I went up to the indian rez this morning for a short pheasant hunt. I decided to hunt a snow filled cattail patch(huge) because I'd seen birds before in the area, it had corn on one side, soybeans across the road, and was the heaviest roosting cover around---about everything a pheasant needs. I hadn't gone 200 yards and I started seeing tracks. Shooter's bell stopped but I don't know where he's at(gotta get me a astro:!: ). I wandered around for about a minute looking for him not wanting to call him(birds are pretty spooky this time of year). I finally gave in and called him--out blew 2 roosters and a hen just out of range--right where I found him standing. Round 1 goes to the pheasants. I go about a hundred yards farther and there is a pile of hen feathers---some coyote got a late night supper. About 400 more yards and I'm about ready to die fighting my way thru the snow and cover. I started seeing a few more tracks(nothing like pheasant sign to get my mind back on hunting). The dog is getting birdy--nose is in the air and he is starting to eat scent!!!. I can't hear his bell--is he pointing or is it plugged with snow. I decide to wait it out---this pocket of cattails is only 50 yards around with flatted cover around it. Finally up comes 2 roosters--one going west, 1 going east. I'm shooting my ruger 20 gauge o/u(normally I shoot my 12 gauge 870 for phez). I knock the west one down and fold the east one hard--a double if I can get them in the bag. I see Shooter after the cripple---out comes some tail feathers, bird is still running, he catches him, out comes more tail feathers!!! bird doubles back, more lost tail feathers, finally a good body grip by the dog and I have bird #1. Now we go the other direction to look for bird # 2--I hit this hard so I know he is DEAD. WE can't find him--I know he came down somewhere in the area I'm standing. I find Shooter pointing about 3 minutes later---no cover around him at all--just deep snow. I walk up in front of him and there is a hole punched thru the snow from a dead falling phez---I'd of never found this bird if I didn't hunt with a dog. It's now official since I have both birds in my game bag--I got my double and won round 2 with the pheasants. I hunt my way back to the truck and take a break. On to a sunflower patch in a different spot. I switched dogs taking Star(younger dog) on this walk. I loop around the sunflowers and go into the wind trying to pin any birds between me and the road. Two hens and a rooster hears Star's bell and blow out 125 yards away. The phez win Round 3. I'm back to the truck, I'm happy
and tired, the dogs are happy
and real tired. Time to go home & think about maybe another hunt this week end.
You'll notice on the attached pictures---there are no tail feathers on the one bird, thanks to Shooter.
Some of you might be used to doubles, but in Nebraska late season & low bird numbers it doesn't happen very often, so I'm very pleased
rez hunt Jan 8th 2013 001.JPG
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