Labs
Active member
Our season in ND ended yesterday. 2020 makes it 55 years since I bumped off my first pheasant (with a Daisy 1894 BB gun). It was 45 degrees, no snow, and windy, which other than the wind was a first for January 3rd up here for me. Bet we walked 5 miles yesterday for only 6 hens and 1 rooster flush, although with the number of hunters out it's likely that cover was walked once or twice before we got around to leaving the house. Never a bad day watching the Wrecking Crew hunt, though...
Numbers-wise, Toni & I and the folks we took out bagged a solid number of birds, not the best season since we've moved out here but not the worst either. Also got 4 sharps, but no huns this go around. There were fair numbers of them but around here huns are where you find them. I once again got to marvel at the Wrecking Crew's ability to find, flush, and retrieve roosters & sharps. They are all good, but time & again Harley proved he is on another level as an upland hunter. Lord, grant every upland & waterfowl hunter a Harley once in their lives...
Of course, the planning for next year started the moment we got back to the truck. I'm looking hard at adding a started yellow female to the Crew in the Spring and finishing her over the Summer. My Q5 vest finally shipped a couple days ago, (nearly 90 days back ordered), but it will get put to the test next October, maybe earlier with a shooting preserve trip or two. I have a solid supply of shotgun shells on hand, but you can bet I'll buy another case or two if/when ammo becomes available again. I don't have any shotguns wants, but you can never tell what gets traded in & shows up on the used rack in the off season. I will continue to try to convince Toni to get a 20 gauge for upland, but I don't hold out much hope for success.
All in all, we had a great season. Hope you all had great seasons as well...
Numbers-wise, Toni & I and the folks we took out bagged a solid number of birds, not the best season since we've moved out here but not the worst either. Also got 4 sharps, but no huns this go around. There were fair numbers of them but around here huns are where you find them. I once again got to marvel at the Wrecking Crew's ability to find, flush, and retrieve roosters & sharps. They are all good, but time & again Harley proved he is on another level as an upland hunter. Lord, grant every upland & waterfowl hunter a Harley once in their lives...
Of course, the planning for next year started the moment we got back to the truck. I'm looking hard at adding a started yellow female to the Crew in the Spring and finishing her over the Summer. My Q5 vest finally shipped a couple days ago, (nearly 90 days back ordered), but it will get put to the test next October, maybe earlier with a shooting preserve trip or two. I have a solid supply of shotgun shells on hand, but you can bet I'll buy another case or two if/when ammo becomes available again. I don't have any shotguns wants, but you can never tell what gets traded in & shows up on the used rack in the off season. I will continue to try to convince Toni to get a 20 gauge for upland, but I don't hold out much hope for success.
All in all, we had a great season. Hope you all had great seasons as well...
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