nstric
New member
Short on time this evening, but I wanted to share.
A buddy and I took our two oldest sons out today. A one field hunt, mid afternoon, after the rain had passed and the wind picked up.
My buddy's son had yet to participate within a hunt where a bird was taken, so I was bound and determined to make that happen today.
15 minutes or so into the hunt, working with the wind now, Gunner gets birdie and locks up. I move in, can tell from Gunner's positioning that the bird had ran, so I released him. We tracked, still with the steady 20+ mph wind at our back, and Gunner creeping as I imagine a coyote would stocking his prey.
50 yards or so later, another "beep, beep, beep" of the collar and I ready myself again. This time the, what we later realize two year old, rooster comes up off of my boot and is immediately into the wind. I've one shot, take it, hit him high and he drops like a stone. Gunner retrieves to me and the boys and we take in the moment.
We finish this section of the field, walking edges only (for the boys), and I pause with my son to snap a few solo pictures (see below).
Now to the east section of the field, which is typically the least populated portion of this ground. I had higher hopes for today though, as I was of opinion the birds were still in the fields eating after hunkering down throughout the morning rain. We'd have seen more birds on the west side had they already eaten and returned to loaf. And this side . . . the east side . . . just had neighboring corn picked. The birds had to be out eating, right, and by this point in the day I was hoping some had returned to the grass.
We start on the edge with picked corn and Gunner immediately gets hot. He soon thereafter locks up solid, in some tall horse weeds, and I know it's a bird. I position the boys, step into the corn, and send my buddy in. As he approaches Gunner I see the rooster sneak out into the corn in front of me, and while an easy shot, there's no fun in that. I yell "ROOSTER!", which flushes him and his three hens, and they sail southeast with the wind, right over my buddy who shoots behind on the first shot, wobbling him only a little, but connects solid with shot #2 which must have required a good lead. Gunner retrieves to hand and I'm more than content with the two in the bag. Gunner is not, however . . .
. . . as he immediately points another hen, then works another bird north only to have that rooster flush wild. He looks like a young rooster, but with the wind, seemed to sail a good half mile away.
I'm now with Gunner, pushing the north edge near picked corn, and again Gunner gets really birdie. He's locking up, relocating, tracking, stalking, creeping, all the while with the wind nearly at his back. I slow roll it, letting him get out ahead of me, and then work towards me. The boys are to the south of me, and the field edge to the north. We've got 'em boxed in, boys!
Only 30 seconds into this approach, as Gunner and I near each other, he locks up and up comes another rooster. Into the wind he flies, and I drop him with ease. Seemed like slow motion. With the rapport of the gun, I hear another flush immediately behind me. I swing 180 degrees, eye my target, identify him as yet another rooster, and squeeze the trigger. It was a long shot, but with the wind, so I decided to take it.
The shot wobbles him, and affects his flight enough to have him sail down into the grass. Gunner was on hot pursuit, and I don't think 5 seconds passed by the time he got to the general area and started working the cover. I just stayed where I was, kept silent, and watched.
While I picked up the first downed rooster, I sent my buddy towards Gunner, as he was again on point. Kicking around the grass . . . and . . . nothing. I give the release command and he's back to quartering the area. About a minute later and he locks up again, again in the same spot. There's got to be a bird in there, right? I give the "hunt dead" command and Gunner jumps in, raising head with rooster in mouth, still plenty alive.
My buddy and I take a good five minutes or so to talk through this part . . . the dispatching of a live bird, and how it's our least favorite part of hunting. We talk about ethics, our responsibility as honorable huntsman, and how we owe the bird the most humane treatment we can offer him. The deed is then done. I feel lesson was learned.
So four roosters now in the bag, which we decide is enough, so we head south towards the truck. This approach nets another couple of roosters and hens, and Gunner gives us every indication that the majority of birds were still out in the picked corn fields eating. We're okay with this, as the boys seemed to enough themselves, and many a memory were already made.
