Montana was a great experience. The country was beautiful and challenging to hunt. Seeing the Setter's work those hills and open pastures in the back round of the Big Horn mountains was breath taking. But it wasn't easy and definitely not a hunt that everyone would enjoy as you had to ascend steep grades and fight the dense thorny brush on almost every run. It was however a major part of our "Dream Season" hunting new territory and meeting new people along the way.
We had one destination left to complete our season. It was now January 2008 and time once again to enjoy late season hunting in Kansas for Pheasant and Quail. We'd spend the week and visit with our friends Dave and Shirley at their ranch in SW Kansas. I had now spent several year's hunting Kansas during this time and it's a laid back kind of feeling as you know this is the last hurrah until next September. It's a time to hunt and reflect while you're walking being thankful for your health and that of your pup's as well as just being able to be with them every day doing what you both love.
We switched hotels this year to a unit with a kitchenette and two separate bedrooms. Quite an upgrade from last year's 1960's era motor inn. I remember thinking the towels must have been original as you could see through them they were so worn. I bring along my Espresso machine every trip and last year was on a wine kick so I had also brought a case of all different kinds of wine. Fitting all this into a hotel room with two big guys and our gear was a challenge. But in these small rural areas you take whatever accommodation's you can find. I tried hard but decided I just didn't like wine. So when we took in all the room we had at the new place we thought "Wow we're really livin now!". Our Pakistani Innkeeper reminded us "No dogs in room. Dog's not allowed in room." I replied "No problem we have an insulated trailer for them". But what I was really thinking was that if I needed to get a dog inside they'd be inside! Thank you!
After getting settled we met our friends Dave and Shirley for dinner at the local go to bar and supper club. Dave's quite well known so when we said we were waiting for them ear's perked up! It was great to catch up and share stories about where we'd been then learning what had been going on locally as well. We got some tips on how crops were distributed this year over the Ranch and although Dave was pretty busy he said he'd have his friend Thad show us some area's we hadn't hunted on the east end of the ranch. Although bird populations could vary greatly from year to year in this region depending on moisture the hospitality of these people made up for it.
We started out hunting a half section of milo stubble the next morning. It was cold and sunny as we turned the pup's loose. Tom took the north end and I the south end and we just let our dog's cast about the stubble with about 6 inches of snow. Being able to see tracks in the snow really adds to the suspense as you know when you have birds ahead. But getting them to hold is another story! I heard Tom doing some shooting but we were yet to get a point as we approached the end of the field. I had plenty of tracks ahead and anticipated we'd maybe get a point as we came to the end. I was right as Molly locked up in the tumble weeds along the field edge. The other dog's were behind me as I walked closer now locked up looking at Molly as well.. Several hens flushed then finally two Rooster's decided to follow. I chose the bird to my right missing the first shot and connecting with the second as it tumbled down. Mick was first to get to the bird and secured it with his paw as he looked at me smiling. We collected our bird and then turned back west along the edge of this section of milo stubble. It wasn't long before the dog's were working moving birds again. The advantage of all 3 dog's working was that there was a better chance we'd get them cut off and get a point. That's what happened about half way up. Beau had done a wide cast and turned a bird around which Mick then pointed. By the time I got to Mick however the bird had run out. Molly picked up the trail and after going up and back a few times had the bird pinned again on the edge of the field. I was fairly close and Mick had come over towards her as well honoring to the right. So as I thought this bird flushed straight ahead across the short grass and fell with one shot from my Gold Label. What a chase that had been! But without multiple dog's this bird may have just out run us. As it was when we got to the end I saw numerous tracks coming out of the field and into the next section which we didn't have permission to hunt. But the dog's didn't know that so as we walked the field road they made a cast into this area which had great cover and when I wasn't paying attention bumped a Rooster well within range but I was out of position with my back turned. Tom had a great run with his dog's picking up 3 Roosters and missed a few times as well. We would hunt more milo throughout the week with good success even on some windy days but it was always a challenge to get the birds to hold in this cover but the dog's loved the challenge as much as we did. Seeing a wild Kansas Rooster burst out of the cover into the blue sky is a sight to behold. One that keeps us all out there year after year.
