back from the south!

davidtodd

davidtodd

New member
Well, we got back on Monday from our annual whirlwind upland tour, and it was as great as alwayss!
We shot Sharptails, chukars, and of course a possession limit of roosters as well as a few released fbirds from a friend's pheasant farm.
5 days of hard driving dogs, lots of miles, and dirty guns at the end of the day.
Compared to last year's snowy cold weather however, this year was gorgeous, no jackets in the afternoons, mid 'teens Celsius, and enough wind to make things challenging!
This marks my 50th year of pheasant hunting and it was my son's 25th birthday on this hunt, so we celebrated afterwards with a stogie as well- the last one I had before this year was when he was born.:cheers:


Two taken with the the muzzle loader that was willed to my boy from my father- it's a mid 1800's Chance and Sons 14 gauge that he shoots once a year on this hunt then hangs up again untill next year- I took two with it as well.

The Westly Richards hammer double was as deadly as ever on roosters this year!

My hunting partner also shoots vintage SXS guns, but my son sticks to his trusty open choked 28 gauge!
 
You've got some marvelous traditions in your family, congratulations...they are a treasure, unique to you; rare and precious.

Sounds like a wonderful hunting trip, and some great variety. Did you use guides or are you that familiar with the areas you hunted?

Nice images, great trip.

Thank you. :thumbsup:
 
Thanks Kismet!
Yes, my family is big on passing stuff down, for sure - my hunting knife was given to me in 1992 by my father when I got my first bighorn sheep draw, he brought it back from Germany in 1966, but never used it.
I have carried it on every hunt since then!
The Chance and Sons 14 gauge that my son now owns, was given to my father for Father's day in 1967, which was Canada's 100th year of Confederation.
Some of the land we hunt is public land, and some private where a few friends have permission to hunt on.
I have never used a paid guide , but certainly have had friends take me out for a day.:)
One day I will make a big trip down south to the Dakotas or Montana to hunt birds however, and that may require a guide then.
DHT
 
Last edited:
Very nice! Looks like a great trip and some lasting memories to me, thanks for sharing details and pics with us all.:cheers:
 
quail hound said:
Very nice! Looks like a great trip and some lasting memories to me, thanks for sharing details and pics with us all.:cheers:
Click to expand...

Every year is different, although we hunt the same places.:)
One of my very good friends that I have hunted with for the last 15 years could not make it this year, and it saddened both of us.
My buddy Steve hunted with us last year, and met up with us down south .
he knows me from work. I asked Brian if it was okay if a friend hunted with us that day and he said "sure"!
It turns out when he and Brian ( my absent friend) met, it was like old home week - they worked together 20 years ago!!:laugh:
Brian has a very goofy Griffon, and the two of them together keep a crew in stitches, for sure.
This is Brian and myself years ago with Tramp
That's my 28 gauge Mini Bobwhite in the pic.
 
Last edited:
David, you guys sure know how to go about a bird hunting adventure.
Thanks for sharing and the pics. :thumbsup:
 
mnmthunting said:
David, you guys sure know how to go about a bird hunting adventure.
Thanks for sharing and the pics. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

You are quite welcome!
Some years, if the timing is right, we start off on a friends farm hunting geese and ducks as well, but this year didn't work out with the days and weekends.
Hopefully next year!
One year we were hunting pheasants in the morning and shooting geese and duck ducks in the afternoon!:)
DHT
 
Hello David,
I was talking with another southern Pheasant hunter this week and he was telling me that the birds that are being released this year were up from the states. It seems that they were bigger, hardier and tougher to hunt. It was a definate challenge for the dogs. They figure there could be more carry over for next year.
 
Yes, the Canadian Pheasant company ( the outfit that used to supply Alberta) is now defunct, and for the last two years the bigrds have come from the States - Wisconsin IIRC.
They are BIG, fast flyers and will run as well. Pretty much act as pheasants!!:D

The dogs have to be on their game and so do the hunters to get these birds, but at the same time, I don't see much difference except for the size.
We had them sit as tight as the Canadian birds as well.
Many hunters complain about the release sites saying it is not sporting ,etc and the birds are tame, but I have this to say.

