It was November 2010 and the last several days had seen the remaining crops being harvested in most area's leaving birds moving to nearby slough's, CRP fields and tree rows. This has been a great period as the hunting pressure had changed dramatically with the out of state hunter's leaving and the local hunter's focusing on Deer hunting just when large numbers of birds were moved out of the remaining crop fields.
Wednesday was a wet day with light rain and some snow so we took it as an errand day and went to Bismarck for supplies. So yesterday we headed out early to check on some area's I was hoping would have corn harvested. I came upon a large CRP field which had the surrounding corn and sunflowers harvested recently. With snow now covering the grass it was my bet that the birds had not yet moved out into the adjacent fields to feed as we had arrived right at sun up. I had all three Setter's on board and planned to run them individually as I expected to see a lot of birds which would make multiple dog's difficult to manage.
Molly was my choice to run first and when she hit the ground I could tell she was pumped up. I don't know if it was the temperature or the light snow but she was off like a rocket! Since the grass was a little snow covered she couldn't go through it readily but had to kind of push through it and jump over it. I noticed several Sharptail just flying around the area with some landing in tree lines as well as some Pheasants cruising over the field like big bombers then settling in the grass. This area was alive with birds! Two Sharptail in the tree line we were working along flushed towards me and would be my first misses of the day. Molly then worked several birds pointing a couple Hen's I identified the rest may have been Rooster's but in the flat early morning light it's hard to tell what they were so we let them fly on. We worked the open area's first as I was afraid that the birds may have chosen to congregate in the tree rows due to the previous day's weather forcing them into the heavy cover. This is a problem because regardless of whether the birds hold for a point or not which side of the brush do you stand on? Since the birds know which way you're coming from most of the time it will be on the wrong side. Then once one of them chooses an escape route the rest will follow! To quote my friend Bernie " We're just hopin to find a bird that makes a mistake."
Molly started working some heavy cover a few hundred yards from the next tree line and when I started to see paths made by Pheasants in the fresh snow I knew we had a group of birds moving ahead. Molly was playing a game of cat and mouse with a moving bird with me coming to flush and the bird moving out ahead then finally we got the Hen to flush which triggered the rest of this group ahead to flush wild and head for the damn tree line. The good news was that there were at least a half a dozen Rooster's in this bunch. So we worked towards the tree line and started working it south and of course Molly pointed several times with birds flying out the opposite side from where I was at untouched! Then we finally got a point on the edge of the CRP with the bird pinned between Molly and myself. I was on the tree line side with Molly on the edge of the CRP. I expected I could flush this bird her way into the open. I chose my steps carefully so I'd have a clear shooting lane and flushed the bird. A Rooster! It exploded from the edge and straight out into the CRP falling with a report from my Gold label. The first bird of the day. Molly was having a great time as we had really been into birds from the start of this run.
The next few hundred yards of this run was a lesson in late season hunting with the birds having a tremendous advantage. Safety in numbers. Follow the leader. If one fly's we all fly! At a break in the field I decided to head east to see if we could find some birds not bunched up and more likely to hold. Molly was birdy within a couple hundred yards and a Hen flushed wild up ahead. Then she started tracking a bird on the edge and worked into the CRP to the south and I didn't follow but waited to see if we'd get a point as I was tiring a little trudging through the snow covered grass. Molly couldn't get the bird corralled and the Rooster took flight. So much for standing around watching! Then another 100 yards ahead we had a point right along the tree line with a Hen flushing and then a delayed flush by a beautiful Rooster. I fired as the bird exited the north side of the tree line and we had our second bird of the day! I worked Molly around to the field line and she worked more Hen's doing a fantastic job. We saw a group of Sharptail flush from the edge of the sunflower stubble with another single take flight from the trees we had just passed, I noticed a few vehicles with Deer hunters driving around this section and was a little nervous as it's common for them to shoot from vehicles at moving Deer out here so I headed for the Jeep with plans of moving out of this area. Molly worked one more Rooster as we came along the field edge but it didn't sit still for her and flushed wild as we neared the Jeep. The birds had been difficult but Molly had worked her butt off trying her best to pin them down. Great job!
