Todays Hunt - 2020 Season

[NDPheasant]

I decided to use a vacation day yesterday to hunt with two friends. We saw lots of birds which meant a lot of good dog work. One slough we walked started exploding with birds. My two buddies worked quickly around the edges to cut off birds and I was cutting through the middle. We ended up in a triangle which is never recommended. Ellie locked in setting off her beeper. I moved in and tried to get the bird to flush. No luck. Ellie, with some verbal encouragement from me, finally broke forward and quickly flushed a rooster that I was dang near standing on. The rooster quickly rose up and tried to clear a tree. This gave us all a safe shot but a much longer than normal shot. The rooster appeared to escape and other birds kept getting up, mostly hens. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the rooster, now out several hundred yards, go into a helicopter tail spin. I was not sure if I saw this correctly but said "I think that bird went down." Neither of the other two saw this. We finished our walk and then two of us took the dogs and headed on the line to where my brain said it should be. We had a nice breeze and Ellie picked up the scent and froze. We started over to her and I released her with "Okay" and she went ahead, froze with her head almost touching the ground. I kept walking forward and saw a quick flash. Ellie then made the decision to take matters in her own hand. She lunged forward and quickly smoother the Rooster who was trying to making a running escape. I was thankful for Ellie not making a liar out of me and most of all thankful for closing the deal for this cripple.

These post hunt photos are always a great reminder of how thankful we need to be for our health, our dogs, our friends/family. I am blessed to be able to get away and forget about work for a day.

 

[NDPheasant]

Another good day today (Saturday). This weather has been unbelievable. We cover more miles because the birds are scattered but I won't complain about not having snow and cold to bunch them up.

 

[gjw]

Hey all, well today was a good one. Went out solos after Church with my trusty Raina. She did very well! The weather today was simply amazing! 50's, sunny and light winds.....a perfect day! I hope we don't have tp pay the piper too much for this fantastic weather we're having!

Anyway, limited out with my 16ga Arrieta 871

And......Raina!

Best,

Greg

 

[goldenboy]

 

[jonnyB]

Joel:

Nice photo - looks like you've got the hang of it! The two dogs are related I assume...

 

[goldenboy]

Joel:

Nice photo - looks like you've got the hang of it! The two dogs are related I assume...

Jon, Yes the one on the left is the mom "Reba." The one on the right is the daughter "Randi." She is just over a year old and a great new addition to the nelson kennel. She runs big, hunts hard, and has a great future in front of her. I ended up shooting my limit every day I was in North Dakota this year with a couple of bonus huns!

 

[PTM]

 

[carptom1]

Man your killing it

 

[gjw]

Hey all, My son Jim and I went out for a couple hours today, wasn't terribly successful. I managed one. We did see quite a few birds, almost all hens (we could have limit out in a half hour if you could shoot hens!). Not many boy birds. The ones we saw were pretty skittish. That time of the year I guess.

Anyway, I used my 16ga Garbi 100

And Addie in the frost!

Not a bad day, especially hunting with my son.

Best,

Greg

 

[NDPheasant]

My father-in-law is new to pheasant hunting. He sure enjoys it and loves seeing the dogs work. We saw moose in two different locations, a bald eagle perched in a tree of which I took a picture that did not turn out at all, and another tree that had two more bald eagles in it that flew before I could snap a picture. We are lucky to live in a state that is and outdoorsman's paradise.

 

[NDPheasant]

Hey all, My son Jim and I went out for a couple hours today, wasn't terribly successful. I managed one. We did see quite a few birds, almost all hens (we could have limit out in a half hour if you could shoot hens!). Not many boy birds. The ones we saw were pretty skittish. That time of the year I guess.

Anyway, I used my 16ga Garbi 100

And Addie in the frost!

Not a bad day, especially hunting with my son.

Best,

Greg

That is a pose that never gets old. Addie looks dialed in.

 

[NDPheasant]

Got out today. We ended up with six birds. The cold had them holding tight in the warmth of the cattail clumps. Ellie caught a rooster in one slough. The land was private and posted so there is little chance this bird was a cripple.

Another cripple that we shot got pushed down a tree line for several hundred yards. In a gap in the tree row we saw a rooster scoot across to the next session. Both dogs trailed this rooster and they both hit a point near several fallen tree branches covered in heavy grass. I gave them the go ahead and Ellie hopped forward and then circled around the tree branches. Willow the pup went forward and worked her way under the branches. There was a cat and mouse game for a while. I was watching Ellie when my hunting buddy said he thought the puppy was on it. I looked and tried to find her. She popped her head up and had feathers around her mouth. I went over to her and got on my knees. I pulled some grass to the side and saw a tree branch about 8” in diameter. Tucked underneath was the crippled rooster. I reach under and grabbed it and in my vest it went. Willow is now 8 months old, loves hunting so much and is doing well.

 

[Goosemaster]

View attachment 456

 

[NDPheasant]

4:55pm Sunset. I left the house at 3:05pm with two excited dogs. I decided to go unconventional because it is that time of the year. I ran to one of the closest spots I have hunted in the past but was confident there hasn't been a ton of pressure. There is lots of big sloughs and such to walk but I choose to hump it out in the middle of the stubble fields making a bee-line for the little sloughs only some of us would be dumb enough to go to.

