Eagle's Journal Joe Atkinson

GOE 2009

Gathering of Eagles

2009

Avec la rencontre trois semaines que j'ai commencé mon préconditionnement d'obtenir les deux Jackhammer et Mini-Me dans la forme. Il ya beaucoup de théories sur la façon de rapaces condition, mais, à mon avis, rien ne se aigles en forme mieux que courir après quelque chose. Ils volent tout simplement plus fort et obtenir plus excités et amplifié quand ils peuvent chasser quelque chose. Et il ya un avantage supplémentaire lorsque vous configurez des scénarios de chasse où l'appât surgit de nulle part et s'en va à grande vitesse. Non seulement vous êtes conditionné votre aigle physiquement, mais mentalement aussi. En utilisant cette méthode ton aigle est maintenant cherchez quelque chose de brun et poilu qui se sauve à toute vitesse, et qui ne peut être une bonne chose. Je tondre une piste à l'un de nos champs de foin qui est à environ 100 mètres de long et je vole chaque aigle 3-4 fois après le leurre est tiré derrière notre Gator à une vitesse d'environ 24 mph. Après chaque vol je fais, tout transfert ou JH mm du leurre, les capot, réinitialiser le leurre, et répétez le processus. En faisant le conditionnement de cette manière, je suis aussi leur mise en place pour les captures multiples. Comme les jours se rapproche de la rencontre deux aigles ont été très prêt, battant vite et fort à l'appât, montrant tous les signes qu'ils étaient prêts à chasser.

Nous sommes arrivés à Garden City, un mardi, cinq jours avant la première journée officielle du Groupe d'experts. Je voulais donner les garçons un certain temps pour récupérer du voyage et assurez-vous que je savais où les prises ont été. Comme rencontrer le président j'avais besoin de savoir où pour dire aux gens qu'ils pouvaient trouver de jeu et, comme il s'est avéré, c'est une bonne chose j'ai été en ville au début. La population prise avait eu une baisse assez large de Juin quand Cordi et moi étions pour le tournage de Nat Geo. Personne ne peut dire pourquoi, seulement qu'il y avait moins de prises autour.

Avec les prises dans des numéros dans la zone principale, qui devait être le terrain de chasse du Gouvernement égyptien, j'ai contacté quelques éleveurs que je connais quelque 30 miles au sud de la Cité-Jardin dans une zone appelée Sublette. Nous descendîmes et regarda autour de lui et, dès le début, nous avons pu voir que ce domaine tenait plusieurs prises de Garden City et montrait beaucoup de promesses. Cependant, nous ne serions pas en mesure de chasser les ranchs jusqu'à lundi prochain que la saison de chasse faisan a été l'ouverture ce week-end et les éleveurs nous ont demandé de rester hors de leurs terres jusqu'à la semaine prochaine. Mais je ne sais de certaines terres CRP qui est ouvert à tous et nous nous sommes dirigés là pour tenter notre chance. Nous avions filmé dans ce domaine notamment en Juin et il a produit de nombreux bulletins et j'étais optimiste.

J'ai pris l'avion JH premier. Nous chassions une bonne partie de ce domaine important avec JH ne se glisse de temps qu'il a essayé dur mais ne pas se connecter. Avec la pluie de la veille, tout était humide et JH commençait à être inondée. Je savais qu'il avait seulement quelques vols gauche. Nous avons rebroussé chemin dans la direction générale du camion et JH soudain se dressa sur ses orteils et était très intéressé par quelque chose de 30 mètres sur. Il a quitté le poing, volant à basse altitude au début, puis a commencé à grimper et a continué de gagner en hauteur jusqu'à ce que il a mis ses ailes, que sa vitesse de le porter pendant une seconde ou deux, puis a fait un wingover et se pencha vers le bas en claquant en quelque chose. Je me suis approchée de trouver JH sur un faisan coq - une première pour JH, et moi aussi, avec un aigle.

Mini-Me:

travaux de MM outs avec le Gator s'était mieux en mieux, j'entends par là que son intensité a été la construction. Au cours des deux dernières années, il avait volé haut au leurre et semblait éprouver son chemin comme il est allé, avec quelques glisse dans le vol, ce qui lui a ralenti. Cette année, j'ai remarqué dès le début que MM a été dur de pompage tout le chemin et était retombé au niveau du sol qui est un moyen très efficace pour attraper les prises. Je me souviens dire à Cordi sur plus d'une occasion que «si MM vole comme cela dans Garden City, il va attraper beaucoup de prises!

Il ya un champ à l'Sublette nous appelons le «Mini-Me champ" parce qu'à un moment donné pendant le tournage de notre dernier DVD, Eagle Road Trip, MM avait une course de Jack à travers ses jambes qui se trouve sur le DVD. MM champ est plat comme un dessus de table et presque parfait en termes de couverture et elle détient de nombreuses prises. MM est, un jour donné, exacerbée au maximum. C'est tout simplement sa nature et il faut un certain temps pour lui de se calmer. Par exemple, il Bates à chaque petite chose, en pensant qu'il pouvait être un homme. Ainsi, au début, il est partout mais il va se calmer et commencer à chasser. Cordi et moi et un fauconnier nouvelles que nous avons rencontrés, Ed Hepp, a commencé à travailler sur le terrain. MM volera à une prise, quelle que soit la façon dont il est loin, ce qui, pour un jeune aigle, n'est pas productif. Selon toute vraisemblance, elles ne prennent pas la prise et ne sont frustrés, il est de mon devoir de retenir MM et le travail pour rapprocher les feuillets. Une façon de faire est de marcher très lentement, comme les prises tiendra plus strictes. Nous avons marché pendant peut-être 10 minutes en gardant le vent soufflant à 10 mi / h à nos côtés, de sorte que tout dérapage serait, pour la plupart, être vent de travers. MM était assis, le dos au vent que je marchais vent de travers lors d'une prise surgi à environ 20 pieds en face de nous. MM a explosé le poing ... .... son objectif premier concert depuis Juin. MM fermée rapidement et a heurté la partie arrière du lapin Jack excès de vitesse. Il a pris le contrôle de son prix et, comme la poussière est retombée, regarda oh si content de lui. MM transferts hors tue aussi bon que n'importe Falconer pourrait vouloir, en effet, presque trop bien. Il va traîner la prise de moi et sauter au poing, alors quand il attrape quelque chose que je ne peux pas faire un geste dans sa direction, comme il peut quitter son tuer et voler pour moi. Une fois, j'étais MM-vous eu la situation sous contrôle je lui ai offert l' gants et il a sauté du lièvre, avalé sa récompense, et je lui capuchon en place. Maintenant est venu le test majeur parce que, même si j'avais été lui travaille sur de nombreux vols derrière le Gator, je n'étais pas sûr de savoir comment il réagirait après avoir tué une prise live. Aurait-il faire comme il l'a fait Juin et envoyer l'équipe du film Nat Geo-course comme il l'a volé à eux? Par conséquent, j'ai été très heureux de voir MM calmer, Roust, et commencer à chasser à nouveau. Nous sommes allés à la recherche d'un autre feuillet. Peu de temps après nous avons commencé à chasser, à une prise apparu juste en face de nous, la course vent de travers. MM est sorti le poing avec l'attitude, le pompage dur et à venir en bas à droite sur la prise, il a saisi dans le cul et se dirigea son chemin jusqu'à la tête. Wow, le numéro deux dans le sac et MM double première fois!

Le jeudi matin, alors qu'il conduisait dans les champs de chasse, MM mourut subitement. Nous ne pouvons que supposer que MM subi une sorte de course, que sa disparition a été très rapide.
Avec tous Min-moi le passé des problèmes physiques et les défis qu'il a dû faire face il aurait pu être n'importe quel nombre de choses. Cordi et moi sommes profondément attristés par la présente et à venir sont encore aux prises avec la perte de l'un des membres de notre équipe. Nous n'avons, cependant, trouver du réconfort dans le fait que nous étions en mesure de donner Mini-Me quelques années d'être une chasse à l'aigle - vol, et la capture de jeu. Il va beaucoup nous manquer ... ... ...

Jackhammer était en jeu, aussi bon que je l'ai vu, volant à un niveau très élevé et le maintenir tout au long de toute la compétition. Je ne vais pas raconter la journée par les vols de jour comme il n'y avait tout simplement trop nombreuses à retenir donc je vais vous donner quelques faits saillants.

Un de mes objectifs était de Jackhammer de montrer ce qu'il peut faire à nos amis d'outre-mer, car la dernière fois qu'ils chassaient avec JH, il n'a pas bien. Il a été légèrement en surpoids (ma faute) et a été mis par des gens dans le domaine de la chasse, que je me suis dit que je serais bon à tout prix, et je l'ai fait. Les gens de la chasse sur le terrain avec JH n'ont pas été un problème pour un couple d'années, si bien qu'il est un vétéran des programmes de Nat Geo-deux et va chasser en face de n'importe qui.

