2025 season reports

I am going to try again on Friday. The temperature looks significantly colder, and there is moisture coming too. Could even be a couple inches of fresh snow out there.

I've begun to accept this and be at peace. 14 seasons of an extremely efficient partnership is what I've tried to dwell on now.
 
gim said:
I am going to try again on Friday. The temperature looks significantly colder, and there is moisture coming too. Could even be a couple inches of fresh snow out there.

I've begun to accept this and be at peace. 14 seasons of an extremely efficient partnership is what I've tried to dwell on now.
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I hope you get the send off and closure you're looking for. My older dog is in his 10th season and I never take any day for granted with him.
 
Skye is 10 this January. I try and drink it all in every time we go hunting. Good luck Gim, I hope the cold helps the lab get one more wild bird, or two!
 
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Looks like some decent snow later today and into tomorrow for most of the state. They are talking 3-8 inches in many areas. That'll change the landscape quickly.
 
I was able to get out for about 2 hours yesterday and my dog had more energy. It was tough sledding in some drifted up areas with the recent snow, and all the grassland is flattened. We raised about 10 birds at the first spot and 5 more at the second. No roosters within range. But I'm grateful for every moment I still have this season with my dog.

I'll try again in a week or so.
 
Today I hunted the last 50 minutes right by the metro, but a jungle of a spot that always has birds. Saw 3 hens and a rooster. This bird I almost mistook for a rooster, she was so dark. I never fired a shot, still good to get out.
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I hunted on Thanksgiving day. It was tough for the first half of the day. I found a lot of birds, but all roosters were flushing wild. Just after noon, I pulled up to a familiar spot and got a point on a group of maybe 8 birds. I dumped my two from that group 75 yards from the truck. It was a great day to be outside. I am ready to hunt for 3 birds now!
 
I hunted for about 2.5 hours today. The walking is tough. Many areas are blown in and drifted up. The only areas that survived are areas with trees, or standing corn. Not even cattails are worth it because they aren't froze good. I took one step in and went through a little so I backed out.

The first spot had 2 roosters and 4 hens in a thicket of prickly ash. The roosters got up within seconds of each other and I folded both of them. The first one died on the spot and the second was crippled. My dog, as slow and as old as she is, still had the energy to find and retrieve it.

Second spot had 4 hens.

These might very well be the last two roosters ever taken over this dog. There is more snow coming tonight and again on Tuesday.
 

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Also forgot to mention that on the way home, about a mile down the road, I saw about 40 pheasants and 20 wild turkeys feeding together in a picked corn field.

I pulled over to watch them for a few minutes. The turkeys can dig up the snow much easier using their more powerful legs.
 
gim said:
I hunted for about 2.5 hours today. The walking is tough. Many areas are blown in and drifted up. The only areas that survived are areas with trees, or standing corn. Not even cattails are worth it because they aren't froze good. I took one step in and went through a little so I backed out.

The first spot had 2 roosters and 4 hens in a thicket of prickly ash. The roosters got up within seconds of each other and I folded both of them. The first one died on the spot and the second was crippled. My dog, as slow and as old as she is, still had the energy to find and retrieve it.

Second spot had 4 hens.

These might very well be the last two roosters ever taken over this dog. There is more snow coming tonight and again on Tuesday.
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Man I’m glad you got him a couple birds… I know how hard it is getting to the end of their hunting time
 
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