Sue- Number 10

Today we went back to Arock for our morning hunt.  This time we had an addition to our group of beaters, Cassie Kroeker, a certified teacher who had come over to test the kids for their grade level and progress. Tami home schools the kids and they have to be tested every two years to determine their grade level.  Cassie decided that she would like to come along to see what it was all about.

The first thing we got into was a group of Pheasants and Quail, neither of which tempted either bird to give chase. Since they were flushing wild and doing so with vigor, I wasn't too surprised that no chases resulted. Of course today it was legal, and that just isn't as exciting as before.

We walked across the open Alfalfa field and right into the middle of a lot of water, so every one got the advantage of wet feet right away. Sue did try to ambush a Pheasant on the ground, but didn't pursue it when it flushed. We had a couple of pretty good tries on Bunnies that resulted in close calls for the Bunnies, and Sue becoming more and more interested in escape holes. I had to pull her out of one by the tail feathers.

We crossed over to some more Lava lumps and flushed a small Bunny. Sue tried pretty hard to catch it, but got grounded in a turn. Peggy cut it off and it ran back towards Sue, who was chasing it on foot through the Sage. It evaded her and ran into the rest of the beaters, turned and tried to make it past Sue again. That was not to be. It was a young one, and it plainly got confused as to how that hawk could be every where it tried to go.

Sue's knowledge of where these little critters run paid off this time. She almost trapped one in the rocks a couple of trips ago, and she isn't afraid of going deep for them if necessary. I am not sure if there is a hole in there or if she caught him before he could get down it.

I considered whether to pick her up and continue hunting or to let her eat. I finally, wisely I think, decided that since she has nice manners now, that I would just let her finish eating what she caught. All too often we forget why these birds hunt, and think only of our selfish desire to see more kills and flights. Granted, eventually a Harris Hawk will hunt for other things than food, but not a young hawk. That comes later if at all. So she got to eat all she could hold while we hunted our way back to the car.

Peg just isn't trying as hard as she needs to be successful. I'm not sure what is going on in her head, but she needs to understand that without try, there are no rewards. She did put in some good chases today, and things worked against her, but she still is not working on the same level as last year.

Grace volunteered to carry my Tee Perch for me while I was feeding Sue, and got the added bonus of being able to carry Peggy while we worked our way back to the car. She seemed to feel that it was a privilege to be a "pack mule", for a lazy hawk. I certainly am not going to tell her differently.

Peg didn't catch anything on the trip back, but she did try on a few things, so we will take her out tomorrow by herself. If necessary I will shoot a Jack to give her a reminder of what will happen if she is successful. She can think about it tonight with an empty crop and clean talons.

Some of yesterdays Sunset.