C'est une drôle de chose au sujet de JH ... ... certains domaines n'ont tout simplement pas retenir son attention, et de ces domaines, plus souvent que pas, ne produisent pas de prises de très nombreux ou pas du tout. Toutefois, je peux dire que je l'étape seconde dans un champ bien que JH est très concentré et c'est quand les choses deviennent amusantes ... ..
Avec beaucoup de gens dans le remorquage, et je Cordi chassé dans le ranch principale à l'extérieur Garden City à la recherche d'un domaine de vol. J'avais remarqué une zone sur le bord extérieur du ranch qui avait attiré mon attention les quelques fois où j'ai passé devant elle. Le champ est un champ de blé coupé avec un pivot au milieu et des taches de Tumbleweed qui se sont développées après le blé a été coupé. Cette zone de couverture a été, pour la plupart, dans le milieu du terrain, loin de tout couvrir d'autres lourde et faite pour un paysage spectaculaire avec le beige clair des chaumes de blé et le très sombre, presque noir, de la Tumbleweed commandes de plus en plus dans le milieu du terrain. Pour moi, c'est juste regardé comme il doit avoir une prise ou deux en elle et c'est le corps parfait JH, grande ouverte, où les prises peuvent frapper à pleine vitesse.

Nous avons marché sur le terrain, en nous positionnant de manière que nous pouvions travailler la zone de choix dans les sections, en gardant le vent fort, soit dans le dos ou dans une direction de vent de travers. Comme je l'ai déplacé dans le couvercle de JH est soudainement devenu très concentrés et je sentais que quelque chose allait se passer. Je ne sais pas si il a vu un léger mouvement d'un vérin ou quoi, mais il allait exploser sur le poing, broncher à rien. J'ai entendu le bruissement léger du blé coupé et a estimé JH réagir avant que j'aie jamais vu la prise au flash de sa cachette. Être à l'air libre, cette prise a été d'une brûlure à plein, les oreilles et en bougeant sur une voie de sortie prédéterminée. JH explosé, passant de poing avec de grands coups d'aile puissante, en tournant à un rythme qui semble impossible pour un oiseau si grand. Je tente de me regardait comme JH fermé sur la prise qui est maintenant en cours d'exécution pour sa vie. Je pouvais voir les changements de direction très légère JH fait comme il construit la vitesse et le suivi son lapin gris. Je dis sa parce que, au fil des ans et des milliers de vols, je peux dire la deuxième JH feuilles de poing que la prise va être pris. Comme le vol construite en vitesse et la distance, la prise a réalisé qu'il était en grave difficulté et, dans une tentative désespérée pour secouer JH, il se tourna contre le vent et a atteint la vitesse de ce qu'il avait laissé. Déjà avec une vitesse considérable et dynamique créée, le vent maintenant n'était pas un facteur. JH fermé sur la prise comme un train de marchandises en fuite, et il suffit de le vaincu ... .. Jack Rabbit rincé à 15 mètres, Jack pris à 30 verges.

Mid week du Groupe d'experts:

Avec 17 voitures suivantes nous, j'ai trouvé un terrain déjà unflown qui ressemblait à un champ de type marteau-piqueur, à faible couvert avec de grandes zones d'espace ouvert. Plus tôt dans la matinée je m'étais arrêté à l'intérieur et obtenu la permission de voler tout ce domaine et de nombreux domaines semblé bon. Mais j'ai choisi celui-ci et le garçon at-il porter ses fruits.
Le vent était à 25 mi / h avec des rafales jusqu'à 30 mph alors qu'il allait être un facteur nouveau. Tout ce que je pouvais faire c'était de garder le traverser, ou sous le vent de nous et la chasse, c'est tout. JH était en parfait état, donc je savais qu'il ne pouvait traiter un grand nombre glisse dans toutes les directions. Ma première indication sur la façon dont ce domaine allait être été que les prises étaient déjà chasse comme je l'étais jusqu'à câblage JH au camion. J'avais tout le monde, quelque 20 personnes et plus, à pied de mon côté droit et je suis resté légèrement en avant de la ligne. Parfois, si la ligne devient encore avec moi, JH et je ne vois pas les prises de chasse d'eau et, dans le vent fort, comme nous étions, qui est un facteur. Je ne pense pas que nous étions allés jusqu'à 20 pieds et sauté une prise et JH elle avait, à cette vitesse! Nous avons continué à marcher et à une autre prise se leva. JH juste manqué qui lui est dû à un déménagement en circulation par le lièvre en utilisant un Tumbleweed et le vent à son profit. Je vais essayer de préparer le terrain du mieux que je me souviens ... ... au large, à ma droite avait 20 personnes à pied, en ligne droite et je tenais peut-être 10 mètres en avant de la ligne. Jusqu'à en face de nous tous, sur le côté gauche, était la galerie de photos comprenant Cordi, Rob Palmer et Mark Williams. Donc, ce que nous avions fait était de créer une allée pour les prises de rodage, de manière efficace les canaliser dans un vent de travers ou sous le vent de direction. Nous marchions lentement, car beaucoup ont été prises de rinçage en avance sur nous et, avec le vent, ces vols auraient été très difficile et hors de portée des caméras. J'ai demandé à chacun d'arrêter pour que je puisse travailler le couvercle juste en face d'eux Rechercher pour la clôture, glisser vite que JH aime. J'ai pris peut-être 5 étapes et d'une prise était en place droite face au vent. JH était sur elle tout aussi vite, en fermant quel que soit le vent fort. Le Jack est allé à gauche, puis à droite, avec JH il correspondants déplacer pour se déplacer et il a claqué dans la prise .... numéro deux de la journée. Avec des tonnes de champ gauche et pas d'autres oiseaux prêts à s'envoler J'ai échangé JH off et nous avons continué de chasser, de travailler le chemin du retour vers les camions. JH ensuite d'attraper plus de deux prises, soit un total de quatre pour la journée. Les deux derniers vols ont été exactement le genre que j'aime, la vitesse sur la vitesse, avec les fiches en mode burn-out complet et JH démarrage à fond ... fantastique!

Cette courte vidéo vous donnera une bonne idée sur la façon dont le vent soufflait alors que nous, où la chasse!

Tout au long de la rencontre, nous avons vu de nombreux grands vols avec la prise de lapins en utilisant toutes sortes de tactiques de fuite en particulier en utilisant le «saut en l'air au cours de l'aigle" se déplacer très efficacement.

GOE répondre total de jeu;

Mini-Me lapins 2 jack

Jackhammer lapins 23 Jack
1 queue de coton
1 faisan coq
Plus répondre photos et vidéo:

Si vous allez à voler un aigle s'attendre à prendre votre photo.

Daryl Perkins, moi et JH, et Scott Simpson, après quelques Hawking merveilleux

Obtenir JH prêt à chasser

Photo JH et moi par Rob Palmer

Festival de la fauconnerie 2009

Si vous n'avez jamais entendu parler du Festival de la fauconnerie, il peut être parce que ce n'était que le second ait jamais eu lieu, le premier en 2007. Plus les Festivals ont eu lieu au Royaume-Uni ainsi, vivre ici, aux États-Unis, on pourrait facilement ne pas avoir entendu parler d'eux. Fondamentalement, le Festival est un lieu de rassemblement pour toutes les choses de la fauconnerie dans le monde entier. Plus de cinquante nations sont représentées, tous avec leurs costumes traditionnels et de l'équipement de fauconnerie à l'écran.
Il doit y avoir au moins 100 tentes avec du matériel de fauconnerie, l'art animalier, you name it. Et au milieu de tout cela a été une arène où les démonstrations en vol et affiche de la fauconnerie à dos de cheval ont été organisés. Un en particulier a été très cool - trois cavaliers de chaque baissant un faucon à la tentation en même temps ... très agréable.

Personnes à la recherche sur le lac:

À la conclusion de chaque jour toutes les nations se sont réunis pour le défilé des nations, chaque groupe porte-drapeau de leur nation et de marcher sur le ring devant des foules énormes avec la plupart des participants détenant les espèces d'oiseaux qu'ils volent dans leur pays natal. Tous les oiseaux ont été prêtés par les fauconniers du Royaume-Uni car il n'est pas autorisé à apporter vos propres oiseaux au Royaume-Uni. Je tenais un beau mâle aigle d'or sur prêts à moi de mon ami Andrew Knowles-Brown, le célèbre éleveur aigle et Falconer aigle de l'Ecosse.
Andrew est vu ici tenant sa superbe jeune femme africaine de la Couronne Eagle:

Le Festival, à mon avis, était trop grand de voir en deux jours. Chaque tente a été chargé de choses à voir et en apprendre davantage sur la fauconnerie dans d'autres pays .... Il n'était tout simplement pas assez de temps. La communion entre les fauconniers de tant d'endroits différents a été chaud au coeur. Peu importe d'où vous venez fauconniers partagent un lien commun et qui a été le point de la Fête - d'abandonner toutes les autres et profiter de notre amour pour le sport de la fauconnerie.

