reddog
Well-known member
My wife and I left her mothers house as soon as the Thanksgiving chores were done on Thursday. Took a leisurely drive out to the cabin. She had been at her moms house for the whole week, taking care of business. On this trip out, my mind was churning at the thought of nice weather, walleyes and pheasants..
Friday morning found me with the boat in tow leaving at day break for the river.... After a glorious drive up to the dam, I found myself with the whole river to myself and water running. Usually, thats does not bode well for the walleyes. But, on this day, I couldnt buy a bite. I left the water, totally dumbfounded as everything was perfect... Oh well, time to change clothes, boot up, put on the hunting gear and follow the dogs around..
I drove to the first WIA I was going to hit, which was a mile long by 1/2 deep. this place has everything, food plots, grassland, cattail marshes.. tree lines.. the works.. I decided to wade into the cattail first, to try to drive the birds to the more workable cover for me and the dogs.. 50 yards from the truck, old dog is gone in the marsh. new dog cruises by, and now shes gone in the cattails. I forge ahead another 15 yards, and there they both are, locked up on a clump of reeds about 15 feet around.. I walk up, and watch their heads twitch to a sound, that I cannot hear. I step one step in, and a rooster jumps up immediatley to my front. I hear other birds exiting to my left as my 686 comes into contact with my shoulder and simultaneously I scratch the trigger and the rooster falls to the ground. I have no idea how many birds exited to my left, but I know I heard at least two other roosters cackling their displeasure at having their mid morning nap so rudely interrupted.. Breez delivers to hand, while Ellie goes on about her business.. I glance back at the truck 70 yards away and smile..
We work our way along the edge, avoiding the heavy marsh, hoping to ambush a couple more nappers, but to no avail. I move out to the grasslands, working from edge inward, and then back to the corners. Second pass, Breez comes flying by at warp speed 9, and comes to a halt right in front of me so fast that I almost get whiplash watching her. I think to myself that this bird is tight.. I walk up ten steps, nothing, I get 10 yards in front of her, and she relocates, and points again,, I walk up again, and she relocates. This time her tail is ever so slightly wagging, which isnt usualy a good sign.. She breaks point, and then starts trailing,, which turns into a all out search pattern now. I look at this as a good thing....
We work our way thru the middle and then funnel ourselves to the corner, trying to pinch them into trying to hide instead of run. All the while, the trucks getting further and further away.. One more corner to work, and it appears we have them cornered. Breez is locked up 80 yards away, and Ellie is locked up 25. I walk up to Ellie and a rooster breaks out airborns towards Breez.. eveything aligns naturally, and the shot strikes home, sending the bird to the ground, about the time all heck breaks loose. Breezs bird busts loose, which is just as well, because shes on her way to make the fetch. About the time she gets him in her mouth, another rooster gets up behind me. This is the luckiest bird to get up within gun range for me this year, as I let both barrels go at him and he continues on his way, unscathed. To date this year, Ive lost one bird and this is my first miss. Totally uncharacteristic of me.. Breez delivers to hand, and off we go, happy with a little weight in the old vest..
Out trip back to the truck finds no further bird contact.. I head to a little irrigation pivot corner that is always good for one bird, and today is no different. 15 Yards from the truck, Breez is gone. The pivot corner is milo and kochia, about half and half. (if I was farming for birds, Id be buying kochia seeds.
) I hit the beeper collar, and with the beep, a rooster takes flight heading for the adjoining property across the gravel road. I dump him on my side of the road, and he hits with a thud on the opposite side. motionless... Strangely, Breez hasnt made the retrieve.. I tweet the whistles a few times as I walk across the road. I pick up the rooster, and a hen gets up in the field, and as she flies away, Breez is yelping,(which she does when I dont shoot) lol.. I call her out of the field, snap a quick picture and we are on our way.. Hey pops, look what I found:
The wife and I meet up with fellow UPH member Tanner10 and enjoy some great conversation, a pizza (or 2) and a couple adult beverages at Jackies, and the end to a near perfect day 1 comes to a close..
