Wow -- Ugly public hunting in Brown County. Three big WIA/WMA areas and one rooster. Missed that big fella four times! Tuesday was a terrific day to be out and a classic late-season hunt. Both labs did great, though.
I rolled out early Tuesday morning wanting to try out a WIHA. Could not find the first, found the second and started out into the area. Both dogs were squirrely and I can tell you DO NOT WHISTLE FOR YOUR DOG IF YOU HAVE A BRASS WHISTLE AND IT IS -3! They came back in because of the loud cursing. Seriously, there was blood...
We hunted the WIHA, then went to a nearby WMA with good-looking prospects. We hunted grass and cats thinking birds might be hiding from the cold/snow without success. I loaded up and tried another part of the WMA -- this time with some pine and cedar without luck.
Disgusted, I turned North but pulled up short on the east side of the WMA where corn was still standing. We swung around downwind and circled south then west with the Yellow dog suddenly looking promising. His stride opened up and he stretched out heading into the cats. I quickly rolled into an opening for a firing field and watched as the 80-lb. lab crashed headlong into the cats.
Then he made his move: The rooster, an old guy with a hella long tail erupted 30 yards from where Buck was crashing in the cats. Honestly, against the clear blue sky I could see the grey smudge where the shot was downrange in the air chasing that rooster: Low left, low, low, high right.
Set down at another WMA and dogs got birdy but either they had gone or bailed while I was watching the black dog snort her way through a fenceline. The light was getting long and the kids had to be picked up so we headed back tired and happy. At least it would be easy to clean the birds.
Thanks for playing along. Maybe one or two more hunts left. Dogs are despondent but I think if we go again we'll run for Marshall.
Good luck out there folks!