Picture time now . . .
A buddy and I took our two oldest sons out today. A one field hunt, mid afternoon, after the rain had passed and the wind picked up.
My buddy's son had yet to participate within a hunt where a bird was taken, so I was bound and determined to make that happen today.
15 minutes or so into the hunt, working with the wind now, Gunner gets birdie and locks up. I move in, can tell from Gunner's positioning that the bird had ran, so I released him. We tracked, still with the steady 20+ mph wind at our back, and Gunner creeping as I imagine a coyote would stocking his prey.
50 yards or so later, another "beep, beep, beep" of the collar and I ready myself again. This time the, what we later realize two year old, rooster comes up off of my boot and is immediately into the wind. I've one shot, take it, hit him high and he drops like a stone. Gunner retrieves to me and the boys and we take in the moment.
We finish this section of the field, walking edges only (for the boys), and I pause with my son to snap a few solo pictures (see below).
Now to the east section of the field, which is typically the least populated portion of this ground. I had higher hopes for today though, as I was of opinion the birds were still in the fields eating after hunkering down throughout the morning rain. We'd have seen more birds on the west side had they already eaten and returned to loaf. And this side . . . the east side . . . just had neighboring corn picked. The birds had to be out eating, right, and by this point in the day I was hoping some had returned to the grass.
We start on the edge with picked corn and Gunner immediately gets hot. He soon thereafter locks up solid, in some tall horse weeds, and I know it's a bird. I position the boys, step into the corn, and send my buddy in. As he approaches Gunner I see the rooster sneak out into the corn in front of me, and while an easy shot, there's no fun in that. I yell "ROOSTER!", which flushes him and his three hens, and they sail southeast with the wind, right over my buddy who shoots behind on the first shot, wobbling him only a little, but connects solid with shot #2 which must have required a good lead. Gunner retrieves to hand and I'm more than content with the two in the bag. Gunner is not, however . . .
. . . as he immediately points another hen, then works another bird north only to have that rooster flush wild. He looks like a young rooster, but with the wind, seemed to sail a good half mile away.
I'm now with Gunner, pushing the north edge near picked corn, and again Gunner gets really birdie. He's locking up, relocating, tracking, stalking, creeping, all the while with the wind nearly at his back. I slow roll it, letting him get out ahead of me, and then work towards me. The boys are to the south of me, and the field edge to the north. We've got 'em boxed in, boys!
Only 30 seconds into this approach, as Gunner and I near each other, he locks up and up comes another rooster. Into the wind he flies, and I drop him with ease. Seemed like slow motion. With the rapport of the gun, I hear another flush immediately behind me. I swing 180 degrees, eye my target, identify him as yet another rooster, and squeeze the trigger. It was a long shot, but with the wind, so I decided to take it.
The shot wobbles him, and affects his flight enough to have him sail down into the grass. Gunner was on hot pursuit, and I don't think 5 seconds passed by the time he got to the general area and started working the cover. I just stayed where I was, kept silent, and watched.
While I picked up the first downed rooster, I sent my buddy towards Gunner, as he was again on point. Kicking around the grass . . . and . . . nothing. I give the release command and he's back to quartering the area. About a minute later and he locks up again, again in the same spot. There's got to be a bird in there, right? I give the "hunt dead" command and Gunner jumps in, raising head with rooster in mouth, still plenty alive.
My buddy and I take a good five minutes or so to talk through this part . . . the dispatching of a live bird, and how it's our least favorite part of hunting. We talk about ethics, our responsibility as honorable huntsman, and how we owe the bird the most humane treatment we can offer him. The deed is then done. I feel lesson was learned.
So four roosters now in the bag, which we decide is enough, so we head south towards the truck. This approach nets another couple of roosters and hens, and Gunner gives us every indication that the majority of birds were still out in the picked corn fields eating. We're okay with this, as the boys seemed to enough themselves, and many a memory were already made.
Picture time now . . .
