The Hawk with the Redtail by Adam Robertson
THE HAWK WITH THE
REDTAIL
When I was asked by Neil Davies, if I would like to write an article about hawking with a Red Tail, I welcomed the opportunity. However, as I have not been practising falconry for as long as some, I was initially unsure what to write, as I do not have the years of experience to fall back on.
In the end I decided to share the day, that for me, was the most significant. The day when we made our first kill. I had acquired my male Red Tail, who was named “Red”, when he was two years old.
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THE CHASE
Some would say not the best bird to start with, one that had already been trained and it was only because I had previously handled and flown him, that I decided to take him on. He had no vices, and after only a short time of manning, became very pleasant on the fist, which was just as well, as it was from the fist he had been hunted in the past. For me the most significant day was, when together, we made our first kill. On the day, we were flying over a small farm, which was located not far from my home. Of the 450 acres available, there were around five
different areas where you could be fairly sure to find a large number of rabbits. It was late in the afternoon, and we had seen quite a few, but none had offered him a good slip. However it was in the last field where our fortunes were to change. One edge of the field was bordered by a small area of gorse and brambles, stretching down into a wooded area. Where these areas met, out in the field was a dip in the ground where on previous outings, we had seen rabbits feeding.