Peggy's turn.

Today was a late start to go hunting. Tami's relatives were leaving, and I was waiting on a guy to water down the runway. After last weeks rain and subsequent rutting of the runway, I was forced to drag it again, which of course turned the whole thing to powder.

We finally got out about 3:00PM. The crew for today  was Grace, Reubon, Tami and Thayen. It was Reubon's first time. Sue is doing much better about accepting people in the field and paid no attention to anything that we did with the exception of our rousting of rabbits. She showed no preference as to who was holding the perch.

Peggy was showing signs of getting into the groove. She was putting more energy into the chases and this time she stuck it out all the way without giving out. Sue is really hot for the rabbits now with the last two trips resulting in success, and is starting to "throw up" higher in the air to look for the balky rabbits. She had a couple of foot races that were astonishing even though she did not connect with them. No matter, she is putting it together. I saw several indications that she is starting to figure out the rabbits escape tactics and is trying to counter them. She has also over the last few trips begun to pay more attention to the holes that these little jokers escape in.

I had to coax her out of several just today.

This is apparently a good year for Pheasants, and the two hawks spent quite a bit of time trying to catch Pheasants in the tall Bull thistles. The birds managed to avoid them, but we had a young of the year male Prairie Falcon come in and join a Northern Harrier in strafing Peg and Sue. He was just 30 feet over our heads flying around. One of the birds flushed a Pheasant and the little guy gave us an exibition as to what he could do. I think the Pheasant was a bit big for him even though he sure crashed it into the weeds. The Bunnies were every where, and we suffered no shortage of slips. Peg crashed into a Sage inches behind a Jack, and as I say was beginning to show signs of the old Peg from last year. I saw both birds anticipate what the Rabbits were going to do, and try to cut off the little buggers. It is getting more interesting all the time. It won't be long and they will have it figured out.

I was considering heading back to the car and calling it a day if they didn't catch anything. Karen has another Dr's appointment on Thursday which would be my normal day to hunt them. So if I didn't feed them, they would be ready to hunt tomorrow. I no sooner decided that and Sue took off across the field after a Jack and did a nice throw up and crash after him, so we decided to do one little loop through that area. Tami had seen a Bunny sneaking through the Sage, and I went down to try to cut him off.  Sue whipped off the perch and did a wing over in the Thistles, flushing out a 3/4 Rooster Pheasant. That part was fine, the problem came in when he headed towards Tami and Peg. He was scratching for altitude and Peg climbed to meet him, throwing out a long leg and snatched him out of the air. As you know Peg has a deformed leg, so she didn't kill him. I was able to get in and give her a hind leg of rabbit, and was able to release him back into the Thistles. Just one more day and it would have been picture time. ( Season opens the first. ) As it is, it is just a pain in the butt. They probably won't catch any more when there is no danger of me being arrested.

On a roll!

Yesterday was of course a rest day for the Harris's. However I checked Peggy and found that she was down more than I wanted, so I gave her some Bunny to tide her over. Sue acted as though her throat was cut, but I didn't believe her. When I took them in that evening Sue was really aggressive and acted starved, grabbing and holding on to my glove and giving every indication that she was terribly underfed. I managed to escape her clutches, but she treated me to recriminations as I walked out the door.

This morning, our regular hunt day, I fully expected her to be well under weight, however she was a full ounce higher than the last time I flew her. So much for her act of the day before. Peg was just where I wanted her, but I was a bit down about Sue's weight. I had decided earlier last week that I was going to have to "turn the screws" on Sue's weight to make her try a bit harder. The last Bunny that she caught, her weight had been at 900 or a little below. Today she was 942. Oh well, one never knows what will happen until it is over, so I went over to pick up Tami, Isabel, and Thayen. Grace had made the last trip with us and it was Isabel's turn. On the trip out, I expressed my doubts about the success of this hunt.

Tami, Peg and Thayen.

Peggy for what ever reason just hasn't gotten into the swing of things yet, but she still goes through the motions, just not putting her heart into it yet.  Sue was trying pretty hard, and giving chase to almost anything that moved. She is beginning to pitch up when the rabbits hide on her. She still hasn't realized that if she goes high enough she will get another chance at them.

Sue had chased a Bunny over a lava lump and was acting as though it still might be hiding there so I went over to see if I could flush it for her. What I flushed was a Vole, and she made a mighty stoop off of the three foot high Sage she was sitting in, but missed. A little further on after an unsuccessful chase of another Bunny she finally connected with another Vole. She drug it into a bush to prevent either Peggy or myself to see much of it.

