Harris Hawk

mickquinn05

Hi All/ have had it in my head the last while that i want to get a harrris hawk, now im a complete novice have done a bit of reading but I dont know any one that has one. Was going to join this club http://www.irishhawkingclub.ie/beginners.html
Any one have experience with them do they help begineers, I would like to get a lot of experience before I make a final decision on buying one. Have already read up on the licence side of things so thats all good. So any one out there with advice or looking to take on an apprentice:D

Mike87

Was on the verge of getting into falconry myself a few years ago. THe best thing I did was taking a course (I'll see can I find the number) in wicklow. It was a 2 day course and it was a real eye opener to how much work was involved in keeping birds of prey.

Until that course I thought it would be a bit like having a hunting dog, just take him out a few times a week, a bit of food every day and your sorted. But its not just that simple unfortunately.

rabbit assassin

Theres a man out here in Meath that does all that. He has permission to hunt vermin on the estate I work on, often stops for a chat when Im out and about. If you're serious and want to travel out here I can ask him for his contact info if you like as I think he takes classes out with him sometimes.

TriggerPL

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Hi All/ have had it in my head the last while that i want to get a harrris hawk, now im a complete novice have done a bit of reading but I dont know any one that has one. Was going to join this club http://www.irishhawkingclub.ie/beginners.html
Any one have experience with them do they help begineers, I would like to get a lot of experience before I make a final decision on buying one. Have already read up on the licence side of things so thats all good. So any one out there with advice or looking to take on an apprentice:D

Dodgyrangler on here has a Harris hawk , spelling of the name might be wrong . Go to for sale section and shooting exchange days he has a post on there . You'll get his name from there

Birdnuts

TriggerPL wrote: »

Dodgyrangler on here has a Harris hawk , spelling of the name might be wrong . Go to for sale section and shooting exchange days he has a post on there . You'll get his name from there

Yep - the poster Jellybaby is a pretty experienced hawk man too:)

ClarkyTrd

Give Wayne a shout, Jellybaby is his username.

He has a Harris Hawk so I'm sure he wont mind helping out.

jellybaby21

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Hi All/ have had it in my head the last while that i want to get a harrris hawk, now im a complete novice have done a bit of reading but I dont know any one that has one. Was going to join this club http://www.irishhawkingclub.ie/beginners.html
Any one have experience with them do they help begineers, I would like to get a lot of experience before I make a final decision on buying one. Have already read up on the licence side of things so thats all good. So any one out there with advice or looking to take on an apprentice:D

Hi I have hunted with a harris now for the last 3 seasons and would be happy to answer some questions for you.I have an apprentice just coming into his second season now so I wouldn't be able to take another one on.I don't really know much about the irishhawkingclub but it could be a good way to get to know lads in your area.One thing I will say straight away is that its takes alot of your time up to get the best out of any hawk of falcon.If you put in the hard work it will pay off,have a look at my thread on here (harris hawk).You can also join the irish falconry forum,there is some good lads on there but nothing will beat some hands on experience.So find some one near you that can take you out would be the best way to start.

ATB Wayne

quicko

I would get in touch with mick Doherty from the Irish hawking club he is a good guy and always happy to help, as long as people don't waste his time

Keith

dodderangler

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Hi All/ have had it in my head the last while that i want to get a harrris hawk, now im a complete novice have done a bit of reading but I dont know any one that has one. Was going to join this club http://www.irishhawkingclub.ie/beginners.html
Any one have experience with them do they help begineers, I would like to get a lot of experience before I make a final decision on buying one. Have already read up on the licence side of things so thats all good. So any one out there with advice or looking to take on an apprentice:D

