Get the Season Going for the Harris Hawk

 

As of October 28 Wyvern and I are in the field for the season.  In a 5-day stretch, 3 days hunting, one day off between each hunt, she brought a bunny to the bag each day out.  And each day out she demonstrated her own particular frustrating quirks that are still very much present.  If it wasn't for the fact that it was a major undertaking for me to go down to Texas in 2015 to trap her, as well as a major expense, and the fact that despite her quirks she is rather a good hunter, I would release her and get a different Harris Hawk.  Only, to release her I would have to take her back to Texas, as she is not native to Minnesota and could not survive here.  It is just too much effort.  I will deal with her, and hope I don't have any untoward events because of her quirks. 

What exactly is the quirk I refer to?  Well, she just does not like to come to the fist.  This is not usually too much of a problem, except I have to chase her down in her mew to catch her when we are going to go hunting.  Then, if she is successful in the field, I cannot rush up to her to help her secure her bunny.  If I do that, she will just let it go and fly off.  Like in the above picture, I will usually stand back and let her deal with the situation, and maybe get possessive of what she just caught.

These three hunts I let her drag her kill into the grass where it was easier to get close to her. I would slowly, calmly try to move in, not pressuring her too much, and first secure the rabbit, then try to secure her.  It isn't always successful.  She is a smart bird, and does not let me easily repeat things.

I have been training her to use a T-Perch, which worked smashingly while she was still on a creance.  Out in the field, when she is free, nope.  That little trick not going to work anymore.  She also usually will come to my car at the end of the hunt, and then I can pull her in close to me with the lure.  That mostly works, except for the last successful hunt, where she decided she would take a perch on an overhead metal structure, tuck a foot and ignore me.

At my wits end, I fortunately am carrying all my trapping gear in my car, just in case.  I loaded a rat into the BC, and she came down to that, getting snagged like a wild hawk, which really pissed her off.  Well girl!  Follow your training and we won't have these head butting situations. 

I really should just be firm with her, and me, and fly her a bit lower for better performance.

Despite all this . . . I really do love this hawk!