Je ne pouvais pas m'empêcher de me demander si nous pouvions mettre sur un festival de fauconnerie dans les États-Unis et, je dois dire, je ne le crois pas, la raison la plus évidente étant qu'il n'y a que quelques milliers de fauconniers aux États-Unis par rapport à des dizaines de milliers en Europe. Un autre facteur est que je ne pense pas que les fauconniers américains de prêts à leurs faucons jeu à de parfaits étrangers à transporter et à manipuler - certains, mais la grande majorité, je crois, ne serait pas et, franchement, je ne pouvais pas les en blâmer. Un exemple parfait est mon hybride de 13 ans, Blackie. La seule fois où il est piloté est en période de chasse quand je le chercher, il pense qu'il va la chasse. Je vous garantis qu'il ne serait pas un campeur heureux s'il a été mis sur l'écran ou transporter. En fauconniers Europe ne montrent de manière plus démonstrations de vol et de foires que nous ici et si leurs oiseaux sont utilisés pour ce genre de situations.
Un autre facteur est que la fauconnerie en Europe est regardé différemment ici, aux États. En Europe, il ya beaucoup de fauconniers professionnels qui tirent leur subsistance de la fauconnerie, quelque chose que nous ne pouvons pas faire ici. Et il ya des écoles de fauconnerie nombreuses où l'on peut apprendre à gérer les rapaces et finissent par devenir des fauconniers. Tout cela a mis la fauconnerie dans les yeux du public et fait un sport plus acceptée que dans les États-Unis. Et sans doute le plus grand des raisons aujourd'hui pour l'Europe ayant fauconniers tant est qu'il n'y a aucune espèce de licence ou le permis nécessaire de posséder un rapace. Si vous avez l'argent vous pouvez acheter les oiseaux, y compris un aigle d'or! Ce qui est bon et mauvais, et c'est un sujet pour un autre jour. Retour à la fête ... ... ... ..

Le Festival de fauconnerie m'a montré à quel point l'histoire et la tradition, il est dans le sport du monde entier fauconnerie. Nous n'avons pas cela ici dans les États, du moins pas au degré qu'il ya dans le reste du monde. Dans de nombreux endroits la fauconnerie est un moyen de nourrir sa famille et a été pendant des centaines d'années. Les techniques de formation et la façon dont les gens manipulent et de chasser définitivement les oiseaux diffèrent de pays à pays. Chaque adaptation fauconnier pour le jeu il est à la chasse, l'environnement de voler l'oiseau, et les oiseaux qui sont disponibles, toutes les formes du style de la fauconnerie dans chaque partie du monde. Et après avoir vu ma juste part de la fauconnerie, ici aux USA et en Europe, j'ai réalisé que, en général, le fauconnier européenne montre beaucoup plus de respect pour le jeu et la terre qu'ils chassent leurs oiseaux, beaucoup plus que nous faisons ici. C'est quelque chose qui, je crois, doit changer dans notre pays.

Pour moi, le Festival de la fauconnerie était comme aller à Disneyland, où, au lieu des promenades ou des souris grande courir, il n'y avait que la fauconnerie connexes "trucs". Comme je l'ai dit, il y avait un défilé chaque jour, tout comme dans le Magic Kingdom, mais là encore, pas de Donald Duck ou Dingo, juste des gens portant fièrement le drapeau de leur nation et affichant fièrement la fauconnerie dans leur pays. Il est question de ne pas avoir un autre Festival - J'espère vraiment que ce n'est pas le cas. Le Festival de la fauconnerie a été spectaculaire dans tous les sens et quelque chose tous les fauconniers devriez voir.

Galerie de photos:

Cordi faire un tatouage au henné temporaire dans le village arabes unis Émirats tente.

Collecte des Nations Unies pour la parade.

Deux fiers fauconniers américains et moi-même mon ami Shawn Hayes.

Nat-Geo Shoot

10 mai 2009

JH 8.6 lbs
MM 7.5lbs

Today marks the first day that we started conditioning the two boys to go to Garden City, Kansas for filming with Nat-Geo.  I started reducing their weight a week or so back and I felt that today they would both respond to the lure being pulled along by Cordi in the gator. With their weights still being a little high, even though both birds love me, I felt it would be smart to have a creance on them. They don't love me that much yet!

JH a été d'abord et malgré son poids élevé j'ai pensé qu'il aller pour le leurre, ce qu'il fit très bien sur le premier vol, battant quelques mètres et battant le leurre qui est son style. Il est descendu bien, mais était un peu bégueule être à capuchon. Cela est nécessaire, cependant, car nous avons besoin de repositionner le leurre et je ne veux pas JH pour voir ce que nous faisons ... ce ne serait pas bonne. Sur le deuxième vol JH vu l'attrait déplacement et après avoir lancé mais, sentant son avoine, il a volé plus de l'attrait pour la position qui-sait-où, mais le Creance l'arrêta. J'avais oublié à quel point puissante que les aigles sont JH frapper le bout de la corde et j'ai été lancé en avant une étape ou deux. L'étape a été de ne pas tout ce que lisse comme il tira la viande sans le gant et j'ai dû le ramasser.

Mini-Me de deux vols est allé assez régulièrement. Il peut être un peu difficile à la hotte, il a juste besoin de temps pour comprendre, ou mieux encore, n'oubliez pas que rien de mauvais va se passer pour lui. Il a encore de mauvais souvenirs de tout son temps passé à l'hôpital, mais j'ai remarqué un grand changement à partir de lui l'an dernier par rapport à cette époque. Il a voyage sur la route l'an dernier dans le cadre de sa ceinture qui lui a donné une tonne de confiance en moi ainsi que lui-même. Une chose à propos MM - ce n'est pas grave s'il est sur une prise ou la tentation, je ferais mieux être prêt avec la nourriture parce qu'il arrive à me traîner l'appât ou le lapin gris.

Ainsi, dans l'ensemble, tout se passe bien ... ... ..

14 mai 2009

JH £ 8,5
MM £ 7,2
Temp 65 '
Vent 14 mph

JH sur leurre

Ces derniers jours, le vent a soufflé assez fort avec des rafales jusqu'à 30 mph. Mais c'est bien parce que quand nous arriverons à Garden City, une chose est sûre, elle aura du vent.
J'avais prévu de vol libre à la fois les aigles aujourd'hui, mais tous deux ont encore besoin de leur queue monte remplacé de sorte que le vol libre devra attendre encore quelques jours.
Je les gardais dans la même routine, battant deux aigles à deux reprises pour le leurre. Tout s'est bien passé et j'ai été capable de garder toutes les lignes sans que personne ne s'embarrassa.

16 mai 2009

JH £ 8,4
MM £ 7,3
Temp 60 '
Vent 0 mph

Aujourd'hui, le plan était de voler les oiseaux en liberté à l'appât, que nous avons fait, et tout s'est bien passé. Nous leur avons volé 3 fois à la tentation, à chaque fois d'augmenter la distance.

Obtenir JH prêt pour le vol libre.

30 mai 2009

JH £ 8,4
MM £ 7,2
Temp 72 '
Vent 1 mph

Nous sommes sur le compte à rebours final avant de nous quitter. Je vais voler le lundi et le mardi nous allons. Les aigles sont prêts. Ils ont s'ennuyer avec la routine de sorte qu'il est bon que nous sommes presque fini avec la climatisation. Ce soir je vais dormir avec eux sur les capots afin qu'ils s'y habituer avant la longue route.

Le plan est d'arriver le 3 Juin et de commencer la chasse, le 4. Nous serons le tir à la 10e, 11e et 12e.

2 juin 2009

Cordi et j'ai chargé tout ce que nous pourrions penser pour le voyage - laisses supplémentaires, jesses, capuchons, un gant de back-up, des perchoirs à l'extérieur, les casseroles de bain, un autre la queue de montage pour les émetteurs en cas JH ou MM gouttes une plume. J'ai vérifié toutes les radios main pour voir si elles sont en ordre de marche. J'ai été sur les pousses de nombreux et il n'y a rien de pire que d'essayer de comprendre ce que l'homme ou la femme caméra veut que vous fassiez au moyen de signaux à la main. Nous nous sommes assis dans l'allée aller sur la liste de contrôle et, une fois convaincu que nous l'avions tous couverts, nous nous sommes retirés pour se rendre à Garden City, Kansas, 1186 miles de notre ranch à Vale.
Nous avons voyagé à Garden City à quelques reprises afin que nous sachions qu'il s'agit d'un trajet de deux jours. Nous essayons de faire à Cheyenne, au Wyoming, passer la nuit, et faire Garden City le lendemain en fin de journée. Le 3 Juin nous sommes arrivés à l'hôtel 05 heures 00-6:00 dans l'après-midi, contrôlés, et de pied en arrière, au repos pour le lendemain.

Avec l'équipe de tournage arrive sur l'entrée mardi, notre travail consistait à trouver des domaines qui irait bien à la caméra et ont beaucoup de lièvres. Le plan consistait à voler et à chasser les garçons par jour pour qu'ils puissent obtenir dans le jeu de capture condition que nous avons cherché des possibilités bon champ. Nous avons eu une assez bonne idée, où les champs sont bien avoir été dans la région de nombreuses fois avant, mais c'était en plein hiver. C'est l'été et tout est très différent, plus la couverture, plus de nourriture. Cela pourrait rendre les conclusions prises dans des situations pilotables très difficile.

