With 2012 being a record warm year I knew at the start of the season in September it would be difficult getting on birds for a number of reasons. Along with the heat there was the loss of thousands of acres of CRP land used by all species. The pastures were dry and in poor condition and most hay fields left little cover having been cut twice and or grazed as well. Even sloughs which were mostly dry this year had been mowed. The big factor in addition to all this was the transition from primarily wheat to primarily corn. In the years wheat was king the Sharptail were exposed early and then used the alfalfa and pastures but now the corn offers them relief from the hot sun and a food source well into fall making it difficult to find them in the open where a pointing dog can enjoy the challenge of setting a covey without busting them before I can get there.
So given all that what to do when the forecast is wind wind wind. Which in North Dakota is quite often. As a downhill skier I learned early on if you wait for the perfect day to head for the mountain you won't get many days in skiing! And so it is with bird hunting which is why I loaded up the Setter's yesterday for a full day in the field with a forecast featuring wind which was all of 20 to 30 mph!
My objective was two fold. First of all get out and just have some fun watching the pups cast about hoping to catch a covey of Sharptail getting up into the wind. Secondly to scout out some areas where corn may have been picked that may hold both pheasant and grouse. With the pheasant opener just days away I justified being the only guy out there scouting and Sharptail hunting I suspect.
First stop was a half section of hay ground that my neighbor had reported in talking to the landowner had a good number of Sharptail when it was cut in July. Also the adjoining section had been in corn and was recently cut exposing several sloughs with lots of weedy cover around them. This was owned by some folks two miles north. One of the ladies from the local Pheasants Forever chapter had called me earlier in the week asking me to donate some of my home baked pies for the local nursing home fundraising auction in October and in thanking me for committing to do so said I was more than welcome to hunt their property as well. That section with the corn recently picked was theirs.
So I let the Setters out and they cast about checking the edges and around the rockpiles glad to be at it once again. Beau and Molly pointed a group of pheasants right off the bat around the edge of a slough. We then worked towards the corn and a Sharptail single flushed wild from the edge. I rushed ahead hoping there were more but no cigar. There were however more pheasants up ahead as all 3 dogs pointed another small group around a weedy rockpile. The wind was incredibly strong but we were having fun and learning about this new ground. After a foray back into the hay field with no birds we came back down the edge where it met the corn and again all 3 dogs converged on point with a beautiful rooster bolting into the air reminding me how exciting these birds can be despite often times getting frustrated by their antics!
Now being a half mile from the Jeep I decided to see if we could locate that Sharptail but had no such luck but the Setters did work several more pheasants before we were done. As I loaded the pups I had to laugh at them thoroughly covered in cockle burrs! What the hell I thought. 'We're just having fun!". And like every day it was ours to do as we wished. Together.
Having logged another several hundred acres to hunt we headed 40 miles east to check some more ground. These were spots I'd hunted every year. The first of which we call the "Honey Hole." Ten years ago this half section surrounded by high hills was in alfalfa and was used by the surrounding Sharptail to raise their broods. It was an excellent spot for pointing dogs to work the early season. With many memories going through my mind I walked it again this windy day with Molly. However it's a cut soybean field today and all that was left for cover were the rock piles and edges. But we made a 3 mile trek around the outside. Molly pointed along a tree belt and as I walked forward a Sharptail flushed 50 yards ahead undoubtedly having recently been sitting by the trees. I fired two shots as it arced closest to me but it chuckled as it flew on with the wind. There are other spots in this vicinity we have fond memories of but we'd save them for another day.
Our last stop was another 6 miles east on a rolling ridge of a waterfowl production area overlooking several pot holes. It's another run I like to make every year and I was betting some Sharptail would be using it this windy day to hide from the strong gusts that just wouldn't quit. I was wearing my beaver western hat because it has a chin strap and is the only hat I could keep on besides a stocking cap which I don't like to wear. It was Beau's turn and we made a forty minute hike around the area with no results. The only thing that got Beau's attention was the fresh cow manure. What dog's see in this stuff I don't know but I had to scold him several times before we headed back to the Jeep.
On the way back I stopped and visited with some friends in the area bringing us close to supper time and with the somewhat sweet smell of cockle burrs in the Jeep we rode home having spent the whole day in the field. No birds in the game bag but lots of future possibilities as well as friends and ,memories revisited. A very good day indeed.
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