Sue with a "Timber Tiger"

We let her eat it and I decided to go on back to the car as Peg was showing signs of getting tired and discouraged, and I was pretty sure that Sue wasn't going to chase with much enthusiam.  We had not walked too many yards when Sue again took off in pursuit of a fleeing Bunny. It ran underneath of an old water truck parked in the Sage. Sue pitched up and landed on the truck.  I went up to flush. The Bunny ran to the rear, but a young Jack ran out the front. Sue burned him down in about 20 yards. I was very surprised, I didn't see or hear her fly, and the first indication that I had was the squeal of a Jackrabbit. Peg flew over to see is she could get in on it, but Sue had it by the head and it wasn't going anywhere at all. It was also pretty small and there wasn't room for another hawk to join in. I was able to guide Peg away using my Tee perch. Tami fed Peggy while we waited for Sue to enjoy her catch. I was very surprised that she would try that hard especially after eating a large Vole, and I was surprised that she would try that hard weighing as much as she did. It appears that the little girl is growing up and has decided that she likes catching things, a lot. I of course fed her all she wanted to eat. I begin to like her more each day.

This is her 3rd Rabbit.

 

 

 

Sue's second Bunny

This is the third trip with Peggy and Sue together. Peggy is still not in the groove, she is out of shape and just hasn't gotten into the hunt as energetically as she should. She has been heavier than I flew her last year. I really didn't want to take her down any more than I had to because she is still growing feathers, and I wanted to limit the damages to the feathers as much as I could. Of course that was wishfull thinking on my part. On our last trip I fed her only as much as she deserved, which of course meant that she didn't get much at all to eat. She actually quit on us last trip and crawled under a bush and wouldn't come out. We walked off from her and I eventually called her to the lure across the field. She was far enough behind that she had to make it in two flights. Sue was still heavy yesterday while Peggy was almost under weight. So I fed Peggy some bunny to hold her over until I could get Sue down in weight. It was my intention to turn the screws on Sue and take her down a bit more to make her a bit more energetic in her pursuits.

This morning both birds were at the intended weight. Peg was at her last years hunting weight and Sue was down almost an ounce to 900 grams. She was hungry enough to be cranky. I picked up Tami, Isabel and Jamey, a cousin,  and we trundled off to Arock to see what the day had in store for us.

Sue was really sharp and would not let go of my glove even from the Tee perch. I tried to get her to let it go, but she was convinced that there had to be some food on it and wasn't about to let it go. I finally dumped her on the ground with it to work it out.

She finally gave up on it and let me put it in my vest so that we could get on with it. Both birds were really trying and Sue was even crawling down holes after the bunnies that got away. Their game was turned up a notch, with Sue taking the lead and crashing into the brush harder than she ever had. There were several very near misses for both birds. They were finally beginning to play off each other and positioning themselves so that if the other missed they could take advantage and get a shot of their own. Several times we were sure that they would finally make the shot that would end up in a rabbit in the bag.

Sue has finally gotten used to Tami and what ever beaters that are in the field.  She was finally using whichever Tee perch that was closer. Sue and Peggy have worked out their relationship in the field and there was no more of the rude behavior from Sue. Tami thinks that I am doing her a favor by letting her tag along. Little does she know how much she helps and how much I need her. Especially when the hunt is over and on the trip going back to the car.

Peggy was beginning to get discouraged again, when I saw a Bunny hiding behind a bush. I took Sue and skirted the bush to drive the Bunny out into an open patch. I rushed the bush and kicked it and Sue flashed off the perch after it. She crashed into the ground, and I waited for the squeal that would signal a catch. It never came, but she didn't come back up either. She is a really strong hawk and she had caught the rather smallish bunny, killing it so fast that it never made a sound. Peggy flew over, but landed further out. I am pretty sure that she knew that Sue had caught something.

While it was only half grown at best, it is a special bench mark for her. After making sure that it was dead and not suffering, I leashed and tied her to one of my bags to anchor her there, and then gave Peggy the lure as a consolation prize. She ate most of the meat that I tied on it, but didn't want to come to the fist for more food. I tried for a while to get her on the fist, but she would have none of it, so I offered her the Tee perch and she climbed on out of habit. I then leashed her up, giving her to Tami to carry and feed if she wanted to eat. I then picked up Sue with the rest of the uneaten Bunny, and we walked back to the car. Sue ate almost all of the Bunny with the exception of the guts and the hind legs.

This is Sue's 6th kill so far. Things are beginning to click, and will only get better from here on out. When Peggy gets into her stride things are going to get hot for the Rabbits.

Peggy- Sue together at last!

There really hasn't been much progress in Sue catching Rabbits, hence nothing to write about. She is much more interested in Pheasants than Rabbits although she does chase them, just not hard enough to score. I decided that I would take Peggy out of the moult to help motivate her. As soon as I made that decision, she dropped her last primary. I vacillated for a while and finally decided that it was time whether she was ready or not.

Tami and Peggy in her new look for the year.

