Close call today.
Greta locked up not long after leaving the truck. I thought it had to be grouse. As I was unhooding Roach, a couple larks went flying.
Pigeons it would be. I figured I’d see how high he’d get.
As he was circling up wide and still climbing. Greta went on point again. Has to be grouse!
It wasn’t grouse. Another couple larks got up and down came Roach after them.
He was 833’, still wide, and still climbing. I’m pretty sure I’d have gotten 1000’+ out of him. He was feeling good this morning.
The larks dumped as ever as he closed - they don’t really fly far - with Roach doing an impressive wing over, pitching up out of speed. He immediately started climbing again.
He made it over 600’ in the remount so I released the homers. He didn’t start his stoop right away, instead powering toward the pair while maintaining pitch. The wings tucked when he thought he’d have a shot and down he came in fine style.
He got a foot on one of the homers, a big male bird who’s one of my best, then using his momentum pitched back up regaining a small height advantage. He used the height to starting pumping hard down toward the homer and it was then I could tell this pigeon that had kicked Roach’s butt 30 times, at least, was intimidated and was going to try to bail into cover.
The flight ended in a small group of trees where I immediately heard the telltale screeching of pissed off redtails. Hoping the pigeon made cover and Roach was perched in a tree rather than on the ground on top of a pigeon like the chamber-raised dummy he is, I ran hard to get over to him.
Sure enough, Roach was on the ground on a pigeon right below the trees with not 1 but 3 redtails screeching at him. He had some awareness and sense of self preservation, at least, because he wasn’t obliviously plucking and eating the pigeon but rather covering it with his body to keep it hidden. Still, close call because any of those hawks could have killed him on the ground in an instant.
I think his saving grace was that Greta was nearby quick. Unlike with gun hunting, I want my dogs to chase the flush - it helps keep the gamebirds flying rather than dumping. Greta pretty much knows the drill so when she feels she’s covered the field well enough she will start looking at me anticipating the pigeons. Her judgement (nose) is usually better than mine, and when she decides there aren’t birds to point she is almost always, maybe always, right. She had chased the flight on pigeons today and was close enough that she was in view of the hawks which I’m sure deterred them.
This is him after the hawks had left.
I’ve learned I can’t attend falcon camp this year. My wife is out of town the week of camp and someone needs to stay here to take care of the animals. Bummer. I really want to get him on some sharptail so I’m thinking about taking a trip next weekend or the week after. Not sure where - the falcon camp spot has some sharptail around but it mostly Sage grouse so I might try somewhere else. Not finding grouse locally this year.
