Entered!!

Today Hit Girl proved she's got what it takes to be a falconry bird.  The last few times I've flown her she was higher in weight than what I've come to expect to be a good response weight from her.  This was proved by the fact she has been pretty lazy in the field the last couple times out.  Colder weather has slimmed her back down to the 1300 grams, give or take, that she should be flown at.  Today she was 1290, and flew aggressive. 

We worked the park up town which is loaded with squirrels.  I kept her hooded and climbed up a slope, hoping to kick out a bunny for her.  After unhooding she took a commanding perch over us, and seemed to know her business.  Rich and I were not in the patch we were working much more than a couple minutes when she came screaming in after a squirrel neither of us saw.  She scraped it off the tree, and it hit the ground running, but she was in hot pursuit and wrapped it up like she's been doing this her whole life . . . which maybe she was up until the time she was snagged in my bow net.  After suffocating the squirrel (there is no "stretching" like you do with a bunny, to break the neck, as squirrels are a heck of a lot tougher) I opened it up and allowed her to feed on her prize, again getting the best, warm parts (heart, lungs, liver).  She then sweetly traded onto her lure allowing me to put squirrel away so we could take some pictures later.

This makes a complete set now.  Justin's bird Goldie caught her first bunny yesterday.  He has promised a picture for the blog, and as soon as I have it I'll post it.  Hit Girl caught a squirrel today.  Two new hawks, now Game Hawks! 

Squirrels and Bunnies . . . . BEWARE!!!!