Reiko 09 Tame Hacked Gos

[BestBeagler]

No he hasn't charged me, but he has kaked at me. I think I could have avoided being footed if I let him calm down more. Still though, it didn't bother him before when he was at a lower weight. I went out yesterday to the farm and got a few flights and he flew around a lot. I gave him many slips at starlings yesterday that were within 20' but he wouldn't go after them and I know for a fact he could have caught one if he wanted to based on what I have seen him do on the wing. I decided to give him a launched pheasant to end the day with a kill and it he didn't take off immediately. I could see him analyzing the pheasant before he took off after it. He caught it in the air as it flew into the trees and I let him cool down before making in and he still was dragging the pheasant around even after he had broke in. He transferred off like a champ though. I am going to lower him to 675gm. He should be going after those flocks of starlings with more enthusiasm. I know he can do it.

His screaming is driving me nuts. I am going to switch up the routine and fly him in the mornings so he can be around me through out the day with a full crop instead of being around me being hungry all day. We will see if it makes a difference. Thanks for the encouragement guys. Isaac

[BestBeagler]

Things have been going well with Reiko, albeit the fact that he is a bit noisy. His manners aren't bad. He hasn't footed me. Aggression hasn't seemed to become a pattern, although his carrying is worrying me. I think I have been a bit cautious with the weight reduction. Maybe not, I don't know. He caught a sparrow in the air the other day in an open faced barn and he could have landed with it but purposely went out of his way to carry. He just grabbed it out of the air and made a u turn and kept going and then flew to a big maple tree and was all excited but it took him a long time to start eating and he flew around with it. He wouldn't come down to the lure with it and ate it in the tree but when he was done he came down in a flash.

Fear response has resurfaced after he eats sometimes and requires a little more finesse to get him to step back on the glove during the pick up. I have noticed a trend. If he is a bit high in weight he doesn't pick up as nicely. Also, the occasional chittering and bate off the glove after he has a full crop and I pick him up tells me he is a bit heavy. I have noticed him refusing slips he would usually go after as well and sometimes I get some head rearing from him when I try to pet him after he has a full crop. Here is where I stair step the weight down again I guess.

I have introduced him to the crow lure. He went for it pretty quick, but didn't land on it at first but sat next to it and footed it a few times and cacked at it and then jumped on it when he saw the meat and mantled over it.

I am slowly dropping his weight and things are clicking except for the carrying thing. I am glad the aggression thing hasn't become worse and his manners are getting better. Isaac

[FredFogg]

Isaac, get him on crows, that will put a stop to the carrying real quick. Strictly hunt him on crows until he doesn't even attempt to drag the crow and I bet he will come to the ground with a sparrow after that. He is doing great, looking forward to watching his progress. A few pics would be nice!

[tumble]

You know I'm on my first, but I was going to say what Fred said along with the weight reduction you mentioned. Probably time to get away from the small stuff.

[goshawks00]

Yea I was going to say that also... in fact I did, see post #15

Barry

[BestBeagler]

I'm getting there folks Slowly, but I'm getting there. Flew him again today He was 680gm at 2:00pm. Again he refused a lot of slips he would have gone after before chased a few birds but didn't catch anything. I ended the day by letting him eat off the crow decoy. He was pretty aggresive toward it and mad at it for some reason. He was jumping all over it and footing it. His weight will be lower tomorrow. The thing is, I have been feeding him too much and I don't just want to cut his weight too much to fast. A slow drop over a couple of days is the goal. He will be down to 675gm tommorow morning and we will see if he will go after some starling via car hawking. If not, he gets dropped to 670gm. Isaac

[voslerdo]

Just started following the thread....been busy with the vineyard,winery and work. Looks like things are going quite well! He sure is a pretty bird! Mine is just about finished with the molt, so I'm hoping to get him out soon. I'm also going to try for crows this year. Did you make the crow lure yourself? I failed last year to try to get him to fly from the car. What would be the first steps in getting him to do this? Hope to get up there this year. Love to have you visit me...you're welcome anytime! I'll keep up on the thread as time permits...keep posting pics!

