Changes

Lots of changes going on not just with hawk but with the hunter too.The molt is progresing painfully slow , dog training has started in ernest. Pigeons have been breeding like crazy. 4 months left  to get ready for the season and we start again. New goals, new objectives.

Falconry is not just for me

when your out in the field its easy to forget the people that have supported you in your effort to get there. have all your stuff together and then make sure you get out in time.

Often the spouses of a falconer put up with allot like dogs and birds handling things they really wish they had not. My amazing wife is one of those people. My wife is not a hunter or an animal person but puts up with me in so many different way. She expects her meat to come on a shelf in a plastic wrapper and not worry about the animal it came from. She also doesn't want to scoop out dog poop or chase after them to retrieve one of the kids toys back.

So it always amazes me when she goes the extra mile and out side of her comfort zone to help me with some of the passions i have. Today she took me to buy a water trough so Remington and Bella could cool off in the heat and sun. She cleaned my game fridge and wiped/cleaned my cutting board and game scissors. On days i'm not present she puts the dogs out cleans there yard and feed them. She never wanted pets or animals but she does want me. For some very strange reason shes prepared to put up with the mood swings when we don't catch the determination to do better. the politics of small clubs and stubborn men. All of this just so she can be with me.  Something i have only really grown to appreciate recently. I leave you with a video of Remington with his new bath. 

Post by Latrell Brown-Olner.

More Photos

Some more pictures of Rivington and Liverpool from my visit with my family. Really enjoying using Film to create these images.

 

Photography ~ Old School

I have been a pro photographer for over 10 years its only been in the last few years that i could make more money supporting my family by going back to the Information Technology World (20 years experience in Application Development). I have pretty much done every kind of photography sports, fine art, landscapes and commercial but i enjoy Architecture, Landscapes and Still Life Photos the most.

Digital Photography really got me into commercial photography, actually getting paid to do it and making a living. But since i was a young child if have always loved the excitement of B&W Film Photography. My Dad has always been influential as he is also a pro photographer and has even photographed royalty , amazing landscapes (Greenland) and micro photography that has documented engine failures for the RAF.

The problem with Digital is that its becoming to instant and the value of the photograph gets lost. After a while the photographer gets lazy and just takes so many pictures hes bound to get one that's right... right ?

I have had a Hassleblad Medium format (120 Film) Camera for some time. i have one 50mm lens. For this Camera that's all i need. You get 12 shots per roll of film so it discipline the user in to composing the shot and taking great care in what they are taking a photograph off. When i wanted the film developing in the past I would give my film to my dad to process(he's brilliant) and then scan the negatives in. Moving to the USA meant i lost that, so then what to do with all this unprocessed film. If i send it away it will cost a fortune in development costs and may get lost. So on a recent visit to see family i got my dad to teach me how to develop my own film.

I also have 2 5x4 cameras (a studio 5x4 and a field 5x4 camera) that i want to use for landscapes again i just want to do black and white film and then scan it in for myself.

A Stream In Meltham , United Kingdom.

My Growing Sons in Meltham , United Kindom.

I have an idea for a study of taking a picture of every falconer in Oklahoma with their current bird. don't want it to be an action shot just a portrait. One of the Bird and One of the Falconer and his bird. It wont be color it will just be black and white.

There are two reasons for this, first it will be a permanent record for future generations to view. Digital is not permanent storage and files can easily be corrupted and lost, film is more permanent in that there will be always something to scan it it can be stored without worry of degrading (there are negatives over 100 years old)

So in the future there will be more B&W shots displayed on this blog

And that's it for this year

Photo By Jan Martin McGuire

 

Photo By Latrell Olner

Its that time of the year where the days are getting lighter and the "honey do list" is starting to rack up. Commitments and compromises so that i can do this amazing sport start to take priority so with that in mind, on Sunday i decided it would be the last time we would go out for the year.

I have been contacted by a local Artist Jan Martin McGuire and her Husband James Hines as to whether they could tag along. I also decided i would like to take Bella my English Pointer out to see at 6 months how she would do. My amazing wife Latrell also agreed to come out with me even though it was her birthday.

