Illinois Hawking
This past Thanksgiving weekend I went down to Illinois to visit with my sister and her family. While visiting she was kind enough to come with me to meet up with an Illinois falconer to make an exchange. My former sponsor, Dave Noble, exchanged some of the excellent falconry bells that he makes for Raptor Wraps made by Jacques Nuzzo of the Illinois Raptor Center. My coming down to Illinois gave me a good opportunity to finally meet Jacques, who I have purchased hoods from previously, and to see him fly his bird. Jacques flies a Harris's Hawk, named Buffy the Bunny Slayer! Now, that is a creative name!!
We met up with him and his apprentice, Ray, in Bloomington. They have some really nice hawking fields in Bloomington. Short grass, full of bunnies, with terraine that is not too hard to work over. We flushed more bunnies than I have seen all season, times 3 or 4. And, several pheasants were flushed, with Buffy hitting one of them, and pulling a lot of feathers. Jacques says Buffy has been really hot lately, which means she's been eating up really good. On this day it was very nice and warm for a November, so Buffy was probably not as motivated as she could be. She flew beautifully, and chased most opportunities presented to her, but we did not see her catch anything while we were there. She may have done so later, after we left. Jacques also tells me he and a friend caught pictures in the previous days of her catching bunnies. I'm hoping he'll send one to me to include here.
I enjoyed the afternoon very much! I'd like the opportunity to meet up with Jacques again sometime to fly my own bird. Also, sometime I shall visit the Raptor Center to view their facility, and support the work they do!
Thanks Jacques and Ray for the fun afternoon!
After this visit, my sister and I went to the farm of a friend of hers. Here I flew my bird. I only flushed one bunny, but two pheasants. One of these pheasants Nina chased across the valley. I continued for awhile to work the stream valley, which should have had lots of bunnies, but never saw any more. I did manage to catch a bramble across my face, which cut me pretty good. OUCH!!
I was uncomfortable with the field control I was having over Nina. She was a bit high, and it was much warmer than what I've been flying lately (60s). So I cut the hunt short and called her down.
It was a nice day out, shared with my sister, and meeting and making new friends.
We met up with him and his apprentice, Ray, in Bloomington. They have some really nice hawking fields in Bloomington. Short grass, full of bunnies, with terraine that is not too hard to work over. We flushed more bunnies than I have seen all season, times 3 or 4. And, several pheasants were flushed, with Buffy hitting one of them, and pulling a lot of feathers. Jacques says Buffy has been really hot lately, which means she's been eating up really good. On this day it was very nice and warm for a November, so Buffy was probably not as motivated as she could be. She flew beautifully, and chased most opportunities presented to her, but we did not see her catch anything while we were there. She may have done so later, after we left. Jacques also tells me he and a friend caught pictures in the previous days of her catching bunnies. I'm hoping he'll send one to me to include here.
I enjoyed the afternoon very much! I'd like the opportunity to meet up with Jacques again sometime to fly my own bird. Also, sometime I shall visit the Raptor Center to view their facility, and support the work they do!
Thanks Jacques and Ray for the fun afternoon!
After this visit, my sister and I went to the farm of a friend of hers. Here I flew my bird. I only flushed one bunny, but two pheasants. One of these pheasants Nina chased across the valley. I continued for awhile to work the stream valley, which should have had lots of bunnies, but never saw any more. I did manage to catch a bramble across my face, which cut me pretty good. OUCH!!
I was uncomfortable with the field control I was having over Nina. She was a bit high, and it was much warmer than what I've been flying lately (60s). So I cut the hunt short and called her down.
It was a nice day out, shared with my sister, and meeting and making new friends.
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