Harris video with a coop harris cross.

[RLD]

http://www.myoutdoortv.com/video/vid...YssoEH119vuga_

[Chris L.]

Thanks for posting the video..

love that coopxharris train.. would have enjoyed seeing it fly further and the flight style it had...

anyone know if this bird is still alive or if that falconer has had any success with it?

[raptrlvr]

Why would you want to waste a good HH?

[borderhawk]

Why would you want to waste a good HH?

I'm sure it was just a case of someone with an imprint and a hair up their butt..... I was thinking the same thing when I saw a picture of some peregrine/kestrel crosses the other day.

[skooky20]

that was a sweet looking hybrid. looks better than the ones in the old nafa journals

[sevristh]

Pretty cool video, though it's a shame that the narrator refers to falconry as "a blood sport" toward the end. Yet another reminder that, while it's cool to be on TV and all, you never know what the media will do with the footage without even thinking...

[sevristh]

I did a quick search on the guy's name +falconry and didn't come up with anything. Anybody know him? Like Chris said, it would be nice to get more info on how that hybrid fared...

[FredFogg]

I don't know the guy or anything about him, but man, why do folks sling their birds up into trees. I went to a falconry presentation at The Homestead in VA several years ago and the woman they had doing the presentation had a harris hawk that she would sling up toward a barn loft and the bird would fly up there and then she would have us get in a row and have the bird fly between us all. It was all really cool for the folks there, but all I could think of why does she have to sling the bird by its jesses. It has probably done this a thousand times and probably would fly up there on its own. I always just let my birds leave the fist when they are ready and haven't ever had a problem with one just sitting there. Do other falconers do this and do they think it is ok? I just don't get it! No one I hunt with does this although I have seen a few folks in our Guild do it but I usually just keep my mouth shut and don't ask them why? I guess one is braver on a forum than face to face! LOL

[Ken S.]

I've heard of him, but don't know the guy. He's here in Maryland too. Bill is on here from Maryland and he might know the guy.

On a related note... Floyd Presley is a long time Falconer from Maryland, and a few years back he wrote something about that hybrid in one of the Nafa publications. At the time I think he had been flying one for a few years and it passed away? He was interested in finding someone to make him another one. I saw the one that he had at a picnic briefly, and talked to him about it for only a few minutes.

[Dirthawking]

I don't know the guy or anything about him, but man, why do folks sling their birds up into trees. I went to a falconry presentation at The Homestead in VA several years ago and the woman they had doing the presentation had a harris hawk that she would sling up toward a barn loft and the bird would fly up there and then she would have us get in a row and have the bird fly between us all. It was all really cool for the folks there, but all I could think of why does she have to sling the bird by its jesses. It has probably done this a thousand times and probably would fly up there on its own. I always just let my birds leave the fist when they are ready and haven't ever had a problem with one just sitting there. Do other falconers do this and do they think it is ok? I just don't get it! No one I hunt with does this although I have seen a few folks in our Guild do it but I usually just keep my mouth shut and don't ask them why? I guess one is braver on a forum than face to face! LOL

Well said!

[wesleyc6]

I don't know the guy or anything about him, but man, why do folks sling their birds up into trees. I went to a falconry presentation at The Homestead in VA several years ago and the woman they had doing the presentation had a harris hawk that she would sling up toward a barn loft and the bird would fly up there and then she would have us get in a row and have the bird fly between us all. It was all really cool for the folks there, but all I could think of why does she have to sling the bird by its jesses. It has probably done this a thousand times and probably would fly up there on its own. I always just let my birds leave the fist when they are ready and haven't ever had a problem with one just sitting there. Do other falconers do this and do they think it is ok? I just don't get it! No one I hunt with does this although I have seen a few folks in our Guild do it but I usually just keep my mouth shut and don't ask them why? I guess one is braver on a forum than face to face! LOL

I haven't ever done the slinging thing either. However in GA I often would grab my HH or RT's like a chicken and toss them up in a tree if they missed a squirrel on the ground. The must have been ok with it because they would often engage the squirrel immediately. What do you think about them throwing the sparrow hawks like a dart? I would like to see that.

[Fawkes]

love the look of that hybrid - I wonder how it fared later? I didnt know any of the harrisXaccipiter crosses worked at all.

[Jimmy]

though it's a shame that the narrator refers to falconry as "a blood sport" toward the end. ..

It is a blood sport...........

[sevristh]

No @(*^... Still doesnt mean we need to point it out to the public like that and draw unnecessary negative publicity.

[PeteJ]

It is a blood sport...........

Sigh...the problem with calling it a 'blood sport' is that most people think that this term means it's bloody or that it means there is killing involved. That is NOT why it is called a 'blood sport'. It is called a blood sport because it was practiced by royalty, much like horse racing and fox hunting was originally. Blood refers to the 'royals' not the blood of the game. But, the public, in their infinite ignorance, thinks of blood as the killing of things. These sorts of public media extravaganzas never seem to clarify their use of this reference and it continues to propagate this confusion over the definition of this term.

[Jimmy]

It is called a blood sport because it was practiced by royalty.

My point.........

[sevristh]

Hrmmm... most of the encyclopedias seem to disagree with you and mean what most people think it means. Though, your opinion of what it means would be nice, and would not carry the negative connotation, but I think thats due more to wishing than fact...

[GONEHAWKN]

I've heard of him, but don't know the guy. He's here in Maryland too. Bill is on here from Maryland and he might know the guy.

On a related note... Floyd Presley is a long time Falconer from Maryland, and a few years back he wrote something about that hybrid in one of the Nafa publications. At the time I think he had been flying one for a few years and it passed away? He was interested in finding someone to make him another one. I saw the one that he had at a picnic briefly, and talked to him about it for only a few minutes.

Ken, yeah i am around. the guy in that video is Mike Moreland. i have met Mike many times before. his son in that video is now about 15 or 16 and is currently flying a RT(at least he was as of a get together on the E.Shore this past season) Mike, if i am not mistaken, is Floyd Presley's nephew. someone correct me if i am wrong on this(i dont think i am though) that might explain how he came to have one of these hybrids. just for the record, i am not a big fan of the flinging off the fist thing either. i usually just give a little push that i try to time with the bird taking off on her on. but to each their own.....

[sevristh]

Well send him an email or give him a call and prod him into joining Nafex and telling us all about his hybrid!

[everetkhorton]

Bill:
I do about the same thing. As the bird crouches to take off I just give a little push/lift. It helps, because my arm flex's as the bird take off. I guess this is the easiest way to explain it. This is when hunting sqr. in heavy wood cover. I am not holding on to the jesses. Once you get the timing down you can see that it helps. You can also feel the difference.

[sevristh]

I don't know the guy or anything about him, but man, why do folks sling their birds up into trees. I went to a falconry presentation at The Homestead in VA several years ago and the woman they had doing the presentation had a harris hawk that she would sling up toward a barn loft and the bird would fly up there and then she would have us get in a row and have the bird fly between us all. It was all really cool for the folks there, but all I could think of why does she have to sling the bird by its jesses. It has probably done this a thousand times and probably would fly up there on its own. I always just let my birds leave the fist when they are ready and haven't ever had a problem with one just sitting there. Do other falconers do this and do they think it is ok? I just don't get it! No one I hunt with does this although I have seen a few folks in our Guild do it but I usually just keep my mouth shut and don't ask them why? I guess one is braver on a forum than face to face! LOL

Fred, you are hereby officially called out for immediate flogging for derailing the subject of this post!!! We already had a thread a year or so back discussing the do's and don't of bird slinging. It was on 'Jballone's thread about his bird. So now, let's get back to tracking Mike Moreland and getting him to join Nafex so we can hear about his hybrid instead of rehashing the crap about people slinging their birds!!!

[Takasho]

rehashing the crap about people slinging their birds!!!

Wheee!!

The Japanese are pro-bird slingers. In one video I saw a guy would practice putting a rolled up sock on his hand and practice "slinging" it at the wall to get ready for the season. I think it was actually the guy in this clip:

http://www.onlinefalconry.com/videos/japan2.mpg

It looks like it would hurt the bird but they've been doing it for centuries with pretty effective results. To each his own I guess. You'd think a gos wouldn't need slinging but whatever.