It was time to hunt the bottom with Dave's friend Thad. This area would hold primarily Quail with some Pheasants on the edge's. In talking with Thad it was interesting to learn how these guys hunted deer with their bow's. They'd scout with binocular's for horns then try to stalk and get within range sometimes waiting hours for a shot right in the open cover. Amazing. This was their passion. It was great to hunt with these guys as they really understood and believed in "Fair Chase". Thad reminded us as we went into this area that Dave doesn't just let anybody hunt here. We were humbled by the opportunity and appreciated it. We had snow cover and cold temps again as we fanned out in the dry river bed bottom. The year had had little moisture so the grass was in poor condition but it wasn't long before we had a point in some brush with my dog's converged on point. Tom was to far away to call over so Thad and I walked up to the Setter's. I offered Thad the shot but he said" You just go ahead and I'll watch". I kicked the brush and a covey of Quail rocketed out to my left towards the river bed. I fired on a bird straight away. Down. Picked out another slightly to the right and again connected!. Thad had fired as well but missed however he was thrilled to see the Setter's pointing as he hadn't hunted with pointing dog's before. We collected the birds and took a break to get everybody settled down. I called Tom over and suggested we hunt the singles from this group. We fanned out and headed north to the edge of the dry river bed with all 5 dog's working the area. It wasn't but a couple hundred yards away that Beau locked up first with Mick and Molly close behind. I called Tom over and we got positioned as all 5 dog's now were locked up. Tom would shoot to the left. I'd shoot straight and Thad would cover the right side. I flushed and the birds took off straight with two going back towards Tom. I took a quick shot and connected. Heard Tom fire. Then swung on another bird and once again had a double! Thad said I was going to shoot but then the bird just fell to the ground! Tom had got his bird and Beau seeing it go down had retrieved it but wouldn't give it up to Tom proudly walking about. I was locating the two birds I had down with Mick and Molly. Tom called for assistance and luckily I got there before Beau decided to see how good these birds tasted! After we got everybody settled down again we decided to head back west again into the bottom. As we approached the fence line at the end of this run Tom's dog's had a point in the brush. I said" Go ahead and take it". Tom flushed and then fired. I didn't see any birds as I was on the far side then a single flushing late came my way. A long shot to the right. I swung on the bird and pulled the trigger connecting on the difficult shot!Thad yelled" Nice shot!" Now having seen me make several shots without a miss. I couldn't believe it myself. It was just one of those days but I was liking my Gold Label a lot about now! We ended this run hunting a corner of heavy weeds around a cattle lot and Mick trailed scent up into the adjacent pasture bordering a field of corn stubble. Several birds flushed wild as we entered the shorter cover then Mick kept working up along the field edge coming to point a hundred yards ahead. I hurried to catch up getting within range when a Rooster bolted from the edge. My first shot missed as the bird arced high over the stubble and fell with my second shot. Thad was now convinced I was infallible but I assured him that was definitely not the case! But the couple thousand rounds I had shot on skeet and sporting clays during the off season were paying off.
As the week went by we hunted through some heavy snow fall and windy days as well. On one run we saw what I could only describe as a herd of Jack rabbits as we came through a sandy triangle of weedy cover next to the railroad tracks. Dave said in some year's when their population would really get out of hand they'd have to organize round ups so to speak surrounding area's and driving them to be able to shoot them in order to control the damage they could do to crops.
On another run Beau had tracked scent out into a winter wheat field. I just let him go allowing him to cast quite a ways out just enjoying watching him. Then off in the distance I saw a herd of antelope and was unsure of what Beau would do or the Antelope for that matter. Well he got close enough to them for them to decide he had apparently crossed the line. They all ran towards him chasing him off! He turned and ran! Quite a sight. They ran after him for quite a ways then saw me and turned around. Beau of course kept coming towards me occasionally looking back. Funny.
The week flew by. We enjoyed lunches with Dave and Shirley at their place. Good times. But it was time to go once again. As we loaded up our birds at Dave's place he said" Here you guys like venison don't you?" He loaded us up with a bunch of sausage from the deer he had shot that season saying there's no way he and Shirley could eat it all. We once again said our good byes and found ourselves remarking about how glad we were to have met these folk's. There are good people everywhere but it's hard to beat " Kansas Hospitality! " A perfect way to end our "Dream Season."
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