remy3424
Well-known member
It was cool morning low 20s, NW wind low teens maybe, overcast sky. My lower back has been acting-up the last couple days, but seemed decent this morning, so at around 9:00 Gus and I headed out to put a bow on the season. Had a plan to just head for the back of the farm and work out heading NW, shooting a limit along the way hopefully and get out with my back still not screaming at me.
The birds were super wild today. At about 300 yards in, I crest the highest place on the farm and can see 300-400 yards away into the back, where the switchgrass lives, birds flushing and lighting, lots of action. I make my way to the switchgrass and the birds are flushing over 100 yards away. Around this point I notice the bell is not on Gus any longer, so I need use the locate feature on the collar every so often to have an idea where he is. After getting to the back with nothing remotely within range, I change directions and start the push back. Birds are flushing ahead, a few getting closer to in-range. I decide I might be shooting a bit further than my normal range if I will have a chance today. I get a chance at a 40ish yard shot and drop it, I hustle to the spot and find the bird before Gus does. Ok, the pressure is off, and then I get another opportunity. This one is further, maybe 50 yards, he drops, but look like a single wing, I again hustle to the spot I had marked the fall, Gus is working the cover maybe 10 yards away, I try to call him over, but he has already found and caught him. The next opportunities look to be getting longer yet, I take a shot at 2 others that don't fall. I get back to the road and am maybe 150 yards from the NW corner of the property. It seems like there are usually birds in this corner at the end of the push, but Gus wants to go south, toward the truck. I concede and follow him. A few birds are flushing out ahead, I lose sight and have to locate him, he has a good point, we flush a hen followed by a rooster that is the closest one I had seen, the bird is down over the terrace we are standing next to, Gus finds him DOA pretty quickly. A short walk to the truck now, a few pics and this season has concluded.
I think this was 60 harvested birds from just this farm, not the 100 I had aimed for, but 100 would require more hunters and as I generally choose to hunt alone, we'll see about next season. If you count in the birds that were shot at, hit but didn't fall and non-recovered downed birds, it might be getting close to that 100 number. Still an incredible number of birds left.
If you ever get the opportunity to create habitat, go for it, it is one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. Knowing that virtually none of those birds would exist without the effort, is an incredible feeling.
The birds were super wild today. At about 300 yards in, I crest the highest place on the farm and can see 300-400 yards away into the back, where the switchgrass lives, birds flushing and lighting, lots of action. I make my way to the switchgrass and the birds are flushing over 100 yards away. Around this point I notice the bell is not on Gus any longer, so I need use the locate feature on the collar every so often to have an idea where he is. After getting to the back with nothing remotely within range, I change directions and start the push back. Birds are flushing ahead, a few getting closer to in-range. I decide I might be shooting a bit further than my normal range if I will have a chance today. I get a chance at a 40ish yard shot and drop it, I hustle to the spot and find the bird before Gus does. Ok, the pressure is off, and then I get another opportunity. This one is further, maybe 50 yards, he drops, but look like a single wing, I again hustle to the spot I had marked the fall, Gus is working the cover maybe 10 yards away, I try to call him over, but he has already found and caught him. The next opportunities look to be getting longer yet, I take a shot at 2 others that don't fall. I get back to the road and am maybe 150 yards from the NW corner of the property. It seems like there are usually birds in this corner at the end of the push, but Gus wants to go south, toward the truck. I concede and follow him. A few birds are flushing out ahead, I lose sight and have to locate him, he has a good point, we flush a hen followed by a rooster that is the closest one I had seen, the bird is down over the terrace we are standing next to, Gus finds him DOA pretty quickly. A short walk to the truck now, a few pics and this season has concluded.
I think this was 60 harvested birds from just this farm, not the 100 I had aimed for, but 100 would require more hunters and as I generally choose to hunt alone, we'll see about next season. If you count in the birds that were shot at, hit but didn't fall and non-recovered downed birds, it might be getting close to that 100 number. Still an incredible number of birds left.
If you ever get the opportunity to create habitat, go for it, it is one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. Knowing that virtually none of those birds would exist without the effort, is an incredible feeling.
