent years.

[tumble]

II think if you hand out fliers, you are more likely to tempt that ONE idiot that would think it'd be cool to shoot and stuff a hawk...

I was thinking the same thing.

[frootdog]

but I suppose it will probably end up being more or less a recipe bird for my first one, with some variations.

Do you know how many people before you have said this same thing and ended up with a basket case? I've seen it said numerous times and have yet to see one turn out as good as a straight "recipe bird". Keep it simple, esp for your first imprint accip. I followed McDermott's methods to the letter, minus the tame hack as it was not known at that time, and I have to say my coop turned out wonderfully.

[Raptorick]

I would like to imprint a sharpie this year.

my last imprint was a coopers and she was so tame that she would sit on my beating stick held on my shoulder right next to my face. She never ever showed aggression to me. She would catch at least 2 field birds a day. She ended up getting shot carrying a quail.
First time she ever carried too and must of been a bit heavy. She lived in the house and was feather perfect!

[Falcon Boy]

Hi Noah,
Wyoming allows a non resident take of peregrines. There has also not been much interest with residents in recent years.

Really? I didn't know that....i'll have to do some thinking then.

[tumble]

Do you know how many people before you have said this same thing and ended up with a basket case? I've seen it said numerous times and have yet to see one turn out as good as a straight "recipe bird". Keep it simple, esp for your first imprint accip. I followed McDermott's methods to the letter, minus the tame hack as it was not known at that time, and I have to say my coop turned out wonderfully.

Both cottontails and night hawking,for example, are illegal for me so for some of what he talks about in the first book I will have to make adaptations .

[FredFogg]

Do you know how many people before you have said this same thing and ended up with a basket case? I've seen it said numerous times and have yet to see one turn out as good as a straight "recipe bird". Keep it simple, esp for your first imprint accip. I followed McDermott's methods to the letter, minus the tame hack as it was not known at that time, and I have to say my coop turned out wonderfully.

And if you do another Krys, it may not come out so wonderfully! Each bird is different and the process is a good one, but it isn't a sure fire thing. I know others that have done it a completely different way and theirs came out wonderful and others that followed McD's to the T and ended up with face grabbers. The key to any method is adapting and seeing things before they become a permanent problem. And the biggest thing is summed up in his Behavioral book, 90 percent of all problems is weight related.

[frootdog]

Both cottontails and night hawking,for example, are illegal for me so for some of what he talks about in the first book I will have to make adaptations .

Is night hawking illegal or spotlighting? I see what you are saying though. Night hawking however is not part of the training process it's just an alternative means to get in some hunting time.

[frootdog]

And if you do another Krys, it may not come out so wonderfully! Each bird is different and the process is a good one, but it isn't a sure fire thing. I know others that have done it a completely different way and theirs came out wonderful and others that followed McD's to the T and ended up with face grabbers. The key to any method is adapting and seeing things before they become a permanent problem. And the biggest thing is summed up in his Behavioral book, 90 percent of all problems is weight related.

Yes Fred I realise this, but what I'm saying is that the novice (myself included) should not go making adjustments to a tried and true method without first having tried it as is. I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of "recipe" (I hate that term for some reason) birds turn out to be good hawks (not basket cases). I'm not suggesting there is no other way to do it, just that if you pick one method stick with it and not try to tweak it when doing it for the first time.

[michaelberan]

I will be imprinting a full male Saker this year

I don't know what I'm doing but I have a little time to figure it out, the egg should be laid the first few days of March

[raptrlvr]

Well it looks like I won't be imprinting a gos this season. Only 4 people put in for the eyas draw and only 3 birds are allowed to be taken. I know one person who was notified by email a couple of days ago, but, I didn't get an email from NMG&F. Life in the big city.

[harrishawker1]

Well it looks like I won't be imprinting a gos this season. Only 4 people put in for the eyas draw and only 3 birds are allowed to be taken. I know one person who was notified by email a couple of days ago, but, I didn't get an email from NMG&F. Life in the big city.
__________________
Jim
New Mexican


Jim

Take a eyeas vacation and pull a non-res wyoming goshawk
Iv been there a few times and theres many nests to choose from. not to mention all the other hawks and falcons you will spot along the way

good luck whatever whichever route you pick

[tumble]

Is night hawking illegal or spotlighting? I see what you are saying though. Night hawking however is not part of the training process it's just an alternative means to get in some hunting time.