I should back up a bit and give you more background since I last wrote about Sue. Tami Stoddart, our neighbor at the ranch across the way has decided that she wants to be a falconer. Both she and her sister, Tara, went with Sue and I on one of our hunts, and they both have decided to take up an apprenticeship to falconry. Tara  lives in Portland so I can't help her, but Tami and her kids have been faithfully tagging along helping to flush rabbits for Sue. Tami normally carries her latest son Thayen in a back pack on our trips, but today Isabel, her oldest daughter carried him and the camera.

I was in a bit of a pickle with the two Harris hawks in getting them started hunting together. Karen is still gimpy on her knee after the operation, so that left me with a problem. Tami to the rescue. Sue is as standoffish as Jessie, but luckily Peg doesn't have that problem. I slowly reduced Peg to the point that she thought she was starving, but in reality she was still 3/4 of an ounce heavier than she flew all last year.

Karen had a Dr's appointment today, so this evening when we got back I cut up most of a rabbit for tidbits and lure garnish, put the birds in the giant hoods and off we went to Tami's house. We went to the back side of the ranch to see what we could find.

I had not even called Peg to the fist since last January. I didn't think that she would cause a problem, but I wanted to carry them for a while to get Peg's mind on the right track. Sue started getting focused, so I decided to take her leash off and let her fly if she wanted to. It didn't take long and a Jack started off with Sue in hot pursuit. Peg tried to join in, but of course couldn't. I decided that I was being silly, so we turned both birds loose and got out the Tee perches. Peg didn't hesitate at all, and flew to the perch with no problem. She of course is terribly out of shape, but the try was there.

Sue for the first time got a bit of height to try to see where the Rabbits put in. If she continues, she will be successful.

You should always let some one hold your weapon when crossing a fence. It could go off and hurt something.

Sue tried a lot harder today, probably because of Peg's presence. Peg also got in a couple of shots at the Jacks, and Sue seemed to be quite ready to take advantage of having another bird in the field. She was a bit pushy, and kind of rude, but it never got out of hand. They both rode on one Tee Perch together for a while, so it will work out. Peg behaved really well, and would return to Tami's Tee Perch with no problem at all. We did our best, staying until almost dark.

Our next outing will be on Wed. to my regular field.

Pillars of Rome

A friend from my Railroad days came to visit and to attempt to take an Antelope when the season opens tomorrow. Jim Berg was an Electrician that made periodic visits to Klamath Falls where I worked. He  retired a few years ago as I did, and now lives a life of leisure, when he isn't doing "Honey Do's".

We have been hunting with Sue for the last two days, and yesterday I despaired of her making a catch on one of the full grown Jacks where we have been hunting, so I wounded one for her, and stuffed her full of Jack so that we can concentrate on Antelope for the next few days. She is now more interested in winged quarry and while she still tries for Rabbits, she really pushes for the Pheasant that we sometimes stumble on. The hay hasn't been cut as yet, so I am saved the concern of her catching Upland game out of season.  ( It doesn't open until the first of Sept. )

Both of us bore easily, so I took him to Rome to see the sights.

This area is called the Pillars of Rome. I can only surmise that since the early education was of the more classic orientation, the settlers thought the formations looked like what they thought the classic columns of Rome should look like. The make up of the bluffs is of Rhyolite with the cap rock made of sterner stuff. Water and wind have shaped them over the years.

Jim Berg

Notice all the different rocks embedded in the Rhyolite

Apparently there are "Mud Peckers" in the area?

An old Horse drawn Sickle Bar Mower, its useful days over, rests in the Grease Wood.

There was little wood available for corral building so the Willow shoot that are plentiful along the river were used to make corrals.

The old line shack is now the residence of the many Pack Rats in the area.

#2 and 3

I did get Sue B back down to weight after the fishing trip, but I have been a bit remiss in posting. I guess I had better catch you up on Sue's progress.

We went out two days ago to see if we could get her feet on a Jack and get on to the next stage where I will not need to improve her chances with the pistol. She was a bit higher in weight than I would have preferred, but close enough to warrant taking the time to go hunting with her. Since she has flown free, every hunting trip has ended with a kill, and a gorge whether she actually caught it on her own or not. Positive reinforcement is my preferred method of training, and sooner or later she will believe that she can, and insist on catching her own game.

I am walking a fine line with her weight. Too heavy and she will not feel the driving intensity needed to expend the extraordinary effort needed to actually catch a rabbit that is scared out of its mind. It requires more than you would think. Nature has equipped those that truly have the drive and the heart to survive with the tools to insure the survival of the species. Think about it. I am asking a bird that weighs about 4 ounces less than two pounds to catch a Jack Rabbit that can twist and turn faster than you can blink, and have that rabbit out weigh that bird by anywhere up to 5 pounds.

If I get her too light, then the tendency to scream for food is developed and generally will not go away until the next year after she has molted. I prefer to take my time and encourage her with a bit of help every now and then.

