The Paw of Approval

Couple of years ago, I was down south visiting Matt G. and family. As part of his on-again, off-again campaign to Get LawDog To Move To The Metroplex, Matt likes to take me around and show me the temptations.

On this trip, one of said temptations was an absolutely wonderful little leather goods store in Foat Woath that specializes in Cop Gear.

I’m looking about, trying not to drool too obviously, when I spot a display of Hatch Gloves.

Now, not a whole lot of people know that it’s Bad Luck to leave a holster shop without buying something, and I’d been kind of hankering for a pair of search gloves, so on impulse I buy a set of Kevlar-lined StreetGuard gloves.

I wander back home, and guess what my brother finds on the front fence the very next morning?

A hawk. With a broken wing.

*sigh*

I know — know— where this one is going.

I scoot back to the phone, call the office and have them forward the call to the Game Warden.

He isn’t anywhere close to be around here. Of coursehe isn’t.

So, I dial the local Animal Control. Local Animal Control will be happy to chase down the feathered pile of talons and beak and general pissed-off-ed-ness.

I hang up the phone, stare skywards while counting to 20, pull on my brand-new set of kevlar-lined gloves, just in time to hear Chris say, “What the hell is the dog-catcher doing?”

The dog-catcher is, as a matter-of-fact, trying to herd a very large, very unamused raptor into a dog crate with bare hands and a stick.

*sigh*

I trundle out to make sure that neither the dog-catcher nor the hawk wind up with any further damage.

Somewhere towards the end of the ensuing debate — the hawk held opinions mostfirm regarding small boxes — the Hungarian World Champion Weightlifter (Gnome Division) popped out of nowhere and fetched the palm of my right hand a good solid whack with a ball-peen hammer.

Leastways, that was the impression I got.

Couple of tense moments later, the hawk is on its way to the Wildlife Rehab place in Itchy Paw Falls and I’m staring at my brand-new, just-purchased set of kevlar-lined gloves — with a fairly impressive beak-mark in the palm. And wondering how much thistrip to the E.R. was going to cost.

Imagine my surprise when I gingerly pulled off the glove to reveal: a bruise. Granted, it was a bruise that probably went all the way through my hand — but when you’re expecting to see a hole filled with blood and bone, a bruise isn’t that bad.

Hatch Streetguard gloves get the LawDog Paw of Approval.

LawDog

Ye tap-dancing prophets.
Black Friday

17 thoughts on “The Paw of Approval”

  1. Doggone wildlife just doesn’t know what’s in its own best interest.

    – NF

  2. Seems like I went into a place just South of I30 maybe on Vickery Blvd in Ft. Worth that had some pretty neat stuff. Another place I have been into that as I recall has at LEAST as much neat stuff in Austin is GT Distributors. GT has moved as I understand it since the last time I was there, but understand they are still near DPS Hdqtrs in Austin. AS far as the Allure of the big city, to me that’s why we can travel like we can in Texas so you can experience that when you want to but you don’t have to deal with the rest of it. I may have to work in a bigger city, but it is worth the long drives to get out of there to where I live where one of my main noise problems are Coyotes and/or Dogs barking at them.

  3. Thank goodness he didnt poke a hole in em.

    Glad you and the critte are ok.

  4. I knew someone who captured a hawk in their parts store. When he grabbed hold of it, the bird’s talons ripped through the top of his hand and came out through his palm.

    Glad you didn’t get seriously injured lawdog. I should get a pair of those gloves for cutting vegetables or working on the gun bench.

  5. For the cutting board (vegetables), you want a glove from a restraunt supply. Mine is made by Forschner and
    cost about $12.00 as best I remember.

    It’s made of Spectra and is washable.

  6. The shop was Gun Leather, Inc. It’s a nifty gun leather shop, because, on Lipscomb in Ft. Worth, you’ll find that you’re glad you brought your gun.
    http://gunleather.net/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi
    Good prices on gun leather vests.

    I can’t begin to fit in any of the Hatch gloves except their neoprene gloves in XXL. The Neoprene stretches to XXX(X?)L, and begins to fit me. That’s what’s riding in my patrol bag. That Kevlar stuff? Doesn’t begin to cover my orangutangian hands. [/pitiful sigh]

  7. Bless you for taking care of that raptor.

    Lornkanaga
    lornkanaga.livejournal.com

  8. I figured it must have been Gun Leather from what LD said. I have a 12E basketweave holster for my P220 from there. Extraordinary quality.

    Wonder why I can’t find holsters online from them anymore?

    Regards,
    Rabbit.

  9. Glad to hear your injuries were minimal, LawDog. I think if I were going after a large, pointy bird, I’d probably prefer welding gloves or something even longer. My forearm has all kinds of important tendons, veins and so forth that are within easy slashing range for a hawk.

    I’ve always been a little leery of Kevlar-lined gloves ever since I watched a guy cut the fingers off of one like celery sticks. Apparently not all are created equal.

  10. Glad you weren’t stigmatized by the irate raptor, Lawdog. I suppose you could send the damaged glove to the manufacturer with appropriate documentation. Perhaps a note of appreciation, too. Might get a replacement set out of it.

    Arnica will do wonders for your bruise.

  11. My HERO!

    Isn’t that a crappy feeling when you KNOW you have to pull off that sock or glove to assess the damage…but you REALLY don’t want to?!?

    Glad it’s “only” a bruise.
    Hate to think you wouldn’t be able to type!! EGADS!

  12. Being someone who has worked with raptors for a number of years, you lucked out there. Given the choice between a painful bite and getting grabbed by the talons, I prefer the beak unless I have a heavy gauntlet. Glad you got it some help. Bravo.

  13. I just recently discovered your blog. I recommend the Texas Renn Faires, the one in Waxahatchie is coming up. One of their presentations for several years is Last Chance Forever, a group that rehabilitates raptors. They have presentation. Beautiful birds. Yes, the birds can if they choose to, use their claws and pierce through falconer’s glove, skin, flesh, down to the bone.

  14. Well, Dog, I'm glad I read this story a while back. A hawk just smacked our glass door a few minutes ago. I noticed she was belled, and almost picked her up with a welder's gauntlet before I remembered your story. I think I'll be ordering myself a pair of those soon, since my work and hobbies all seem to involve sharp things.
    As for the bird, I found the falconer in a parking lot down the road, and pointed him to where I last saw her. She seemed none the worse for wear after a few minutes' rest.
    Now I'm off to put that in my report in case anyone wonders why there's a big bird-print with pinfeathers stuck to it on the front door…

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