Hunting ends a half hour after sunset with no special falconry provisions. Car hawking is also illegal, at least on public roads. I guess what I was mostly referring to was some of the great confidence building methods outlined in the book. And we don't have access to those nice little industrial park bunnies, which may not technically be part of training but sure would go a long way toward initial confidence, I imagine. But I'll adapt like everyone else willing to do what it takes.

[frootdog]

Hunting ends a half hour after sunset with no special falconry provisions. Car hawking is also illegal, at least on public roads. I guess what I was mostly referring to was some of the great confidence building methods outlined in the book. And we don't have access to those nice little industrial park bunnies, which may not technically be part of training but sure would go a long way toward initial confidence, I imagine. But I'll adapt like everyone else willing to do what it takes.

Hunting from a moving vehicle here is illegal too unless you are on private land, ie parking lots. Don't know if that applies to you or not. What I would recomend is baggies, baggies, baggies. Go out for a hunt. If you find nothing or catch nothing toss a baggie for the bird and end the day on a kill. McD says hit the field and if you don't score get an easy carhawking kill. Same idea.

[Jay]

I may pull a Gos in Maine or MA this spring. It will depend how free my weekends are in the spring. I have not checked the two Gos nest I use to have in MA for about 3 years now, but hope they might be still active and can easily find a nest.

I will go with my sponsor, Richard Morrison's method of imprinting. I was told to read McD, so that I know what NOT to do (of course not saying McD is wrong, my sponsor just takes a different view on imprinting). He is against the kill kill kill mentality that seems to dominate accipiter training. No baggies (maybe a dragged bunny and a duck or two just to introduce the game, only if needed) and the weight is kept high for as long as possible. When starting a bird they are kept fat and may not make a kill until a month into their first season. He says not killing for a month at first is worth the 15 years of a quite sedate goshawk you get. They are out hunting and chasing for that first month. And going out, missing and not killing becomes OK to the bird, they don't get tourqued up when they don't end the day with a kill and are not always "expecting" it.

When it is time to really start killing the weight is taken down in what he calls a stair step method. The weight is dropped, then raised again, then dropped again but not as much as the first time. With a bit of playing you end up with a bird that will kill consistently at the highest weight possible.

It is agaisnt the norm but hey it works. All his Goshawks are killing machines. They all tollerate crowds of people, dogs, farm equipment, cars...etc. Anyone can hold the birds, put their bare hands on the kill as the gos will eat between your fingers, or pick one foot at a time up off a kill. The birds are silent in the field and have zero agresson issues. He has done it with 6 or 7 bird now, all come out exactly the same, plus has worked perfect with a number of other birds that others have done.

[Saluqi]

That's excellent Jay. I've heard lots of good things about Dick's goshawks, and I traded a bunch of emails with him months before I pulled my tiercel in '02. Layman's method is very similar with lots of hunting/chasing and very little in the way of catching during the early months.

[Jay]

I was talking with Steve quite a few years ago and him and Dick have quite a few similarities in their methods. One of the main differences is that Dick is strongly against any form of restrained pursuit or jump ups with any of his birds.

[tumble]

I hunted and had dinner with Dick a couple of weeks ago. The only thing I really disagreed on was his assertion that McD cuts weight deeply at hard penning, and Dick was opposed to this. But I've read both McD's books twice now and I've never got the impression that he did anything but a long gradual weight reduction extending well past penning. As I understood it McD expects a heavy and slow-to-hunt hawk for a month or so after penning. So I'm not sure they are really at odds with each other as far as weight management. McD refers to the stair-step thing as well.

Having said that, I do very much like Dick's gos. Tame as a kitten. I'd be interested in others' thoughts on a less aggressive bagging strategy.

[Saluqi]

I wasn't going to chime in on this thread, but what the heck. Don't use any bags, it's that simple. In the wild, goshawks are not killing on their own for a long while after they fledge, they are not killing opened up baby quail in the nest like the recipe calls for. Just raise them, and fly them, and as the season goes from summer to fall they will lose their baby fat (turns to muscle) and will naturally become hungry to the point where they'll catch one of those prey items they only chased all summer. It's closer to what happens in the wild.