![\"Dawn](\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52620450717_bfd1b77df5_z.jpg\")
<\/a>I had a post all laid out in my head; I was going to write it last Friday afternoon after I flew Clovis. Something about all the sammiches I ate while in Los Angeles for Xmas. She had other plans, though…<\/p>\n
Friday started well enough. I didn’t forget anything and the folks at the site next to me, who came along, were ready early. We got to a spot on the west edge of the San Rafael Valley, I set up the drone, beeped up* Clovis, put the drone in the air close, but not too close, to us, and struck Clovis’s hood. She did what she normally does: look around, rouse, give the lure hanging under the drone a good hard stare, and launch herself off the fist. She took a couple tight circles gaining altitude, then flew off a bit and continued to mount. I didn’t think anything of it – she’ll often go a ways away to take advantage of wind and to give herself a more direct climb to the drone\/lure combo. But this time, ah, this time. She spiraled up and then turned and headed south along the edge of the grasslands. I pulled my regular lure out, whistled and swung, but she was gone. We walked to the next ridge south, I called again, nada. Back to the trucks, load up and head south – luckily the Apache Rd. heads southwest from where we were. We drove until the telemetry said she was 90 degrees to our left (generally, SE), parked, and N and I started after her, while J stayed with the vehicles. We chased her for a little over an hour until I called it off: it seemed like we were bumping her. We’d get within a quarter mile, then the distance would jump up by a half mile or so, lather, rinse, repeat. I went back out later in the afternoon to make sure she was in the same general area – I wanted her to settle down for the night…<\/p>\n
I was up well before dawn Saturday morning, with high hopes. The sun was just brightening the sky when I got to the Apache Rd.<\/p>\n