Last Day of Shooting

These grain elevaters often have spilled wheat around them that attract birds. We found a hen near this one today.

This is some beaver damage. The farmers hate them. They dam up the creeks and flood their fields.

This isn't far from where I got my shot.

This is the dogs hunting along a ditch in "The Triangle".

I spent the morning hunting an area that is off the beaten path. I have not been to this spot all year. It was a beautiful spring-like day. The cover was 99% CRP. We got one weak point and didn't see a single bird for two hours of hunting.

After lunch I returned to the old standby, "The Triangle". At last count I think I've personally gotten 10 birds out of here, and been with guys who got 6 others.

After a good point that produced nothing, the dogs started charging around, and Lilly flushed a hen without pointing. "Bad dog!"

About 20 minutes later the dogs were heading out away from good cover into a vast field of stubble. There could have been something there, but I called them back explaining, "We should stick with the best available cover." They seemed to understand, ran back to the fence row, and dived into the tall grass along the drain ditch. My call was a good one.

A few seconds later Juneau stepped off the 2 foot bank down to the edge of the water, and froze in a solid point that said," Oh no! There's a bird right here at my feet!" Lilly, 10 feet away, saw her situation and also went on point. I was just on the edge of my range. I took one step in their direction and a rooster flushed. I took two shots swinging left to right, and missed with both. I felt pretty bad, realizing that this could possibly be my last chance for eight months.

About an hour later the dogs went on a close double point. Starting tomorrow I'll be getting pictures of action like this. It was a hen.

After finishing there, I was determined to utilize every moment of this fabulous day, so I rushed to another nearby good producing area. An hour later, right on the brink of being illegal due to late hunting hours, I waved at a county sheriff as he drove by, then loaded up the dogs and headed home.