4 juin 2009

Nous avons roulé sur un ranch qui se trouve à environ 25 minutes de l'hôtel et est de 4000 hectares, plus grande. Maïs, blé, sorgho et la luzerne sont cultivés dans de grands champs de plusieurs centaines d'hectares chacun. Nous avons rencontré le propriétaire et il nous a fallu pour certains domaines dans son ranch qu'il pensait peut être agréable de film et qui avait beaucoup de lièvres. La deuxième Cordi et j'ai pris un coup d'oeil à cet endroit nous étions, pour dire le moins, emporté. La place était couverte de fleurs sauvages avec le plus de dominer l'une étant la fleur couverture recouvrant des collines entières. Voici Cordi assis dans certains.

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Il était tout simplement la chose la plus incroyable de voir toutes ces fleurs, et pas seulement les fleurs couverture. Il y avait des bleus, des jaunes, Deep Purple fleurs colorées, les oranges, et les figuiers de Barbarie et de cactus baril toutes les fleurs. Il a été un régal pour les yeux.

Il ya plusieurs inconnues entrer dans ce projet. La météo est l'un d'eux à la menace de tornades se cache autour de la zone, des vents de 70 mph orages, la grêle et la taille de balles de golf. L'autre question est, étant d'été, la couverture pour les prises va être épais. Les cultures sont de plus en plus au max et les prises peuvent être très difficiles à trouver dans les bons endroits. La question est en serions-nous en mesure de trouver prises dans des situations pilotables et, plus important encore, dans des situations filmable. Prendre prises dans le genou couvrir profonde est certainement possible mais ce n'est pas ce que les gens veulent Nat Geo. Ils ont besoin de voir toute l'action, ce qui signifie une faible couverture. Garden City est considéré comme haut désert et, par conséquent, devient de faibles quantités de précipitations alors les herbes naturelles ne poussent pas très grand. Au moins nous avons eu que le travail en notre faveur. Mais encore, les prises ne restent dans le maïs ou le blé et ne sortait que pendant la nuit dans le bas du couvercle? Poser les éleveurs locaux, il semble que les numéros de prise sont en hausse significative dans certains domaines et, selon eux, les nids peuvent être trouvés dans tous les types de couverture. C'était de bonnes nouvelles.

08h00
Mon premier objectif était d'obtenir les deux aigles dans l'air et de rattrapage de jeu, alors nous avons roulé sur les champs que nous avons chassé avant. Je ne voulais pas perdre de temps à regarder autour qu'après les deux garçons avaient été chassés. Nous avons conduit plus à un parc d'engraissement de petits où, juste à l'est du bétail, il ya une zone de collines avec tasse à thé petits, comme des bols en elle. Cela a été une zone de grande prise de lapin dans le passé et il ne déçoit pas. Nous câblés JH et entra dans le domaine. Nous avons pu voir prises en mouvement au loin dans le pâturage de vache, mais où nous étions la chasse y ait une meilleure couverture, allant à la plus haute à 8 ". La place était couverte de fleurs sauvages entraînant une surface spectaculaire film. JH lancé sur une prise qui a été sous le vent et sur la gauche, il suffit de disparus. Nous avancions en prenant peut-être 20 étapes et une autre prise rincer immédiatement de nous. JH lancé et avait 30 mètres sur! Voilà pour les soucis de lui être rouillé.

Cela vous donne une idée des champs

Maintenant c'est au tour de MM ....

MM rôle sur ce voyage est d'être le back-up à JH et, surtout, d'acquérir une expérience de plus de chasse. problèmes de santé de MM sont bien écrits dans le journal au sujet d'aigle je ne vais pas les reprendre mais il ne faut du temps pour entrer dans le mode de chasse. Il a juste besoin de temps pour se rappeler pourquoi il est là, pour voir quelques prises en cours d'exécution, et puis il vient autour. Mais d'abord il est partout, va, après tout ce qui bouge - les papillons, le vent soufflé herbe - il lance simplement sans penser en partie à cause de son grand désir d'attraper quelque chose.
Cordi et je me suis déplacé à un autre champ qui cherchent à mettre en MM le meilleur endroit possible. Il aime se glisse long qui au début ne sont pas le meilleur choix que son état est faible, nous avions besoin de lui trouver une courte glisse. Je suis sorti dans un champ de chaume sec qui avait Milo et Tumbleweed en plaques, en pensant que ce domaine pourrait être un bon film, plus j'avais besoin de savoir s'il y avait prises dans ce genre sur le terrain. Après une heure de marche je ne pouvais pas dire avec certitude que les prises ont été sur le terrain et MM n'était pas content de mon choix de champs non plus. Suivant nous avons trouvé un coin "qui est ce que les agriculteurs appellent à la fin d'un cercle. Maintenant, un cercle est la zone qui couvre un pivot, un peu comme ce que les essuie-glace sur votre voiture ne. La zone de l'essuie-propre serait un demi-cercle et pivots pouvez également aller cercles pleins ou des cercles ¾. Toutefois, les pivots ne peuvent pas obtenir les coins d'un carré de terrain et c'est ainsi que les coins sont faits. Corners ont généralement tumbleweeds et diverses graminées de plus en plus en eux, et c'est là que vous pouvez trouver des prises. Cordi et je chasse 3 ou 4 coins avec MM prenant plusieurs dur Nice glisse. Et il a fini par attraper une prise juste avant son arrivée au champ libre. Nous avons passé le reste de l'après-midi à la vérification d'autres domaines.

Cela vous donnera une idée d'un coin

Juin 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Over these 6 days Cordi and I found 5 fields that we felt would work both visually and that would produce enough jack rabbits. Some were 30 miles away in the small town of Sublette. Jackhammer caught a jack each day, sometimes very quickly, catching the first jack up. I did not multiple fly him at first as I felt I should slowly bring him up into catching more than one, thus building his excitement at the proper time. MM, on the other hand, I flew longer wanting him to get in the grove. He did get on a roll, took a jack three days in a row, and seemed to be settling into the hunting partnership with me.

10 juin 2009

First day of filming:

We rolled out of the hotel at 8:00am. My crew has changed as Cordi flew up to Calgary, Canada to see our oldest daughter ride at a Spruce Meadows Horse Show and Chrissy, our youngest daughter, flew in to help me with the boys. I would particularly need help when JH made a kill, which is when things could get real dicey. I will explain…..
When I was contacted by the Nat-Geo people about flying an eagle for them one thing they wanted was for the eagle to be without cuffs. They felt that the sight of long eagle jesses hanging down from the flying eagle would not look good on camera. JH can be very aggressive and a real handful to handle and although most of the time he is well mannered other times, because he is a misprint, he can be difficult. When asked if I would remove the cuffs I thought long and hard about this idea and figured I'd give it a shot, not really knowing how I was going to handle him.
A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of meeting the sons of famed eagle trainer and film maker Morley Nelson, and they gave me a pair of snap on-and-off eagle cuffs that Mr. Nelson had used during the filming of his movies. I had a pair made that would do the same thing but looked just like the ones that JH is used to so there would be no change in appearance. I also had a pair made for MM in case he was called into action.
To be truthful I did not know how this was going to work. I was unsure that I could reach up and snap on the cuffs while JH was feeding without getting footed. I did not know if the snaps would hold when JH was acting up because, as I said, he can be very aggressive and would think nothing of footing me anywhere. I knew a couple of things though…. JH would fly just fine without cuffs, sit on the fist, and do all the things I would want from him. Half the time I don't hold the jesses when hunting anyway. It's the transfer off game that had me concerned — that moment when I pick him up off the jack, he has finished all the reward, and is looking for more. That is the danger zone. That is where things could go real badly for me!
Knowing JH as I do, I did have an idea of how to put things a little more in my favor. For example, once I picked JH up off the rabbit I would have Chrissy cover the jack up to remove it from view. The last thing I needed would be for JH to see the jack there and go back on it. That would be a disaster. And I was hopeful that I could hold his outermost foot with my gloved hand, keeping him under control enough to hood him. JH hoods perfectly but it is when he thinks he should get more food that he can get aggressive. So those would be the two most critical times and, I must say, I was greatly concerned. The other thing I hoped would help is that JH will behave himself when someone else moves in on him. For example, if he is fussing about on the kill and not readily stepping up he will step up immediately if someone walks in on him. So, after covering up the jack rabbit Chrissy was to move in close and force JH to quiet down thus giving me the chance to either hood him or cuff him — hooding would be best.
We drove out to a field that would, in the end, produce the most dramatic flights on camera that I have ever seen. I was slightly nervous on the drive out. Removing the cuffs from my eagle was not something I ever dreamed I would do.

Dans le premier coup, vous pouvez voir le système de jeu d'enfant avec les menottes sur ses jambes. Le coup d'autres est un spectacle J'ai pensé que je ne verrais jamais - JH avec les pieds libres, sur mon gant, au poids de la chasse. Il a toujours son groupe sur la fauconnerie fédérale, que je ne voudrais pas enlever.