[BestBeagler]

Things have been going really well these last 3 days with Reiko. I’ve got his weight down to 675 and he is now chasing everything, but I think if I want to bring out the killer in him I should drop him to 670. He has shown me what he is capable of fitness wise. A full grown rooster pheasant flushed by accident about 50 feet in front of us and he was able to get onto it no problem just sucked that thing up and kind of came along side it like he was going to bind to it from the side but then pulled off and tail chased till it landed and went after it as it landed. They went over a hill and I lost sight of them and I found him on the ground without the pheasant. Glad he didn't catch it. In the last few days his chased and has made ducks dive under the water. It kind of makes you cringe hoping he doesn’t connect. I'm feild hawking him and there are ponds near by. I have also had some nice flights at starlings but he doesn’t seem to go after them like he does after pigeons. He has become a joy to work with and his manners are great. Very nice bird and I am really happy with him. He is a bit vocal that's all but that should go away with time. Now I'm just hunting him and enjoying the ride. No complications to work through anymore at the moment just having fun and putting a lot of game up in front of him. He is so tame it's ridiculous he is just a sweetheart. He is back to where he was before he was hard penned. He still kaks and goes after the dog if she doesn't behave herself. Isaac

[BestBeagler]

Just started following the thread....been busy with the vineyard,winery and work. Looks like things are going quite well! He sure is a pretty bird! Mine is just about finished with the molt, so I'm hoping to get him out soon. I'm also going to try for crows this year. Did you make the crow lure yourself? I failed last year to try to get him to fly from the car. What would be the first steps in getting him to do this? Hope to get up there this year. Love to have you visit me...you're welcome anytime! I'll keep up on the thread as time permits...keep posting pics!

Hey Scott! How it going? I bought the decoy at Cabelas for $14.00 it was a good deal. It has this shiny felt kind of stuff on it so it looks kind of realistic. It's bigger then a crow. I don't know if it will do any good or not. I have been having a hard time finding crows slips that are close at the moment. Once it gets a bit cooler I'll come down. Thanks for the invite. Your welcome up here anytime as well. Once pheasant season is in we can arrange a pheasant hunt. Isaac

[tumble]

Glad to hear things seem to be smoothing over Isaac! Man, I'd hate to think of what that rooster might have done to a young male. Part of the game though, eh?

[tumble]

I'd hate to think of what that rooster might have done to a young male.

I'd like to reverse this statement. I'd hate to think of what that young male might have done to a rooster.

[BestBeagler]

Tom,
It's all fun and games now. The rest of the family went on vacation for 5 days so I get to keep the bird in the house for some non food association time. I have the radio turned up and cotton in my ears. That high pitched scream really gets to you. I drove around yesterday for about 2 hours looking for a slip and didn't find anything until I got home. Got a flight at some starlings and then he nabbed a sparrow to end the day. Isaac

[musketdaft]

Isaac My wife’s in Mexico for two weeks was thinking of bringing Whip into the home although I don’t think my ears could take it. Alf.

Tom,
It's all fun and games now. The rest of the family went on vacation for 5 days so I get to keep the bird in the house for some non food association time. I have the radio turned up and cotton in my ears. That high pitched scream really gets to you. I drove around yesterday for about 2 hours looking for a slip and didn't find anything until I got home. Got a flight at some starlings and then he nabbed a sparrow to end the day. Isaac

[BestBeagler]

Isaac My wife’s in Mexico for two weeks was thinking of bringing Whip into the home although I don’t think my ears could take it. Alf.

Get yourself an ipod or mp3 player and you will be fine Isaac

[goshawks00]

Isaac's first crow --story to follow,
Barry

[jballone]

Great job Isaac! Crow looks like a good sized one. Can't wait for the story!!

[FredFogg]

Awesome Isaac! I knew it was only a matter of time! He will be slaying them regularly now!

