1/31/14 reports

We found measurable snow about 30 miles from the NE line. It was coming down in good size flakes and there was at least 2" on the ground. We picked a WA that had a PF sign in it:thumbsup:

In about a mile and a half of walking we saw 15 hens. Well, there was a group of 10 birds that flushed at once, and 3 or 4 were too far to identify. The dogs had 5 nice points on hens. On the way back to the truck we had another nice point, with the GWH backing. The boy thought he'd spent enough energy walking to hen points and chose to stay behind. A mature rooster with a big ole' set of spurs flushed between me and the GSP and I took him on an easy, going away shot. If that isn't being a good mentor, I don't know what is:D

Soon after, while the dogs were working ahead, a rabbit busts out behind me. He exposed himself for a shot from the boy and I gave my blessing. "Now we both got somethin' dad!", he shouted!

We drove about an hour back toward home and decided to hit one more spot. The dogs trapped a nice size covey of quail between them. Those birds had learned how to use the trees to their advantage throughout the season....a shot was fired but no feathers were drawn. It is great to see a covey of 10+ quail on public land on the final day of season!

We began our walk back to the truck, accepting that though we'd been duped by a covey, we know where they are and there's a good chance they'll be back next year. Another point from Tate yields a cackling rooster. Neither of us shouldered the gun, which made for a moment I wish I could say I had planned all along:cheers:
 
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We had about an 1 1/2" of snow early this morning. About 2pm I took Jess to the Milo circle East of home to pick up the No Hunting signs and make one last hunt for the season. My plan was that if I saw any rosters I would let the first one go and shoot at every other one after that. I saw six roosters and was lucky enough to bag the 2nd ,4th, & 6th. Also saw 9 hens so there should be some for seed this spring if Mother Nature will cooperate. This Milo was only hunted twice this season, on opening day by BritChaser and myself and when I hunted it today. Jess made 4 points and 3 retrieves, not bad for a deaf 12 year old dog. The birds all had good fat deposits, so they are doing alright so far this winter.


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Sure do wish I could have made it out today. Congrats on the nice finish to the season. I really needed to see those photos. I'm already "jonesing" for a bird hunt. Have to wait a few months now.
 
My father took the day off to join my good friend and I. We started in a PF patch but only saw three hens. Our head Doctor buddy, (who just took his hunter's education this fall) joined us at 12:30.

We caught up to six roosters in a soybean/wheat field between cut milo and a draw another 1/4 of a mile away. The roosters took off at high speed around the corner of a cedar tree shelterbelt and we dashed down to the other end to block them and herd them to the milo. They take off and wrap over the trees and the homes towards the draw.

After flushing two more hens in the milo, we work the north half of the mile long draw because the southern half is owned by someone who will not let anyone hunt. We chase seven hens out of the north half which has been holding roosters all season long. Near the end, my father who is blocking, starts waving as we heard him shooting earlier. He broke a small covey of quail walking to block and shot two, but could only find one. One of the dogs locks up in front of me and three kicks and one shot later I have a quail in the bag. Suddenly the English pointer locks up, but moves one step. I tell him to get it and he retrieves the quail my father couldn't find.

A small patch of CRP yielded the first rooster of the day, brought down on the second shot by myself after one rooster exited the little patch at high speed from the second corner as we just turned the first. After saying "I think there's a couple more in here," another cackling rooster makes a break for it, brought down by my friend. He runs over to where it went down to only find a pile of feathers. Moving about 30 yards farther, he finds another pile of feathers. We figure the bird is long gone, but the GSP comes over, looks around and disappears. Three minutes later, she comes trotting back, rooster in her mouth.

It was a stellar end to the season with promises for next year.
 
We had about an 1 1/2" of snow early this morning. About 2pm I took Jess to the Milo circle East of home to pick up the No Hunting signs and make one last hunt for the season. My plan was that if I saw any rosters I would let the first one go and shoot at every other one after that. I saw six roosters and was lucky enough to bag the 2nd ,4th, & 6th. Also saw 9 hens so there should be some for seed this spring if Mother Nature will cooperate. This Milo was only hunted twice this season, on opening day by BritChaser and myself and when I hunted it today. Jess made 4 points and 3 retrieves, not bad for a deaf 12 year old dog. The birds all had good fat deposits, so they are doing alright so far this winter.