hi mate good to see someone looking for advice first before gettin the bird there are those that just get them and hope itll hunt which then leads to losing the bird or bird being abandoned after lack of interest
i can answer questions for you if you want me to
to be honest i started last year and got great help from wayne(jellybaby) and his brother and ended up meetin loads of great (crazy) lads and learned alot although falconry is alot like fishin learn something new all the time but all the help i got i ended up with a cracking big healthy hawk of course making few mistakes along the way which is always gonna happen but youll learn by it and wont make the mistake again
i can help you out if your around the dublin area no problem can bring you out hunting give you a taste for it and you can see after if you want one(you will trust me) then can organise a day out with myself and wayne and some other lads im sure would be fine with wayne hes a sound lad so if you are in dublin pm me and i can tell you what you need first
just some of my girl 'KRATOS'

mickquinn05

Hey all thanks for the advice booked in this Saturday for a day course on hawks and it includes hunting them, so will hopefully have a better idea, if i decide to go ahead from there I will contact some of those people ye mentioned for advice and help from there

mickquinn05

Yeah them pictures make me want one even more, Real nice looking hawk

dodderangler

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Yeah them pictures make me want one even more, Real nice looking hawk

Thanks mate hope ya don't mind me asking but who did you book in with and how much?

anthonyos

what sort of setup do you need for a hawk is it a big "Avery" type of cage and how big does it need to be

dodderangler

anthonyos wrote: »

what sort of setup do you need for a hawk is it a big "Avery" type of cage and how big does it need to be

Depends on the bird
Harris hawk male I was told 8''x 8''
Female being a lot bigger was told 8'' by 10'' is enough but make it bigger if you want

Invincible

dodderangler wrote: »

anthonyos wrote: »

what sort of setup do you need for a hawk is it a big "Avery" type of cage and how big does it need to be

Depends on the bird
Harris hawk male I was told 8''x 8''
Female being a lot bigger was told 8'' by 10'' is enough but make it bigger if you want

Do you mean 8' x 10' as in 8 foot x 10 foot,instead of 8" inches x 10" inches ??

anthonyos

Invincible wrote: »

Do you mean 8' x 10' as in 8 foot x 10 foot,instead of 8" inches x 10" inches ??

no i think 8" inches x 10" inches is big enough cage for the hawk :)what do you think ???

dodderangler

Invincible wrote: »

dodderangler wrote: »

anthonyos wrote: »

what sort of setup do you need for a hawk is it a big "Avery" type of cage and how big does it need to be

Depends on the bird
Harris hawk male I was told 8''x 8''
Female being a lot bigger was told 8'' by 10'' is enough but make it bigger if you want

Do you mean 8' x 10' as in 8 foot x 10 foot,instead of 8" inches x 10" inches ??

Yeah sorry ha im on me phone not the comp

jellybaby21

This is my birds mews,its 8x6 and is plenty big but if you can build a bigger one then all the better.

jellybaby21

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Hey all thanks for the advice booked in this Saturday for a day course on hawks and it includes hunting them, so will hopefully have a better idea, if i decide to go ahead from there I will contact some of those people ye mentioned for advice and help from there

Hi just wondering where you are booked in to do your day course?

anthonyos

did you build it yourself it looks like a good job

dodderangler

Harris hawk mews are pretty easy to build if you have the right gear and know the plan for it
Best thing to do is go to another falconers house and see their news get a rough idea and your sorted there are some out there that are just fantastic lookin with freezers and all in them and enough room for two or 3 hawks

anthonyos

i often thought of getting a hawk till i seen a rte program called "consuming passions" i fella from wicklow was on it with his hawks he used them to chase crows from a dump as a pest controller it was very good but the care they need put me off feeding weighing them and other stuff i wouldn't have the time..did anyone else see that program on rte well worth the watch if interested in them

dodderangler

anthonyos wrote: »

i often thought of getting a hawk till i seen a rte program called "consuming passions" i fella from wicklow was on it with his hawks he used them to chase crows from a dump as a pest controller it was very good but the care they need put me off feeding weighing them and other stuff i wouldn't have the time..did anyone else see that program on rte well worth the watch if interested in them

