Hawkin in Baraboo
Today I decided to take myself and my bird to Baraboo and see if there are any bunnies there. But first . . . since I was in the area . . . a quick breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Yum!!
After today I would consider Baraboo to be marginal as far as bunny sites. They are there!! I saw lots of sign of them. But it is lacking in open and free access places. Also, where we hunted might be a better area in the fall before the snow comes. It was pretty cold with a good wind chill today. Any bunnies around are hiding. Which is where the one we found was.
I selected a place just outside the town, in an industrial park. There were some frozen holding ponds with cattails, but they were sooooo thick that anything in there would not be pushed out unless I had like 5 other people working it, or a dog! (Must think about getting a dog!) Also, along these holding ponds were some trailers, and I saw several brush piles inside the yards, to include one really massive one, with lots of tracks heading to in. So, no working those without tresspassing.
We walked a bit, well . . . I walked a bit . . . and didn't flush much. Finally I made my way to a really large brush pile out in the open. Nina took a perch (not much of one) on a branch sticking out of this mess. And as pretty as you please, then got herself up, caught the wind, did a wing over, and crashed right in. At first I didn't think she had anything, but she was behaving like she did. And I had to root my way into her. But sure enough . . . bunny #24 was caught. After some struggle, I was able to grab hold of the back legs, then distangle her and bring her and her prize out of the web of tree branches. Nina traded off to her lure. And bunny was put into the game bag.
I picked her up to try just a little more, for she really hadn't gotten enough exercise. She did take a perch, although not a really good one. I did manage to flush one more bunny in some thick grass nearby . . . but it ran right into the huge pile. Nina landed again on the pile, but there was just no working it out. That first catch was just a lucky one. So, move off . . . and wade through all the wonderful burdock. Have I expressed how much I LOVE burdock???? NOT!! I wrote a post about it . . . oh I think last year. I still hate this noxious plant!!
By this time, I was getting tired, and I figured out that I had let Nina eat a little too much off the lure. Her response was starting to get poor. So I called it a day as far as hunting, and pulled the lure for her.
As we got to the car and were packing up we attracted the attention of a couple guys in a car. Also, a manager at the Slumberland, the parking lot I was in, also came out. He said I had been seen walking around in the brush. They were just wondering what I was up to. Thankfully, everyone was just curious and interested. I gave a quick Falconry 101, and Dave, the manager (according to his jacket) was kind enough to take our picture. I invited him to come see the blog. So . . . I hope you made it!! Hello Again!
I drove around Baraboo a little more, looking for other hawking sites. There may be a few, but nothing that stood out as outstanding. Oh well! I'm home now . . . and a warm shower is calling to me!!
After today I would consider Baraboo to be marginal as far as bunny sites. They are there!! I saw lots of sign of them. But it is lacking in open and free access places. Also, where we hunted might be a better area in the fall before the snow comes. It was pretty cold with a good wind chill today. Any bunnies around are hiding. Which is where the one we found was.
I selected a place just outside the town, in an industrial park. There were some frozen holding ponds with cattails, but they were sooooo thick that anything in there would not be pushed out unless I had like 5 other people working it, or a dog! (Must think about getting a dog!) Also, along these holding ponds were some trailers, and I saw several brush piles inside the yards, to include one really massive one, with lots of tracks heading to in. So, no working those without tresspassing.
We walked a bit, well . . . I walked a bit . . . and didn't flush much. Finally I made my way to a really large brush pile out in the open. Nina took a perch (not much of one) on a branch sticking out of this mess. And as pretty as you please, then got herself up, caught the wind, did a wing over, and crashed right in. At first I didn't think she had anything, but she was behaving like she did. And I had to root my way into her. But sure enough . . . bunny #24 was caught. After some struggle, I was able to grab hold of the back legs, then distangle her and bring her and her prize out of the web of tree branches. Nina traded off to her lure. And bunny was put into the game bag.
I picked her up to try just a little more, for she really hadn't gotten enough exercise. She did take a perch, although not a really good one. I did manage to flush one more bunny in some thick grass nearby . . . but it ran right into the huge pile. Nina landed again on the pile, but there was just no working it out. That first catch was just a lucky one. So, move off . . . and wade through all the wonderful burdock. Have I expressed how much I LOVE burdock???? NOT!! I wrote a post about it . . . oh I think last year. I still hate this noxious plant!!
By this time, I was getting tired, and I figured out that I had let Nina eat a little too much off the lure. Her response was starting to get poor. So I called it a day as far as hunting, and pulled the lure for her.
As we got to the car and were packing up we attracted the attention of a couple guys in a car. Also, a manager at the Slumberland, the parking lot I was in, also came out. He said I had been seen walking around in the brush. They were just wondering what I was up to. Thankfully, everyone was just curious and interested. I gave a quick Falconry 101, and Dave, the manager (according to his jacket) was kind enough to take our picture. I invited him to come see the blog. So . . . I hope you made it!! Hello Again!
I drove around Baraboo a little more, looking for other hawking sites. There may be a few, but nothing that stood out as outstanding. Oh well! I'm home now . . . and a warm shower is calling to me!!
1 Comments:
At 4:13 PM,
Anonymous said…
I tried one roasted, and it was OK, but not great. I'm told I should fry them! Mostly, what she catches is either fed back to her, or frozen for later feeding, in the summer, when we don't hunt because its time to molt.
Post a Comment
<< Home