Couldn't Have Ended The Season Any Better!

henhenROOSTER!!!

henhenROOSTER!!!

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My first full season of living near pheasant-country couldn't have ended any better! Just got back from 3 days spent from one end of eastern CO rooster-land to the other - hunted the southern end of things near Burlington on Thurs, the northern fringe around Holyoke on Fri, & finished up right in the middle near Yuma today...

Thursday was a really great day of just me & my dog alone together - a sullen & cold winter day with low-hanging clouds & a fresh dusting of snow. Saw a buttload of birds, knocked two down dead-to-rights, lost a cripple in HEAVY cover (after running the dog ragged for 20 minutes looking for it - my first lost bird of the year & the only bad feeling of the day), missed a couple more pretty decent shots & just couldn't manage to hem-in/corral the rest of the wily little boogers all by myself. Otherwise had some really nice close-range flushes for the dog on quite a few hens (even in the corn) & left a whole LOT of "seed"-stock in my favorite honey-hole (wow, has that spot been good to me this year). :thumbsup:

Fri was a completely different story...Beautiful, postcard "Golden Prarie" day! There were 3 of us & 3 dogs (a Vizla, an old English Setter & a yellow lab all running together & doing just fine)...Saw LOTS of birds again, but these highly-educated ones were even wilder on such a warm & sunny day - most of them were blowing out in droves way ahead of us with far too many tattletale eyes & ears! Only managed one bird between us (& didn't even get off hardly any shots), but it was still one of my favorite days afield this year...Ended the day in total confusion - trying to figure out which to look at - the roosters I was supposed to be watching/posting/blocking for, the dazzling sunset over my shoulder, or the huge full-moon rising directly in front of me on such a rare perfectly-still/silent & windless evening out on the prairie (except for the sound of cackling/mocking laughter all around)! :10sign:

Sat hooked up with a total of 6 guys (mostly newfound friends from this forum) & 5 dogs who were all team-players & worked like a charm together! Had to scratch for em really hard on this odd 50 degree w/toasty-sunshine late January day - didn't put up nearly as many birds - but not a single one of the 6 roosters that did get up up managed to fly very far! :D Saw my very first CO covey of quail as well (about a dozen birds) - but after some debate among us as to the exact hunting regs, it was determined to be in an area north of I-70 where they were no longer legal to shoot & the covey wasn't all that big anyway - so we didn't really bother pursuing. The day ended with another absolutely picture-perfect & windless sunset on the prairie!

I experienced some of the very best of big-country/wide-open spaces & small-town Americana - laid back motels that take dog-friendly to a whole nother level, a bang-up buffet lunch at a local mom-&-pop cafe, & being entertained by watching uninhibited farmers & the local gals taking their shot at karaoke & line dancing on a Fri nite...

Came home a relaxed & better man for the entire overall experience! Feelin a little sad to see the season come to a close...Whew, think I earned my tired bones a little soak in the hot tub be4 I call it a nite! :cheers:
 
Sounds like you had a lot of fun. I understand you met one of my life long buddies out there. Woodchuck! He goes by Charles. You will have to ask him how he got that nickname. Be safe on your journey.
 
I also had a great last three days of the season. We hunted Holyoke pretty hard. Only shot twice and that was a way off high flier. The birds were pretty wilily, I guess all the dumb ones and fliers got shot earlier in the season.
Brought home nothing but great memories. Boy that sun set Friday night was pretty spectacular only to be one upped by the rising full moon.

Stayed at the Great Plains Motel Thursday and the Platte Valley Inn on Friday. People were friendly, but the hotels and food weren't nearly as nice as what we found in South Dakota, all in all, it was a great way to end the season. Dog training will continue until next year. My dog and I will be another year older, but a lot smarter :D
Thanks for all the great information this site provides.
Peter
 
Love your perspective! I finished with two almost perfect days afield as well. Took 3 roosters home Friday with two coming as a double over a young dog that was really needing the boost. Saturday a best friend and I brought 3 more home in a perfect tag team that only let 1 rooster escape the hard working setters( gordon and english ). All three were retrieved to hand and a good number of birds practiced their flawless escape tactics to produce next season's bounty. Those 2 days were so perfect to me that I couldn't make myself go today, the last day, and take the chance of marring what I'd already been a part of. Welcome to pheasant country hen, hen, ROOSTER! Hope you get to live out your life immersed in the country living!
 
I started in Selden KS and end up in Kirk CO today.
What a great season this year was.
Don't forget the farmers this off season .
Thanks
Terry
 
We to had a great conclusion to another glorius year in the field although we didnt down any birds we did manage to put a small dent in the rabbit population. Headed south in march to end the year on a spring snow goose hunt. The lessons learned and kodak moments filed away in the brain we pray for a wet spring and a way for me and my pheasant hunting brethren to stay sane.Have a happy and safe off season.:cheers:
 
Wired, played a lot of ball at Selden. Also worked for the former sheriff there when I was 12......that's a whole other story. Their gym was so small all of the seating was in the balcony and half court was at the other free throw line. Good bird country!
 
Prairie
Private land was really good but I think public is better east and southeast of Selden.
But yes it is a smail but neat town.
Thanks
Terry
 
A couple of still-life shots just playing around the house with the camera to help keep the memory fires stoked till next year!

And now, it's time for me to sign out of UPH for awhile & get in the serious kick-butt mode to finish packing and sewing-up final loose ends & train all my focus on some serious humanitarian work in Africa...Will check back in a few weeks when I get home.

Y'all be blessed now, ya hear! And remember to live, to love, to forgive & never give up - cause every single day is a precious gift from above - so never forget to live & love to the fullest (while you still can)... :thumbsup:
 
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Took the ladies out on Sunday south of Brush and saw about 20 birds, there's a reason they're still alive that late in the season. I missed one and hammered one with the A-5 20 3 incher. God I love that gun!

The Visla is my buddies (I'm holding the bird) and it was the pup's first year. It was sure fun watching him learn but the highlight of the day was walking a big stubble field with me on the far end. I noticed him starting to get birdy with his nose pinned to ground and ran over as fast as I could as he was a bit out of range. He started going in circles and even as ready as I thought I was that rooster still startled me! BAM BAM BAM...no bird! It was a tough shot but one that I've made plenty of times before. Without the dog I would have never even seen that old cock bird though.

It was a great season but I'm already dreaming of next year.
 
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end of the season

Last day of the season was also the first day unfortunately - never enough time to make it out. No birds, but it's always great to get out. An of course, and as always, I'm hopeful for next year - next season I'll make more time. See y'all next season.
 
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