I thought bout the feedin and weighing and all and thought its be time consuming
Well first 3 weeks is crucial to develop the bond after that it's a doddle and the reward of your bird flying hundreds of yards to your fist and seein the hawk catch her first rabbit
Well put it this way still smile big when I see her in her mews

anthonyos

i had ferrets for years feed them once a day change the water every two days cleaning was simple they do it in the same corner one or two scoups with dust pan jobs done so how much extra work is a hawk

dodderangler

Cleaning out is easy as a hawk will cast her food ( cast is when she basically regurgitates the fur /feather)
And that's all to clean up and then bout once every 2 weeks clean the white **** off the back of the mews wall
Then once a day if it's nice il spray her and she will preen her feathers or else if it's rainin il spray her and get the hair dryer out
Never put a bird into her mews if she's wet

jellybaby21

anthonyos wrote: »

did you build it yourself it looks like a good job

Yeah myself and a few mates and s extended now for other birds.

anthonyos

looks like a nice set up how many birds can you keep in them ??can you hold more than one bird in the same cage

jellybaby21

At the min there are two birds in it but it prob could hold 3.Its divided to keep the birds apart.The harris would kill the barn owl if she got half a chance.

anthonyos

do you hunt a barn owl aswell??

jellybaby21

No the barn owl is my daughters and she fly's him for fun.She gets alot of enjoyment out of flying him.

Ape Owners

do plenty of research first and learn the basics but above all get yourself a good fella that will take you under his wing (literally).have being lucky enough to have one and gotta say that the time and effort you put into the bird will pay threefold but i gotta stress that what you put in you'll get out.....oh yeah and buy telem..

mickquinn05

dodderangler wrote: »

Thanks mate hope ya don't mind me asking but who did you book in with and how much?

Animalmagic.ie €100 usually 190 but they are doing a special at the min from half 10 til half 4 they have a load of different breeds and it was one on one. they let you handle them all and answered every question I had.

mickquinn05

Well Done that training thing today and must say I really enjoyed it and getting to see the hawks flying was great. I am now thinking of getting a buzzard instead of the harris hawk, any thoughts on them. They were saying they are a very tough bird and you also have a bit more weight to play with, Also can ye recommend breeders and places you get the equipment going to start buying all the bits. Still looking for some one around the tipperary area to help me out with the experience and of course the favour will be returned

jellybaby21

Just a quick question,do you want to hunt with your bird?If so I would forget about the buzzard as its very hard to get them to hunt.

mickquinn05

Well the hunting is not the main part, that would really be just for the birds own good,

dodderangler

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Well Done that training thing today and must say I really enjoyed it and getting to see the hawks flying was great. I am now thinking of getting a buzzard instead of the harris hawk, any thoughts on them. They were saying they are a very tough bird and you also have a bit more weight to play with, Also can ye recommend breeders and places you get the equipment going to start buying all the bits. Still looking for some one around the tipperary area to help me out with the experience and of course the q favour will be returned

Buzzards I would not get if it's your first bird
Was always told a Harris or red tail is perfect
Red tails can have a bit of a attitude tho females being quite aggressive tho huge and great for all quarry
They will hunt from the fist or in trees and will work with a dog
It is vitally important they are parent reared , if not they can be extremely aggressive and potentially dangerous as females are huge and can fly over 4lb!!
Harris hawks are just all rounders and you also have the advantage of hunting your Harris with other Harris hawk sometimes 5 or 6 birds at a time as they are very social birds taking all quarry
Buzzards although of a healthy size, it is all to often subject to temperament swings which can be spontaneous and nasty. They are lazy and slow in flight. Their feet are relatively small in comparison to their overall frame and are easily thrown off rabbits. The females feet are roughly a inch bigger than a male Harris feet which are tiny.
I know breeders of all birds but not one for buzzards!
My advice go for a Harris it's an all round bird and will hunt anything from mice rabbits to hares even makes will take on a fully grown brown hare
They have no fear and are serious hunters And will do anything other birds will do
Hope this helps
Atb

mickquinn05

Well you sound like you know what your talking about so will go with this advice, I was thinking of getting the buzzard cause they all have such a long life span and wanted to get the right one first time as I wouldn't have the space for two birds if I wanted to get a larger type bird in a few years.. Can you recommend a breeder and a place for buying equipment..

