This year has been very different from the last. Head count has been minimal, but attitude and demeanour from Mielikki has been much of an improvement from last year. I made many mistakes with this gal my first season\my first Gos, and cutting her weight to get her to take jacks last year played a big role in our relationship issues we had. The first kill last year was the most important thing I had on my mind and I did not take a look at the subtle clues she showed me on those early hunts. Looking back I remember some wonderful pheasant flights on some of the first hunts I ever took her on. I did not look at these wonderful traits she possessed and continued to cut her to get that ‘first kill’ on a jack instead of leveraging her natural pursue of game. If I would have recognized and capitalized on these wonderful traits last year I would be way ahead of where I am this year. I was a jack hunter prior to taking this gal on and my hawks and I have taken many jacks, but pushing her on jacks her first year was a mistake due to the cut I had to make with her in weight. Mielikki took some of the best flights on pheasants her first year, and I did nothing to make it happen for her, nor did I reward her for her pursuit. I was too concerned with taking that ‘first head’, and jacks were the most abundant prey we pursued so we pushed on jacks. I finally understand that if I was to assist her last year in taking a pheasant at a nice upper end weight, that jacks would have come eventually without the great weight cut that happened and hindered our relationship.
This year I toke the hinesight from last year and flew her at her upper end weight on pheasants. We have only been flying for four plus weeks, and her pheasant flights, have been improving with each and every outing. I still pushed her hard and only took single flush flights in the beginning, but after four weeks, I took a re-flush tonight and she connected. After tranfering her off the pheasant to the lure, I let her eat and gorge on a pheasant leg. I put a very nice, well mannered Gos back in the truck and we headed home. She was my friend tonight, and we will be out in a day or two to make it all happen again. We just got seven inches of rain, so the ducks should also be coming in. Then crow seasons begins. If she wants to tackle jacks this year she will do it on her on accord, and at the weight she chooses. I would much rather see her chase a piece of game down at a comfortable weight and find her a half a mile from where we started and see me as a friend when I approach the scene of the crime.
It is nice to have a friend this year.






And Dinner