October 12th, 2018

The day dawned bright and clear. Not a cloud in the sky, 29 degrees. I weighed Hope after my chores were taken care of, not surprised to find that she still weighed 967 grams. She was still anxious to come to me, so off we go.

I decided to try a field that I hadn't flown in at least a year. During the height of the Rabbit explosion of three years ago, there was no need to go anywhere else. That field held all the Rabbits that one could wish for and more. Its had Cows on it all fall, so the cover is a bit less than other spots on the ranch.

I turned the dogs out and we began, under the watchful eye of the resident Red Tail sitting in a tree along the fence line. We hadn't gone very far before Hope took off after a Jack in between the Red Tail and us. She put in four different shots at him, with Josie running interference for her, turning the rabbit and not letting him hole up under the Greasewood bushes. He still got away, and Hope returned to the tee perch, ready for another. The Red Tail had seen enough and decided to go some where that this dervish did not hunt.

We jumped two more Jacks before we got to the creek. All managed to avoid her talons. A forth Jack was flushed, and Hope took off after him, slamming into a Grease Wood bush. I listened for the sound that would indicate that she had caught him, but there was nothing. I leisurely began walking that way, and was a bit surprised that she did not jump up on top of one of the bushes. As I neared where she had disappeared Brick went on point on a thick Greasewood bush. I assumed that it was on a hot rabbit "form". ( area dug out under the Sage where the Jacks rest and watch) He seemed to be sure that something was in there, so I looked opposite him, but could see nothing. He still insisted, so I looked on the other side and there buried in the Greasewood was Hope. I looked a bit closer and she was holding a very dead Jack Rabbit. Not sure how she did it, but he was stone dead. She of course had him by the head. Perhaps a talon went into his brain through his ear. Fine by me!

I of course had left my phone in the car, when I began hunting. After returning to the car I decided to take a "selfie" as there was no other way to record the kill. Of course I was trying one handed, with a hawk on the other hand, blood on my fingers, not to mention a wad of rabbit hair, and I can't see the screen because the sun is shinning on it. I decided that I need to put the camera in "selfie mode", so that I can possibly frame the shot, but I can't see or find the little icon that does that. I know where it is though and try to use my nose to punch the button. (Picture a guy with blood dripping off his fingers, holding a Hawk that is eating something on his fist, slamming a phone into his face)  That didn't work, so I went over to the car after four or five useless attempts, laid it on the floor and punched the button with my fingers. I then found out that my arms weren't long enough. To sum it all up, it was the usual cluster #$%&, but I got something.

It appears that Hope has a new flying weight. Not sure now what the ceiling of that weight is. She came to me at 870 and is now hunting 3 1/2 ounces heavier.

I am quite pleased with the way that the dogs are helping out. I am sure that at least one of my field trial friends cringe at the way that I abuse these poor dogs, by training them to hunt Rabbits. However that is the beauty of this breed. It doesn't matter what you want to hunt, if you can convey to them what you are looking for they will find it for you. Josie has learned that when Hope flies, she is chasing something. So when Hope takes off, Josie is right with her, and forms the other leg of the hunt that can supply enough distraction that the Jacks are at a disadvantage, and thus gives Hope a better chance of succeeding. Three of those four shots that Hope had at the first Rabbit came because of Josie.