Post by jballone on Dec 14, 2008 20:55:40 GMT -5
I attended the West Michigan Meet on Saturday unfortunately my PFRT, Mystic, wasn't at weight but this is where the story gets good.
I traveled to my friend Kory's place on Friday, arriving at 12:15pm. The plan was to hawk Mystic at one of Kory's "honey holes" to get her some flights on CT rabbits since they are so few and far between up here in Marquette. We arrived at the field at about 1:00pm, it was cold but the sun was popping out from behind the clouds. The conditions seemed perfect!
We unloaded and Kory commented that the bunnies were probably sunning themselves just behind a snow bank and suggest I cast Mystic into the tree before we leave the parking lot.
I unhooded Mystic, let her get her bearing then off she went into the tree. She perched and as we cleared the snowbank, Kory saw a bunny move in the brush under the tree Mystic was in. Within seconds, two more bunnies moved in this same brush and Mystic came crashing down. The bunny had moved just in time to avoid her but Mytic gave chase by running in the underbrush for a few feet. At this same time, a different CT ran behind her to make her escape! All this within 10 seconds of casting her into the tree!
I picked her up and cast her into the same tree and before we knew it, she was in a long flight across the field and into some alder brush. She came up empty but that was about to change. We worked our way back to the original clump of trees and started working. Within a minute, Mystic took flight and nailed bunny #1
I traded her off and we continued. Mysic hung around in this same tree patch looking at the ground. She probably was waiting for another bunny to bust out but she finally moved up. It didn't take long and and Kory busted a bunny out from a small brush pile. The CT ran for a nearby pile and dove in. This was right about the same time Mystic came crashing down. Low and behold she had it by one foot as it was inside the brush pile! Bunny #2 in the bag and my first double!
I traded her off and we continued working this same area of trees. Nothing flushed and we walked across a small open area, checking all the small grass pockets. Kory called me over to one that looked promising and as I walked towards him, I kicked into another grass pocket and out popped a bunny. A quick yell, "Ho Ho Ho" and Mystic was on her way. It was a lateral flight and the bunny was running in circles and didn't know which way to go. Just as Mystic came in, the bunny sunk into the snow and Mystic over shot. The bunny jumped up and started to move away as Mystic jumped back up and grabbed her! I quickly moved and and secured/dispatched it. Bunny #3 in the bag. My first triple!
I was getting cold and delirious, so I had a quick bite to eat..
I traded her off again and cast her into a nearby tree. We worked a ditch line and then a small brush tangle where Kory spotted a bunny holed up. Kory busted it out and the bunny did a 180 degree turn and ran into the treeline. Mystic had a long flight across the field and when she put in, she crashed into some small saplings and came to a screeching halt. The bunny made it's escape.
We continued on, heading it the same general direction as the last bunny. We worked an embankment that had two large bushes and lots of sign. It didn't take long before a bunny broke and ran the ditch line. Mystic was in a tree off to the side and looked as though she saw the bunny. She stood firm until the bunny ran below her and then she was off. The CT was running fast down a run and Mystic was hot on her heels, pumping her wings. After closing the gap across an open area, Mystic reached out and grabbed the bunny just as it was about to go into some under brush! Bunny #4 in the bag!
Well at this point, it had taken us an hour and a half to reach 4 bunnies and the next logical choice was to push on for FIVE! Little did I know it would be the hardest one to get all day. Mystic was cold but willing and we moved on. It took a while before we saw any more bunnies but eventually we got one to move. It broke from under a low tree branch and Mystic was above. After a couple "Ho Ho Ho's", she launched and chased it down. She grabbed it and they tumbled in the snow. The bunny broke free and ran off with Mystic sitting in the snow holding some fur.
We pressed on and eventually reached an area of tall blown over grass, with snow on top. This area was thick with bunnies but they all made cover before Mystic could connect. In one flight, Mystic swooped then hovered for a second before tear dropping down into the grass. The CT escaped but this was a nice looking flight. Finally, a bunny took off from the grass and ran into the treeline where Mystic was perched. The bunny continued up the embankment and Mystic came dropping down. Bunny #5 in the bag!
I let Mystic eat up on this last bunny for a bit and she had a small crop when I traded her off and called it a day. We had been in the field for 2 1/2 hours. All the elements worked in our favor that day: Perfect weather leading up to the hunt, a great bunny spot and the best RT an apprentice could ask for. Mystic flew with a lot of heart and humbled me in her efforts on this day. What an amazing experience!
Thanks again Kory, for sharing this great hunting spot with me.
