Don't know how they filmed this, any ideas JW?

[Eric Krewson]

Incredible footage!

https://www.youtube.com/v/XBEyCr5AoIs

[YosemiteBen]

that was very cool!

[Don Case]

I'm surprised that the hawk would destroy the nest. I would have thought out of sight, out of mind. As for filming I would say hours of footage and hours of editing. Great video!

[mwosborn]

That is cool!

[RyanR]

That was definitely worth watching. The whole time I was Cheering for the squirrel. Sorry J.W.

[silverfox]

I don't know how they did it, but what a cool video. Like Ryan I was rooting for the squirrel

[Gus]

Awesome Video Indeed...

I'm with you Fellers... Hours and Days of Carefully Planned Scouting, Shooting and Editing...

Or the Squirrel shot it in one Lucky Take...   
Squirrels love to Brag and Talk Smack.

I was rooting for the Bird...
Hey, a Bird's gotta Eat...

 

-gus

[PrimitiveTim]

I know how they filmed this! lol, it was definitely a captive red tail that has been trained to hunt squirrels.  It was likely working with the falconer.  the falconer jumping the squirrels into the open so the hawk could give chase.  Lots of big lenses and slo mo cameras shooting at least 120 FPS.  I think the most difficult part would be getting the shot of the squirrel jumping.  Unless it was a captive squirrel that use to stage the jump.  There were several squirrels used in making this video.  It's all staged but put together like this is a really cool representation of a squirrel chase by a red tail.  thanks for sharing.  I was definitely going for hawk.

[Peacebow_Coos]

That's an awesome vid great shots/camerawork...makes you wonder how they got that squirrel inside the leaf clump.

[Don Case]

Poll time! Were the hunters among us rooting for the hawk and the target shooters rooting for the squirrel?

[PrimitiveTim]

That's an awesome vid great shots/camerawork...makes you wonder how they got that squirrel inside the leaf clump.

Lol, doubt that nest was in a tree.  I still think it was a captive squirrel for a lot of those hard to get shots.  Notices when the squirrel jumps that the hawk isn't even in the frame.  Probably a person in the tree poking the nest to make it jump... wildlife filming ethics? lol

[bowtarist]

That's one hungry hawk. Never seen one do more than snatch a squirrel off the side of a tree. Cool vid! dp

[mullet]

I'm with Tim, staged, good editing, cast and cameras. I've sat in tree stands and have seen Hawks come crashing down through tree limbs and a squirrel hit the ground, It's like Holey Crap! where did he come from. Grand daughter was rooting for the squirrel .

[JW_Halverson]

PrimTim got it right.  Lotsa camera set ups and lotsa time spent shooting and editing.

There are at least two redtail hawks used in this filming and I will guarantee at least one is a falconer's bird.  (Not revealing how I know this! hehe.)

The pile of leaves is technically called a "drey" or squirrel nest.  Redtails that have hunted squirrels more then once quickly learn that these balls of leaves in a tree need a "thunder punch" to stir things up!  The squirrel is definitely one of the more tricky prey items on a redtail's menu.  I have a friend that has flown the same redtail for 18 years down in Texas.  She is regularly flying her bird in the nut orchards down there on tree rats.  She shared a wonderful photo of her redtail hanging from the side of a pecan tree by one foot...the other foot crushing the head of the tree rat. 

[PrimitiveTim]

I'm really jealous of that location.  No leaves on the trees and not very dense branches.  I been filming my friend's redtail hunt squirrels and it is not easy in the least bit!  Hours of footage for one minute of a video.  lol