The first spot was more of a little draw about 200 yards, mostly mowed but one little basketball gym sized slough set in the middle. Sure enough the two dogs got up one rooster. I crippled it but Ellie saw it go sailing in to the thickets and grass. She spent about two minutes and came running back with rooster #1. I saw a lone tree about 300 yards farther west just over a knoll. I was confident enough that this was most likely another slough so we hoofed it over the knoll. There was another slough with the center all ice and about 20 yards of cattails around the edge. It was about a 15 minute walk around. We got to the far side and Ellie locked in again. This time another rooster flushed and I crippled it again. Luckily Ellie saw this one go into the cattails on the West edge and she sprinted towards it. After about a 100 yard chase through the cattails away from me, she came flying out into the stubble with rooster #2. Two okay shots and two bad-ass retrieves and me and the dogs quickly high-fived and finished out the short walk.

I knew to the south there was another slough and debated walking for it or heading to the pickup and driving over closer. I opted for the second as the slough was a good half-mile away and I would then have to walk back. The south edge had some thickets and grass on a hillside with the slough to the south. We walked the thickets with no luck and made a nearly complete circle around the slough. We got about 200 yards from where we started and I heard Ellie's collar start beeping in the strip of cattails. As I approached, rooster #3 got nervous and busted cover. I made a clean shot and Ellie made quick work of the retrieve. It was a fun late afternoon and I am glad I decided to forego some of my traditional honey holes and do something different. I was done by 4:30 and had some time to take some pictures.

 

[gjw]

Hey all, my son Will is home for Christmas Leave, so today Will, my other son Jim and I went out for a little hunt. Both the boys did well. Jim got a rooster, but had to leave early so no pic of him. Will and I walked some more areas and Will was able to get a nice grouse. He also got a rooster, but the bird was wing shot. Raina was able to track it down and pinned it. Raina, did very well today. We saw quite a few birds, but it was windy and they were spooky to say the least. As for me.....I was the aero of the day. Oh well. It was a great time with my boys. I sure am lucky I have them!

Anyway, Will and his birds. He was using his 12ga Bernardelli Roma 3

And Raina after a long day!

Best,

Greg

 

[gjw]

Hey all, Merry Christmas to you all! My son's Will and Jim and I went out for a very short hunt before our Christmas Eve dinner. Saw a lot of birds, mostly hens. The boy birds were spooky however. Will and I managed a bird a piece thanks to Addie's hard work.

Jim, Addie and Will with Will's bird

I used my 12b Henry Atkin today

Best to all,

Greg

 

[NDPheasant]

Good for you. Glad you made it out with your boys! Merry Christmas to you as well!

 

[Goosemaster]

Hey all, took off the afternoon today, temps were great after being in the deep freeze for the last two weeks. Winds were supposed to be low (right this is North Dakota, the winds were in that 18mph range). Birds were spooky (thanks wind!). Did down one that Addie tracked for some time and did a nice retrieve to hand. Her points are getting more staunch every time she gets out. She's going to rival the old girl (Duchess). She's a real natural.

Anyway, I used my 12b Joseph Harkom

And.......Addie

Best,

Greg

Looks like my dads parker.

 

[NDPheasant]

Fresh snow yesterday created a lot more excitement. One slough along the road that I have driven by twenty times and said "Man I should walk that". As we passed it, I noticed pheasant tracks and by the time I slowed down I saw hens on the backside. My daughter and I got out and walked it. The dogs pointed on many hens but could not find the colored ones. Next time! Later, we were heading down a prairie trail to a really nice draw and I saw a set of tracks right outside an abandoned farmstead. I have walked the farmstead trees in past seasons but not this year. Today was the day with fresh tracks.

I sent my daughter to the outside/post and pushed the trees with the dogs. The dogs trailed that bird 1/2 way around the farmstead before locking in. I got Makensy in a relatively good spot and the rooster flushed. I let it go so she could shoot and even though the rooster got away, it was fun to see her have a great opportunity. I shot one rooster and the dogs gave Makensy several more opportunities that morning with no luck. I tell both Makensy and my wife that it is all valuable experience and the shooting will come.

On a side note, as we walked a cattail draw, my puppy had to jump to clear a moose calf laying down. I was only about 10 feet from it before it struggled to get up and trotted away.

 

[gjw]

Hey all, first off Happy New Years to you and yours! Today is my son Will's last day at home, he has to head back to Ft Drum tomorrow. So we went on a hunt before he leaves. It was a very good day! We both limited in about 2 hours. Will made a real nice shot and I was lucky to get a double. Addie our 22 month old did an exceptional job of tracking a wing shot bird. She really worked well today, very happy with her. It was a beautiful day and even better for me to be out with my first born son!

Addie with the days bag!

Will, he was using his 16ga Sauer Royal

I used my 12ga Huberitus Buhag

Only two more days and the seasons over.

Best,

Greg