Mystic ~ my new PFRT!

[jballone]

Well, I've reached another milestone in my short falconry career. On September 16th, Michigan's trapping season opened and after a long day, I finally trapped me a keeper! Meet Mystic, my first passage RT that was trapped at about 5:00pm and weighed 1265 grams (including abba & hood).


(she's puffed up a bit because my cat just walked by the sliding door)

The fateful day started at 5:00am on the 16th. I was trapping with my sponsor (Kenn Filkins) and 3 good friends (Kory Koch, Tim Riley & Scott Stratton). This was the 3rd RT trapped and the largest. The first (2) weighed in at 890 & 860 grams. I was looking for a larger RT for squirrels and snowshoe hare in the U.P. (Upper Michigan) and I think Mystic will fit the bill nicely.

Her crop felt empty at trapping and I was able to tidbit her quail on the first night. She even ate a tidbit off the glove and pulled at a quail leg for a second this first night On day two, she ate/tore at quail on the fist and even hooded moderately well. Her weight has been coming off slowly....I'm still learning and the weather has been warm here lately. Yesterday & today, she preened on the glove and when I took her up for her feeding this afternoon, she picked at the glove as if she was looking for food. I made a mental note of this and was slightly encouraged I'd get a hop but still felt she was too heavy today (down 35 grams from trapping). I placed her on her perch (in the garage), loaded up a larger tidbit of washed beef, turned to her, blew the whistle and after a 10 second head bob, she jumped to the fist I was shocked but didn't skip a beat. I re-loaded the glove, presented it to her (a bit farther away) and blew the whistle...she came after 5 seconds! I re-loaded and did it one more time, the length of the leash and she jumped to the glove after a couple seconds. I only prepared 3 pieces, do to their size and she was at the stage to jump to the fist or not. All I had left was a quail wing for a tiring, so I loaded it up and she jumped again for it! I couldn't believe it...wow! I called my sponsor shortly after and shared the great news with him. A little while later, I took Mystic outside and got two more jumps (length of leash). These were slower (15 second pauses) but still exciting none the less.

I have started to introduce her to her mews but have had to block the windows because of excessive bating and will work at slowly revealing the windows over time. While in the mews, she was really leaning towards me so I presented my ungarnished glove and after a bit, she hopped to my fist! She did this three times..too cool.

Anyway, I hope everyone else was or will be successful in getting their birds this season. Here's some more pics:

Dusted, jessed, hooded & beer in hand...LIFE IS GOOD!


Scott & I admiring Mystic!


First night home.


Perched on back deck


Back deck


In the mews.

Next step creance, lure & free flight! Can't wait. Thanks to all those who helped me get to this point