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Great reads everyone, sounds fun. TJH what kinda gun ya shootin there?
 
It is an older 12ga Beretta 687 Ultralight with 28" barrels. It weighs a little less than 6lbs. It is really nice to carry on long days in the field.
 
Happy Puppy I am sure!!! Thanks for the pic's and I like the gun as well!!:10sign:
 
I got out with a good friend that I have hunted with many time, but his only time out this season. In the past it was hunts with our sons, but they are off at college.

We headed out after lunch, and hit some CRP and a spot that has had a few quail.

The first thing we saw was a group of 10-15 Prairie Chickens. They were several hundred yards away, when they got up out of a milo field. This time of year it is pretty rare to get PC pointed, and it didn't happen for us today.

Not much farther on we had 4-5 hens and one rooster get up. Indy went by the first bird up wind, it flushed and the others came up not long after.

We then went along a tree line in a milo field, and found Indy pointing and Ace backing. Turns out he was standing a fresh covey roost that you could see in the snow. Indy pointed a quail a few hundred yard on, which I shot on video. We saw another couple quail but did not take any more shots.

Indy had a nice point on a couple of hens, and Ace also worked a couple, but we did not see any more roosters for the day.

All in all, a pretty good day for the last day of the season.

Here is some of the video.

http://youtu.be/83pzoWTvqDk
 
It is an older 12ga Beretta 687 Ultralight with 28" barrels. It weighs a little less than 6lbs. It is really nice to carry on long days in the field.

Welcome to the forum! TJH and I realized this was our 20th season hunting the Happy Hunting Grounds together.
 
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Went to the northern Flinthills hoping for my first shot at a quail this season. It was snowing and blowing out of the north. After driving around looking at several walk-in patches I plucked up the courage to enter a field at about ten and hunted the grass, trees and cover along a deep creek and a brush pile, all next to corn stalks. Flushed a group turkeys out of the frozen creek. No other action.

Had lunch at a Mexican cafe in Marysville, the Guadalajara, where I had a big bowl of hot Guadalajaran soup with raw radish and avocado slices and cilantro floating in broth over meat and beans and a Mexican style taco, all tasty. Warmed by the soup, I set out for another try at quail.

Went south from Marysville to another big walk-in field in Marshall Co. and hunted tree lines, fence rows and brush piles. No action.

Enjoyed the exercise, the Flinthills scenery, and watching my dog work beautifully in the two inches of fresh snow. And so my 2013-14 upland season ended. Next is spring turkey.
 
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We had about an 1 1/2" of snow early this morning. About 2pm I took Jess to the Milo circle East of home to pick up the No Hunting signs and make one last hunt for the season. My plan was that if I saw any rosters I would let the first one go and shoot at every other one after that. I saw six roosters and was lucky enough to bag the 2nd ,4th, & 6th. Also saw 9 hens so there should be some for seed this spring if Mother Nature will cooperate. This Milo was only hunted twice this season, on opening day by BritChaser and myself and when I hunted it today. Jess made 4 points and 3 retrieves, not bad for a deaf 12 year old dog. The birds all had good fat deposits, so they are doing alright so far this winter.


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Great Story, Great Picture and a really nice bird gun (I have one just like it, and its not For Sale):)

NB
 
Wish my 31st was as productive as some of yours. I was at work.

The end of my season came on the 24th. I walked several good looking patches that day and saw exactly one bird--a rooster. He got up on the edge of range and I scratched him down. It was one of those shots where I regretted pulling the trigger before the bang was gone. Sadly I did not recover that bird. Perhaps he'll live.

On the whole this season was worse than last. Was hoping for the other way around. Bring on the snow and rain, let's hope for next year!
 
That's a tough way to end the season Matto. We're getting plenty of snow today, but I'm not sure that's such a good thing given the next week's forecast.
 
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TJH,

That was a super ending to the season! Shooting every other one and coming up with 3 is commendable at the end of the 13-14 season:thumbsup:
 
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