2023 Season
- Thread starter Munster927
- Start date
benelli-banger
Well-known member
Near corn?
benelli-banger
Well-known member
Maybe they were loafing there in between feeding?
20super90
Active member
carptom1
Well-known member
Nice looking labs. I changed breeds a couple years ago but will always have a fondness for labs especially the black ones
Bob Peters
Well-known member
This was SC and SW MN.
20super90
Active member
He mine !
Bob Peters
Well-known member
After hemmin' and hawin' this morning over a steaming coffee cup and a brilliant sunrise I figured I better go. Didn't feel like driving far today so I didn't. First spot is a line of narrow thickets along a big slough. I've chased em in the cattails before but it's a needle in a haystack proposition. I had both dogs, and of course halfway through Roxy must have hit the scent and got ahead, there goes two big old roosters. Have you ever hunted a spot where all the roosters are old ones? This spot is like that. I was glad to finally see roosters, but I wish I woulda had a shot. On the walk back to the truck with the wind at our backs both dogs stop on the side of the gravel road and run into the weeds, up pops a rooster! He rose into the wind and turned, flying right to left. I missed. Wish I had them trained to cross the other way like glock as I'm a lefty too. Next spot was a wma that I like. I walked the entire thing, finally on the way out walking a NARROW strip between waterway and woods, I got a rooster. Up he went a cacklin' and a flappin', the whole bit. I wobbled him good with the first barrel, and dropped him like a sack of potatoes 
with the second. Two hours about, only bird I saw there. Tried two private spots to end the night, saw six henny-pennies.
with the second. Two hours about, only bird I saw there. Tried two private spots to end the night, saw six henny-pennies.Attachments
benelli-banger
Well-known member
Brilliant writing! Good for you getting out there…After hemmin' and hawin' this morning over a steaming coffee cup and a brilliant sunrise I figured I better go. Didn't feel like driving far today so I didn't. First spot is a line of narrow thickets along a big slough. I've chased em in the cattails before but it's a needle in a haystack proposition. I had both dogs, and of course halfway through Roxy must have hit the scent and got ahead, there goes two big old roosters. Have you ever hunted a spot where all the roosters are old ones? This spot is like that. I was glad to finally see roosters, but I wish I woulda had a shot. On the walk back to the truck with the wind at our backs both dogs stop on the side of the gravel road and run into the weeds, up pops a rooster! He rose into the wind and turned, flying right to left. I missed. Wish I had them trained to cross the other way like glock as I'm a lefty too. Next spot was a wma that I like. I walked the entire thing, finally on the way out walking a NARROW strip between waterway and woods, I got a rooster. Up he went a cacklin' and a flappin', the whole bit. I wobbled him good with the first barrel, and dropped him like a sack of potatoes
Bob Peters
Well-known member
Not sure about tomorrow. Might drive to Marshall, might hunt ditches in Mankato, might sleep in with the dogs.
Bob Peters
Well-known member
Not sure if this will work.
Wind River
Well-known member
Next time Mic Golden Draft. It worked well, as did the video. 
mlmich@pldi.net
Active member
Nicely done on all fronts.
Glock
Well-known member
Looks like a good day to me!
Not sure if this will work.
Glock
Well-known member
I had odds in my favor for them going left to right. Going right to left, they would have gone over a plowed field. They could have gone away from me but I knew where wouldn’t. Why? Well going left to right meant going over thick to thicker cover and than open water. Yep you guessed it, all three where water retrieves in just above freezing water. Seems like my season has been all about knocking them down into difficult retrieves. After the third bird, the ice covered black dog was ready for a new hunting partner!
Bob Peters
Well-known member
I've had a touch of covid 22 or a cold, not sure which. We slep in today, and watched football. About 1:30 the dogs were getting wound up and looking at me like I'm a bum. I throw on the old patched up brush pants, case the gun, collar the pups and off we go, to the exact same spot we started at yesterday. Never hunt the same spot twice they say. I just had to know. Walking the gravel road a smart old bird flushed silently way off. Halfway down the thicket line, both dogs are full of vinegar and working at a furious pace. Disappearing into a red willow bush I suddenly hear an ear piercing cackle, the old king of the marsh let loose in all his anger for being disturbed from his cozy roost-throne. Then he flew crossing L to R in front and around some mature trees. I let loose and managed to knock off some bark
. Next spot the young dog got hot and charged into the cattail/cane break. As I followed her course by watching the grass shake, out of the corner of my eye I catch a flash as a rooster silently flushed just a bit out front of the dog. He quickly dipped out of sight behind the phragmites. This cattail patch is about 8 acres, and there's a spot the birds always seem to like, I'm not sure why. We were on the edge and a hen flushed, then loud cackling and a rooster rising above the marsh. Out there a ways I leveled up and sent the shot column. POOF! Feathers everywhere. I charged in, a tough mark, headed straight towards a power pole marked in the distance. Threw an orange ribbon on a tall tail, called the dogs and began looking. Nothing nothing, nothing. Losing a shot bird, a reality in this sport, but that doesn't make it any easier. Every time a dog ran by I looked for a bird in her mouth. Just when I gave up hope, here comes the old girl with a beautiful late season rooster still alive in her chops. Man, that made my whole trip. One more day to go. What a season. 
. Next spot the young dog got hot and charged into the cattail/cane break. As I followed her course by watching the grass shake, out of the corner of my eye I catch a flash as a rooster silently flushed just a bit out front of the dog. He quickly dipped out of sight behind the phragmites. This cattail patch is about 8 acres, and there's a spot the birds always seem to like, I'm not sure why. We were on the edge and a hen flushed, then loud cackling and a rooster rising above the marsh. Out there a ways I leveled up and sent the shot column. POOF! Feathers everywhere. I charged in, a tough mark, headed straight towards a power pole marked in the distance. Threw an orange ribbon on a tall tail, called the dogs and began looking. Nothing nothing, nothing. Losing a shot bird, a reality in this sport, but that doesn't make it any easier. Every time a dog ran by I looked for a bird in her mouth. Just when I gave up hope, here comes the old girl with a beautiful late season rooster still alive in her chops. Man, that made my whole trip. One more day to go. What a season.