We arrived at the field and the moment of truth was here; time to remove the cuffs!
Hunting in front of cameras is a whole different ball game. First off, you must figure out a game plan, such as where the cameras are going to be to give them the best opportunity to film all the action and how will they want me to work the areas that are within the range of their lenses. Once in the field hunting I must be in constant communication with the film crew. They will need to relocate from time to time as I work my way through the field, plus, there is stoppage time to change batteries, download flight scenes, and stuff like that. So, in a nutshell, I walk and stop and walk some more and stop all day long. JH is great with all this. He is content to sit on my fist and chill. The only problem is that when he sees a jack he's off, whether everyone's ready or not. Once I walked up on a sizable bull snake and JH went nuts trying to see it. Fortunately I was able to block any direct vision of the snake with my body and JH did not go after it.
So, with everyone in position Chrissy and I started working the field, looking for jacks. The thing is that any given step could flush a jack rabbit so Chrissy and I had to be on full alert because we would need to get out of the shot quickly. We did this by moving in the opposite direction of the flight which sounds way easier than it actually is.
JH had several flights and near misses and, for the most part, the action was not in the best place but that's the way it can be as the jacks are not real concerned with all that. All they are interested in is getting away from JH and rightly so. Chrissy and I had worked to the outer edge of where the camera lens could reach and started to rework the area in front of the cameras. On many occasions we found that there were still rabbits hiding where we had already walked. Working our way in front of the cameras with Chrissy off my right side about 10 yards, a jack flushed between us out of nothing really, as the cover was only 1 to 2 inches tall. JH exploded off the fist and was closing fast. The jack was running straight away from us at high speed with JH coming up fast from behind. JH slammed into the jack and they both did a roll-over with dust flying and rabbit legs and eagle feet all in one neat flight. I hoped they got it and, judging by the high fives among the camera crew, I thought they had! Now came the hard part — the trade off. I made in to JH as I always do and had Chrissy ready to cover the jack. JH stepped up nicely enough and swallowed his reward. I wrapped my gloved fingers around his outer foot and reached for the hood. JH reacted and demonstrated his displeasure by getting all puffed up and footy. By holding his one foot all he could do was reach out with his free foot and hook me on the arm above where the glove ends. Chrissy moved closer and JH took the hood and quickly settled down. We took care of the jack and started to hunt once again.  Despite having two holes in my arm, things went well.

Nous avons continué à chasser sur le terrain et JH a deux prises plus. Nous l'avons appelé un jour pour lui, comme nous avions besoin de l'avoir prêt pour demain.

Nous avons ensuite porté notre attention sur MM. Il y avait encore une bonne zone à gauche dans le même domaine que nous venions de chasse, j'ai donc pris MM et a commencé à chasser. Les gens de Nat Geo décidé de filmer MM malgré le fait que je n'avais pas enlevé ses manchettes. Chrissy et je marchais sur le terrain et quand je déchaperonné MM, il entra dans ses bouffonneries habituelles de lancer à tout ce qui bouge. Je n'ai pas le libérer en sachant très bien que la prise serait à venir prochainement. Hors, à ma droite une prise rouge et MM qu'il volait ainsi, il manque à peine, et a atterri sur le terrain. Il avait commencé à pleuvoir et l'équipe de tournage se retirait des sacs en plastique pour qu'ils puissent couvrir leurs caméras, qui était une bonne idée parce que la caméra un, appelé le Phantom HD, est évalué à $ 276,000, sans compter la lentille! MM a vu toute l'activité et, plus important encore, les sacs en plastique et trouver il doit y avoir un lapin gris dans l'un d'eux, a décollé à droite de l'équipage qui ne sont pas totalement sûr de ce qu'il faut faire! MM ratissé passé le premier appareil photo et alla sur l'homme seconde caméra qui a mis en place un pied d'arrêter l'aigle attaquant. MM puis regarda autour de lui, sauta sur un sac d'équipement et attendu pour moi d'arriver. Alors que s'est bien passé!
Chrissy et je suis allé à un autre champ et a volé MM seul! Nous sommes sortis dans un bol de prairies indigènes avec une brosse sage qui l'entourent de tous côtés. J'avais chassé ce domaine et a trouvé peu avant les prises en nombre bien là. Nous avions marché la plupart des parcours et tourné dans une direction de vent de travers quand MM lancée et volait rapidement vers la fin de l'herbe, la position dans la sauge. Nous avons pu constater la prise en cours d'exécution jusqu'à la petite colline d'entrer dans l'armoise. J'ai dit à Chrissy "Pourquoi fait-il cela? Jamais il ne capture que l'on! "MM volé plus haut, au point mort dans l'air environ 50 pieds, a fait un wing-over et voûté, attraper le lièvre!

MM on his jack……shows you what I know!

11 juin 2009

The game plan for today was to drive out to Sublette which is 30 miles south of Garden City. On a side note Sublette was hit by a tornado last night and more were expected the next few days so that was nice to know. The very field we flew today was hit that night with a tornado!
The difference between Sublette and Garden City is clear once you get there. Sublette is flat as a pool table whereas Garden City has some rolling hills. The area that we went to was 640 acres of CRP ground that is not farmed and has been allowed to go wild. The cover was perfect, just tall enough to have jacks but not too tall for filming.
The downside of Sublette is that the skyline is not the most attractive with lots of man- made junk around — power poles, houses, oil pumpers….. stuff like that. The film crew spent quite a while finding an angle to film that was free of clutter. I was anxious to fly this field as days before I had walked it and flushed numerous jacks in a short time. JH and MM both caught jacks here and I was careful not to over-hunt it, saving it for filming. I did, however, have a good feel for where the jacks were mostly likely to be and we focused on those areas.
With the crew all set Chrissy and I walked into the field with JH and started to work back and forth in front of the cameras. I was surprised that it took awhile to get the first flush. There's always a big unknown….Had a pack of coyotes come through here last night? Or some dogs that cleared the field? One never knows. It was the better part of an hour, with us methodically working each section across the field, before we found the jacks. Nothing changed really. The cover was exactly the same but suddenly up popped a jack, then another and another and another, and we were in them big time. When JH was off after one, I couldn't move, not even to turn my head, as that would cause another one to flush. I just called him back as quietly as possible. One of the great things about JH is that he returns to the fist quickly, many times not even landing on the ground. He just pulls up and comes back. This is huge because, with him in the air, the jacks will stay put. The flights came fast and furious; close slips, speed on speed. The jacks would explode 20 feet in front of us and JH would be instantly off the glove and cranking after them. In this short cover the jacks would get up to speed fast, in full burn outs, but JH would overtake them like a freight train. When he is this dialed in they have little chance. He took 4 jacks in a row and, with the rain picking up, we called it a day. That was fun!

June 12, 2009

Yesterdays rains had passed and today brought clear skies and sunshine so we decided to stay in Garden City and hunt the beautiful rolling hills covered with wildflowers. JH needed more time as we hunted late yesterday and, although he did not get a full crop, he did, in the course of catching 4 jacks, get a lot of food. I knew he would hunt a little later today. It was just that as his weight comes up, which it is bound to do after flying many days in a row and catching jacks each day, the less tolerant of the cameras he gets. So that would be the only issue. I do not weigh either bird. Knowing JH and MM as I do I can tell when they are ready. Plus, frankly, I'd fly them anyway. If either bird would have shown any signs of being weak or anything abnormal, I would put them on the scale for sure, but that was not the case.
Therefore, the morning was taken up getting all the shots, called “B roll” that are needed to set the story — background shots of JH's feet, head shots, stuff like that. All the while JH was getting more and more ready to fly. After a short lunch break we headed for the hunting area despite nine days in a row of flying and taking, up to this point, 16 jack rabbits. JH was showing all the signs of being ready to go. He foots the perch and starts to pump up and down in what looks like an effort to pull the perch apart. The minute I touch his foot with the glove he is on it and then starts his pumping thing again which now looks like an effort to pull my arm off!
With everyone set I walked out into the field. Chrissy was back with the camera crew helping them with instructions to come running when a catch was made. The first two flights were wonderful. JH was, again, dialed in. It is the last flight that I will try and describe as best I can.

The camera crew was up on a small hill that overlooks a beautiful tea cup bowl. All I can say is that it is what paradise would look like, to me anyway. Bright green lush grass with blanket flowers everywhere and other flowers of blue, yellow, white, pink, and orange — a feast for the eyes. I don't know what kind of sage brush it is but it is very delicate and a wonderful bluish-green color. It looks like a well thought out planted garden and on top of that jack rabbits, box turtles, bull snakes, and lizards abound.

I had walked way around, 100 yards or more, working my way so I could walk straight at the cameras giving them the best opportunity for a flight. I started my way into the field and jumped a jack which did not cooperate at all and ran over the next hill with JH hot on its tail. Fortunately he missed and returned to the fist. I moved closer into the zone that is the most preferred distance for the cameras. I had just entered the zone when a jack flushed off on my left, running across the cameras. JH just missed it and as he was returning to me another jack flushed and ran off. Now I was thinking…. 4 jacks in this small confined space, that could be all she wrote. I radioed the crew and said I would work this area a little more hoping that there could be one more, but that we might have to relocate. I took a few more steps and turned to go back when I saw a large male jack rabbit laying flat up against a sage bush. Just as I completed my turn JH spotted the jack as well and the jack realized he needed to get out of Dodge and was up and moving out. JH exploded off the fist and closed quickly. The flight was going from left to right and I was back peddling as fast as I could to keep from being in the shot. Just as the jack was getting to the top of the small ridge JH came crashing in, slamming into the jack with speed.
Back at the trucks we were shown the flight and it was the most spectacular slow motion flight I have ever seen. Shot at 400 frames a second with the Phantom HD camera, I could see each feather bend and move as JH closed on the rabbit. When I hear the name National Geographic I expect to be amazed and the stuff they shot did not disappoint!