[BestBeagler]

I went out car hawking this morning looking for starlings or crows. I didn't find any starlings, but I found three or four crows. I saw them and Reiko saw them to but I didn't stop immediately because I wasn't ready and I didn't want to spook them by slowing down and stopping so I drove past them and got Reiko ready and rolled down the window and Reiko was after them before the car even stopped. The slip was about 30 feet and that crow didn't get even 3 feet off the ground. It was fast. I couldn't believe he had it. It was kind of surreal. He was 673gm. No carrying, good manners, and smooth trade off. I let him pluck it a good while and calm down. They are thick-skinned buggers with huge heads. First crow I ever saw up close. I have tried hunting them with a shotgun but never succeeded. It took a gos for me to finally get one I was really excited. Ever since watching the DVD "Urban Goshawks" I have wanted to hawk them. This was the first slip of the day and his first slip at a crow ever and he caught the first one he ever chased how's that for a confidence boost for him? I never bagged him on any either. Barry breeds some good goshawks. I think the crow decoy made a difference in his response to them. Yesterday, was the first day he went after the decoy as soon as he saw it from 40'. He was real aggressive on it jumping all over it rolling around and footing it. It is amazing how "shushing" them before a slip helps keys them in, they cran their neck out looking all over the place for something to flush. This was exciting and a good confidence booster for him and I will continue giving him close slips but once he has dozen or so crows I want to try him at some longer slips. I am not crazy about the idea of just mugging them. I could do that with a harris

Thanks for posting the pic Barry. Dial-up is a pain.

[BestBeagler]

Great job Isaac! Crow looks like a good sized one. Can't wait for the story!!

It was 400gm minus the wings. I cut them off to add them to the crow decoy to make it more realistic.

[BestBeagler]

Awesome Isaac! I knew it was only a matter of time! He will be slaying them regularly now!

I hope so. Crows don't seem very fast. From what I have seen watching the DVD they use their brains more than anything to avoid getting caught. When I came back home I tied him up to the perch and he jumped off as I was tying the knot to take a sip of water from the bath pan and take a bath. Got to love imprints. He is stone cold silent now, surprisingly. I guess fighting crows and a full crop helps with screaming. Isaac

[FredFogg]

I hope so. Crows don't seem very fast. From what I have seen watching the DVD they use their brains more than anything to avoid getting caught. When I came back home I tied him up to the perch and he jumped off as I was tying the knot to take a sip of water from the bath pan and take a bath. Got to love imprints. He is stone cold silent now, surprisingly. I guess fighting crows and a full crop helps with screaming. Isaac

The more he catches, the quieter he will get! The smallest crow I caught with my coops was 512 g, she weighed 375 g. And you are right, crows aren't fast, but they are smart. My best flights were when the crows saw her coming and took off and got a little steam up and she had to put on the after burners. She would then fly right up on top of them and grab their neck with one foot and their back with the other and ride them to the ground. She was always glad when I got there to help out. My best flight with the gos last year was when he took one in the huge grassy front yard of a high school on a Saturday. One of the other crows flew down and tried to grab his tail and he just let go of the one he had and grabbed it. The first one flew off. I never really knew if that counted as 2 catches or only 1. LOL

[BestBeagler]

