Hunted a new spot this morning. Overall a good day, certainly interesting. Dog pointed on a field edge, rooster got up low and straight away. Unfortunately the dog broke on the flush and I had no safe shot.
Same field edge maybe 50 yards down and she points again. I go in for the flush and another rooster gets up, about 6 ft off the ground then comes right back down and beats feet along the field edge. The dog stays steady for all of this (go figure) and I run about 15 yes after it hoping it will finally jump up and fly. No deal. It ran about 150 yds down the field edge and plunged in. Told the dog to track and she followed the track the whole way grabbed the rooster as it popped back out of the edge, still not flying, and retrieved to hand. I'm thinking well at least she was steady for the running. Not an ideal situation, but I'll take it.
Another 100 yards in she goes on point, out flushes another rooster and same thing! At least this was in thicker cover and it had a hard time running with speed. Having seen this drill before I told the dog to fetch and got my limit without shooting. Kind of anticlimactic.
One had a broken wing. Another's wings were in tact, but had 2 BB holes in its skin where it meets the breast. I guess it's a win because they won't be yote food. Another bonus! I found beavers for some winter trapping.
Same field edge maybe 50 yards down and she points again. I go in for the flush and another rooster gets up, about 6 ft off the ground then comes right back down and beats feet along the field edge. The dog stays steady for all of this (go figure) and I run about 15 yes after it hoping it will finally jump up and fly. No deal. It ran about 150 yds down the field edge and plunged in. Told the dog to track and she followed the track the whole way grabbed the rooster as it popped back out of the edge, still not flying, and retrieved to hand. I'm thinking well at least she was steady for the running. Not an ideal situation, but I'll take it.
Another 100 yards in she goes on point, out flushes another rooster and same thing! At least this was in thicker cover and it had a hard time running with speed. Having seen this drill before I told the dog to fetch and got my limit without shooting. Kind of anticlimactic.
One had a broken wing. Another's wings were in tact, but had 2 BB holes in its skin where it meets the breast. I guess it's a win because they won't be yote food. Another bonus! I found beavers for some winter trapping.