Back in the Game

Sassy caught her first head of game, a cottontail, for the 2013/2014 falconry season.  I am particularly pleased with her success, as it means she is fully recovered from her injury and surgery.  Her flight at times is a little labored, and she doesn't get height very good sometimes, but I think this is more a matter of just coming out of the molt and not being in the greatest condition.  Previous to her bunny catch we were chasing a few squirrels, but she's going to need to drop a little more weight to truly be motivated to hunt those tree rats.  She wasn't chasing them very hard.  Getting her out for frequent flights will strengthen her up and slim her down more in the best possible way . . . through normal exercise, and chasing game.

This bunny almost got away!  She smacked down and caught it, through the brush, and had it by one foot on its back side.  It took some work by me to get to her, but she held on tight to her prize.  For her efforts, and my pleasure at her being fully back to normal, I let her crop up on her first bunny.

Here I am showing off the lovely "new" coat Rich found for me on some auction site.  It is almost just a little too small, but has none of the blaze orange my other coat has.  It's a little less heavy than the other coat, so best for early winter and late winter hawking.  I'll be wearing the other one soon as the deer gun hunting season gets going.  But then I usually hunt near or in towns at that time, to prevent getting shot at.

On other positive fronts, Greg called me this evening and his bird has jumped to the fist.  Her training is moving along, and soon she will be out hunting as well.  The falconry season is underway!