Day two next:
Friday morning found me with the boat in tow leaving at day break for the river.... After a glorious drive up to the dam, I found myself with the whole river to myself and water running. Usually, thats does not bode well for the walleyes. But, on this day, I couldnt buy a bite. I left the water, totally dumbfounded as everything was perfect... Oh well, time to change clothes, boot up, put on the hunting gear and follow the dogs around..
I drove to the first WIA I was going to hit, which was a mile long by 1/2 deep. this place has everything, food plots, grassland, cattail marshes.. tree lines.. the works.. I decided to wade into the cattail first, to try to drive the birds to the more workable cover for me and the dogs.. 50 yards from the truck, old dog is gone in the marsh. new dog cruises by, and now shes gone in the cattails. I forge ahead another 15 yards, and there they both are, locked up on a clump of reeds about 15 feet around.. I walk up, and watch their heads twitch to a sound, that I cannot hear. I step one step in, and a rooster jumps up immediatley to my front. I hear other birds exiting to my left as my 686 comes into contact with my shoulder and simultaneously I scratch the trigger and the rooster falls to the ground. I have no idea how many birds exited to my left, but I know I heard at least two other roosters cackling their displeasure at having their mid morning nap so rudely interrupted.. Breez delivers to hand, while Ellie goes on about her business.. I glance back at the truck 70 yards away and smile..
We work our way along the edge, avoiding the heavy marsh, hoping to ambush a couple more nappers, but to no avail. I move out to the grasslands, working from edge inward, and then back to the corners. Second pass, Breez comes flying by at warp speed 9, and comes to a halt right in front of me so fast that I almost get whiplash watching her. I think to myself that this bird is tight.. I walk up ten steps, nothing, I get 10 yards in front of her, and she relocates, and points again,, I walk up again, and she relocates. This time her tail is ever so slightly wagging, which isnt usualy a good sign.. She breaks point, and then starts trailing,, which turns into a all out search pattern now. I look at this as a good thing....
We work our way thru the middle and then funnel ourselves to the corner, trying to pinch them into trying to hide instead of run. All the while, the trucks getting further and further away.. One more corner to work, and it appears we have them cornered. Breez is locked up 80 yards away, and Ellie is locked up 25. I walk up to Ellie and a rooster breaks out airborns towards Breez.. eveything aligns naturally, and the shot strikes home, sending the bird to the ground, about the time all heck breaks loose. Breezs bird busts loose, which is just as well, because shes on her way to make the fetch. About the time she gets him in her mouth, another rooster gets up behind me. This is the luckiest bird to get up within gun range for me this year, as I let both barrels go at him and he continues on his way, unscathed. To date this year, Ive lost one bird and this is my first miss. Totally uncharacteristic of me.. Breez delivers to hand, and off we go, happy with a little weight in the old vest..
Out trip back to the truck finds no further bird contact.. I head to a little irrigation pivot corner that is always good for one bird, and today is no different. 15 Yards from the truck, Breez is gone. The pivot corner is milo and kochia, about half and half. (if I was farming for birds, Id be buying kochia seeds.
) I hit the beeper collar, and with the beep, a rooster takes flight heading for the adjoining property across the gravel road. I dump him on my side of the road, and he hits with a thud on the opposite side. motionless... Strangely, Breez hasnt made the retrieve.. I tweet the whistles a few times as I walk across the road. I pick up the rooster, and a hen gets up in the field, and as she flies away, Breez is yelping,(which she does when I dont shoot) lol.. I call her out of the field, snap a quick picture and we are on our way.. Hey pops, look what I found:
The wife and I meet up with fellow UPH member Tanner10 and enjoy some great conversation, a pizza (or 2) and a couple adult beverages at Jackies, and the end to a near perfect day 1 comes to a close..
Day two next:
