Monday, March 24, 2008

In the Reeds

I took Katana first to a small field that usually has a few rabbits in it. While she followed expertly, I was only able to kick up one rabbit for her...she did chase it, but ended up crashing in some very deep cover as the rabbit made its escape.
After Belle got out of school and finished her homework, we headed to another field in the area. This field is thick with marshy reeds, a feature that holds Katana's attention strongly. Today was no exception. While the reeds are full of rabbits, getting them to flush in a huntable way is a different story. Katana took an incredible perch atop an A-Frame tower where it was clear that she soulc probably see for miles. She fixated on the reeds below and I would try to flush under her gaze. After a few hard crashes, a rabbit made the mistake of running in the less dense area and Katana folded up and slammed the reeds to grab it. She was so far buried under the marshy mess that it took me a moment to find her. It was the familiar screaming of the rabbit that gave up her wherabouts. We then worked our way out of the field, and stopped only long enough to watch Katana stoop out of a tree to snag a mouse, which she promptly ate. I fed her up again today, but her metabolism has been so crazy she will probably be at weight again tomorrow. This was the case today after I had fed her 200 grams yesterday. I am trying to feed her up and give her a day off, but if she decides to burn and happens to be at weight, I will take her out flying. Even after the 8 hours total hunting over the weekend, she still shows no signs of fatigue and her performance is stronger and better than ever.
39 rabbits, 5 snakes, 2 grasshoppers, 2 frogs, 4 mice, 4 rats, 1 crawfish

No comments: