Still plenty warm today. Got going around 9:00. Was looking for a shorter walk today. I skipped some of the "slower" parts and just walked straight back to the half mile line and got to the "good stuff". I had 2 in 2 shots pretty quickly. Then on the 3rd bird, I felt I was a bit behind and below him, it dropped into the switch grass, I had a great spot on it. Nothing, he was gone. OK, we can still have a good outing, I am thinking to myself. I then miss a strange crossing shot and and then I put 2 more at a long crosser...not a feather. So much for a short walk. I walk another 300 yards and get a straight away, I dust this one, big plume of feathers. I hustle to where I think it shoud be laying. Nothing there. I call the dog over (he hadn't had this bird located), he is not birdy where I think it should be. He does flush another rooster about 5 yards from this. I let the dog work a bit and bring him back to the "fall zone", and he finds the bird about 10 yards farther than I was looking and almost 15 yards from where the plume of feathers came to rest on a pretty calm morning. I was shocked his momentum carried him that far so, but I was grateful I found him. Another weekend in the books. 22 roosters so far this season. I might start pumping the brakes a bit now. I can only eat so many/much pheasant and unlike others here, I can't hardly give birds away. Usually the folks that say they might try one, I have no confidence they will eat it and I don't leave one this those folks. Processed into breakfast sausage is a mush easier way to give them away, but with all the time and expense into them at that point, I only give that to GOOD friends.
View attachment 12196