dodderangler

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Well you sound like you know what your talking about so will go with this advice, I was thinking of getting the buzzard cause they all have such a long life span and wanted to get the right one first time as I wouldn't have the space for two birds if I wanted to get a larger type bird in a few years.. Can you recommend a breeder and a place for buying equipment..

Sure Harris hawks can live over 25 years I was told by a experienced lad that you should only go through 3 Harris hawks in your life.
As for breeder mr Ken Smith is the top breeder for hawks falcons and accipiters( goshawks)
His set up is incredible and he will point you in the right direction
As for equipment eBay is your only friend there for small things like leather swivels leashes lures etc
As I posted before your telemetry will be more expensive than the hawk itself and there are plenty of sites online for that like Marshall trackers
You will also find falconry equipment at all game fairs like birr,co Offaly it is on the 26 and 27 th of August I think not 100% Internet will tell ya
Hope this helps

mickquinn05

Thats great thanks for the advice..

dodderangler

No probs
Also get some books aswell and start now even most experience lads will read back on books from Time to time learning somethin new everyday

mickquinn05

Currently checking out a few forums for recommended books...

dodderangler

Alri
You should join the Irish falconry forum loads of tips and good people on it will be more than happy to help you for a mentor

Ape Owners

fyi,would stay away from ebay for while. better off buying your stuff from "specialist shops" at mo. just until you get bit more info..here brian and becky are sound to deal with..http://www.westwealdfalconry.co.uk/index.php ..atb....

mickquinn05

Hey all/ was thinking of building something like this for the aviary, would it be suitable or can the mesh cause damage to the bird if it gets a scare or that? also is concrete the best for floor or something softer?Untitled.jpg

jellybaby21

It looks a good job but the mesh could cause feather damage if the bird was to hang from it for any reason.

Here is my setup and the birds are tethered out during the day


As you can see it wasn't finished in the pic but it will give you an idea what I have.

ATB Wayne

mickquinn05

Yeah think i will use timber dowells instead. What ya think floor wise concrete ok or something softer

dodderangler

mickquinn05 wrote: »

Yeah think i will use timber dowells instead. What ya think floor wise concrete ok or something softer

Some lads use carpet or astro turf thing is tho it's poxy to clean
Most will build the shed over concrete or grass and then lay down stones as its easier to clean up
Some say sand is good like play sand but it can get stuck under the birds talons and can lead to all sorts of crap to deal with
I started with sand but I found myself having to use a toothbrush to clean her feet everyday
But as I said there are loads of ways to make a floor
Just make sure that your 100% happy with it before puttin the bird in
Or get another point of view from another experienced falconer
Atb

mickquinn05

was going with concrete as i taught it would be the cleanest and at least i can hit it a shot of the powerhose every so often, used sand for a dog run before but same craic sand every where and i noticed their eyes seemed to get sore from it,

dodderangler

mickquinn05 wrote: »

was going with concrete as i taught it would be the cleanest and at least i can hit it a shot of the powerhose every so often, used sand for a dog run before but same craic sand every where and i noticed their eyes seemed to get sore from it,

That's the problem with it tho some lads swear by it
I'd go with concrete and then put stones in it like garden stones small one and cover the concrete with it then when you have to clean it out you can just get the take into it
Meant rake

jellybaby21

The floor in my mews is paving slabs covered with pea gravel.I did it that way because when I wash the gravel the water will drain away.A good wash and a rake over and job done.Carpet and the likes are a big no no.