This afternoon we decided to keep it local and Rebel and Addie and I headed up to Doc’s land around the corner. I was hoping to put Addie out in the briar patch and see if we couldn’t get a rabbit moving. Unfortunately, a group of kids was hanging out at this area so I moved on up to the rice fields. As I crossed over the lake, I saw something that I had not seen here in forever… ducks on the water!
We pulled on through and parked. I got Addie out and she seemed to sense the urgency, as she stayed right beside me without commands. I put Rebel up and tried to convey where I wanted her to go. She took off to a nearby tree to view her surroundings. She saw the ducks on the water so she pushed up ahead as I have been trying to get her to do forever. She flew across the lake to a dead snag on the opposite bank. Perfect! I stood up straight and began walking to the lake. A few groups of ducks would get up and fly but Rebel was waiting. When the right group got up, she gave chase but she was already way behind. She ducked out (no pun intended) into another high perch.
Several ducks had flown further up the lake, so Addie and I headed up the lake. Rebel was perched in a tall pine and I spotted a male and female mallard just past her on our side of the water. We headed in and the ducks stayed on the water. They paddled to the far side of the lake, but would not get up even with me on the bank, so I sent Addie in after them. As she got closer, the ducks leapt up into the air, the greenhead wheeling back over right over my head. About one second too late, Rebel left her perch to drop on the ducks. I couldn’t believe it. It was the most perfect duck slip I have ever managed for the bird. She has had success in much more difficult situations, but this one, she practically let go.
Uggg. She followed the mallards out into the swamp and turned back. She lit in a gigantic live oak near me and spooked up two squirrels. Okay, I could handle a successful squirrel hunt to offset the bitter taste of that last missed slip. The trouble with these squirrels is that they stayed together. Because they stayed together, Rebel could not decide which one to go after. She finally gave up on this too. Bummer.
Now I know that Rebel flew hard yesterday. She was lower today at 43.4 where she was 44.5 yesterday, but this is well within her range (so far, every weight I have flown her is in her range…). I suppose she was just tired or sore or pissed about the tradeoffs. I don’t know. I can say this for sure though. I will be checking that easy lake slip more often now for ducks.
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