We headed to copan not to hunt rabbits (as they have all started breeding) but to try some bird flights. I have a couple of Covey of quail that sometimes if I'm lucky we can bust. Quail Numbers are so amazingly down in Oklahoma that if you come across a covey it tends to take you by surprise. For Falconry Quail Season ends on March 31st. We are very fortunate in Oklahoma to get an extra month of Quail and Pheasant hunting at both the beginning and end of the regular quail season.

So we entered the field and started walking through brush. initially we didn't see much and things where looking pretty bleak. But then like other times it happened. One step towards some seed scattering weeds and a cop of small trees and suddenly there was hugh explosion of noise and flapping of wings 15 quail took to the air and it was glorious. As with before i think Jez gets overwhelmed by whats happening and took of from the T-Perch late. In the fall i will probably get some captive breed quail and bag him on a few to work on this.  A lost opportunity but very rewarding.

We then continued waling through tall grass that's is common to the copan area. Sparrows had started to pop up in the odd location. Normally on these flights Jez waits for them to put in and then he hits the ground hard. We had a few chases like this. The sparrows how ever have a plan , hit the grass and freeze like stones using there feathers to blend in and then running though the grass to safety. after looking and not finding anything we would move on.

The best flight of the day was not because it resulted in a English Sparrow from being caught but because of the the way it was caught. Jez chased after it like normal (over a distance of about 30 yards) and then struck it with his body knocking it to the ground and then did a 180 flip to turn around and grab it. I let him have his reward because i most defiantly want those types of flights

Bella had been with my wife so by this point we decided to let her run and see how they would react together. For a first time out they didn't do to bad. She's young and wants to chase birds so half the time she would end up pointing Jez and then the other half pointing something else.

So the plan for the summer is to get her (Bella) trained properly. Dog and Hawk used to one another and then hit the Quail and Pheasants fields in October.

This is my first season with a Harris and i got to say regardless of whether you think they are beginners birds or not they kill and catch stuff and a wide variety of things. Modern day hunting requires a Versitle Dog and also a Versitle hawk. I think i well eventually have the right combination.

So the final head count was .

• 22 Rabbits.
• 2 Virgina Rail
• 50 Pack Rats.
• 100 Mice and Voles
• 12 English Sparrows.

For the first time in 5 years i have a freezer that's pretty full.

We have also had some good chases on Pheasant and Quail and a couple of chases on Dove and Duck.

So by my standards i couldn't be more pleased with a great year and a great hawk. I had thought about getting a second and hunting them in a cast but i decided to put that off for another year. My reasoning being 1 hawk takes a considerable amount of time , with Jez being a first year bird i want to build on what we have achieved so far rather than the distraction of a second bird. I want great hawks not average hawks. To get great hawks you have to put the time and miles in. I don't want a bird that just hunts lots of rabbits but will take other quarry and not just by luck or accident too.

the Ultimate Dirthawkig boot

The ultimate dirt hawking boot should be able to with stand two seasons of thrashing briars , wood piles and pretty much anything. Because of a week ankle from breaking it when i was a teen ager ( chasing a girl called Niki at the Logos School in cyprus) i have increasingly needed a supportive boot.. This year i turned to Redhead brand.

I bought the redhead tracker 6" boot.

They was on sale for $90. Waterproof and very comfortable.

The laces where the first to break but that's to be expected and I'm on my third pair of laces.

 

The seam on the toes has come away.

 

the side seams have started to break.

 

 

So my quest this summer is to find the ultimate Dirthawking boot. I really want something that can withstand allot of abuse but last more than one season.

Not much going on

The season is closing in fast. work once again got in the way and will do again at the end of the month. In a month im off to the UK for 2 weeks part work part family but by then ill have put Jez up for the molt. Finally managed to get out for a few hours sunday. we both enjoyed the chase and both ended up tired. Weather is now in the upper 70's . Rabbits are wise and weary chase are few in comparrions to a ew weeks ago.

My son has been taking Falconry classes in the UK. Its pretty awesome he has been able to do this. cant wait to see him in a few weeks.