Now since I posted last, I have introduced the Tee Perch to our hunts. This takes a bit of weight off my left arm and gives her a better chance to see something to chase. I was a bit hesitant to take it out with me, but she understood the advantage much quicker than I thought she would. I put a tidbit on the perch and she accepted it with no hesitation. It also allows me to cut back on the tidbits to her as well. She naturally has learned that things happen where I am, and comes to the perch without me even asking. I am still feeding her a tidbit every time I whistle, but the frequency of that necessity is greatly reduced.

I hunted a different area of the field, and we had several chances at Bunnies with still no success. Even though the Bunnies are only half grown, they still possess the wit and agility to get away from her. About the only way that we are going to make any inroads on the Bunny population will be when I start bringing Peg with me. The two of them will make short work of their stop and hide technique. I will accept a Bunny as quarry, but I would prefer a Jack for the bag.

We had several slips at both Jacks and Bunnies with no success, and I was beginning to think that I was going to have to help again. By this time we had been in the field for about 3 hours, and we were both getting hot and tired. Sue was having to breathe with her beak open, and I was getting a bit stinky my self. She had given chase to a Bunny, and diverted to land on a large Sage bush, and was looking at the base of it. Thinking that the bunny was hiding under it, I made my way there and out came two half grown Pheasants. Sue gave vigorous chase to it and was gaining. The Pheasant dumped into the Sage and managed to give her the slip. Now since Pheasant season doesn't open until Sept 1, I called her to a tidbit and we moved on to the other side of the field. We were crossing an area of tall Sage and those peculiar brittle yellow dead weeds that were just short of shoulder high. Sue was playing hide and seek with a couple of Bunnies that didn't have any problems ducking and dodging around and through. I had had enough, and was trying to get out, when she flashed off my fist and down into the junk, slamming into the ground with every indication that she indeed had a prize. I kept waiting for the scream that would signal the capture of a Bunny. Nothing but silence, but she was still acting like she had captured a prize. I walked around to see what she had and here it is.

 

You may have to enlarge the picture a bit, but her prize was a Kangaroo Rat. Just look at her, I didn't have the heart to tell her that wasn't what we were there for. Since the Rats are by nature nocturnal, no one was more surprised than I at his demise. What ever, a kill is a kill, and they all count as one, so I was happy to supplement her kill with some of the last Bunny that I carried with me to feed her.

I was prepared to take her out again yesterday, but her weight was a bit higher than I wanted so I elected to wait another day and pull her down a bit lower than what we had been flying. I feel that she hasn't been feeling the proper amount of desperation that she needs to really commit to the chase.

We had gone to a Birthday dinner supplied by Rosy Stoddart next door, and didn't get back until after dark, so I left all the birds out in the weathering area all night. When I went to pick her up, she was definitely hungry and cranky as well. Sigh! I have three hunting hawks and two of them want to kick my butt. Peg is the only bird that I have that truly understands me. :-) I found that Sue had managed to pull the clip on her tail off yesterday in her boredom, so Karen held her on the fist while I reinstalled the clip and transmitter on her tail.

Sue was quite a bit more interested today ( 895 Grams, down one oz. )  and had slammed through a Sage after a Jack, but missed. I decided to work the edges of the Sage by the Alfalfa fields, since the Jacks will hide in areas that look like they don't have enough cover for anything, when they have been hassled in the heavy cover. On my way there, she again took off on a long flight down to the edge of the Sage, but landed on a rock outcropping. I worked my way there, and she flew to the Tee Perch. We were skirting the edge of the Sage, when she again took off again, and disappeared over the crest of a small hill towards the Alfalfa. A furious commotion and quacking soon made me aware that she had stepped up from Rats. I hurried up and could see her lying on her side in about three inches of water holding on to a furiously flapping Mallard Duck. The duck might have been more surprised than I was, but I for sure was a close second. They flood irrigate the fields, making it hazardous to enter without Mosquito repellent, but I sure didn't expect ducks in the field.

Since she cannot read, there was no way to explain to her that she was committing a federal offense, but I did manage to get it away from her by substituting her final meal of Bunny for the Duck. I think the duck has learned her lesson, but the important part is that Sue now thinks that she can catch anything. One of my goals has always been to hunt Chukar and Pheasant with the Harris Hawks. In flight the Harris is handicapped, but intelligence can make the difference. So today we made a giant step towards the final goal of an all around hunting hawk. Unlike most species of raptors, the Harris Hawk is an equal opportunity hunting bird, from the lowly mouse to Pheasant and anything in between. Fortunately I had managed to leave the camera at home today, so I was not tempted to record her first attempt at a life of crime, but catch and release should count for something.

Actually we do have a somewhat provision to exempt us from our Hawks catching game that is out of season, but I prefer to release the game back into the wild when possible. Sometimes it is not possible to do so, but she traded off with no problem for the Bunny that I had.