Here we go!

I just got back from a trip to Louisiana today at noon. I went to a Kolb Fly-in to return the favor and to visit with flying friends. I will post it later, when I get the time.

Karen and Tami took care of the birds while I was gone and they did an excellent job. All three birds were at the right weight to hunt. ( you have no idea how rare that is) I decided to just feed Jessie and take her hunting tomorrow, since I wanted to put Puddy and Yogi together for the first time. Tami was coming over to help, and she is much more fleet footed than I am. If things went to pieces she would have a chance to get there before too much blood was shed.

 Karen's vest buckle broke and she was having trouble with the Tee perch so Tami carried which ever one wanted to sit with her.

 Puddy had a serious case of "Momma's girl" syndrome and was screaming her head off and not paying any attention to anything other than Yogi. I first carried Pud, and after a while Yogi flew on to the same perch that Pud was on. There was a bit of a surprise on Pud part, but nothing happened and I began to relax.  Even though Pud was distracted, Yogi had her head on a swivel and was soon off after a fleeing Jack. Pud flew to where she landed after missing the Jack that she had chased. Yogi, basically ignored her, and Pud soon flew back to Tami.  I tried to call Yogi to the Perch, but Pud knowing the game would beat her to the punch. I countered by just offering Yogi the perch and when she stepped on it, gave her a tidbit. Unlike Pud, Yogi has manners and does not bloody the hand that feeds her. Yogi had chased Jacks three different times while Pud was still acting like a baby.

We cut back trying to find the Jack that Yogi had chased, and soon Yogi was off on a rather long chase that ended with her landing on the Chicken Pen. We have been concerned that she would take one of the free range chickens that have the run of the place, but her attention was riveted on the ground at the chicken pen. I asked everyone to head that direction.

Within a few paces the Jack lost his nerve and broke cover. He soon ran into Karen and Pud and changed directions across the end of the runway. Yogi had taken off as soon as he began his run and was doing her best to catch up. Pud having her competitive nature aroused was not to be outdone, and hit the afterburners, flying under her and for once in her life doing a "Hail Mary" grab right under the barb wire fence. We were all cringing and worrying that one of them would hit the fence. Pud is aware of them, somewhat. We were all relieved that neither one hit the fence and the scream wafting up from the weeds was a prayer answered.

 The stuff that Pud caught it in is some tough stuff. It is about a 1/4 inch thick and very hard and brittle. You can see from the picture that Pud is really buried in it. I had asked Tami before we even started that if one of them caught anything to run as hard as she could to get to them in case of a fight. I was pretty sure that Yogi would not start anything but Pud is rude at best. It is just that she is like a two or three year old kid. They need to be taught to play nice. Tami had the Jack by the head when I panted up to the scene, and Yogi has stopped where she could see, but she had not butted in to the action.

 After I killed the Jack, and cleared a bit of an area so that Puddy could stand up, I tore off a front leg and tossed it to Yogi. She walked up to get the leg and retired to a clear area to eat her prize.

 I ripped off the other one, but Pud is not so easily convinced that a leg is anywhere the equal of a whole Jack.

 I finally got her to go off to eat her leg, and I put the Jack in the bag.

 After Yogi finished the leg that I had given her, I gave her the rest of her meal to eat while I put her leash and swivel back on. You will notice that my hand is leaking a bit from the time spent with Puddy.

 Soon Puddy finished her leg and came to Karen for the rest of her meal.

Both birds got a good feed as well as their introduction to each other. I got a chance to relax and go back hunting as though I had never left, thanks to Karen and Tami's excellent care.