Definitely a cool looking hybrid though Dave! You'd think if it was a great bird we'd have heard more about it though. Was that a recent video? Is it possible the bird is still floating around??

[Dirthawking]

Sigh...the problem with calling it a 'blood sport' is that most people think that this term means it's bloody or that it means there is killing involved. .

You mean there is not killing involved?

Am I "practicing" the wrong type of falconry?

[PeteJ]

You mean there is not killing involved?

Am I "practicing" the wrong type of falconry?

No you're not involved in the wrong type of falconry. But, horse racing is considered a "blood sport" too...but maybe they just practice it differently now than they used to in the past. I guess that currently the bloodletting of the horses has been dropped in favor of just racing them?!LOL

[frootdog]

Just go ask 100 random people on the street the definition of a blood sport and I doubt any of them come up with a sport related to royalty. I too cringed when I heard that term used.

[frootdog]

When I car hawked with my HH after his wing injury I would routinely sling him out the window. I only carhawked him once this past season and he did well, but in the field he's just on the t-perch w/ no slining.

[everetkhorton]

Just go ask 100 random people on the street the definition of a blood sport and I doubt any of them come up with a sport related to royalty. I too cringed when I heard that term used.

Krys:
I agree!

[PeteJ]

Just go ask 100 random people on the street the definition of a blood sport and I doubt any of them come up with a sport related to royalty. I too cringed when I heard that term used.

Ah yes, the unwashed masses. And now, since it hasn't gone corrected in so long it will forever be associated with the incorrect definition and the more times it is applied to our sport the more times we will have to continue to defend ourselves.

[Lee Slikkers]

Why would you want to waste a good HH?

Why would you consider that hybrid to be a waste of a HH? Just curious...

I can think of all kinds of potential for that bird...being able to see it fly or watch it's hunitng style would have helped me form a better opinion of it but I personally would give one a go, heck, I'd even be tempted to try and make the hybrid myself...

[harrishawk_79]

Awesome clip thank you for sharing aweseom just plain awesome

[harrishawker21]

Well send him an email or give him a call and prod him into joining Nafex and telling us all about his hybrid!

Dave,
I'm Mike Moreland's son, sorry I couldn't respond to this video earlier but my dad is not currently flying any coopsXharris hybrids but if we could get our hands on another one, we'd def consider it. My dad actually flew the hybrid with a cast of 2 harris hawks. The great thing about this bird was that it acted just like a harris and it had all the flying capabilities of a coops. That trio he had going really filled the freezer that year. Unfortunately that bird was killed by a Great Horned Owl in our backyard about 8 years ago. I also should add that one evening while flying that bird it actually tail chased and caught a bat in mid air, just though I'd throw that in to kinda show the speed, power and agility your dealing with in one them.
Take care
Pat

[mainefalconer]

Pat,

Thanks for chiming in. I'm sure folks would like to hear more about that bird and will pester you about it.

It's funny that you mention the bat chase. I've had merlins ring right up to bats and snatch them up, which I thought was kind of interesting from a nostalgic view, as I'd read that Henry the 8th had merlin falconers in his court specifically wed them to bats. And actually, I had a male Harris' do it once too, so I'm not sure you need the added speed of the coops to accomplish that. (not that any of us are purposefully pursuing bats)

[Colt]

I can't watch, says video can't be found.

[sevristh]

Thanks for the reply Pat!

[harrishawker21]

Scott,
Wow that's pretty impressive your male Harris caught a bat, I just never heard of anyone taking a bat around here. Your right its not like were purposely trying to catch them but it just happens.

Colt,
Yea I don't know why we can't view the video. I just was searching through the forums and saw my dad's name.

Dave,
No problem, if anyone wants to know about these birds just feel free to private message me or through the forum. I should also say that he had 2 and the one in this video he got as a eyas and was raised by my dads Harris's I think but I will check with him. This bird turned out to be great but the second one was a complete head case and it was given to my dad from another falconer who trained it before him.