Scottish Region

Previous season’s Fieldmeet reports

Previous season’s fieldmeet reports now have their own section.

2011 Game Fair Season

The Scottish Region attended two of the main game fairs in Scotland, Scone and Glamis, and also the Scottish Falconry Festival at Blair Drummond during 2011. The weather was kind to us at Scone and Glamis, but unfortunately Blair Drummond met with one of the wettest days of the year, and attendance was hit as a result.

These days are a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and also to chat with the general public and give them a greater understanding of what our sport involves, and is a good PR opportunity.

We signed up a number of new members at this year’s events, the experienced falconers outnumbering the beginners for a change, so it is good to see such knowledge and experience joining (and re-joining) the Club.

Special mention should be made regarding the hard work Geoff, Rob, Richard and Martyn put in at Glamis, where a raffle was held with a prize of a days hawking, raising over £300 – well done guys!

At Scone, Geoff Clayton was presented with a framed Andrew Ellis print of a golden eagle chasing a rabbit, in recognition, and as a sign of our appreciation, of all his hard work in building up and running the BFC Scottish Region over many years. Geoff retired as Scottish Region Chairman earlier this year.

Work is currently underway to compile the 2011 fieldmeet list and this will be published in due course. Venues are always sought and anyone who is able to provide a suitable venue should get in touch with any committee member.

Fieldmeet Reports

Shortwing Fieldmeet Muirkirk 05/11/2011
Austringers: Stephen Neville, Shawn Dean, Mike Reid, Rob Judd, Wullie Jenkins, Rab Marshall
Dogs: Amy, Skye, Derry
The first shortwing fieldmeet of the season saw the sun shining on Muirkirk. Stephen, our host for the day, had put down a good number of gamebirds and we were all hopeful of a good day’s hawking.
First up was Shawn and his male Tucker with a flight off the point from Mike and Rob’s GSPs Amy and Skye, with the slip a good distance off Tucker was right behind the hen bird until both were out of sight into the adjacent wood, and within 5 minutes of the slip we got the message Tucker had his prize.
Next up it was the turn of Rob, off the point again with Hector, his one year old male goshawk chasing the hen pheasant up and over the road into the same wood as Tucker. This time Rob radiod that Hector was secure and had not been successful.
Mike was up next and he headed off in the direction of some cock birds that we had seen in the distance. His young GSP, Amy, came on point in some thick rushes and was commanded to flush. A large seasoned cock bird burst and set off downhill under pressure from Gilly, now in her eighth season, and the big rooster bailed into the cover with Gilly in hot pursuit but unfortunately she failed to secure him, so unlucky after all her hard work.
We headed to another part of the ground and it was back to Shawn again with Tucker, but as only rabbits were present in this area the slip went to Rob and Hector mopped up a rabbit with ease in the long grass. Onward up the hill we went until Shawn was set up from points off Skye and Amy. The dogs were sent in and a cock bird burst, and Tucker left the fist and disappeared out of sight. Shawn again called over the radio that once again Tucker had his prize.
Next was Rob with both GSPs again pointing, this time behind a stone dyke and two 2 cock birds were observed on the opposite side of the wall. Rob got the dogs over the wall and they were sent in. One cock bird got up whilst the other stayed put, Hector was off pumping hard and got his reward taking the cock to the ground, a cracking flight and a nice wing beat from the goshawk.
It was now Mikes turn on the second cock bird behind the wall, again the dogs flushed and the cock powered down the hill with Gilly hot on its tail, powering after the gamebird and in the distance just as both were going out of sight, the cock bird set his wings thinking he was safe but Gilly had other ideas and pulled it out the air. What a flight, spectacular to watch and all of 400 yds.
Up next was Wullie and his young male goshawk Malky, and with the sound of pointing collars going off he went in behind Amy and she flushed the hen bird. The goshawk was off like a bullet and he pulled it out of the air, a nice strong wing beat from the young male.
It was now time for Rab’s juvenile male Malin, off the point from his bitch Derry, and the large cock bird got up like a rocket and Malin hit the bird in the air high up with an explosion of feathers. Both went to ground but sadly he could not secure the bird, a cracking flight all the same.
Once again, it was back to Wullie and Malky from point of Amy, who was working very well considering it was her first outing under the hawks. Another cock bird burst and Malky left the fist downhill hitting the bird in the air and binding by the leg, he carried it in the direction of the game pen. He must have seen it and let the cock go and it hit the netting with such force that it killed it. Wullie retrieved the pheasant from the netting and Malky was safely back on the fist.
Rab was up next with Malin and from Derry’s point a cock bird flushed. He was off directly behind the bird and put such pressure on the cock that it bailed and he took it on the spot.
Mike was on again from solid point from his GSP, the command to flush was given and a hen bird burst with Gilly hot on its tail but the hen quickly realised and thought best to bail. With the two dogs straight on to it again, the hen reflushed quickly and Gilly cleverly pitched and came down and hit it with an audible force but sadly lost it in the grass. You can bet the hen bird felt the force of a female goshawk hitting it.
Stephen had now got Max, his brown bird bred out of Gilly, out and from the point another hen bird got up but then turned and was flying straight at Max. He went under it and then turned to tail chase the hen and managed to pull it from the air, a great flight from him.

Rab was up next and he took his second of the day with a good catch, Rob then took his last bird of the day.
All in all, a great opening to the shortwing fieldmeet season with some top goshawks on show, not forgetting the dogs who were on top of their game, and 11 game birds and a rabbit brought to the bag. A big thanks to Stephen for hosting the day.