We went out Saturday to a local falconers' meet. Early morning was devoted to falcons over ducks in the valley, and late afternoon to Harris hawks and rabbits. But in the late morning it was time for the real fanatics-- we who run longdogs with falcons on hares.
The coursing ground was a huge block of public grazing ground on the plateau east of the Rio, just north of White Sands Missile Range.
Trinity site is visible but unmarked-- 3/4 of the way across the photo, on the light- colored plain below the low (San Andres) mountain range, about 40 miles away. The view is southeast.
This is a view looking slightly north of west, to our Magdalena range-- 10,780 to the high peak of South Baldy. We live just off the photo to the right at the north "nose" of the range, about 50 miles away.
One non- longdog was present and was treated with disdain by Miss Mouse.
The field was jumping (sorry) with hares. My bird is not ready for prime time (to put it mildly) but I brought Ataika. Terence Wright ran his lurchers Mouse and Percy and flew his Gyr- Prairie Cog, and accounted for two hares, one unfortunately pirated by a pair of Redtails!
Then Greg and I ran Ataika and his tazi, her son Cisco, and got another. This is a fierce bird and the tazis gave her plenty of room on the kill. She gives me some hope for the future of my bird. Daniela Imre took the other photos, much better than mine, and I'll let her speak for the rest.
"Here are some more: Steve after the chase w/Ataika (L) & her son Cisco (I believe Cisco is Berkut's grandson [Yes-- she was talking to Andrey in Kazakhstan who owned Berkut and bred Cisco's father Kyran]). Terence Wright and Greg Rabourn posing with their falcons & hounds. Terence has Percy, and Greg has Cisco. They were smiling at the guy with the larger telephoto lens...Greg's Gyr-saker guarding her kill, and then the individuals w/their birds: Terence with his Gyr-Prairie falcon Cog, and Greg talking to his Gyr-Saker, who had some things to say about...well..I guess everything."
The coursing ground was a huge block of public grazing ground on the plateau east of the Rio, just north of White Sands Missile Range.
Trinity site is visible but unmarked-- 3/4 of the way across the photo, on the light- colored plain below the low (San Andres) mountain range, about 40 miles away. The view is southeast.
This is a view looking slightly north of west, to our Magdalena range-- 10,780 to the high peak of South Baldy. We live just off the photo to the right at the north "nose" of the range, about 50 miles away.
One non- longdog was present and was treated with disdain by Miss Mouse.
The field was jumping (sorry) with hares. My bird is not ready for prime time (to put it mildly) but I brought Ataika. Terence Wright ran his lurchers Mouse and Percy and flew his Gyr- Prairie Cog, and accounted for two hares, one unfortunately pirated by a pair of Redtails!
Then Greg and I ran Ataika and his tazi, her son Cisco, and got another. This is a fierce bird and the tazis gave her plenty of room on the kill. She gives me some hope for the future of my bird. Daniela Imre took the other photos, much better than mine, and I'll let her speak for the rest.
"Here are some more: Steve after the chase w/Ataika (L) & her son Cisco (I believe Cisco is Berkut's grandson [Yes-- she was talking to Andrey in Kazakhstan who owned Berkut and bred Cisco's father Kyran]). Terence Wright and Greg Rabourn posing with their falcons & hounds. Terence has Percy, and Greg has Cisco. They were smiling at the guy with the larger telephoto lens...Greg's Gyr-saker guarding her kill, and then the individuals w/their birds: Terence with his Gyr-Prairie falcon Cog, and Greg talking to his Gyr-Saker, who had some things to say about...well..I guess everything."
10 comments:
Now that's a bit of familiar looking ground ;) We may be coming to Socorro next week, and if we do we'll definitely try to get together, if for nothing more than breakfast!
Good to know the joint was "jumping" as there are some big events planned there soon.
Call or email-- we'll be there unles we have to go to Santa Fe!
Looks like a great day afield. How late does the season run?
We usually stop at the end of Feb as they start to court. Officially it is always open but we are hare lovers!
Great photos! That is what I always think of as typical NM winter weather- bright chilly sun and slightly washed-out light. Lovely dogs and birds.
I got to see those dogs run with the falcons at the NAFA meet. Some of the best hawking I've ever seen! If I lived in an area I could do it every day I think that just might be my chosen method of falconry...
You lucky lucky people!!
The dogs are looking great, how are the lurchers bred?
I'd love to work a BOP with my Salukis but it's having the time to do the bird justice as I'm busy enough just with the dogs and work.
It's definately on my wish list to take part in some coursing over there one day.
"Mouse" is from a consistent line of mixed greyhound, saluki, and "stag" (rough- coat SW hound). Percy is Aussie shepherd X track greyhound.
aw Steve.. you passed up the obvious: "same as regular dogs" ;-)
Interesting regarding the aussie shepherdXgrey I didn't think there was much use for first cross Working dogs/true lurchers out there, morelongdog sighthoundXsighthound for those jacks,foxes and coyotes.
Lol Dan & Margaret in saying that due to some of the crosses you get here in the uk it's not always as straight forward as you might think lol!!
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