Fall Days Afield '11/'12

[philth]

Pepperdawg, sorry I missed your post. Yup partrige up here. I'm in a tiny villiage called Heartwellville vt. Its a birdy place. I hunt solo , no dog so its a lot of miles on foot to flush birds. I flushed probably 10 grouse last week but all in heavy cover. Tough to get a shot off but just being out there is fun for me. Good shit.

[char]

Got a spike on day three of a branch bull tag a week ago. Buddy of mine shot a 6x6.

Opening morning was ridiculous with a herd of elk running by me at 75 yards after my friend dropped his 6x6. Got 2 shots off on a huge bull (~6x7?) but missed after running across the flat (plus the fact I'm not that good of a shot.) Had I been patient and slowed down a little I probably would have been able to sneak closer and get a better shot.

Dropped the spike at 200 yards 2 days later right at dark. First big game animal I've shot. Can't wait to get the meat back from the butcher.

[The Reverend Floater]

Ducks have finally arrived in Idaho. Went out solo on Saturday morning and shot a limit. Steve did well holding at the shot, but that's probably because there weren't any other dogs present.

Also, if you want to check out the ND report, I wrote it up here.

[Grange]

Just got home from a week at the cottage ruffed grouse hunting. I only cut two loads of wood for the cottage so there was plenty of time to bird hunt.

Typical grouse cover around the cottage.




The dogs are off. In this picture are my father's two older brittanies, my brother-in-law's GWP, and my black lab and english setter.


My father and brother-in-law heading out.


It's difficult to see, but my setter is on point in the picture. This point did produce a grouse for the game bag.


My setter backing the male brittany pointing a grouse. Not pictured is the other brittany also backing.


My setter backing my lab who is holding a woodcock. This is not a scenario I've seen very many times and the only reason I caught it on camera was because I had the camera out trying to get action shot of my dogs running.


My setter pointing a grouse. I don't remember if I shot the bird or missed.


These two pictures were the result perfect teamwork of all three of us. My setter had perfect points and was steady to wing and shot and my lab came back with a perfect retrieves to hand.



The dogs are now sleeping comfortably on their beds trying to recoup from a successful week of busting brush and finding birds.


All in all the bird numbers don't seem to be as high as last year, but I still had plenty of action and came home with several meals waiting to be cooked.

[GBB]

Ducks have finally arrived in Idaho. Went out solo on Saturday morning and shot a limit. Steve did well holding at the shot, but that's probably because there weren't any other dogs present.

Also, if you want to check out the ND report, I wrote it up here.

It's stuff like this that really makes me miss the plains. Great write up!

[pointemstraight]

Damn those look big. Watching a lab work bird scent is a blast. Mine gets a windmill tail that moves 100mph until she flushes the bird.

This comment makes me smile as my lab does exactly the same thing... I call it the propeller tail....

[FreakofSnow]

I got off work at 8am and headed for the hills, not quite sure with the late start if I'd be able to get into anything. But as always, hunting is full of unexpected surpises, the ones that keep pulling you out every day.

Low and behold, as I crested a hill just 20 minutes from the truck I saw movement of elk. I snuck around and glassed them for over an hour and half, testing my patience. I couldn't locate a bull and finally resorted to a cow call that got the whole herd (50 w/ 2 spikes) on its feet. Messing with them for a few minutes was fun. Then finally, I walked out from behind my cover and they bolted.Its always good just to learn from them, checking out their beds and tracks was worth it alone.

Planning to hunt the whole day, I thought the day was best left on such a great note and was back at the truck by 1130.

**both pics are from a smartphone though binos, shitty at best**

[45hill]

Got a few ducks this morning. Tomorrow I am going to hit the pond around 5:30 to 9am, ski a few hours, and then try to get a few quail and Chukar before sunset.

[The Reverend Floater]

Can we no longer upload photos? Bush league!

Anyhow, had a great weekend.

