I love that analogy of the car driving on the road with a very large steering wheel with too much play and you’re constantly adjusting back-and-forth. Such a good example of flying an accipiter
Absolutely love your videos Ben and i dont even do falconry or have any plans to but i LOVE birds and particularly birds of prey.i find them in the wild and in falconry so interesting. What i love about your falconry videos is how you take it very seriously but you dont take yourself too seriously if that makes sense? I find alot of falconers in falconry videos can come across as stuffy and take themselves too seriously. especially in certain areas of the world i wont name. I particularly enjoyed the bit in this video about accipeters being spat from the underworld . Keep it up buddy.👍
My first bird was a male shikra... He was wise enough to encourage me into accipiters... But then after I worked with females, and the one currently I have is good at some time and the worst at other. I have only flown Shikra , never any other bird.... Here in India/Pakistan Shikra is considered as a beginner's bird (because birds are trained with such methods that no other country could imagine) but I think Shikra is still hard on temperament especially females. At last they are amazing birds when trained wisely and correctly. All your words are true 👍👍👍! Happy hawking from India ❤️!!!
@@mymom1462 in my area shikra is the most abundant of any raptor . I watch them very often when hunting squirrels and sparrows... This lead me into an extraordinary love for Shikra .... And on internet there is alot of stuff about falconry... But you cannot find the old falconer locally because of long dead falconry.
@@GURWINDER_RAI Hi Gurwinder, how do Indian methods of training differ from other countries? I have always been interested in how different cultures approach the same problem so it would be awesome to learn how you guys do it differently.
@@ad-re9bf hi greetings from India... Generally same as other countries but tricks are used here . In hot weather you can tame shikra in just 1 day 😉 by using camphor (unrefined), it is toxic (being very cautious) but erases all memory before trapping . To cure diseases and ailments by using spices and herbs. Very effective for raptors and very cheap. Awaking the birds for nights , using gaddi in markets help train the bird in days instead of weeks. And there are numerous things to learn by practice and older falconers which cannot be discussed here.
Hey Gurwinder I’m also from India. I love and fly shikhra too. And yes they’re amazing they hunt prey bigger than their size. And Indian methods are way different than other countries. But nowadays it’s become hard to practise that
Hey Ben... didnt know you had a parrot..lol.. the love of free flight and train my birds is what has gotten me to pursue falconery and in time abatement... thank you for the content man..
Hello Ben, well explained. I only fly with accipiters. Only one per season. Weight management is very complicated. (speed of digestion, digestibility of food, intramuscular fat in food, ambient temperature, increase of muscle mass by training ....). It is difficult for this number of factors. But the experience of hunting with accipiters is unforgettable. Goshawk is located on a flyover. Even in the best mews, it will damage the tail feathers. Aggression is a problem especially with imprints, therefore only accipiters raised by parents. During the molting period, I do not feed them on the hand (ownership relationship to the hand).
Hi @benwoodrufffalconry Ben Woodruff. You got to tell us the story of the Bateleur. I'm from South africa and here those birds are an absolute treat to see. love the vids. Huge thanks and keep up the great videos.
7:42 Yeah I remember that one, it is a National Geographic special episode called Talons of Terror from 2000. My most memorable moment of that documentary was when that hawk flew RIGHT THROUGH those bamboo sticks and even the hole in that blind. But then it may have been a little too much for the hawk since it did not go through the sticks untouched. An injury to feathers or skin could make things difficult to say the least for hunting.
Love the videos Ben. Ever considered coming over to the UK for a hawking trip and also is there any chance to arrange a special trip to come over and visit and see how you guys do things in the States
Hey Ben, here's a question that might make an interesting video… How have you and other seasoned falconers flown so many birds? Is there that much death loss through accidents and diseases, or do most falconers sell or release their birds regularly. It seems amazing to me listening to the stories of falconers who have been in the sport for 10 years or more and it seems like some of them have flown 30 or 40 birds at least. If death loss due to accidents and disease is a major factor, perhaps you could discuss prevention for some of the more common falconry birds. It would also be interesting to discuss veterinary expenses… how much money should a new falconer have a side set aside for vet care? How much money do you spend on average per bird of prey that you've owned?
I'm currently using a loop perch with my family bird cooper's hawk. She doesn't bate a lot, instead, she bounds from side to side of her perch. Without putting any strain on her tether/equipment/self. I have not had any feather damage from this set up either. First accipiter, 2nd year apprentice. It's been a blast so far. Called to the lure only, zero mantling, zero agression.
Accipiters do just fine missing days hunting. I have managed them just fine when I had job commitments that kept me hunting only on weekends. The "aggression"/"antsy" issues are due to not understanding how to handle them and who feed them when they are not demonstrating good manners. The husbandry of keeping accipiters has DEFINATELY been figured out by people who understand them. It is harder than Buteos and falcons, but it has been figured out. Accipiters do not need free lofting chambers any larger than that for a falcon or even a redtail for that matter. Durring the molt, they are not nearly as hyper active as they are when they are being used for hunting. The Heinz Meng Tailsaver perch is ABSOLUTELY perfect for accipiters when the parameters of using that perching style are understood. You summed it up well at the end - Accipiters ARE intense. That is why they are fun...
Flying accipiters is an *Acquired Taste,* so to speak. Falconers who have flown Harris Hawks or falcons for years, often get discouraged soon after obtaining their first accipiter. Some never try one, just on their aggressive reputation. Me on the other hand, consider the *Goshawk,* as God's gift to Falconers!
Thank you for your videos. I'm on the cusp of making the "stoop" into falconry. I just wish I had people closer to me for a sponsor, but I want to do it.
I love your video and the way you explained it. You are very good. But please can you making a video how the way we manage the weight of accipiters? What is good and bad of managing their weight please? Thank you!
Thanks for the dose of reality, but to be honest, I still want to hunt with a goshawk... Your video just reinforced how serious these hawks can be, I'll probably watch it another 5x before I actually pull the trigger.
Great video as always Ben, I’m curious, can birds that are captive bred and flown regularly be easily released to the wild at the end of their careers ?
I am unsure if a person can legally release a captive bred bird in the United States. But I think they cannot. A trained captive bred bird that has been successful in hunting would not have a problem surviving. But if it was an imprint then there could be problems.
Do people chamber their accipiters? I’m super passionate about them and their high strung and light switch style so I’d love to fly one this upcoming season. I wouldn’t imagine putting them up for the molt would be good for them psychologically, what would you hunt during the summer with a gos legally?
every time my male darts off glove im suprised love my lad he is a big softy good round kills but hell if he misses a slip hell ya nno about it he bolt strat back at ya beet living hell out ya then he carm dawn act nowts happened lol
Hi Sir Ben? I still got confused of what bird I had still confused what kind of hawk? Can you please help me . Can I have you email address soni can send photos.. thanks in advance
