17 and 11

A pretty good squirrel week for one of my two hawks; though Farrah made no contact. Farrah got cheated by time constraints twice and on Saturday got bogged down chasing squirrels into viney thickets. Cisco bagged two cat squirrels this week, after catching and losing one on Monday. That was apparently a premature removal/extraction on his part. He had that squirrel for several minutes. Movie: A movie On Friday, just as Cisco started to pressure a squirrel, a wild adult Red-tail flew over. Cisco screamed and took off in pursuit. This always means a minimum of a twenty minute delay. Soaring, screaming, and sitting on tree tops is part and parcel of this routine. Fortunately he settled in again, caught a squirrel. As he parachuted straight down he bounced fairly hard on a couple of branches. 

This squirrel bailed from about the fifth tree. Cisco looked like an arrowhead straight down behind it. Early in the hunt I didn't know if Cisco was just doggin' it today or being a chess master. The latter it turns out.  Arnold was pretty good today also. Cisco flying at about 885 net BW. Lower than I like which is 895 to 905 grams NBW. Ninth team squirrel, fifth for Cisco.This has been a sluggish season for squirrels.   

Nothing. Early in the hunt Cisco dropped down and nailed a preying mantis.  Today had one or two good features, and ample poor ones. Cisco was flying on a two day fast, and was empty at a good weight. About 895 net body weight. That is in the zone. Unfortunately it was warm, we saw few squirrels, but had some mild chases on three. I got out there a later than I should. Overall the week has been OK, with Farrah and Cisco each bagging a squirrel. 

 The other day I read or heard an article describing how going to the woods is good for one's mental health. Obviously flawed because they didn't mention a Red-tailed Hawk at weight actively looking for the plentiful squirrels, a seasoned dog following the hawk, also searching for squirrels, and the temperature just a little cool...... Today's outing had none of those characteristics. Cisco was overweight a little, the result of a temperature spike, and Arnold wouldn't follow Cisco when he flew. He'd start to follow, but when I'd "good dog!" him, Arnold would return. I'm not sure what that was about. No chance of losing him at least. The only squirrel I saw was one Arnold and I flushed with Cisco "following on" about a quarter mile behind. This one squirrel would have provided a good chase if Cisco had seen it. Arnold spent a few minutes barking up the tree, running around, generally doing his job. By the time Cisco showed up the squirrel

After a week nursing a squirrel bite or two, I took Cisco to the woods. It was a few degrees warmer than I had hoped, but not bad.. Cisco was about 910 net body weight. We saw no squirrels for a while, but both Cisco and the dog were working well. Cisco made some pursuit noises, quick bell tones, and we had a swoop. Arnold kept the squirrel treed. Cisco parked, watching intently. I used the Mr. Squirrel call and fired a number of slingshot rounds in the vicinity of the squirrel. After probably fifteen minutes of not much activity, Cisco struck. I saw the squirrel quiver, a few minutes later Cisco brought it down. A chick was tossed to Cisco, he tossed the squirrel to me, inadvertently no doubt. Then back to the car for some obligatory chillin'.  Farrah and Cisco each with three squirrels. Not a gangbuster season, but OK.  This tree Chillin'

Today I took Farrah to Rosenberg for some open field hawking. She did well, even though she's more than an ounce over her 800 gram "flying weight." She was high because I overfed her yesterday after a terrifically good squirrel hunt. She's taken three squirrels to Cisco's two. Cisco got bitten on each catch, so he has this week off. Next week I may field hawk him.  Farrah panting today Farrah yesterday with squirrel tradeoff Farrah's squirrel Earlier squirrel Cisco with his squirrel Cisco with his earlier squirrel (no his wing is not broken)