I left work early (actually I put in extra time working on my days off) to go out hunting after a winter storm dropped 8-10" of snow. We didn't catch anything despite some good effort (on both our parts - I will explain in a bit). I first went to a school wildlife area that has yielded rabbits in the past. There were plenty of tracks but all the rabbits were tucked away. I was able to call Percy to the fist multiple times. I hooded him and started the 1 block walk back to the truck to head out to a new field. I was drenched in sweat and VERY thirsty despite the mid 20 degree temperatures. I went to a convenience store and grabbed some Gatorade. I went to the park where we caught rabbit number two. I figured there would be rabbits in the deep ravine so I went down (I need to take some photos of these ravines). Sure enough a rabbit bumped out of the north side and scrambled up the hill. Percy was hot on it's tail but it went into a bramble patch. I started to trudge up a drainage trough, which was a very hard climb. When I got up I jumped on a brush pile a couple times and nothing bolted. I ended up going 100 yards to get to a point where I could walk without trudging though thigh high snow. I made my way to the north ridge line and walked there without any luck. I crossed the bike trail to the ridge line of another ravine (with VERY THICK COVER). I walked along the top and ended up going down in. The snow had built up on all the tree limbs so besides the sweat from the carpetbagging (falconry term for hunting a red tail) I was covered in snow. I am hoping that I can eventually make a path or two through this mess. Percy did dive on something without any success. I got out after a slow and laborious climb. I was thirsty again and considered calling it a day. I walked back to my truck and took a couple swigs of Gatorade and hit the trail again. By the time I got back to the hunt Percy was no where to be seen. I walked to where I heard bells and bumped a rabbit. I kept wishing to her the jingle of his bells (in the event that he was in a tree and I didn't see him) but it never happened. I whistled and he came nearer. I circled back around to walked the ridge line again. No luck. I ended up calling him down to a garnished lure and calling it a day. Our family Christmas is tomorrow and I hope to go hunting with my nephews (three of which I spoke of in this post - second paragraph). I can't remember any hawking in the past that was as hard as today was. I had to shower when I got home because I was soaked in both sweat and melted snow. It was a good cardiac workout nonetheless, which I obviously need. I had heard that rabbit numbers were down. I am starting to believe that. Places which Magellan and I took numerous rabbits are just not there like they used to. Of course Percy has had opportunity and it is not for his lack of gusto. He is appropriately aggressive and, usually, follows nicely. It is times like this where I remember back to being patient. Rabbits will come. In the meantime, I am helping this hawk make it through a critical time in its' life. An estimated 70% of raptors do not live until their first year. The life and death consequence of NOT catching a rabbit are replaced by the falconer keeping the bird health and vibrant during lean hunting times.
