Well these are two of my favorite stories from last year.....
Last season I had the pleasure of being with two first time pheasant hunters, and watched them take their first bird.
The first was my sisters boyfriend's little brother. He has taken many turkeys, quail and a couple deer but never a pheasant. he was sooooo excited about tagging along with us all week long, it snowed it's ass off all day friday and heading across I-70 early in the morning on Saturday wasn't looking to promising. We talked about waiting til next weekend but the tears in his eyes were enough to make that idea go out the window. So the normal 3 1/2hr drive took us 6 1/2 hrs. We get to one of my favorite little draws that runs through a milo field. Bitter cold, strong wind and flurries, so Rick (sister's bf) and I decide to let the little man block (He's 12 and very mature for his age, brought up right hunting safety wise) as we start into the draw we kick up a couple birds about 75yrds out, which both appear to be hens and head right down the draw right at him, he lifts his gun to his shoulder and drops the back bird we both look at each other with no words. finish walking the draw out and he is standing there with the biggest smile, and his first rooster in hand.
The next was my other half's first bird, in the few weeks prior she had killed her first duck, and goose, I was pretty impressed. But I told her this would be different, and she had to be quicker with the gun as they are most always going away instead of in your face with their feet down. So we head to that same favorite little draw of mine, 3 degrees and windy when we get there. She's a trooper and never complianed once all day. My father and another buddy were also with me this day, so my old man and her went to block the bottom of the draw again. When they first walked into the draw a rooster flushed right between her legs, my dad said she just froze and watched him fly away. All she said was "WOW!!" ha I got a kick out of that. We started into the draw and shot a bird a piece on the way down. We get about 40 yrds apart from my father and Jenn and kick around a little since normally a bird or two holds tight, and sure enough one rooster skirts out the side going left to right for her she snap shoots him like a seasoned veteran... Couldn't help but smile to myself. She needless to say was stoked, my lab was right on top of him when he hit the ground and i'm pretty sure she almost tackled him to get her bird.
I'll never forget both of those days, needless to say that has become my favorite place to hunt, always holds birds and now has a little sentimental value in it as well.
I've got a picture of the other first bird somewhere, I'll have to dig it out.
