I'm a REAL falconer!!!!!!! (Log Day 21)

WE CAUGHT OUR FIRST RABBIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it either! I'm still geekin as we speak, and this stupid grin won't leave my face! Ducked out of work early yesterday (4:00 or so), and after taking care of some "business," jumped on the road to Bartlesville. The original plan was to meet up with Kent and Ryan, and we where going to fly his Harris hawks, and then have my birds 3rd free flight. Unfortunately, Kent got caught up in some work nonsense, and had to head down to Texas on a spur of the moment trip. I was a little bummed about this, but being that I wanted Ryan to watch her fly and tell me what he thought (as far as strenght, how dialed in my weight control was, how she was doing following, etc, etc), I shot him a line to see if he was still down for a little dirt hawking. He said he was still in, and so I pulled into Bartlesville a little after five. Swung over to Steve's place b/c Ryan had to feed his falcons, and then after eyeing a nice Krider's hawk for a cool minute, made it to the rabbit field around 6:00. The birds where out in force yesterday, and there was a nice passage female coops chilling on one of the power line poles by the field. She had to be investigated (of course), so Ryan went and did that, while I beeped up the bird, and got her on the scale. At 6:15 PM, she weighed in at 1045 grams, which was 3 grams lighter than she was on our 2nd free flight (which was Monday), so I felt confident she would fly well. Unhooded her, and we headed out into the field. I stuck her on a low branch in a tree (cause she is still having a hard time deciding that flying off of my fist to a tree is a GOOD thing), and we started beating some brush. She laddered up to a higher perch, and then flew over to the top of a large cedar (We had only been out there for maybe a minute or two, but I wanted her to get closer to us, so we hid behind the cedar, which worked like a charm in getting her to come over). After a little bit of time, we decided to head over to the other side of the dirt road, and go to a huge rose bush, that seems to ALWAYS hold a bunny or two. As we crossed the road, and got into a more "open" section, Ryan kicked up a rabbit, and she flew at it pretty well. She missed, and headed back up into a tree.
Ryan was really psyched about the turn of events (he was saying that's exactly what I wanted...kick up some rabbits for her quickly (we had only been there maybe ten min total), get some chases, and to start solidifying my purpose in the field), so I was already pleased about our session. We kept walkin, and I got a reflush on the same rabbit, but she didn't pay it any attention the second time (it was pretty close to a rock pile by this time, and I'm sure it was down a hole by the time she saw what was going on). Anyways, make our way over to the rose bush, and she flies up into the big cedar that stands right above it (GOOD BIRD!). Ryan flushes a bunny in short order, but it retreats into it's near by hole instantly, and the bird just stared at it hard. We keep beating on the rose bush, and another rabbit is kicked up. She comes out of the tree pretty hott, and slams into the rose bush, but didn't have enough momentum built up to crash through it. I hop her up to the fist, and then she flies back up to the top of the cedar. I make my way around to the other side of the rose bush (which is facing a huge field with little cover), and I kick up two rabbits that are sitting in the grass...maybe 15 feet from the rose bush. Both of them head off into the field, and the bird sorta flies in their direction, but then pulls off, and heads back to her tree. By this time, we had been in the field about 30 min or so, and Ryan said it was time to end the session (he wants me to keep all these initial free flights breif and to the point..20 to 30 mins tops...fly to the fist, give a few slips, and end the session before she gets distracted, and has the urge to self hunt). We decide that we should make our way back to the car, and I should call her to the fist for the rest of the tid bits (there was about 8 or 9 flights worth), and then end the session on the lure like always. We decide to give the bush one more "go around", and Ryan heads left, while I head back right (toward where I kicked up those two rabbits).. I get around to the other side of the bush, and I guess I got a reflush on one of the two rabbits that had headed out into the field. I hear the brush moving, and the bird comes out of the tree, pumping pretty hard into the grassy field. She dives into the ground....and then...........SQUEEL!!!!! I'm in shock, and just sorta freeze, and then I hear Ryan screaming "Get your @$$ in there!!!!!!" I haul balls in her direction, and run in there and grab hold of the rabbit (with the thoughts that I would be helping her out)....it was unneeded, b/c she had the rabbits head FIRMLY in her grasp, along with the other foot holding tight onto the shoulders. I dispatch the rabbit, and we step back to let her calm down a little bit. I'm laughing, jumping around hollerin, and cheesin out like crazy! Once she calms down, and starts tearin at the neck, I trade her off to the lure (which she did great at like always!), and then I hopped her up to the fist for a nice meal of some fresh bunny legs (hind leg, and a front leg).. The bird flew great, and though she is still building back her muscle to where she should be, is getting stronger every session we have. I can't wait to get her back on her "A" game, b/c I have a feeling that I lucked out with a really good bird (or maybe I'm just partial, cause she is my first!!!!). We get back to the car, and take some victory photos, and of course, I have to start callin all the friends. I'm so psyched, and end up making my phone die from all the calls I make. I can now honestly say that I'm addicted to this sport, and all I could think about on the ride home, was getting back out there, and kickin up some more bunnies!!!! I'm not sure how much food she got exactly (b/c I was WAY too jazzed when I tried to weigh her after the hunt, and the weight that I got was WAY off). This morning (DAY 22) at 7:50 AM, she was at 1111 grams, so I probably won't get her out for a session tonight (though I will probably do some jump ups at home later in the evening), but that's fine. Heading back out to bartlesville after work, to fly with kent and his Harris hawks. It should be GOOD times, b/c it's going to be the first time I get to see his new bird fly. Hopefully, we can catch a bunny, and we can get his new bird a solid "entering" into hunting life. Thanks go out to my sponsor, for putting up with me and all my BS, and for all the advice and tricks that I have picked up from my fellow hawker friends. Now.....on to bunny number 2!!!!!!!!!