Oct 6th Opening Duck and general all around fun.

PUD AND YOGI

This morning we decided to hunt here at the house, since we weren't finding that many in last years spots. I didn't let the Chickens out since we were going to start at 9 am. It was a bit nipply, but we all dressed up for the hunt. Isabel came with Tami this time, leaving Grace to baby sit.

Unfortunately I underestimated the amount of food that Yogi needed the other day and she was a bit too light to enjoy the frosty morning. She wasn't on her best game, and Puddy still hasn't decided that she wants to put forth the effort required to catch a big Jack. Both were fluffed up and resisting my enthusiasm.

Yogi of course went first to the Chicken pen, and of course Puddy went as well. We walked on without them, letting them find out on their own that it was a waste of time. Puddy finally saw the light and joined us. Eventually Yogi came as well. We had a few chases, but it was obvious that Yogi was not on her best game. We jumped a bunny at the rim rock over the creek and both birds took off. Puddy of course was burning up the air to get to it, but I was surprised to see Yogi pass her in the chase. ( I had always thought that Puddy was the faster because she is smaller. Apparently not so. ) The Bunny escaped them both. Yogi decided to try the Chicken house again. Of course when she landed about 5 Jacks took off in various directions that didn't have a hawk in them. By that time I was getting a bit crabby about the situation. Puddy came with us so we walked down and across the creek to try the other side. We didn't get into anything until we hit the heavy Sage on the bottom of the property. Finally after a few false starts, Yogi joined us again. Puddy took off across the creek and did a wingover in some tall stuff that I could not see well. She did not come up again. Yogi also flew over there and took a perch on a Telephone pole. I was pretty sure that Puddy had caught something, but I couldn't find her. She had been so far away and the cover so deep that I couldn't be sure where she was. We looked all over, on both sides of the creek, no Puddy, no indication where she might be. Finally after about 20 minutes Tami found her under the pole. She was lying down on the ground,       ( Tami thought she was hurt, until this beady little eye peeked at her) trying hard to hide the Bunny that she had caught.

It of course was stone dead, and she was so paranoid that she hadn't broken in yet. I offered her a front leg, but it was a bit small, and she wasn't sure she wanted to trade.

I finally convinced her to take it, and then gave Karen the other one to pick her up with, when she finished the first one.

John was having trouble with his allergies, and Karen was getting pooped, so they decided to make their way to the house. Tami, Isabel and I continued on, and crossed the fence into some better Sage. We had just barely started when we jumped a close Jack and the birds were off. Yogi made an extremely long sideways reach with her leg and had the Jack in the butt. She apparently followed up with a foot to the face. Puddy wasn't about to be left out and the Jack was anchored.

  Its a bit hard to believe, but there are two Harris Hawks and an Jack in that pile. It took me a while to sort it all out and get the birds and feet untangled.

I finally figured that Yogi had one of her legs in between the Jacks hind legs with her foot on his head. Then my problem was how to kill the Jack and both of them had all four feet on the Jacks head and neck. Not easy but I somehow managed without hurting either hawk. 

We got them sorted out, and Yogi got a LARGE portion of Jack rabbit, while Puddy got to eat her almost whole Bunny. A good start to the day.

JESSIE

Around 6 PM we picked up Jessie and headed out for the first day of Duck season. Things have been going pretty well with her this year. She has put on some muscle, and has been playing the game so far. Now it was time to get serious.

The young Golden that hunts here and at the house, was apparently feasting on a Jack Rabbit close to where we normally park when we fly the headwaters of Crooked creek. He got up and thankfully cleared out of the area for us. The dogs were ecstatic at getting to go hunting with us. This is Josie's first year, but she fell right into the game as though she had been doing it all along.

We crested the hill and found that the Lake was loaded with Ducks. Jess had taken a pretty good pitch over the pond and when they busted she was among them with enthusiasm. She apparently didn't get the shot she wanted and there were Mallards crashing into trees and flying through them in their frantic efforts to get back to the pond. She went back up and I flushed again. She picked out a Mallard hen and they disappeared behind the trees bordering the Lake. The dogs and I headed that way as fast as I could not knowing how far the Eagle had gone.

  

I helped her dispatch this nice hen and secured Jess, then backed off to let her eat.

Betsy stays with Jessie and is her guardian while she eats.  Josie was having a blast and getting as muddy as she could.

John and Betsy waiting for us to get out of the mud.

Its been quite a day, and we all walked off into the sunset, tired, dirty and very happy!