Sue, the "Tunnel Rat"

Well, she is at it again! I may have to start carrying a shovel.

My regular crew wasn't able to assist today, Tami went to Ontario to take her Falconry exam, so I enlisted the "Gimp Squad", Karen and John Hauck. Both are recovering from knee surgery, and have been staying home. Today I convinced them to go along to help if I needed it. Hunting both birds is no real problem, just heavy.

The problem comes when it is time to feed them up. When one of them catches something, I just toss a front rabbit leg to each, and they go off in different directions to eat. That leaves me to clean the catch, and take a break while they eat. The problem comes in when they catch the second rabbit, and I need to feed them up.

Karen and John stayed in the car and followed along as I hunted the birds. Finally they couldn't stand it any longer, and came along in spite of their handicaps. Sue and Peg took off after a Jack and flew it over a small hill. When I got there I could see a Jack slowly loping up the road with Peg watching him go. Sue was no where to be seen. I rummaged around in the tall weeds and found her standing guard over a burrow. When she saw me, she turned and started down the hole. I have no choice but to believe that she waited for me to come up before she disappeared down the hole. I was standing there telling her that the Jack had gone, because I had seen him leave. She ignored me and started grabbing in the hole. Now she generally doesn't do that unless she is sure there is something in there. I listened and I could hear a Jack grunting like a little pig. I dug some of the top of the hole away, and Sue kept trying to force her way in deeper in spite of the dirt falling on her head. I finally reached down the hole beside her, got my hand on something that was warm and alive and started pulling it out. Sue came along with my hand, and when I got it out, found that it was Sue's leg. She didn't object, just looked at my hand and then me as though to ask, " what are you doing"? After that I reached deeper and came out with a rabbit, just like a magician.

I don't know, maybe she is the magician. I gave each hawk a front leg to eat, and we took a break while they ate.

After Sue finished, I picked her up and we started down around the edges. This is the field that the Jacks have learned that to run is to put their butts in peril, so I had to roust them out of their hiding places. She flew out into the Alfalfa after a Pheasant that was sneaking down the rows. It was too deep and she lost sight of him. Peg flew to the Tee Perch still carrying a rabbits foot in her mouth. When Sue returned she took the foot away from Peg, and flew down to eat it. Peg and I moved on, leaving Sue to catch up when she tired of the foot. We had a few more chases, but the edge was off their appetites and the chases were not quite as enthusiastic as I desired, so I decided to work our way back to the car.

John and Karen were walking in the road while I was scouring the edges looking for hiding rabbits. A small Jack burst out of the brush and tried to out run Sue, but he was too close when he started, and didn't have a chance. She rolled him in a ball, and it was all over.

Another pair of rabbit legs were in order all around for the girls, as we made our way back to the car.

Karen and John were rewarded with a chase right in front of them, and Karen carried Peg back to the car after feeding her.

As I write this Tami called to tell me that she had passed her falconry exam and was now a licensed Oregon Falconer. Atta boy, Girl, way to go! Welcome!