SITTING ON THE CHICKEN

After the season was over, I went back to work for a day and predictably got sick. I'm better now. Thanks for asking. The snow that hit last week formed a crust, not quite strong enough to support a grown man's weight. So every step holds for a split second, then gives way into a foot of soft snow. The paths I've cut to and from my traps freeze up every night and are just as awkward to walk in, making checking sets long and laborious. Nonetheless if I go more than a day without checking, I feel guilty.
When a fresh dusting of snow fell, I could see that coyotes were hitting the chicken sets, but had nothing to fear from my traps. They all had sprung under the weight of the snow. I reset every one, tossed some venison scraps about and hoped for another hit. But every day was the same story. Nothing. Then today, down along the river I saw fresh tracks again. The pair were criss crossing the field. I had high hopes. #1 set on a little spit of land jutting into the creek, came up empty. The coyotes walked right over the trap but it didn't spring. The freeze was fucking with all my attempts at fur. I walked down to the second set, under a big boulder and....another hawk. Christ almighty! But on closer inspection I realized it wasn't in the trap. The damn bird was sitting on the chicken, and wasn't moving. I poked it with the barrel of the .22 and it just snarled and spread it's wings. Oh well.
So I left the hawk sit and went home. I'm thinking of taking the quiver critter out this afternoon and seeing if I have any luck calling them in. But then again, I'm still kinda under the weather, and in pre-holiday lazy mode. The woodstove is nice and warm and there's a little more Jack in the the bottle. Eggnog anyone?