Number 11 - Full Grown Jack.

I decided that Peggy needed a bit of a jump start, and since Sue ate all of her little bunny I didn't need to take her along. So yesterday we took Peg out for a little one on one. I didn't feed her at all, even a tidbit on the day before, so she was down, a lot. She weighed in at 840 and she showed that she was low in her attitude and posture. I wanted her to know that the only way she gets food is if she catches it. We gave her a chance to catch her own, and she did put in some chases, but nothing that was effective. It took a while to find a Jack that was dumb enough to give me a shot with the pistol, but eventually one did, and I shot him in the butt. Peg grabbed him and finished him off. We allowed her to eat all she wanted.

This morning I intended to only take Sue, but when I weighed Peg, she only weighed 887 Grams. I had figured her weight last year to be 880, so I put her in her box in the car. I picked up Sue and found her weight to be 967 Grams. That is 33.8 oz. What a horse! I did a double take to make sure that was indeed her weight. She only had Bunny last time, which shouldn't have put that much weight on, so some of it at least is muscle. Her attitude was right on, bordering on grumpy, which is a good sign with her.

It was a bit nippy today, only 36 at the field, a perfect early fall day. We got every thing ready and started out to see what we could find. We had a couple of chases at the beginning of the field, and both birds tried but could not connect. There is an old water truck parked in the field that a bunny hides in and under, so we decided to see if we could set him up for one of the birds. The ground around the truck is mostly bare of Sage and just has those brittle yellow stick plants all around it. I like that as the Jacks eyes are being slammed by them when they run through it, and to me it gives the hawk an advantage. We had just started in to the open area, and a Jack that had thought to hide until we passed, was forced to run for it. Sue burned him down in about 20 feet. Neither of them was loafing around, so it was what we had been trying to accomplish all along. I hurried up to help, as this was her first full grown Jack, and I sure didn't want her to lose it. I didn't need to worry. While she had made the initial grab in the middle of the back, she had it by the head before they quit rolling. This one was big enough that she wasn't able to kill him by herself, so I helped her with that job, then backed off and let her eat. She, for what ever reason likes to eat the head. Normally they are given to a hawk for a "tiring". If she wants to volunteer, that is her problem. It makes her back and neck muscles stronger, and aides her ability to fly, so to me it is a good thing.

I gave Peggy a front leg from an earlier rabbit and allowed her to eat it while we discussed the next step for her. Tami is studying for the falconry test and is intensely interested in what, why and all the other decisions that I make concerning the birds. It is obvious that I made some bad ones concerning game last year with Peg, and I am trying to correct them this year.  We decided that she and Isabel would go on with Peg while Reuben and I sat with Sue until she finished. I would then put Sue up and we would try to give Peg a chance to catch one of her own, or I would assist with the pistol if necessary. 

Tami and Isabel came by as we returned from putting Sue in the car. Peg had made some good tries, but still wasn't connecting. She flew past me after a Jack and landed on a rock. The Jack tried to sneak past me, but didn't make it. Peggy grabbed him, and we settled down to let her feed. I eventually tied her to a bush to finish her meal, so that I wouldn't have to worry about her and could concentrate on answering Tami's questions. This is good for both of us. For me, it makes me stop to think of why I do the things that I do with the bird and the reaction that I am expecting to get with the bird. There is no set receipe, and no two birds that are the same, and understanding is a sometimes long process that is achieved only through intense observation. This is why the apprentice period is two years, and if the relationship is good there are many such discussions that will help to form a basic grounding of knowledge that will protect the birds involved and allow the new falconer to reap the rewards that success in the sport can bring. Many new apprentices worry that they are being a pain in the butt when they ask questions, but just the opposite is true. An apprentice with an inquiring mind and the ability to observe is a pleasure to work with.