Saturday morning we were running late and got to the boat launch only to see six boat trailers and 40mph winds. Being a bit hungover and not game for white caps in the dark, we went to a different launch on a more sheltered part of the river. Shooting hours began as we were throwing out decoys and of course we were being swarmed before we were ready. As soon as we were able to tuck in, the ducks quick coming, though other blinds around us seemed to be shooting. About an hour later and no ducks, we opted to pack up, run the boat back to the dock, trailer it, and drive back to the first blind. It was calmer now, about 20-30mph, and we were set up and ready by 9:15. By 9:55 we had shot 21 green heads between the three of us. Steve really had his first perfect day, too. He held on every shot until I sent him on retrieve, even with his buddy Duke there. He honored Duke without even whining, and delivered 12 ducks to my hand. I was psyched!



That afternoon, another friend showed up so I went out with him and my buddies to try to fill his bag. I brought Steve to look for roosters in the draw behind the blind. Steve flushed a hen but not much else until he got all excited and took off, nose down, up a different draw. He came back with a mouth full of porcupine quills. SUCK. My buddy had some needle nose pliers and we managed to get all but one from his mouth. He's going into the vet tomorrow to get the last stub removed.

Saturday night we got drunk. Really drunk. Then Oregon stomped Stanford, and we got drunker.



Sunday the river sucked. It was warm, overcast and still and there were very few ducks flying, so we picked up. On the drive back up to the valley, we made a quick stop at an upland hole that I like to hunt sometimes on my way home. It's a tiny pocket of public land, surrounded by corn fields. About 5 minutes after getting out of the truck, Steve was on point at a fence line. I waived my buddies over while whoa'ing Steve. I kicked the thicket and a pair of pheasant flushed and we bagged the rooster....a great ending to a great weekend.

I marinaded that cock (what?) in wasabi terryiaki for a few hours, cooked it in the pan and served it over rice with some broccoli. OH MY GOD was that good.

[MakersTeleMark]

I've never been corn-holed by elk this way before in my life. I can barely move, there is no me anymore. I was on them. Postholling thigh deep. Falling every 2 steps. This piss was steaming. The shit disintegrating in my glove. Those. fuckers cliffed me out. I was in a place where 2 legs don't cut it. Took me 2 hours of 85 degree death to get out, wind gust in the 80's, humping over hundreds of blowdowns in a drainage to even get to a trail in the dark with another 3 miles to go. My feet, my heart are soaked, cold as ice, and I'm completely demoralized.

Such is elk hunting. The urine of those wapitti permeates my trailer. My body, my feet, my heart is broken.

Elk 2, Me - 0, and hell and back.

I can't walk so well right now. That drainage I came down was 80 degrees. Almost 3 miles straight down. Straight, with a headlamp. Knee deep. I stopped fighting falling down. I stopped even crying and cursing.

FUCK. Tagged out, and now the storm shows up. Fucking fuckers.

Out.

[45hill]

Dang. I really suck at Duck Hunting. We've been out about seven times and have only got two. You nailed 12 in a few minutes. I need to change the way I am doing things.

[The Reverend Floater]

Dang. I really suck at Duck Hunting. We've been out about seven times and have only got two. You nailed 12 in a few minutes. I need to change the way I am doing things.

21. Steve retrieved over half of them....just sayin'....

[45hill]

I think I'll stick to upland game. It really hurts knowing a duck with the brain the size of a cashew is smarter than me. To be fair they do know how to fly.

[pepperdawg]

Got out for an hour Turkey Day morning - probably my last day this season - ran into this little hen.....

[The Reverend Floater]

My buddy shot this pic of Steve on the first retrieve of 28 yesterday. Migration is on!

[wendigo]

Getting a bit redneck today.

[Loon]

I wasn't aware there is a dipnet season for deer

[FreakofSnow]

Holy shit wendingo, care to explain your poaching, I mean hunting methods

In other news, I saw at least 3 mountain lions while I was hunting this year. Two of them in the same general area, the other a couple hours south. Spotting a mountain lion is truly a special and rare occurrence. Read more over here on the ol' blog, Kneetopia.

