Double Doubles

Today was an all-time first for me. Today I accomplished a Double Double!

It was a wonderful day to get out hawking.  It's amazing the change a week can make.  Last week it was in the 20's with a brisk wind.  Today it was in the higher 40s, and very minimal wind.  Everyone was out and about . . . both humans and their dogs (and hawks) and squirrels and rabbits.  I was accompanied today by Christina, who has been interested in falconry for a long time, and waiting for her life to fall into a pattern that will allow her to pursue it.  New man on the field was Brent, who is my brother-in-law's Schwans delivery guy.  He found out a month or two ago that I was a falconer, and spent an hour or so talking me up about it.  I told him sometime I'd invite him for a hunt.  He definitely chose a good day to come.

Only a couple minutes into the same field we started our hunt on Monday at, and the first (and only) squirrel was spotted by Christina.  I whooped, and Hit Girl responded and came over.  She quickly engaged squirrel, and before we so much as had a chance to get into position to watch the show, she was diving, and then was on the ground with her prize.  I decided to trade her off, and put her back up and go again, as that was just too quick.  The trade off didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked, and she pouted a bit after that.  However, she then re-engaged when she saw us poking in the grass.  We moved a bunny out in front of us, which we didn't see, but she did.  She dove in and had her first bunny catch with me.  I let her crop up on this catch, then put her away and let Sassy have her turn.

Sassy quickly got to work, and followed us into the other part of the field we had not yet worked.  Under a large brush pile I kicked out the first rabbit for her.  She pursued, and chased it down, bringing it to the bag.  I traded her off this bunny, and we went walking again.  We hadn't gotten very far, when she had bunny #2, for her, for the day.  Like Hit Girl, I let her crop up on her dinner.  Both birds were put away, well fed, and I and my hawking team for the day posed for pictures, then went for lunch.

Hit Girl:  8 squirrels / 1 rabbit                                                   Sassy:  8 rabbits / 2 squirrels

                                   I am having one hell of a good time this year!!