Quick Session

Monday, we only had about thirty minutes to fly.  He was still fat (925 grams) from the rabbit the day before, and we saw it in his performance for sure!  He was chasing, and crashed a little brush, but if the slips were hard at all, he would just check off in the end.  It had been raining all day, and was sprinkling a little bit when we got to the field.  I took the route that I have been taking, but it seems (which makes sense) the rabbits like to be in heavier cover in that type of weather, and I only got a couple slips in that area.  Ended up bailing from that route, and took one of mine from the year before.  Headed back south, through an open portion of the field, and we got a nice slip that went up and over a big hill, and ended with the rabbit making it to the clump of briars on the other side about 200 yards from where the chase began.  These briars were only a few feet tall last year, but must have gone on steroids or somethings, because they are HUGE this year!!!!  Kicked through the back portion of the field's briars, and like I said....got some slips, but he wasn't willing to go balls out.  Called him down to the lure to end the session, and he only got a little bit for his lame effort.

Tuesday found him slightly lower than I had wanted.  Luckily though, I had gone to work early AND worked through lunch, so I ducked out at 3:00, ran home and got the bird, and was walking into the field by 4:10 or so.  He was at 908 grams, which is right around were we caught the original rabbits.....I had just been pushing him up since then, hoping his strength would improve, and we could get a lot more speed, dedication to the chase, intensity, etc, etc out of him.  Well, he must have thought he was starving, because he didn't take the far perch like normal, and then move over my head....he instead, just went straight up, and started staring at the ground waiting for something to pop.  Kicked the first briar patch, and a rabbit went scooting out the side.  The bird took off, but pulled up into a tree pretty quickly.  I moved in that direction, and got about half way there, when CJ took off pumping hard, and slammed into the ground about 25 yards from me or so...................SQUEEL!  Total hunt time.....45 seconds.  Seems like he understands the program now!!!  BUT.....he needs to stop doing that, or else I'm not going to get my hawking fix taken care of.  I did a few doubles last year, but just don't really have the desire to anymore.  Hopefully, he won't do this too many times, or else I may be forced into doubles, just so that he gets enough air time and I get my fix.  Going to have another short session tonight, and he will be fat (I need to start making my lure pieces a consistant size....that's where I keep screwing up.....I have figured out what it takes to put him at weight the next day depending on if I put a front, or a back rabbit leg on the lure, but I keep switching it up with spine, pigeon, squirrel, etc, etc (none of which i weigh...just eye ball it).....gonna have to stop doing this, so that we can start becoming consistant in the field....).  He will probably be around 930 grams or so, so I'm not expecting much.  He will get a work out in the wind today though, and who knows.....maybe he will do some soar hawkin, and I can toss some pigeons for him.  Fingers crossed for SOMETHING good to happen today

-D-