I traveled to my friend Kory's place on Friday, arriving at 12:15pm. The plan was to hawk Mystic at one of Kory's "honey holes" to get her some flights on CT rabbits since they are so few and far between up here in Marquette. We arrived at the field at about 1:00pm, it was cold but the sun was popping out from behind the clouds. The conditions seemed perfect!
We unloaded and Kory commented that the bunnies were probably sunning themselves just behind a snow bank and suggest I cast Mystic into the tree before we leave the parking lot.
I unhooded Mystic, let her get her bearing then off she went into the tree. She perched and as we cleared the snowbank, Kory saw a bunny move in the brush under the tree Mystic was in. Within seconds, two more bunnies moved in this same brush and Mystic came crashing down. The bunny had moved just in time to avoid her but Mytic gave chase by running in the underbrush for a few feet. At this same time, a different CT ran behind her to make her escape! All this within 10 seconds of casting her into the tree!
I picked her up and cast her into the same tree and before we knew it, she was in a long flight across the field and into some alder brush. She came up empty but that was about to change. We worked our way back to the original clump of trees and started working. Within a minute, Mystic took flight and nailed bunny #1
I traded her off and we continued. Mysic hung around in this same tree patch looking at the ground. She probably was waiting for another bunny to bust out but she finally moved up. It didn't take long and and Kory busted a bunny out from a small brush pile. The CT ran for a nearby pile and dove in. This was right about the same time Mystic came crashing down. Low and behold she had it by one foot as it was inside the brush pile! Bunny #2 in the bag and my first double!
I traded her off and we continued working this same area of trees. Nothing flushed and we walked across a small open area, checking all the small grass pockets. Kory called me over to one that looked promising and as I walked towards him, I kicked into another grass pocket and out popped a bunny. A quick yell, "Ho Ho Ho" and Mystic was on her way. It was a lateral flight and the bunny was running in circles and didn't know which way to go. Just as Mystic came in, the bunny sunk into the snow and Mystic over shot. The bunny jumped up and started to move away as Mystic jumped back up and grabbed her! I quickly moved and and secured/dispatched it. Bunny #3 in the bag. My first triple!
I was getting cold and delirious, so I had a quick bite to eat..
I traded her off again and cast her into a nearby tree. We worked a ditch line and then a small brush tangle where Kory spotted a bunny holed up. Kory busted it out and the bunny did a 180 degree turn and ran into the treeline. Mystic had a long flight across the field and when she put in, she crashed into some small saplings and came to a screeching halt. The bunny made it's escape.
We continued on, heading it the same general direction as the last bunny. We worked an embankment that had two large bushes and lots of sign. It didn't take long before a bunny broke and ran the ditch line. Mystic was in a tree off to the side and looked as though she saw the bunny. She stood firm until the bunny ran below her and then she was off. The CT was running fast down a run and Mystic was hot on her heels, pumping her wings. After closing the gap across an open area, Mystic reached out and grabbed the bunny just as it was about to go into some under brush! Bunny #4 in the bag!
Well at this point, it had taken us an hour and a half to reach 4 bunnies and the next logical choice was to push on for FIVE! Little did I know it would be the hardest one to get all day. Mystic was cold but willing and we moved on. It took a while before we saw any more bunnies but eventually we got one to move. It broke from under a low tree branch and Mystic was above. After a couple "Ho Ho Ho's", she launched and chased it down. She grabbed it and they tumbled in the snow. The bunny broke free and ran off with Mystic sitting in the snow holding some fur.
We pressed on and eventually reached an area of tall blown over grass, with snow on top. This area was thick with bunnies but they all made cover before Mystic could connect. In one flight, Mystic swooped then hovered for a second before tear dropping down into the grass. The CT escaped but this was a nice looking flight. Finally, a bunny took off from the grass and ran into the treeline where Mystic was perched. The bunny continued up the embankment and Mystic came dropping down. Bunny #5 in the bag!
I let Mystic eat up on this last bunny for a bit and she had a small crop when I traded her off and called it a day. We had been in the field for 2 1/2 hours. All the elements worked in our favor that day: Perfect weather leading up to the hunt, a great bunny spot and the best RT an apprentice could ask for. Mystic flew with a lot of heart and humbled me in her efforts on this day. What an amazing experience!
Thanks again Kory, for sharing this great hunting spot with me.
What a fantastic day!! Hope you had a gabboon along to carry your game bag. Gets heavy, doesn't it. 
I don't blame you at all for coming down here to hunt CT's. A snowshoe would be a nice addition the portfolio however ;D