Pt. 4 HOW TO TRAIN A HARRIS HAWK; the run up to creance work

[@freebirdofreason1994]

I really do like the way you are training Henry, makes so much sense.

[@DanClarke-s2b]

How do you manage the casting material on the DOCs that you are feeding, as you say you are putting him away hooded at night time, I've read somewhere to remove all casting material from food if putting the bird away hooded? Thanks

[@falconry.davesharpenatureboy]

Yes you can remove all the fluff and feather etc , but unless you’re feeding excsssive then certainly the hoods I use have a beak opening that they can cast through without issue if you’ve not got them out early enough to cast after hooding off

[@ricardovanleeuwen7675]

Hej Dave, my bird is settling quite good. He is eating from the fist. The thing is, he won't sit on his bow perch or block even after a couple of days. When I put him on there he will stay there for a while but once bated off, he won't get back on it evver by himself

[@falconry.davesharpenatureboy]

Took this one three days, I lift them up onto it several times a day and also pop a chick leg etc on the perch on and off , he’ll get it eventually . Obvioulsy if you have a low wall or something near the perch he’ll keep trying to get to that instead as it’s higher

[@kilakila992kilakila2]

Hi Dave , can you show how to replenish the fist with food while holding the Hawk in your prescribed manner. Unless the jesses are held short is there a bigger chance of being footed. The reason i ask is i have a 9yr old rescue FHH that has a habbit of lashing out every now and then with her feet. She keeps me on my toes😁. Thankfully the young bird i am training now is gentle as a kitten.

[@falconry.davesharpenatureboy]

I’ll try to include in this set at some point

[@lohikarhu734]

Hello David; Henry seems quite small, will he continue to grow at all? BTW, it strikes me that the training of the hawk seems a lot like how to treat an adopted cat... I guess that cats are a kind of "land hawk", also a predator, but also subject to predation. Great series, so many tidbits coming up along the way!

[@falconry.davesharpenatureboy]

No once about ten weeks old I’d say growing is done!

[@PhilPFC]

Hi Dave, loving these training videos. Is there a different process to train a Goshawk or is it the same?

[@falconry.davesharpenatureboy]

I train gosses quite differently in many ways especially first week. Might do that set in the summer possibly …..

[@CJArnold-hq3ey]

How did you get the bird mate did you steal it out of a Nest or bred in captivity

[@falconry.davesharpenatureboy]

We can’t take wolf on the U.K., can’t steal from best as it’s an American species too. We only work with captive bred here , folk in the U.K. breed very species of falconry bird you’ll ever need these days . Most of which are financially so inexpensive you wouldn’t want to climb a tree anyway….

[@davidwatson9124]

Hi Dave, i have a rescue female Harris Hawk. I dont think she was manned while walking like you mention. She will only follow on, or walk on the fist while hooded. Is there any advice for getting her to walk on the fist without being hooded. Or is to late to alter this situation.

[@falconry.davesharpenatureboy]

Usually always hard to fix things , often easier to work around them ( song jooddd like you say) best bet most likely would be to find a tough but tasty tiring and also g the bird whilst it feeds on glove but she’ll need enough appetite to make the feeding more desirable than bating , once food gone hood her maybe so you don’t finish the he sessions with her bating as usual . Will take some persistence

[@davidwatson9124]

@falconry.davesharpenatureboy Thanks, I will try it.