Epilogue:

Each night Chrissy and I sat in our hotel rooms watching the weather channel, counting the tornados coming into the area and hearing that they hit the very same fields we just flew in. That was not fun. Every day as we drove back to the hotel we could see the thunderstorms building up and knew what the night would bring — golf ball size hail, 70mph winds, flash floods…….. My plan was to stay and hunt the boys thru Monday and drive up to Denver, meeting Cordi, and the two of us would drive home. Chrissy was going to fly out of Garden City on Sunday. But the thought of staying more nights glued to the weather channel,  hoping not to get killed by one of many different weather related things that Garden City has to offer was, to say the least, not attractive. We left Friday afternoon with the film crew, heading west, and Cordi flew to Boise.

Driving back to the hotel …more thunderstorms!

I would like to thank the following people:

• Brian Kellogg for making the snap on-and-off eagle cuffs….they worked great.
• Mike Craig for making me the field jesses for both JH & MM…. they worked perfect.
• AmericInn, the hotel where we stayed. They went over and beyond the call to help me with all the things eagles need.
• Mark Kilby for sending me his arm support which will extend my flying eagle days another 10 plus years…thanks Mark.
• Renick Farms for allowing us to film and hunt on their ranch. And to Renegade who took time out of his busy daily schedule to show us his beautiful ranch.

Getting Penny ready for release

Penny

Passage female golden eagle

Aujourd'hui commence le processus d'obtention Penny prêt à sortir, elle est en retard pour vous. Penny est venu nous par le biais de la réadaptation de la faune Blue Mountain à Pendleton, Oregon, où le nom de Penny, et était venu à eux après avoir été heurté par un camion. Penny avait une aile légèrement endommagé près de l'articulation dernier et était incapable de voler assez bien pour éviter d'être capturé. Après le temps passé dans la chambre de vol BMW, elle semble être la guérison jusqu'à fin mais il était encore difficile de déterminer si elle pouvait voler correctement ou, dans le moins, assez bien pour être lâchés. We were contacted and agreed to fly Penny to see how she did and determine if she could be released. So starts the story of Penny.

My plan was to start Penny right away in training and get her on the wing. It was late spring and if I could get her in condition and all went well I felt I could release her in late summer when the weather was still good. Plans don't always go as planned. Shortly after we received Penny I came down with West Nile Virus and was laid up all summer unable to do much other than feed the birds. Certainly training and flying a female eagle was not in the cards for this summer. I recovered at the end of summer and restarted Penny's training, still hoping to release her as she is an older eagle in the three to five year range, meaning she is a capable hunter and should be able to care for herself.

It is an interesting thing that happens with eagles that are new to captivity and training. At first, naturally, they are frightened and under stress but as they come to realize you are providing food for them they tame down surprisingly fast. The pattern goes something like this: the eagle comes to us scared, angry and wanting to fight any and all creatures that come close…. can't blame them. And in most cases, depending on how long they have been held in captivity, they have not molted due to fear and stress. As I begin to train them and gain some trust they change. Sometimes it takes awhile because to them people are something to fear and, having been netted and poked and all the things that it takes to get them healed up, their fear of man has been confirmed over and over again. Then I come along and, instead of chasing them around with a net, I just feed them, and food is the direct route to an eagle's heart. Once they settle down to a more relaxed routine their stress level drops way off and they molt, sometimes quite heavily. Well, that's what Penny did. She dropped three primaries on each wing, effectively rendering her flightless and temporarily ending her flight training. I did not want to continue working with a mostly untrained eagle that had new primaries coming in and risk damaging one or more, so I shut Penny down again to allow her to complete her molt. By the time Penny was finished summer was just about done and releasing her as winter was coming seemed unfair so I decided to hold Penny over the winter, get her going early this spring and release her sometime late spring depending, of course, on how things went……

March 14, 2009

9.4lbs

I called Penny to the fist, something that she is quite familiar with having been started so many times already. Penny is a typical female golden eagle — not real pleased about working for food. This is not because female goldens are lazy, they are anything but lazy, it's just that they are very smart and figure out real fast that you have the food and they want you to give it all to them now, all at once. They don't see why they should have to jump to your glove over and over again for food. Penny, being a wild eagle that had been on her own for a few years, would have done what all female golden eagles do, find a male, follow him around and take food from him. That way they can put their energy into more important things like laying eggs. It's a good plan but, for the purposes of training female golden eagles to fly and hunt, this attitude can be difficult to work through. So, Penny does things like this: she'll fly over to me from about ten feet, gladly eat the reward and fly back to the perch, but then when I call her again she will turn her back to me and pout; it can take her three to four minutes before she finally decides to fly over again. Once she has thought about it she'll come several more times nicely. Now, some would say drop her weight which would make her hungrier, but that is not the best way to train an eagle. Low weight equals significant health risk, most notably aspergilosis.

I called her six times, hooded her up, and returned her to the mews.

March 15, 2009

9.45lbs

Photo: Penny on scale*

Penny on scale

In the early stages of training I believe that the training sessions should be kept short and sweet. I want to give the eagle time to realize what I want from her so today, much like yesterday, I weighed her and walked out of the mews weathering yard and jumped Penny onto a large boulder in our yard.

The wind was up (9-15mph) as we have a storm coming in and there was a slight drizzle falling. Now, combining wind with an untrained bird could cause some problems, as Penny will want to go with the wind. However, I just dealt with it. She did try and fly off a couple of times, landing on the grass at the end of the creance, but I just picked her up and put her back on the boulder and when she settled down she flew to me. So, a little bit of a rodeo today with the wind but, we're still moving forward.

*The scale that Penny is on comes from Germany and is simply the best scale I have ever seen. It will box up into the perch and be protected while traveling. It will weigh anything up to 55 lbs which means I can weigh all my raptors on it, from the 9.5 oz perlins to the largest female eagle. This scale will be sold exclusively though our website: more info coming soon.

March 17, 2009

Wt 9.49 lbs

For a couple of days I have been jumping Penny onto the rock which has brought on some interesting changes in her behavior. When calling her off a standard perch, from which she knows that she cannot fly away, she is fine but on a rock, which to her is a more wild-like situation, she over- flies me most of the times I call her to the fist. I just go and return her to the rock where she pouts for a few moments and then she flies to the glove. I do not want to drop her weight; I'll just keep working through this. Once she settles down she will be more willing to come longer and longer distances to the glove.

March 21, 2009

Wt 9 lbs

Penny has been acting just slightly overweight, so I skipped a day and did not feed her which made a difference.

I reintroduced the lure today and I was pleased that she reacted well to it. I put two quail legs on it which got her attention. I jumped her to the rock, threw out the lure and she immediately focused on it and flew to it, grabbed it and hauled it up to the rock. I then walked up to her and transferred her onto the glove with her meal. She did well. I am pleased. My thinking at this point is that I'll just get her coming to the lure and not to the fist so much. As always, all things are subject to change, to be sure.

26 mars 2009

Poids. 9 lbs

I did not work Penny yesterday as the wind was up over 20 mph and I thought it was best to wait for a day.

Today was a better day and my plan was to load Penny in the truck (she needs to get used to going for rides anyway) and take her out into one of our alfalfa hay fields where I can extend the distance she flies on a line. I take the block perch out into the field in the beginning because it is something they recognize and feel comfortable going to, plus I can place it anywhere I want. I walked over to the block which I had already placed in the field and unhooded her. She was excited about the breeze blowing in her face and bated off in the other direction, but regained the glove and then flew to the block. While I was getting all the lines in order she flew into the wind and landed about 50 ft from the block. I tossed out the lure and she did not react other than to look at it. After a couple more tosses, however, she flew over and grabbed it. I stepped her up on the glove and walked her back to the block. I called her to the lure 6 more times and she responded nicely each time.

30 mars 2009

Poids. 9.3 lbs

I have skipped a couple of days due to high winds but today was gorgeous and I prepared Penny for another training session. I called her about 50 yards to the lure, 5 or 6 times, and she did super. Tomorrow I will fly her free. This is a huge step for her on the road to freedom. Truthfully, I could have flown her free the last two times but she needs a considerable amount of conditioning and if she was to fly off I think the odds might not be in her favor. One sign I look for before flying an eagle free for the first time is how it reacts when the hood comes off out in the field. For example, the first time they look around and then want to leave, but as time goes on and they figure out what the deal is, things change. The last couple of days when her hood was removed Penny flew out into the field, landed on her own accord and turned looking for the lure. That's how I know she is ready for free flight.

31 mars 2009

Wt 9.3 lbs

Cordi and I drove out into the sage to an area that we hoped would be good for Penny's first free flight. The wind was up a bit but I did not think it would be a problem…I was wrong.

