Last day of pheasant

Well, today is the last day for pheasant hunting.  It has recently snowed (Thursday) so there is a few inches on the ground and it's been iced over so it's a challenging walk.  It's also pretty chilly out.  Bacci isn't his usual self today.  Wasn't as excited as I was getting my stuff together...think he's getting old.  Who isn't I suppose.

Show up at the parking lot and there wasn't much room to park.  Even though, it didn't seem like a lot of guys.  Perhaps the snow cut down on the space.  Met up with Greg and Amil.  We started on the field side and Greg and I went down the middle.  Amil came around our backside and as he passed the point he flushed 4 birds!!  The funniest part was that we just all watched them.  I think all three of us were watching the one bird that crossed in front of us.  It was a little low so no one shot but it landed and then took off right away and when it did, Greg shot him.  The others flew into the point at the end of the field so we went down there to find them.  We ended up putting up two birds, one Amil got and one Greg and I missed on.  We walked into the second field.  I went into the edge and Greg stayed up on the pipeline.  Didn't put anything out of there but as we worked down toward the end, Bacci put up two cock-birds   They were too far for me to get a shot at because I didn't really walk that far.  The Yahoo and his buddies were closing in on the area so we didn't really pursue.  We walked back on the field to head to the hill.  Once we got up the hill we immediately found a hen under a tree.  She saw us and took off, I got her.  We turned and walked towards the river and another bird came busting out of the trees.  I shot twice and hit her, but she went all the way into the field.  After retrieving her, we went back to the truck.  We rested for a bit and then went up the hill again.  We ended up chasing a hen but she must have flown off because we couldn't find her at all.  We put up a few more birds, out of range or after we got our two.  All in all it was a very fun last day.

Bacci's birthday!!!

My boy is 10 today and what better way to celebrate than to take him hunting.  It's cold and windy today with some snow flurries.  I finally met up with Greg again and this time the parking lot was packed.  We started on the field side and as soon as we went in Bacci went on point.  He put up a cock bird which I shot.  We then went to the end of the field and seeing that everyone was moving to the second field, we turned around to go up the hill.  No one had been up this way yet.  We went to the top and straight across, then around.  After going completely around, Bacci caught scent of a bird (almost where Harley had put one up last time).  We got ready and a cock bird went up.  I let Greg shoot first and he missed on both shots.  I then took him. (I gave him to Greg though).  We worked our way to the second field and met up with Amil there. Together we walked all the way to the flats.  While on our way, Harley put up a hen bird that we shot at and missed.  It was a far shot, but we missed anyway.  We walked all the way to the road and when we crossed the street, Harley put up a cock bird that all three of us missed.  We saw about where he landed and pursued him.  He flushed again and yet again we missed.  He flew back across the road so we went back across and believe it or not, Harley found him again.  He put him up and yet again we missed!!  It would have been frustrating if it wasn't so comical.  We worked our way back towards the trucks and called it a day.  It was a lot of fun.

Nice day off...

I took today off of work to do a little bird hunting.  I went up to Flatbrook and expected it to be empty, but much to my surprise, it was pretty crowded.  I started out on the field side and made my way through the first two and then turned and went up the hill.  I hooked up with Amil at that point and we hunted together.  Soon after hooking up his dog, Harley, went on point at the top of the hill.  A hen bird came bursting out of the cover and he yelled "take it"...so I shot and dropped her.  He apparently didn't have a clear shot from where he was.  We walked all the way to the back fields and didn't see anything else.  There was no shooting at all today.  After I left I took a ride around near Van Campen Inn just to look around and take some pictures (one really nice one of Bacci) and then home.  It was a really nice day off.

Bang up day...

I started the day by pheasant hunting at Flatbrook.  The parking lot was more crowded then I think I've ever seen so I started on the hill side.  Although I wasn't thrilled about doing that I didn't think that going on the field side would be any better.  There were two birds in the trees off the parking lot that I wasn't going to even get close to so at the start, I stayed back, let them shoot those birds and then after letting everyone head in first and then after the first wave got to the top of the hill I started up the hill.  I went around to the right and after picking my way all the way around the hill, on the way towards the back, I came upon a rooster that had been shot and was just lying there.  I don't know, maybe it was just dead, but I picked it up and walked on.  Very shortly after I saw a rooster tucked against a tree.  I called the dog over and after setting myself up for a nice shot when it flew in front of me, it of course, took off behind me and I swung and shot and he fell.  I saw a few guys (the crazy guys from last year) and they mentioned something about Bacci putting up a bird for them.  I asked if they wanted one and when they said yes, I gave them the bird I found.  I continued on walking the fields towards three bridges and at the break in one field I saw another rooster lying dead on the ground.  While I was thinking about weather or not to pick it up I saw another in a tree.  It was a little later now...so I decided to take the live one and not the dead one.  I did and then headed back to the truck with my two birds.  I probably could have gotten more the way we were doing and the dog was birdy but I wanted to get home to go deer hunting.

I dropped off Bacci, put the Christmas lights up on the tree and then headed to the club.  I was the only one there and went back to the Swamp.  I got there around 2:00ish and sat.  At close to 3:20 I heard movement coming from the back of the swamp towards the road.  I slowly turned to see two does making their way inside from the pit side.  I slowly turned so I didn't make too much movement and i got the lead doe in my sights.  She was about 30 or so yards away.  I pulled the trigger, saw a cloud of smoke and then nothing.    I got up to check out where she had been and saw no blood.  How in the world could I miss.  I think I know where she was headed so I walked that way and saw no blood, but I did see wet tracks across the road so I followed the tracks to a different exit from the swamp and there I saw a tiny bit of blood.  I saw where she would head across the road and saw a tiny bit of blood on that side so I made my way into the woods across the road and found her lying, with a hole through her chest and lungs.  I great day of hunting.

Back in the swamp...

So, after my last trip to the swamp I was determined and excited to get back there.  I took the day off of work to go pheasant hunting in the morning and deer hunting in the evening.  I started out by going pheasant hunting at Flatbrook in the morning.  There was literally no one there.  Ok, so there weren't many birds, but in the parking lot was me, Amil and one other guy.  It was a PLEASURE.  When I pulled up there was a bird in the tree above the parking lot and one in a tree across the street.  So at start time, I took the one across the street and Amil took the one at the parking lot.  It's a good thing too because that was the last bird I saw all day. When I was done bird hunting, Bacci and I took a ride around taking pictures.  It was the first day of my new DSLR camera and I wanted to try it out.  I took some pretty nice pictures if I do say so myself. After bringing the dog home, I headed to the club.

When I got to the club I was alone there, which is what I expected.  I went to the swamp and settled in.  It was cloudy but warmish and a nice sit.  I didn't see any deer but I know that this is a hot spot still because there was a lot of sign in the swamp.  I got out and when I did I noticed Gary's car.  He went to 13 and told me that during shotgun, Tony got a 6 pointer and Jeff got a 6 pointer.  Grr.  Still looking forward to going back to the swamp and getting a doe with the smoke pole.

Last day of 6-day

Heading up to the club for the last day of the season.  It's been drizzling all night and with the temps rising, it's foggy out again.  I got to the club and was the only one there.  I decided to get dressed and head over to the Cadillac.  It was a nice morning but I didn't see anything.  Hardly heard any shots too.  Again, I stayed until about 10 and then it was siesta time.  I headed back out and got to the swamp about 1.  It was cloudy the whole day but didn't rain which was nice.  At around 4:00 I could see from the far side of the swamp, some movement in the field.  I looked through the range finder and saw some deer heading my way.  I put up the gun and waited.  I had a feeling that they were does but I wanted to be ready.  When they finally passed in front of me, they were about 30 yards away and it was 8 does.  If I had my muzzy it would only be 7 but I was out for bone today.  I sat and watched them pass hoping that they would and wouldn't come into the swamp.  I was on the ground and if they came in I would have been busted and possibly would have screwed the site for a while.  They walked by and then out of the field (I thought).  It was now just about dark.  I was preparing myself to get out of the woods when suddenly I saw movement in the field.  5 of the 8 does made their way back to my spot.  I sat tucked down hoping once again that they would walk by, which they did.  When they passed, I got up and out.  I hope they do that same thing the next time I'm there with the muzzy!

Six day, buck week, shotgun, firearms...whatever you want to call it.

This was the start of six day firearms season.  Considering that I foolishly shot a 4 pointer on the opening day of muzzleloader and that I have to get two does before I can shoot a buck at the cull, this would be my best last chance for a buck.  I showed up at the club and there was no one there which was a surprise.  I decided to make my way to the dip stand in the extremely thick fog.  I expected to see deer.  I heard shots from around me.   Not on our property, but close.  One of them actually sounded like it came from the Cadillac stand but I don't think anyone was there.  I got out of the woods around 10:00 and decided to take a siesta. At about an hour into my nap I heard a truck.  It was Tony.  He and Frank had been in the back by the river.  They didn't see anything either.  Tony decided to go to 10 for the afternoon and I went back to the dip.  I got in around 12:30 and sat.  It was a beautiful afternoon.  Warm, sunny and gorgeous.  Certainly didn't feel like shotgun season.  I didn't see anything in the afternoon either.