[wendigo]

The hunting methods were... casual.
Breakfast at 8 - blackbean and egg breakfast burritos, with the juicer squishing out some apple, carrot, ginger juice.
On the boat by 9:30.
Dropped off crab pots at 9:45.
First deer (only doe) 10:00
Second 11:30 - decided only bucks
Third 12:00
Fourth 12:00:30
Fifth 12:01
Sixth 1:30
Seventh 2:00
Eight 2:05
Back to the dock at 3:30
Deer hung in shed by 6:00

Big snow dump forces them down to the beach, just drive around until you spot one (some) drive the boat up about 100 yds away, jump out and take a shot. Could shoot and miss and they wouldn't run, just reload and take em down, or walk toward them for a better shot. I had a doe hanging out about 20' away while field dressing one.

3 hunters - 5 tags each - no need to poach.

Real work begins tomorrow night.

Super jealous of the lion, one of the few north american animal I have not ticked off my "seen in the wild" list.
I'll probably be back in your area next fall. Happy to slept gear for a couple of elk steaks!

[tank3467]

Be jealous about not seeing a mountain lion, until your are hunting and you DONT see the mountain lion. A few years ago a freshman in high school was hunting elk and away from his group when he turned around to a crouching mountain lion about 20 feet behind him. Luckily the mountain lion ended up dead and not him.

Could be different, two years ago a friend was out bow hunting for elk. His partner went up a ridge to bugle for elk. After about 5 minutes of bugling he watched a pack of 5 wolves go sprinting up the hill towards his partner. Always wear your pistol when bow hunting.

[The Reverend Floater]

Saturday's harvest.

[FreakofSnow]

Be jealous about not seeing a mountain lion, until your are hunting and you DONT see the mountain lion. A few years ago a freshman in high school was hunting elk and away from his group when he turned around to a crouching mountain lion about 20 feet behind him. Luckily the mountain lion ended up dead and not him.

Could be different, two years ago a friend was out bow hunting for elk. His partner went up a ridge to bugle for elk. After about 5 minutes of bugling he watched a pack of 5 wolves go sprinting up the hill towards his partner. Always wear your pistol when bow hunting.

Oh I know, all I'm saying is that I realize it's rare to see them. And trying to make myself feel better for not having an elk in the freezer. I don't have the distaste for lions that I do for wolves yet.

[GBB]

Saturday's harvest.

I don't think he's in that picture, but it's been really cool to read about Steve's progression over the past year or so.

People are killing it with the stoke this year!

[The Reverend Floater]

Finally got Steve out today after being out of town for two weeks. Took him down the road from my house to look for chukkar and boy, did we find some. Climbed some 1500 feet or so off the canyon floor and were about 80 yards from the top when Steve got birdy. He was a good 40 yards up the hill from me, and I was gassed at that point, but I knew he was serious. I started to hoof up the shale as quickly as I could--a total junk show of heaving breath as I'm scrambling up. Sure enough, Steve got on point and held it as I climbed as quickly as I could. The covey exploded and naturally I was all twisted up, but I was able to drop a knee and twist around, dropping one bird.

We got to the top, had some water and I caught my breath. This was the first big hike since October's knee surgery but my knee felt good.



Steve on the ridge, my house in the far distance at the canyon mouth.

We walked down the ridge in the picture and I was about to drop down one of the bowls when I heard the little bastards laughing in the next bowl down, so we continued on. Once atop, I dropped straight down the middle of it. Sure enough Steve got birdy, cat stalked, then went rigid on point. I walked down to him and the covey of maybe 20 birds exploded. I missed an easy first shot and dropped a bird on the second. I sent Steve down the hill on the retrieve and as soon as he was about 10 yards down the hill it was like the ENTIRE left side of the bowl--about 40 yards to my left--exploded with birds. I'm guessing it was at least three coveys of 30 birds each. I didn't have a shot and just watched in amazement. Steve had a nice, very long retrieve on the original bird and we continued across after the three coveys that had got away. Naturally, after that, they wouldn't let us get within 50 yards so I just made my way down the to the truck. It was a great hunt, even if I only got two birds.

[stompinlines]

Thanks for bringing the pics.
This thread continues to rule.