Number One studied and studied and tested and jumped through hoops for both the state and federal governments, and he got his Apprentice Falconer's License.
But, by the time he got all the licensing stuff back from the state and the feds last year, he didn't really have time to catch a hawk before the season ended, and he was bummed about that.
He made traps during summer and fall last year, and this winter, he started trying to trap a red tail hawk. He bought a small, friendly rat from Pet Smart, and we named her Remy. (after the rat in Ratatouille) She was cute, and even endured an encounter with some "Just For Men" to darken the white spots on her coat and make her more visible to the hawks. After her dye job, she helped lure in and catch a couple hawks. The trap worked! But the hawks were too old for Number One to keep, there are some age requirements that I don't really pay attention to so that's all I can say about that.
RemyThen Remy had an unfortunate injury. One of the hawks must have gotten her with a talon, right in the ear. She was having trouble walking, but the bleeding stopped and she didn't die. We really thought she would die, but she started drinking and eating again, so then we thought maybe she just had a ruptured eardrum or something that was messing with her balance and making her walk sort of crooked, rather than a serious brain injury.
Number One gave Remy some time off, and she really seemed to improve, then he started taking her out again. In her trap, in the snow one day, she keeled over. Number One went in to town and got a little mouse from the pet store, it was a wild little thing that I didn't like. (I think the pet store just breeds feeder mice, and doesn't handle any of them).
It was getting down to the wire, the trapping season was ending and Number One was calling his falconry sponsor for advice. His sponsor told him that another apprentice had seen some hawks of the appropriate age up north, so Number One took a road trip.
He borrowed a couple traps and some rats from the other apprentice, although he liked his trap better. He put the little wild mouse in one trap, and put it out where the hawks were. At some point, he saw a hawk swoop down toward the trap, but couldn't see what happened. Then he saw the hawk fly off, obviously not trapped, but it looked like he was eating something. That darn wild mouse had escaped from the trap, and the hawk ate it! Feeder mouse, indeed.
Being up in the City, Number One went to Pet Smart and bought a much tamer mouse.
On the last day of the season, after a day and a half straight of throwing out his traps, just as he was about to pack it in, he saw a hawk and decided to try one last time. He used his trap this time with one of the other guys' rats, put it out there, and he caught his hawk!
The hawk really is beautiful. He doesn't have a name yet, but Number One has been having success training him. Now he will jump onto Number One's fist almost every time Number One wants him to! It is amazing. I don't know how long it will be before Number One can actually start training him to fly and return, but I will keep you posted.
Number One made the leg things, called "anklets" and he also made the "jesses", sort of rope-like things that are attached to the anklets, and he borrowed the hood from the other apprentice. The hood helps to keep the bird calm, and Number One is also training him to get into the hood. So much to learn for both of them!
At some point I'll take pictures of Number One's trap, and will definitely keep you posted about the whole process.
Time to head out.