We headed east a few miles to an open area we passed on our way where I had seen a couple of birds sitting by a slough a hundred yards or so into the CRP. This was to be Beau's run. He was still recovering from surgery to remove a tumor and I was letting him run occasionally as the open wound was still healing over. The stitches were not able to hold the skin shut completely so we had an area about the size of a quarter that would slowly close. It ended up taking 3 month's! So during this time he had to wear a cone unless I was running him. Pain in the ass! So anyway I took his cone off and put his GPS collar on, which in my opinion was the best innovation since sliced bread, especially when running dog's in big country. We headed east and made a big loop heading back west into the wind in the direction of that slough which had some brushy cover as well. As a bird hunter you have to be careful what you wish for sometimes because it's not always what works best. Well Beau works around towards the edge of the slough and then just stops cold 40 feet from the edge with his head high into the wind. I am 100 feet behind him and begin to move up cautiously. I get within 20 feet of him and birds just start bursting out in all directions! For a few seconds I just stand there watching as they are flushing adead of the dog making them just out of range so I then walk ahead hoping I can still get a shot which I do. Three times! But I miss every time and since I'm carrying my sxs that means I had to reload as well! I stand there when it's all over just in awe of the most Roosters I have seen flush in one group since I can remember. And without having got one bird out of it. A rule of bird hunting came to mind. Never stop moving forward! Especially in a multi bird flush! I had just been mesmerized by the sight which was beautiful to watch. This is a half section of CRP so I turn Beau back east in a wide circle to see if we could work any of those birds that may have landed behind us. We had points on a few Hens but no Roosters until we worked west again back towards the same slough. Beau pointed a couple more Hens and was just doing a really good job not pushing the birds all of which were moving before he pinned them down. It was a great show he was putting on. Then we moved closer to the road just south of the big flush and he pointed again on the crest of a slight incline. I went in to flush and three birds got up simultaneously in different directions and by the time I recognized the Rooster in the bunch he was out of range. Foiled again! It had been a great run for Beau as well so we headed north to the Jeep a hundred yards away. Mick really needed to get on the ground so I decided to do a short run with him a half mile away.
I let Mick out around some alfalfa and wheat stubble with a couple of small sloughs I had seen Sharptail using before. Mick immediately got birdy with a Hen flushing wild ahead of him. Now about Mick. As I've said before this dog will not leave an area if he thinks there is still a bird in his midst. So for what seemed like the next hour he worked and worked the same area after what was probably another Hen running around but I finally got him to move on and we hunted the surrounding area with Mick doing a great job of thoroughly inspecting all the right places but no more birds. I just needed "One more Rooster" and wanted to shoot a bird for Mick so I decided to see if the Deer hunters had left the area we had been in earlier. They were gone and I decided to work the other side of the road where we had moved a lot of birds too. I had also never walked this area so as long as we were having fun I put Mick back on the ground. He quickly pointed a hen and looked at me like " Hey this is great just you and me! " Well we worked back north towards some old farmstead buildings and trees and Mick started working a bird. Head up testing the wind for scent and moving slow then stopping again and testing the wind once more. This means " Bird up ahead but moving Boss " After starting and stopping a few times he finally firms up on point and I walk up ahead but no bird. I look at Mick and he's not moving but he's steady looking straight ahead! " Trust me there's a bird here " he'd say. I'm stomping around the area when suddenly the Rooster bolts to my left catching me off guard. Imagine that ! My first shot goes off a little to quickly and I miss the the second as the Rooster rockets away and I miss again. Foiled yet again! I have to take a few minutes to "Good dog Mick " because he did a really good job working that bird and I feel terrible having missed. Twice! I then work Mick towards the corner of this area and we have three more sessions of his thoroughness on working running birds. I'm tired of following these chases that end as Hen's but he does what he does well and I love him for it but we just need "One more Rooster!" We work towards the road and I decide to cross and work a section of CRP I hadn't worked with Molly earlier. At this point I am getting tired and my boots are wet inside as I walked through some water earlier. I wore a wool sweater with a nylon lining to cut the wind but it keeps the heat and moisture in so I'm wet underneath that as well. Mick dutifully goes to work as we head across a big expanse of grass my plan being to scout the outside perimeter of this area for future reference and to get " One more Rooster! " As we make our way a mile south east Mick works a couple Hen's causing us to go back and forth before they finally flush wild. My patience with his persistence is waning but I hold my tongue! Then one of these long drawn out stalks ends up being a Rooster that flushes wild ahead about 60 yards but Mick still continued to work the area dilligently for another several minutes. ' Just making sure there's no more birds Boss! " I get him heading south west again and suddenly a Sharptail flushes wild ten feet to my left and I fire twice and again miss. We then work all the way to the field edge where Mick gets birdy and a Hen flushes wild then in a few more yards a group of Sharptail flushes wild from the sunflower stubble. So close but yet so far away!
We then turn back west working towards the Jeep a mile away and Mick points a group of a dozen or more Hens without the usual 30 minute stalking show. Hooray! We then startle a Doe and her two fawns in the middle of the field. We walked a couple hundred more yards when Mick comes to point on a small rise. I take a couple steps and a covey of 8 Sharptail takes flight. I pick out a bird and it tumbles down with one shot. My second shot misses the mark and Mick moves ahead finding the downed bird. He looks at me holding the bird down with his paw like " All right! That's how we do that! " We then come across nothing as we head toward the tree line in the direction of the Jeep. We need just "One more Rooster". Fifty yards from the tree line I hear a Rooster calling. I stop to get a fix on the location. Right on the edge where the grass meets the tree line. I'm thinking great I get one more chance for a happy ending. Mick works the tree line and in short order comes on point. I choose to go inside the brush hoping to flush the bird to the CRP side. I kick the brush and an owl takes off that had been sitting on a low branch probably trying to catch the cackling Rooster we heard a few moments ago. Mick then moves back and forth in the brush then forward along the edge and comes to a rigid point looking right into the brush! I come up slowly and charge the brush. A Rooster flies out Mick's side coming up low then careening to the right. I fire twice missing again! I just have to laugh at this point and give Mick a pat on the head for a job well done. I think how I could have been beat so many times in one day?
