Prefered Manning Methods

[Weasel]

Lets discuss what methods of manning you use on a fresh trapped raptor and what specifics you used to get things done along the way

[Minca]

One thing I was taught was that in the beginning if the birds not on the fist it doesn't get to see anything. In otherwords, have a GH, hood, or pitchblack room ready before you get the bird. Different people have different ways of doing this but the basics are the same, and it seems to be a fairly universal idea. At least until the bird is jumping to the fist for food, if she's not ON the fist she's wearing the hood, period. And whatever you want the bird to be able to "put up with" in the future, she needs to be exposed to it right away. People have a tendancy to worry about their hawks the same way they would worry about a baby. "Don't talk so loud around the bird, it scares her!" BS!!! Maybe in the first few hours until she learns to regain herself after bating, but after that is when she needs to get desensitized to everything. House pets and kids, people walking around and talking, etc... You can save youself alot of hassle in the future if you take care of all this stuff right from the get go.

[Ooby]

I started off in a dimly lit room, my bed room, and just sat with her on the first for about 4 hours. I didn't move much, and of course never looked at her. After 4 hours i started moving around some, and finally took her out into the living room. She was able to regain the fist on her own after a few times, so no problem there.

That night i just put her in the mews and let her do her thing. She sat perfectly still all day and night.

Next day same thing, just sat and watched movies for about 6 hours. Same deal up untill she decided to eat. She was so fat when i got her, the first time she ate, i had to put the food into her beak, then look away for 2 minutes before she would eat it. She finally started eating on her own after a couple of days, and thats when i started showing her other things. I wanted to be able to reward being around people and dogs and cars and stuff.

She was never on the first for more than 8 hours, and turned out fine. Ill probably take the exact same route with my next bird unless i hear something that makes better sense, as this worked fine :_

[Weasel]

Just a note Ooby, It sounds like you method worked fine on this bird, but if I even though about putting my last bird in the mew that soon I would of had one pissed off bird running and flying around the mews. My first bird could of done this method, but certainly not the second one. The method Minca described is one that has been used for many years with many different species of birds. It gives them nothing but total focus on the evil human until it basicly has no choise but to stop being scared of the things it see's as it becomes used to them. You run the risk of allowing the bird to think about other things like escape rather than yourself which can set back training a little. You will of course end up at the same place, but the bird will man down quicker when done with the total imersion method. Putting the bird into the mew too soon will allow the bird to create bad habits that it will continue long after manning is complete. I prefer to keep the bird out of the mews until just prior to free flight time.
Melissa and I have tried two different methods. One is to handle the bird 24 hours a day until the bird has to accept the routine. this is commonly refered to as Wakeing. I have also done the method of holding the bird on and off throughout the day and when it's not on the fist it is in the giant hood. I must say that the Wakeing worked the fastest and the bird turned out to be the calmest one yet. It is the one my wife has now and I am envious of her bird! It is dog tame yet hunts like a dragon!
These are things I have been told by some very experienced falconers over the past couple of years, but this is certainly not to say that it is the only way.
Weasel

[Ooby]

I agree there are plenty of ways to do it. Mine was more out of necessity than anything else. I observed her in the mews for a few hours. mainly just listening while sitting outside it, ready to hop in and grab her if she started going nuts. Eventually i had to go to work, but when i got home, there wasn't a foot print to be found, and the leash was exactly how i left it. I doubt she even turned around.

I will always try to do what works best, but sometimes we can only do what is within our limits. I'm planning on having this same discussion with my sponsor when the chance permits, just to get his ideas for the next bird come trapping season.

[jfneumann57]

I'm a college student that lives alone and can't find a decent girl worth keeping around my dog, hawk, and I spend just about every minute I'm not in class or in work together. If I'm working on my computer i have a perch and dog bed next to my desk and if we're watching TV Arial sits on the fist and my dog Misty lays on the love seat. We all go for walks in the park (it's a wooded park w/ hiking trails). Now I just need to find a girl that I can man. lol

[wilded]

I have that problem some time and so does Weasel. ;D

[jfneumann57]

some are attarcted to the fact i have a hawk until they see here freezer lol

[jfneumann57]

man does my spelling suck

[kenbro77]

Hopefully if every thing turns out okay, I will be trapping this year. This is my plan and was wanting some input as to what y'all think. The week I plan on trapping I will take that whole week off. I am planning on trapping with my sponsors last apprentice down between Abilene and Breckenridge. Any way the plan is to trap my hawk than drive straight to my sponsor who is a vet and give it the check up. Than go home and for 24 hours have the hawk on my fist as I watch T.V., eat, walk around the back yard, what ever I do through out that day and night. Than for the remainder of the week when it is not on my fist it is in the giant hood. Through out the week I plan on training to walk to fist than jump than fly to and so on. Hopefully by the end of the week when I have to go back to work she will be flying to the fist on the creance. I also plan when I go back to work to take her to work in the giant hood and perch her in my work area. After that week maybe start perching her in the mews at night than another week before I free loft her and hopefully flying free and maybe start hunting. What do you think about this plan, and please do not hold back your comments.

[wilded]

It will depend on how long it takes for the hawk to eat off the glove. Many can be very stubborn, especially if it has fed up well before you trap it. Your schedule will depend on the hawk not what you want the schedule to be. It takes whatever time it takes not how much time someone may map out. lol ET

[kenbro77]

Okay, forget the timing, I was just giving a what if. What do you think of the process though.

[wilded]

shoot for as long as possible on the fist. You won't probably make 24 hours. I didn't. Put him in the giant hood when not on the fist with the door open and facing a room with activity or turn on the TV etc. I think the more in the first hours the better. Total imersion seemed to work the best for me. I do not shut up in the giant hood for the first day or so. ET

[tarletonhuntress]

jfneumann57 said:

some are attarcted to the fact i have a hawk until they see here freezer lol

Now I have that problem with my roomate!! Shes a wildlife management major too. Weasel you'll love this...

The parents and I were setting up the dog run this afternoon and I found a dead mouse in the workroom. So I just went out to my HHR and grabbed a ziplock and then threw it in the freezer. Didn't think a thing about it.

Well I just settled down to a movie with some red wine and parachute cord for jesses when " WHAT THE #%^#%!!!! MINDY GET YOUR $%^%^ %&^&@ OUT HERE!!!!"

I dont know what was better the look on her face or that fact that she finally cussed. Then again she still wont talk to me after I remarked, "So is it my turn to cook?" ;-) ;D

[Joby]

I'd be careful of using any dead animal for food unless you're sure how it died. Could be that mouse died by poison.