ever had a pheasant...

[DudeRN]

...hide underground?

this evening, I was hunting with my Britt. she did a nice point, I kicked up a rooster out of a bush. I shot, know I hit it, it went down but I couldn't see where for sure because of some brush. My Britt ran after it, and when I caught up, she was digging frantically at some large boulders.

There was definitely a space that a bird could get into, but would it? Couldn't find the rooster anywhere else, my dog kept coming back to these rocks. They were too big to move, but I shone a light down into the holes and poked a stick around in there, but no luck. We went off for a while, and she came right back to the same rocks. Went off and hunted for about a half hour, and then went back again, and she went right to the same spot.

Anyone ever had something like this happen to them?

[2dogs]

Not with pheasant but definitely numerous times with chukar

[Coach]

I have had a cripple rooster crawl in a badger hole before........

[mnaj_springer]

Trust your dog. That's all I have to say.

[nikegundog]

Never watched one run inside a hole, we have lost a couple that the dogs tracked to and alerted at badger holes.

[bonasa]

I've had a few grouse as cripples hide in a rockwall, only found when the dogs point dead after moving them up. I do recall when I was younger hunting without a dog and walkin up grouse. I shot a right to left crosser that dropped a leg flying away. Walked over and couldn't find anything. Up in the air was a single marabouish feather hanging in a spider web, on the ground was a hole about as round as a coffee can, I reached into the hole and found a very much alive ruffed grouse. Don't know what made me stick my hand in there, but I'm glad I did!

[DudeRN]

Trust your dog. That's all I have to say.

that was my inclination. just thought it strange!

[fishvik]

I had a rooster crawl in to a badger hole and my Lab dug it out.

[gonehuntin']

Had one die in a badger hole in SD. Just his tail sticking out.