Well I go to reload with just a couple hundred yards to go to the Jeep and I have just two shells left. As I go to put the shells in the chamber I drop one and look for it in the grass but can't find it! So now I' m down to one shell. I think could it be possible to get one more chance and get "One more Rooster" with just one shell left? I'm thinking this is just crazy. How could I let myself get down to one shell? We move on ahead getting close to where the Jeep is parked across the gravel road. There's a small slough ahead almost at the end of the run. Mick gets there and starts working the edge and gets birdy. I think to myself " Just give me one more chance Mick! " Mick slows up and gradually locks up on point in the tall grass. I can't believe it. I just may get one more chance. I'm thinking " Please make this a Rooster! " I go in to flush and there he is a fully mature beautiful Rooster! But he gets up behind Mick and slightly to my right. I bring the gun to my shoulder and with the barrel covering the bird fire! The bird keeps on flying unscathed. I can't believe what just happened. I got a dog that worked his butt off to get me multiple chances. I had missed time and again. I had used all my shells. No more bullets left!
Mick of course did his final sweep of the area to make sure the bird hadn't come down and we headed for the Jeep just 40 yards away with just "One Rooster" to go. Feeling humiliated I had to spend a few moments with Mick having done a great job for me. Another run I will never forget.
I had an appointment to have my oil changed. So wet, tired, and humiliated I head for town but as I drive I count my blessings. A beautiful day. Three of the best dog's anybody could ask for and plenty of birds! I drop off the Setter's and get them fed then head for the co-op for my oil change. While waiting for the Jeep I just can't accept my failure to get " One more Rooster " so my mind goes to work on what spots I could make one last run in that magic last hour of daylight. As a kid I remember we'd hunt after school always at this time and I have fond memories of those days when we'd find birds just before the sun went down. Somehow it was more exciting knowing we had just that small envelope of daylight left before the sun disappeared. As I drove back to the house my plan was complete. I got dry socks,boots, and a dry shirt on. My dog would be Beau. We had a little over an hour to get to where we were going and get ' One more Rooster! " I chose an area I had hoped would have the adjacent corn picked. It was a waterfowl production area I had hunted quite a bit but I knew held both Pheasants and Sharptail. We arrived and on approach saw the corn was indeed down. Great!. I then filled my vest with shells. The opportunity was for another Rooster but we also could shoot two more Sharptail for the day. So I loaded up and crossed the fence. We had gone a few hundred yards with Beau casting about and headed to the field edge . This run had all the makings of a successful ending to a day which had so far been very humbling especially since I had shot so well the majority of the days this season. Beau quickly got birdy at the fence edge and I moved towards him as he assumed a beautiful pose pointing into the corn stubble. I took a few more steps when a large group of Sharptail started flushing. I paused picking out a bird and brought it down then sighted on another and missed. Again. As I reloaded birds continued to rise just out of range. While reloading I looked at the shells and realized I had taken lead instead of steel! I had to get out of there! As it's illegal to posses lead shot in a waterfowl production area! So I crossed the fence and went into the corn stubble with Beau retrieving the Sharptail and headed for the Jeep. We had 45 minutes or so left enough to get back there and still get this done. There was a small slough and grassy area around a picked soybean field across the road I planned to run Beau around on the way to the Jeep as long as I had to go that way. I'm tired and hungry and not quite sure why I embarked on this mission for a moment but why not is my answer! Beau is glad to be " Coneless " and hunting once again as he surfs the cover for scent. We get 3/4 of the way to the Jeep when he suddenly locks up in a classic point looking directly at the open field which had been chisel plowed around the slough about twenty feet wide. I'm thinking Hun's. I see nothing. He's looking at nothing!. I walk over to flush and he's locked up tight as can be. Rigid. Focused. I look ahead for a moment still seeing nothing then in the next instant a huge Rooster takes flight to my right! A beautiful sight against the open field as it arcs towards the corn stubble. I swing on the bird firing as it then tumbles to the ground. Beau moves ahead and locates his prize and our final bird of the day! I head back to the Jeep teary eyed knowing what an opportunity it is to have a day like this although humbling as it was.
It's a long story but it was a longer day. After I loaded up Beau I decided to head to a little town nearby for a cold glass of beer in a frosted mug. As I sat there contemplating the day I knew I over did it physically but I was glad to have been able to give each dog a great run but the birds gave me an even better one!
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