I'm done with the wild ones. I went to Gray Lodge last weekend and managed to get drenched, but I never saw a pheasant of either gender. Everything up here is extremely wet, with more rain coming throughout the weekend. The duck guys should have fun.
I've got a long drive tomorrow to get back to my homeland (the Owens Valley) for Christmas. We'll have to go around the Sierras rather than over them due to the snow, so that means driving all the way to Bakersfield and then back to the north. My brothers and I are going to Lone Pine Pheasant Club on Sunday, but I'll let them do all the shooting – I'll just handle the dogs and take some photos.
I fired at two wild roosters this year and bagged both of them. I don't think I've ever had a perfect shooting percentage for a whole season before.
Next year I'll go back to starting my season in northeastern Montana in October (had to forego that trip this year). My shooting percentage won't be perfect, but I'll almost assuredly end up with more than two birds for the year.
I'm off work all next week and I'm going to pound the Oroville Wildlife Area for quail after I get back on Wednesday, and I might even make a trip up to Tehama.