My Ace!!!!

[dliepe]

My favorite photo.

[michaelberan]

Looks like a NAFA poster, very nice!

[Chris L.]

Great photo... did you take it?

thank you for sharing it

[dliepe]

Great photo... did you take it?

thank you for sharing it

No. A good friend from Maine took it. I've been trying ever since to get one as good but never seem to hit it right. Such an art ....good photography is.

[sharptail]

I am guessing he is a g/p tiercel. Where do you buy you birds from? Great photo!

[Jay]

Nice shot and nice duck!

Take it Fanning or Kenniston was your friend from Maine that took it?

[jfseaman]

Beautiful shot.

Looks like a Gyr/Saker to me but what do I know I'm inexperienced.

so let us know what it is.

[dliepe]

I am guessing he is a g/p tiercel. Where do you buy you birds from? Great photo!

Thanks
Steve Sherrod in Ok.
This tiercel is a veteran of many battles. He took down an RC copter last season and butsed his wing up. It's been hell getting it back to normal. A rotor hit the wrist and cut it. X-rays were negative but he's just now getting back to his old self. Could barely fly in Sept. Still gets stiff on him. also broke a leg in an impact with a big black duck (caught a merg on a flush right after with the broken leg) and ruptured his eye when he mis-hit a greenhead. Each in jury in successive years.
Great line of birds. High flyers and hard hitters. Very impulsive though and he never lets the ducks breathe. First wingbeat he's on them.

[dliepe]

He's a peales/ gyr tiercel by the way.

[dliepe]

Nice shot and nice duck!

Take it Fanning or Kenniston was your friend from Maine that took it?

Yup! cindy took that one. Still have yet to get a better one. I take dozens at each kill.

[KittyCanuck]

Very pretty! So many people here take such lovely photographs!

[idbirdman]

My favorite photo.

Hey Dave, I have a young female from Steve also. It is the same cross gyr/peales. She is a monstor in the air and intimidates every thing that sees her. I don't think I have enjoyed a season as much as I have this one. She is a great bird and goes into the heavens. She has even had a double on pheasants. Great bird. Enjoy him. Thanks Stephen

[dliepe]

Hey Dave, I have a young female from Steve also. It is the same cross gyr/peales. She is a monstor in the air and intimidates every thing that sees her. I don't think I have enjoyed a season as much as I have this one. She is a great bird and goes into the heavens. She has even had a double on pheasants. Great bird. Enjoy him. Thanks Stephen

Stephen,

That's good to know. How has she done for you? Has she flown ducks or just upland? Mine is a second year bird that is just now coming into form. Deadly with about 800 or so of pitch on average. Mine seems to be just starting to like ducks. Getting more style with each flight. She's hot on pheasant and flies with a different attitude on them. Love to know more about her. Any observations on her behaviour on game?

[idbirdman]

Stephen,

That's good to know. How has she done for you? Has she flown ducks or just upland? Mine is a second year bird that is just now coming into form. Deadly with about 800 or so of pitch on average. Mine seems to be just starting to like ducks. Getting more style with each flight. She's hot on pheasant and flies with a different attitude on them. Love to know more about her. Any observations on her behaviour on game?

Well I think I have had more fun with her than any other bird I have ever flown. And I have been a falconer for 24 years. She will fly in the heavans out of sight almost every flight. She has motivation for any thing that flies. She has caught several ducks and pheasants and has hit several sage grouse. She is very antsy before the flight, often trying to fly on the perch and glove while hooded. She was pretty easy to train, being on the wing in about 1.5 weeks out of the chamber. I started her on the kit up to 800' or so. The problem was that she would go above the kite and stoop down at it. So after only a couple of times at that I just removed the kite all together. She has been flying at 1115 grams, I started her out at 1060 grams. She has been a blast to fly. Each flight is different with her. Thanks Stephen

[dliepe]

Well I think I have had more fun with her than any other bird I have ever flown. And I have been a falconer for 24 years. She will fly in the heavans out of sight almost every flight. She has motivation for any thing that flies. She has caught several ducks and pheasants and has hit several sage grouse. She is very antsy before the flight, often trying to fly on the perch and glove while hooded. She was pretty easy to train, being on the wing in about 1.5 weeks out of the chamber. I started her on the kit up to 800' or so. The problem was that she would go above the kite and stoop down at it. So after only a couple of times at that I just removed the kite all together. She has been flying at 1115 grams, I started her out at 1060 grams. She has been a blast to fly. Each flight is different with her. Thanks Stephen

Yes, that's the one thing that stands out to me.......each flight sometimes very different than the next. All depends what kind of mood she's in. she's killed from 1500 to 400 and taken them wide, vertical every way inbetween. One thing I like is that ducks get lulled at times into a false sense of security. she's way out of position and they go,but she just makes these miraculous catches. My tiercel is a high flyer and will hit 1000 to 1500 every time and hunt vertically. So I'm spoiled by those types of flights, but with her its very unpredictable (sometimes frustratingly so) so it adds flavor to the hunts. Have to say I'm really starting to like mine too. 1115 -1120 as well. I'll email steve as to if the two are from same parents. She's starting to convince me that she's the grouse hunter I've always wanted.

[idbirdman]

Yes, that's the one thing that stands out to me.......each flight sometimes very different than the next. All depends what kind of mood she's in. she's killed from 1500 to 400 and taken them wide, vertical every way inbetween. One thing I like is that ducks get lulled at times into a false sense of security. she's way out of position and they go,but she just makes these miraculous catches. My tiercel is a high flyer and will hit 1000 to 1500 every time and hunt vertically. So I'm spoiled by those types of flights, but with her its very unpredictable (sometimes frustratingly so) so it adds flavor to the hunts. Have to say I'm really starting to like mine too. 1115 -1120 as well. I'll email steve as to if the two are from same parents. She's starting to convince me that she's the grouse hunter I've always wanted.

Well let me know when you are making the journey out this direction and we can go look for some grouse together. We have some great numbers here in Idaho. Thanks Stephen

[RyanVZ]

She was pretty easy to train, being on the wing in about 1.5 weeks out of the chamber. I started her on the kit up to 800' or so. The problem was that she would go above the kite and stoop down at it.

Thats funny I was just talking to another guy that's flying a Sherrod Hybrid and it would do the same thing, going above the kite and stooping down to the bait, although I'm sure many falcons will do that. I'm flying my second Hybrid bred by him. First one died last year from internal injuries from stoning a Gadwall. My current one hits like an anvil too. Rarely pitches up from the impact just straight through the ducks. I'm hoping he grows outta it before we have a repeat of last year.

[dliepe]

Well I think I have had more fun with her than any other bird I have ever flown. And I have been a falconer for 24 years. She will fly in the heavans out of sight almost every flight. She has motivation for any thing that flies. She has caught several ducks and pheasants and has hit several sage grouse. She is very antsy before the flight, often trying to fly on the perch and glove while hooded. She was pretty easy to train, being on the wing in about 1.5 weeks out of the chamber. I started her on the kit up to 800' or so. The problem was that she would go above the kite and stoop down at it. So after only a couple of times at that I just removed the kite all together. She has been flying at 1115 grams, I started her out at 1060 grams. She has been a blast to fly. Each flight is different with her. Thanks Stephen

I guess that's an early sign of a high flyer. Nice problem to have Stephen