Merry Christmas from Alaska
- Thread starter homeradam
- Start date
Yep, here in snowy Homer. There used to be quite a few pheasants around but then we had a couple severe winters and that about did them in. In the spring you still can hear a few crowing but we are getting hit pretty hard again this year. Keep the posts coming, makes me wish I could get more time in Colorado. Maybe next year when I start snowbirding. Cheers.
Logical
Member
Well, here is a short post for you to read:
Went hunting today with my adult son Erik. Had a good (3 hour) drive out there, with discussion about work, etc.
First "barr pit" was non-productive (can often get up to 30 birds out of the pit), as were the nearby wheat stubble corner, and two grass corners. I have not seen birds in those grass corners all year. Normally get birds up from them every week.
Went to our camping spot (I take the trailer out there a few weekends of the season, and spend two or three nights), and birds got up, but not within range. I flushed one by a tall weed field, knocked it down, but could not find it (I don't have a dog). Likely ran off. Walked more CRP grass field, and one got up right in front of me. I didn't get the safety all the way off, so my first pull on the trigger just allowed the bird to get further away. Missed him when I finally got the safety off.
Went to a long treeline, and got some birds up, but they went my way, not Erik's. I got one. Kept walking, and half a mile later, another got up (again, not towards Erik), and I dropped it. Two in the bag, but Erik has not had a shot. I wanted him to get the shooting, as I get to hunt every week, and he only gets out once or twice a year.
Walked some grass back towards the car, and we turned to go to another area. As he was turning, a rooster got up about 30 feet from Erik, going away. Erik took a couple shots, but they were pretty long. Nothing.
Walked towards a small-cover area I had not walked this year. Rooster got up too far away to shoot. We walked it into the wind, and two more got up, one within range for me. I dropped it, marked where it went down, but nothing there when we got there. BUMMER! Erik got no shots at the three roosters in that area.
Went to another grass field I had not walked this year. A rooster got up in front of Erik, but he didn't shoot quickly enough, then the bird was too close to me for him to shoot. I shot, and got a huge puff of feathers. The bird dropped. I shot off one leg, and gutted him with the shot. Too close for me to shoot, apparently! And, I was behind and low my desired target area (would have preferred to take of his head, if I had to mutilate him). But, he was in the bag. I will make jerky with him, so missing one leg and 15% of his breast is not too bad.
It was 11* when we started hunting, but neither of us was cold. Good layering. Warmed to about 20? by 1:30, when Erik said his hip was hurting too badly to continue (has a strip of titanium in it, holding his pelvic bone together). So, we called it a day, with three in the bag.
Went hunting today with my adult son Erik. Had a good (3 hour) drive out there, with discussion about work, etc.
First "barr pit" was non-productive (can often get up to 30 birds out of the pit), as were the nearby wheat stubble corner, and two grass corners. I have not seen birds in those grass corners all year. Normally get birds up from them every week.
Went to our camping spot (I take the trailer out there a few weekends of the season, and spend two or three nights), and birds got up, but not within range. I flushed one by a tall weed field, knocked it down, but could not find it (I don't have a dog). Likely ran off. Walked more CRP grass field, and one got up right in front of me. I didn't get the safety all the way off, so my first pull on the trigger just allowed the bird to get further away. Missed him when I finally got the safety off.
Went to a long treeline, and got some birds up, but they went my way, not Erik's. I got one. Kept walking, and half a mile later, another got up (again, not towards Erik), and I dropped it. Two in the bag, but Erik has not had a shot. I wanted him to get the shooting, as I get to hunt every week, and he only gets out once or twice a year.
Walked some grass back towards the car, and we turned to go to another area. As he was turning, a rooster got up about 30 feet from Erik, going away. Erik took a couple shots, but they were pretty long. Nothing.
Walked towards a small-cover area I had not walked this year. Rooster got up too far away to shoot. We walked it into the wind, and two more got up, one within range for me. I dropped it, marked where it went down, but nothing there when we got there. BUMMER! Erik got no shots at the three roosters in that area.
Went to another grass field I had not walked this year. A rooster got up in front of Erik, but he didn't shoot quickly enough, then the bird was too close to me for him to shoot. I shot, and got a huge puff of feathers. The bird dropped. I shot off one leg, and gutted him with the shot. Too close for me to shoot, apparently! And, I was behind and low my desired target area (would have preferred to take of his head, if I had to mutilate him). But, he was in the bag. I will make jerky with him, so missing one leg and 15% of his breast is not too bad.
It was 11* when we started hunting, but neither of us was cold. Good layering. Warmed to about 20? by 1:30, when Erik said his hip was hurting too badly to continue (has a strip of titanium in it, holding his pelvic bone together). So, we called it a day, with three in the bag.
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