The area we chose is wide open with some hills on the east side but there is a huge grassland area. After changing her jesses to ones that are thinner and less likely to get hung up, and zip tying the transmitter onto one cuff, I carried Penny out into the field. I unhooded her and she launched off down- wind landing about 60 yards from me. I pulled out the lure and started to drag it along, wanting to call her in. She turned and launched into the wind and turned quickly downwind heading for the hills. Suddenly a female ferruginous hawk came from upwind and stooped her, hit her, and Penny was out of there. She caught the wind, climbed up and over the now bigger hills, and was gone. Cordi and I spent the next three hours tracking her in and around the mountains with the signal going from strong to weak to nothing. We finally located her out in a sage covered area that is loaded with game ducks, pheasants, quail and jack rabbits, and one very pissed off pair of red tailed hawks. It was the red tails that showed us where Penny was. We just simply watch them for a few minutes and, sure enough, they started to stoop on Penny. Red tails are good that way — if there is an eagle around they will be after it. I walked out into the sage heading in her direction but the moment she saw me she was gone. I could not get within a ¼ of a mile to her. I did notice, however, that when she was in the air I was getting a signal from the opposite direction, which meant that Penny and my transmitter were no longer connected. I tracked down my transmitter not far from where I was standing. That quickly she had removed the transmitter and is probably working on the jesses and cuffs which will come off easily. I have always said I don't mind loosing eagles that are going to be released; I just want my transmitter back. So thanks, Penny.

1 avril 2009

I went back this morning to see if, after flying around all day, I could call Penny in, cut off the cuffs and feed her. So I drove up on a high road which would give me a view of the area where I had last seen her. I watched one of the red tails thermalling over the sage. It went quite high, climbing in the sky, and suddenly broke off in an ever increasing stoop. This could mean one of two things — a courtship display while heading to the nest tree or the presence of an intruder which I hoped was Penny. The red tail's stoop ended in a wingover going straight down, obviously on the attack. A second red tail followed the first bird with a stoop as well. This could only mean one thing, Penny! I drove over and stood on the tail gate of my truck, looking out across the sage and there, sitting on a fence post near the river, was Penny. I headed out in her direction and as soon as she saw me she was gone, flying strongly across the river, disappearing in the cover. I realized that any chance of calling her in was not going to happen. Penny had made herself perfectly clear, she is wild. And so it ends and I wish her luck.

30 mars 2009

Poids. 9.3 lbs

I have skipped a couple of days due to high winds but today was gorgeous and I prepared Penny for another training session. I called her about 50 yards to the lure, 5 or 6 times, and she did super. Tomorrow I will fly her free. This is a huge step for her on the road to freedom. Truthfully, I could have flown her free the last two times but she needs a considerable amount of conditioning and if she was to fly off I think the odds might not be in her favor. One sign I look for before flying an eagle free for the first time is how it reacts when the hood comes off out in the field. For example, the first time they look around and then want to leave, but as time goes on and they figure out what the deal is, things change. The last couple of days when her hood was removed Penny flew out into the field, landed on her own accord and turned looking for the lure. That's how I know she is ready for free flight.

31 mars 2009

Wt 9.3 lbs

Cordi and I drove out into the sage to an area that we hoped would be good for Penny's first free flight. The wind was up a bit but I did not think it would be a problem…I was wrong.

The area we chose is wide open with some hills on the east side but there is a huge grassland area. After changing her jesses to ones that are thinner and less likely to get hung up, and zip tying the transmitter onto one cuff, I carried Penny out into the field. I unhooded her and she launched off down- wind landing about 60 yards from me. I pulled out the lure and started to drag it along, wanting to call her in. She turned and launched into the wind and turned quickly downwind heading for the hills. Suddenly a female ferruginous hawk came from upwind and stooped her, hit her, and Penny was out of there. She caught the wind, climbed up and over the now bigger hills, and was gone. Cordi and I spent the next three hours tracking her in and around the mountains with the signal going from strong to weak to nothing. We finally located her out in a sage covered area that is loaded with game ducks, pheasants, quail and jack rabbits, and one very pissed off pair of red tailed hawks. It was the red tails that showed us where Penny was. We just simply watch them for a few minutes and, sure enough, they started to stoop on Penny. Red tails are good that way — if there is an eagle around they will be after it. I walked out into the sage heading in her direction but the moment she saw me she was gone. I could not get within a ¼ of a mile to her. I did notice, however, that when she was in the air I was getting a signal from the opposite direction, which meant that Penny and my transmitter were no longer connected. I tracked down my transmitter not far from where I was standing. That quickly she had removed the transmitter and is probably working on the jesses and cuffs which will come off easily. I have always said I don't mind loosing eagles that are going to be released; I just want my transmitter back. So thanks, Penny.

1 avril 2009

I went back this morning to see if, after flying around all day, I could call Penny in, cut off the cuffs and feed her. So I drove up on a high road which would give me a view of the area where I had last seen her. I watched one of the red tails thermalling over the sage. It went quite high, climbing in the sky, and suddenly broke off in an ever increasing stoop. This could mean one of two things — a courtship display while heading to the nest tree or the presence of an intruder which I hoped was Penny. The red tail's stoop ended in a wingover going straight down, obviously on the attack. A second red tail followed the first bird with a stoop as well. This could only mean one thing, Penny! I drove over and stood on the tail gate of my truck, looking out across the sage and there, sitting on a fence post near the river, was Penny. I headed out in her direction and as soon as she saw me she was gone, flying strongly across the river, disappearing in the cover. I realized that any chance of calling her in was not going to happen. Penny had made herself perfectly clear, she is wild. And so it ends and I wish her luck. .

Penny

9.45lbs

Photo: Penny on scale*

In the early stages of training I believe that the training sessions should be kept short and sweet. I want to give the eagle time to realize what I want from her so today, much like yesterday, I weighed her and walked out of the mews weathering yard and jumped Penny onto a large boulder in our yard.

The wind was up (9-15mph) as we have a storm coming in and there was a slight drizzle falling. Now, combining wind with an untrained bird could cause some problems, as Penny will want to go with the wind. However, I just dealt with it. She did try and fly off a couple of times, landing on the grass at the end of the creance, but I just picked her up and put her back on the boulder and when she settled down she flew to me. So, a little bit of a rodeo today with the wind but, we're still moving forward.

*The scale that Penny is on comes from Germany and is simply the best scale I have ever seen. It will box up into the perch and be protected while traveling. It will weigh anything up to 55 lbs which means I can weigh all my raptors on it, from the 9.5 oz perlins to the largest female eagle. This scale will be sold exclusively though our website: more info coming soon.

March 17, 2009

Wt 9.49 lbs

For a couple of days I have been jumping Penny onto the rock which has brought on some interesting changes in her behavior. When calling her off a standard perch, from which she knows that she cannot fly away, she is fine but on a rock, which to her is a more wild-like situation, she over- flies me most of the times I call her to the fist. I just go and return her to the rock where she pouts for a few moments and then she flies to the glove. I do not want to drop her weight; I'll just keep working through this. Once she settles down she will be more willing to come longer and longer distances to the glove.

March 21, 2009

Wt 9 lbs

Penny has been acting just slightly overweight, so I skipped a day and did not feed her which made a difference.

I reintroduced the lure today and I was pleased that she reacted well to it. I put two quail legs on it which got her attention. I jumped her to the rock, threw out the lure and she immediately focused on it and flew to it, grabbed it and hauled it up to the rock. I then walked up to her and transferred her onto the glove with her meal. She did well. I am pleased. My thinking at this point is that I'll just get her coming to the lure and not to the fist so much. As always, all things are subject to change, to be sure.

Penny

Eagle Road Trip Mini-Me

Jackhammer and Mini-Me road trip GOE & NAFA

Eagle Road Trip Mini-Me

Eagle Road Trip Jackhammer

Jackhammer and Mini-Me

12/5/08

After what seemed an eternity we left for what promised to be a fun GOE (Gathering of Eagles) and NAFA (North American Falconry Association) meets with the boys in good condition having been chasing the gator for weeks. Days before we left I finished a new eagle traveling perch that I felt both eagles could ride safely and comfortably on. But it was, as yet, unproven over the long haul and that fact alone had me slightly nervous. The last thing I needed was to be hundreds of miles from home and realize that the perch was not working; so I packed a back-up plan, bringing two of my older style perches that do work nicely but require more space. Both eagles are perched at the end of the truck bed, a partition keeping them away from each other, but leaving little room for anything else. At home I had started to perch the two boys longer and longer on the new perch and all seemed well. I even took them on short trips to see if any problems might come up, but all went well. And I am pleased to say that after 3,000 plus miles both eagles rode well and no feathers were bent which is the true test of a perch.

We started our hawking journey by flying at a ranch in Strafford, Oklahoma and flew in a field below the main ranch house which Cordi could not stop taking pictures of, it was beautiful, overlooking an area which is dotted with soak weed, or yucca, which is a mean looking plant. As we went into the field I was just a little apprehensive, not wanting JH or MM to get stabbed by the sharp points these plants are armed with. My apprehensiveness vanished immediately though as two steps into the field 3 jacks flushed. I unhooded JH and moved out into the field with jacks flushing everywhere. JH rolled one and then just barely missed another. I got him back on the glove, worked my way near a yucca bush and out popped a jack which JH promptly flew down in front of the farmers and a bunch of other folks. So, only 3-4 minutes in the field and JH had one! I then took out Mini-Me who flew strong and hard with 12 or more downhill slips that were something to see; MM powering down the grassy hillside, 500 or more yards out, only to just miss the jack…

We left Strafford and headed up to Kansas and Garden City for the GOE meet. Wind is the big thing in Garden City and on a couple of days it did not disappoint us with sustained winds at 18mph and gusts to 30mph all day. The jacks were definitely down in numbers from pervious years but slips were still had by all and our boys had plenty of jacks to fly at. The sight of a large black tail running out across the open hay field is worth the drive alone, but to see both of my eagles in hot pursuit made it all worth it.