Just how long does it take for a released bird from a farm to become "wild"? Not too long in my experience!!:cool:
We have hunted release sites days after no releases were made and still put up birds, so they don't " all get shot" as soon as they are released, either.

Whatever the case, wild , released, or game farm, birds are noting but a pile of fun!!:10sign:
David
 
Doggind said:
Hello David,
I was talking with another southern Pheasant hunter this week and he was telling me that the birds that are being released this year were up from the states. It seems that they were bigger, hardier and tougher to hunt. It was a definate challenge for the dogs. They figure there could be more carry over for next year.
Click to expand...
The biggest issue with carry over in Alberta iss the lack of habitiat, simple as that!
The ranches I hunt that have good cover and water hold birds, lots of them.
The areas that don't, well there are very few birds now compared to when the same areas were not cleared out, drained, and logged off or cultivated "ditch to ditch"
We did a push one day on a friend's farm in a corn field that had gotten mealy worms and he did not harvest it- no roosters, but we did put up three hens which is promising!:)
On a release ground permit we can shoot the hens, but he normally doesn't put any out except for seed, he raises lots of roosters however.
is is not a business, he does it as a hobby.
David
 
This is (to my mind anyway!) the best danged pic of the whole trip!


That's my best hunting partner and son giving his beloved GSP Louie a drink while waiting for our partner to come across the coulee with his two Goldens
Here they are keeping an eye on them

I knew my son wanted a GSP bad and was going to spend a pile of cash for a good one. it just so happens of of the fellas I know down by the border had one left, and Ii traded him a Berreta BL3 straight across for the pup five years ago.
Best danged present I could ever give my kid , as far as Ii am concerned!:D
He's trained Louie well, and the danged dog has get up and go when we are beat, won't bump a porcupine, and can outrun a coyote all the while instinctively knowing when to break on a runner and when to lock up.
And when they are in the thick stuff he will bust 'em on command- what's not to love ??!!:10sign:
David
 
Yup, sure was, he came from Eric Godlonton in Magrath Alberta.
He doesn't breed dogs for a living, just a hobby.
I hunted over a couple of his dogs, the dam of Louie was one, she was a VERY birdy GSP!
I lnew that Eric was looking for a 20 O/U, and my son was going to get a GSP come hell or high water, so instead of seeing the kid pay out a pile of cash, I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone.:)
David
 
Doggind said:
Yessir what more could one ask for. Fine guns, fine cigars and great gun dogs.
Click to expand...

Well, it does help if there are birds in the air and in the game bag to brag about while enjoying a Monti Cristo and telling a dog what a nice pup he is!!:D
David
 
How does your sons GSP handle the cold. Starting to look at a future bird dog and am quite torn between what to get. I love the GSP's but am concerned about the cold weather we tend to get.
 
Doggind said:
How does your sons GSP handle the cold. Starting to look at a future bird dog and am quite torn between what to get. I love the GSP's but am concerned about the cold weather we tend to get.
Click to expand...

Cold?? NOT WELL!!:laugh:
Best to get a Drathaar or a wire, something with some coat on him!:cool:
The very best pointer I ever had was the first one I trained - a pointing lab!:thumbsup:
Now, cold is also a relative thing.
I'm sure down south where we get chinooks and stuff it's not too bad, but up here we can hit -40c in a heart beat, and temps of -25c are normal.

Lots of drive, cold weather no sweat, and a good nose- not quite as radar like as Louie, but good.
My buddy's Griffon is also a danged good dog in the cols weather as well as a few guys I know that hunt over pudelpointers.
However, the GSP is a non starter as far as every one I have ever seen when it comes to cold weather.
David
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top