KBell
New member
At meetings yesterday, today and tomorrow in the Storm Lake area. Meetings today and noticed twice earlier what a beautiful day it was with little wind and sunshine. Each time thought about pheasant hunting!
It's usually pin-hunting via golf!
After my earlier meetings, broke for lunch and really got to notice how nice it was outside. When heading back at 12:45 I must have awakened the "Pheasant Gods" for when I returned to campus the words "presenter out sick" was posted for the afternoon meetings.
When I travel now I usually take Sophie with me. I also carry a "hunting kit" so that I can change and be ready for action---similar to Superman---when duty calls.
I head out north and west of town as I hoped to take advantage of the public areas about 14 miles north. As I near my destination I notice a combine completing a field on my left. In the drive I pull and get out to talk to Bart. After conversing and introductions, I learn that the close to 400 acre field just came out. I notice several weedy areas and a draw. I have all I need. Bart says yes and Sophie and I are in motion. I notice my watch and it reads 2:13 p.m.
For those of you that follow my posts, you know I never pass up freshly picked corn fields with some cover present. We near the first weedy area about 15 by 30 feet and I notice Sophie "switch" to stealth mode. I am happy her nose is back and no hesitation is evident in her after our skunking incident on the opener. At the end Sophie freezes. I see a large hen squirt into the first corn row and run straight away. I can hear her brood calling. Sophie resets and is solid. I square to her rump and enter. We flush eight here. I am looking for color. The sun aids in my first swing to the left and I come back right on rooster one. He drops at the shot and I scan the remainders. Rooster two is last on the right and he drops to the second shot. I know one other of these eight is a rooster and I watch those six swing hard to the left and land in the picked corn. Pursuit--naw--I have a draw to hit. These two are my first two yearlings this season and are on the left and right in the photo.
We cross the 50 yards to the beginning of the draw. As we enter Sophie is immediately birdy. I watch her work and relocate twice. I've got runners I thought. 4 hens flush wildly to my left. They saw my shadow I thought. Sophie edges forward and locks up tight not five yards beyond the flush site. I enter and up pops rooster three. He is straight away and falls to the shot. He is also a yearling from an earlier hatch.
I check the watch. It is 3:03 p.m.
The "Pheasant Gods" were smiling upon us today. Not only did I get a break from meetings--I got the nod from a friendly farmer and took 3 shots for our birds. Lastly, walking picked corn stirs memories of days long ago and family members gone.
I am planning on tomorrow as my meetings end at noon.
It's usually pin-hunting via golf!After my earlier meetings, broke for lunch and really got to notice how nice it was outside. When heading back at 12:45 I must have awakened the "Pheasant Gods" for when I returned to campus the words "presenter out sick" was posted for the afternoon meetings.
When I travel now I usually take Sophie with me. I also carry a "hunting kit" so that I can change and be ready for action---similar to Superman---when duty calls.
I head out north and west of town as I hoped to take advantage of the public areas about 14 miles north. As I near my destination I notice a combine completing a field on my left. In the drive I pull and get out to talk to Bart. After conversing and introductions, I learn that the close to 400 acre field just came out. I notice several weedy areas and a draw. I have all I need. Bart says yes and Sophie and I are in motion. I notice my watch and it reads 2:13 p.m.
For those of you that follow my posts, you know I never pass up freshly picked corn fields with some cover present. We near the first weedy area about 15 by 30 feet and I notice Sophie "switch" to stealth mode. I am happy her nose is back and no hesitation is evident in her after our skunking incident on the opener. At the end Sophie freezes. I see a large hen squirt into the first corn row and run straight away. I can hear her brood calling. Sophie resets and is solid. I square to her rump and enter. We flush eight here. I am looking for color. The sun aids in my first swing to the left and I come back right on rooster one. He drops at the shot and I scan the remainders. Rooster two is last on the right and he drops to the second shot. I know one other of these eight is a rooster and I watch those six swing hard to the left and land in the picked corn. Pursuit--naw--I have a draw to hit. These two are my first two yearlings this season and are on the left and right in the photo.
We cross the 50 yards to the beginning of the draw. As we enter Sophie is immediately birdy. I watch her work and relocate twice. I've got runners I thought. 4 hens flush wildly to my left. They saw my shadow I thought. Sophie edges forward and locks up tight not five yards beyond the flush site. I enter and up pops rooster three. He is straight away and falls to the shot. He is also a yearling from an earlier hatch.
I check the watch. It is 3:03 p.m.
The "Pheasant Gods" were smiling upon us today. Not only did I get a break from meetings--I got the nod from a friendly farmer and took 3 shots for our birds. Lastly, walking picked corn stirs memories of days long ago and family members gone.
I am planning on tomorrow as my meetings end at noon.
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