Well, things have been going real well. I’m providing a lot of slips for him. Getting crow flights regularly, almost every morning. I think he might be a bit high still though. Or it might be inexperience. Twice, I have seen him just a wing beat away from a crow and watch him not commit. Lowest I have had him was 665gm and he was on fire flying at starlings with gusto and chasing everything and bating at birds while still in the car. His manner were perfect at this weight and I could handle him bare handed during the pick up. In fact I handle him bare handed a lot during the pickup it’s good for him. I brought him back up to 669 today and he was doing just as well and I think he might have had a bit more zip to him. When caught the crow a few days ago he was at 673. Today at 669gm he chased a pheasant for a quarter mile. I am not exaggerating. The initial flush was 10 feet away and he was closing the gap slowly he was about 5 feet behind it for the majority of the flight and starting getting closer the farther they flew and then the pheasant dumped and he lost it on the ground. Fine by me. I was field-hawking sparrows. Got some nice flights at some pigeons and starlings as well this morning. He was just about to grab the starling when it dropped and did a 180. Reiko was a little surprised I think. He then flew up to a high pole and then launched off after something else. I couldn't tell what it was. The cool thing is, he comes to the whistle and looks for me even when he can't see me. So that's kind of nice. This morning he took off the glove and landed in a tall dead tree and instead of calling him down I walked off. I called his name and he followed me. I walked some more and he decided he didn't want to be left alone so he flew to me and I offered him the glove and he landed on it. I then dropped the lure so that he wouldn't notice and walked up to it. That should help re-enforce the free recalls to the glove. I actually get a decent amount of free re-calls from him. I think it's because he is getting the idea that game gets flushed while he is on the fist. I think I might wind-up this thread, only posting the highlights here and there. He is now going nuts after the crow decoy. Isaac

[BestBeagler]

Second crow! It was raining this morning but I decided to go out car hawking anyway. I saw a good amount of crows today but the slips were to far off for him at this stage. I found a small murder of crows, about 8 of them, in somebody’s yard. The house was set back a bit and there were some trees blocking a view and I decided that I would risk it. The slip was about 50'. I let Reiko out the window and the Crow jinxed and flew up into a tree, big mistake, he grabbed it out of the tree and came down with it. The crow gave him a bit of a time trying to peck him and then the other crows gave him some dive-bombing but he held on and this time he actually looked at me like he was glad I was there to help! The crow weighed in at 512gm. These crows really do look slow compared to other quarry but they sure are fun to catch.

I went out yesterday morning and he was 672gm his manners were fine and everything but he didn't give chase to things he would have chased earlier at the same weight. So I dropped him to 666gm this morning and he just nabbed that crow like it was the easiest thing.

I have been struggling deciding whether or not to drop his weight from the 673gm range. I let his response to quarry be my guide and it paid off. I was thinking, I can keep him at a heavier weight and get a lot of flights but if I keep flying him at a high weights and just get a lot of flights and no kills I might be destroying his confidence and if I am ever going to get him to be quiet I need him to be killing stuff. So now I have him down to 666-665gm and we are back at it with no behavioral issues or bad manners. If I just based his weight reduction on his manners on the lure I could fly him a lot heavier. He has picked up on the routine now so I think I have to go by his response to quarry.

It's that stair step drop over time you read about. It's cool seeing it in person and not just reading about it. Oh, one more thing. He gets stone silent now when we are in the field for the most part. He quiets down in the car to, after awhile. Especially if he knows a slip is imminent. He is getting the big picture. Isaac

[FredFogg]

Way to go Isaac! I think you mentioned it before, but if not, one thing I always do when I am coming up on some crows is I start whispering to the gos and I will say "Shhhhhhhhhhh" as I am about to let him go. You would be amazed at how they will slick down when you start whispering and then when you start the "shhh", you can see the muscles in the bird quivering anticipating the take off. You mentioned that the crows are very fast, well, the better flights will happen when you release him at crows that are 100 yards out in a field. But keep building his confidence and then those flights will happen. Oh yeah, the best time to carhawk crows is when it is sprinkling or raining, they seem to be out more then. Keep up the great work and I am still waiting for some pictures, please!

[BestBeagler]

I do "shush" him before a slip. He stretches his neck high and looks all over the place. A 100 yard slip at crows sounds like it would be some nice flight! Can't wait till he is at that stage. For now it's just confidence building slips. Raining again this morning. I fed him too much yesterday and I put him in the giant hood last night so he didn't loose as much. Should be at flying weight this afternoon. I'll try to get some pictures, but if I am in somebodys yard you will understand why I try to get in and out of there fast Isaac