JH was showing signs that he would be his old self and started catching jacks all over the place. Mini-Me was a different story. He was having some difficulty adjusting to life on the road. Prolonged hood time was bugging him despite the fact that I had prepared both eagles for this by having them sleep in the hood weeks before we left. And as the time drew closer to leaving I had had them spend more and more time wearing their hoods during the day as well so they would be settled in with that routine. The hood time was one factor and the other was not having any real hunting experience. MM, in the early days, was showing impatience while in the field, not sitting on the fist, with lots of bates. But he never once failed to take a slip and as the days went on he started to realize what we were trying to do, which was hunt. He began to sit nicely on the fist and was intently searching for jacks, and as his condition built up he began to show surprising quickness and speed .He did, however, invent new ways to not catch the jacks not from lack of effort but just due to great moves from the jacks and his inexperience. MM had jacks dart left, right, jump up over him, one jack ran straight at MM and right through him. He hit fences and wires just as he was about to snag one. These flights were very typical of what was happening to MM.

At the NAFA meet in Amarillo, Texas we heard about a field down in Lubbock about two hours drive south from Amarillo that people were saying was loaded with jacks. Some falconers that had flown there said that the ground was alive with jack rabbits. There was some controversy swirling around this field, mainly due to the fact that tons of falconers wanted to go there, however, we were lucky enough to get permission and so we headed to Lubbock, Texas. The field was 100 acres, slowly being surrounded by new housing, and the jacks were holding up in this field. Yes, there were hundreds of them and, yes, at times the ground was alive with black tail jack rabbits. But for hunting with eagles the biggest section was not good, lots of mosque bushes and in some areas a lot of dense tumbleweeds and cactus.

I flew MM first for no reason other than he was ready and he simply could not handle seeing all those jacks. With so many running in front of him he did not know which one to fly after and was becoming more and more frustrated, so I put him up to let him settle down. While hunting him I had noticed other fields on the outskirts of the main field that were more open and should have jacks in them. I took JH out to a field that was almost dirt, hardly any cover at all, which reminded me of the fields down in California. Well, my hunch was right because a jack popped up in front of us and JH was off and powered it down in front of all to see. I continued to hunt the rest of the field and after JH caught another jack it was time for MM to return. I had saved a large section of the open part for MM and headed right for it. Jacks were flushing along the way which MM flew well, but I was heading for a patch of tumbleweeds that I was sure held some jacks. When we all got there it looked great except for a single smooth wire running along some tee posts, maybe a hot wire long since out of use. Eagles, I have found, don't care much about fences. They have little respect for them so I try and take the fence out of the flight equation by working the cover in a way that reduces the chances of an encounter with the fence. Well, so go the best laid plans…… a jack flushed in the general direction I hoped, away from the wire, but MM was on it so fast that the jack freaked out and turned back under the wire with MM right on it's tail, and just at the precise moment that MM reached out to snag the jack he hit the wire! It just seemed, once again, that the odds were going against him but the one thing that can be counted on is that MM has a big heart and will not give up.

The last day of our trip was, in my mind, a noteworthy day. It started off with MM first up. Walking in milo stubble we worked the long rows with guests from, I think, four different countries in the field. I was trying to line up the rows in a way that would resemble our fields back home with Cordi pulling the lure behind the gator. So I arranged the line of people accordingly and we marched down the field. Sure enough, a jack flushed and ran straight down the row just like the lure back home. MM was off in a flash and just cranking after this jack, closing fast, and at the last second the jack threw itself to the left and MM missed……wonderful flight though! After that MM was not quite on his game so I put him back in the truck to think about things for a while and pulled out JH.

We went to a section that had not been hunted yet, and as we walked in JH launched on a jack and flew it hard, narrowly missing it. I could tell by the way he returned that he was annoyed, I could feel the build up, JH was about to catch fire! We moved in a line with me, on occasion, walking across in front of the line working the places that looked promising. We had just re-formed the line when a jack flushed off on my left, running across the row of milo, heading for the open ground that had little, if no, cover. JH exploded off the fist and I knew that this jack was in serious trouble. The jack ran out across the milo, out into the open ground. With JH closing fast the jack realized that it had made a huge mistake, tried to turn back, and BAM, JH arrived with attitude! I stepped JH off and continued to hunt. I walked in front of the line going for some good looking cover when a jack flushed right in front of the line. JH came off the fist and had the jack in what, to me, was just a heartbeat….. Unbelievable how he can do that! Someone in the line just shook their head and said “man, he makes that look too easy!” I stepped him off the jack and continued to hunt. (Yes, I can be a game whore!) We started the line moving and another jack was up and running but JH just missed it. Back to the fist and moving again, we were making a turn and someone yelled “ho!!” JH was off the fist and closing on the jack which was running in a full burn, ears pinned, running straight away from us. The jack flushed at 20 feet and JH slammed it at 40 feet. Speed on speed, that's what I love! Everyone got to see JH catch fire and see what a golden eagle is capable of ……………

I went back to the truck and picked up MM who was just slightly annoyed at having been put up. I hoped he would be a little more focused and he was! I started out into the field and showed MM a chunk of rabbit meat, he went nuts. I call this priming the pump. I don't think one should do it very often but it does get an eagle thinking about eating and does give you an insight as to how aggressive they'll be in the field. I liked what I saw and moved off faster, looking for a slip. A jack flushed off to my right, about 20 yards out, and MM came off the fist with attitude. He flew strong and fast, coming in on the jack from behind and just nearly grabbing it! He flew back to the fist without hesitation and we continued to hunt. I turned to the left heading for an area that had not been hunted and I kept everyone in tight as I wanted the slip to be close. MM was flinching at any and all things that moved. I loved that he was totally into what he and I were doing. As the group of us worked our way down the field a jack popped up and ran fast, heading for the street and some fence lines. MM exploded off the fist and powered after the jack, closing fast. We have his flight on DVD and I just looked at it again as we're in the process of compiling a new eagle hawking DVD, Eagle Road Trip. (Sorry for the shameless plug.) But anyway, MM closed on the jack and the instant before he got there the jack jumped up in the air and MM hooked the jack in the head as he went past…… very cool! So in total MM caught two jacks at his first falconry meet, the first ones in more than a year, and these black tails are no easy rabbits to catch, they are big and fast. So this was a great way to end the trip for MM and I could not be prouder of him. He is a cool eagle with a huge heart.

So for now all our eagles are shut down for the winter. The two females I'll get into shape in the spring and release them, and the two boys I'll start hawking in the late spring through the summer.

Take care…….. Joe and Cordi

<–>

September 11, 2008

JH     8lbs 10oz

MM 7lbs 4oz

I have been slowly bringing both of them down in weight and started showing them the lure, first in the weathering yard, then moving out to the lawn area. We have now graduated to one of the wheat stubble fields on the ranch with Cordi pulling the lure behind our gator (all purpose ranch tractor). I have never tried this before as a means of conditioning instead of just hunting, but jacks are scarce around here so one must get creative.

Both eagles have taken to this little game nicely. They fly hard and seem to enjoy the chase. JH is not as thrilled as MM since he never cared much for the lure anyway, but seeing something moving across the field is something he cannot resist. Today we have built up to multiple flights and soon we'll be hunting.

Jackhammer and Mini-me

2008-2009

Jackhammer (JH) is my most experienced golden eagle. He is 5 years old and has caught a ton of game in 5 different states. He is not an easy bird to fly. He is a full imprint but not in a nice way. Having been sick as a youngster and being force fed medicine, he is not overly fond of people. He is very aggressive, is quite moody, and looks at everything as a target/food. Like I said, JH is not an easy eagle to hunt, but once past all that you get a very fast eagle that loves to kill things. Cordi said it best when she said JH has a completely different look than all the other eagles we have flown, like he is on fire.

Mini-Me (MM) has touched my heart from the first day I saw him when he was trying to grab me as I stood looking at him in a big flight chamber. MM is also a full on imprint with major health problems that I have talked about in other journal entries.   I have caught jacks with MM but he can be a little tricky to fly, as I never know when he might decide to come after me. But he does try hard at hunting and wants to be good.

So this then is the start of the 2008-9 hunting season for JH and MM………

Widow Nov 3, 2008

Nov 3 2008

Widow

9 lbs 10oz

After flying Widow all summer and up into the coming winter she still has not taken anything wild. I don't think that this is all bad; she caught many wild jacks in California so the skill is there. Widow has mastered the art of soaring, that is for sure. She can stay in the air for hours and has on many occasions. Widow is in perfect feather and our plan is to start her up in the spring again, get her in condition and release her. She is ready. I considered releasing her now but frankly she'd have an easier time of it in the spring, so that is the plan for Widow. We hope you have enjoyed the journey, so, until spring or as far as Widow goes, see you then.