# 2015 Pheasant Season



## Rooster Guy

Thought I'd open this up now that we are in prime time. How'd everyone do over this past week? Seeing many reports that the corn is coming out pretty steadily the last week or so. Lets see some pics of everyone's bag! What area of the state are people having luck? Heard the usual good reports out of SW ND.


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## Dak

So far a decent season. 80 roosters in the freezer. :beer:


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## Habitat Hugger

Missed LOTS of roosters this year, as usual! But no,shortage! My dog wants to give me shooting lessons for Doggy Xmas!


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## jac

I didn't realize the possession limit is so liberal! 80 in the freezer?


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## indsport

Here in the southeast, not so much. More land pulled from CRP, more PLOTS land will be removed next year (plowed up this year) and more native prairie plowed up. Definitely saw more shelterbelts being removed. When corn falls back to $3 per bushel and soybeans at $7, it will be interesting to see what happens.


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## Habitat Hugger

I suspect Gladstone is exaggerating a bit- or he has a very large family and a lot of freezers!q

Sorry, meant JAC who is IN Happy Rock. Probably close to the best pheasant territory on ND! Still 80 pheasants is a LOT of birds!


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## Dak

First ... The definition of possession limit from the North Dakota hunting proclamation:

""Possession Limit" means the maximum number of a particular game species that a hunter, legally licensed by this state, may have in his/her actual possession during any phase of any single hunting trip, venture, or expedition of more than one day. No more than one daily limit may be taken on any one day. The possession limit at one's personal permanent residence, except for waterfowl and migratory game birds, is not limited."

Second, you are right. 80 isn't correct. Got three more today so 83 is correct.


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## Habitat Hugger

Impossible to do " shoot and release" so I normally just fire a lot of Warning Shots!


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## jac

Dak said:


> First ... The definition of possession limit from the North Dakota hunting proclamation:
> 
> ""Possession Limit" means the maximum number of a particular game species that a hunter, legally licensed by this state, may have in his/her actual possession during any phase of any single hunting trip, venture, or expedition of more than one day. No more than one daily limit may be taken on any one day. The possession limit at one's personal permanent residence, except for waterfowl and migratory game birds, is not limited."
> 
> Second, you are right. 80 isn't correct. Got three more today so 83 is correct.


You are correct I was wrong checked the regs myself. learned something new today. I'm jealous! Keep up the great hunting. you and your dogs must be having a blast!!!


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## Dak

Thanks! Indeed we are. Added three more today. I have been averaging 91 birds every fall since I retired in 2005.


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## shaug

indsport said:


> Here in the southeast, not so much. More land pulled from CRP, more PLOTS land will be removed next year (plowed up this year) and more native prairie plowed up. Definitely saw more shelterbelts being removed. When corn falls back to $3 per bushel and soybeans at $7, it will be interesting to see what happens.


Are you in-state? Heard you moved to Indiania, Illinios or someplace around there.

Drove through your old stompin' grounds by Jamestown about a week ago. Plenty of waterfowl enjoying the harvested corn fields.


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## indsport

LOL. No, I have not moved (your information is wrong as usual) and no, when I do move it will not be to Indiana or Illinois. Yep, waterfowl on the corn fields, but how many roosters and deer did you see? Where will the ducks nest next year? The corn fields?


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## shaug

> LOL. No, I have not moved (your information is wrong as usual) and no, when I do move it will not be to Indiana or Illinois.


Ha Ha, I believe I read that in Wayne Beyers newsletter. Has since been updated.



> Yep, waterfowl on the corn fields, but how many roosters and deer did you see?


I live on the west side of the waterfowl flyway. Not much waterfowl here. Lots of pheasants and deer though. You are kinda of east of the good pheasant country.



> Where will the ducks nest next year? The corn fields?


What would you like the farmers to plant for you?


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## indsport

> Yep, waterfowl on the corn fields, but how many roosters and deer did you see?


I live on the west side of the waterfowl flyway. Not much waterfowl here. Lots of pheasants and deer though. You are kinda of east of the good pheasant country.

But how many pheasants and deer did you see?

It was great pheasant country until a couple of years ago and it was great back in the 1950's. Not so much anymore



> Where will the ducks nest next year? The corn fields?


What would you like the farmers to plant for you?[/quote] They can keep planting whatever they want like corn. That will ensure it goes under $3 a bushel where they can't make any money, (and shoot themselves in the foot at the same time). There just won't be near as many ducks, pheasants or deer.


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## blhunter3

I finally shot a pheasant this year! My 8 month old lab flush it and I didn't miss this year. Its nice seeing some birds around the farm again. Now that I have a dog again, I think I will be out more this fall. From spring planting, summer spraying and haying, to fall harvest and field work, I have seen more pheasants this year alone then I have in the past 3 combined. And in my traveling for my other job, I have seen a lot of pheasants.

With the dry and early harvest there was a lot of sloughs burned and either dug or disked up, add in the extra time for guy to do some drainage work, the lack of winter cover will hurt the deer and birds. Luckily the corn is cheap enough, for me to start feeding the critters this year. I am hoping to get some bales out for the deer too.


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## Dak

Agreed. Very cool that you got to get out with your pup. Dogs are so fun to hunt with.


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## blhunter3

indsport said:


> LOL. No, I have not moved (your information is wrong as usual) and no, when I do move it will not be to Indiana or Illinois. Yep, waterfowl on the corn fields, but how many roosters and deer did you see? Where will the ducks nest next year? The corn fields?


It might be an interesting with the amount of rented land getting let go, as to what people are going to be planting.


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## shaug

> Indsport said,
> But how many pheasants and deer did you see?
> 
> It was great pheasant country until a couple of years ago and it was great back in the 1950's. Not so much anymore


2007 was the last phenomenal year we had for pheasants. They were everywhere. Everyone is aware of the three hard winters 2008 to 2010. Since that time we have experianced wet cool springs that have been unkind to the hatch. This year we have a huntable number but it aint nothin' like 2007. Mother nature dictates. You can't bank wildlife.



> They can keep planting whatever they want like corn. That will ensure it goes under $3 a bushel where they can't make any money, (and shoot themselves in the foot at the same time). There just won't be near as many ducks, pheasants or deer.


Come on Thomas, the question posed to you is, what should farmers plant for profit and at the same time benefit wildlife?


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## indsport

Even if we have a mild winter and good springs, the habitat is no longer there for pheasants and ducks to nest. That is what is different from 5 years ago. You won't see the numbers like we did in 2007 regardless of the weather. As to what to plant, it is up to the farmer. Winter wheat appears to be a better crop for both farmers and wildlife but the market will drive most of the decisions. As I noted, I am most curious what will be planted if corn and soybean prices drop so low that a farmer can't make a profit.


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## blhunter3

indsport said:


> Even if we have a mild winter and good springs, the habitat is no longer there for pheasants and ducks to nest. That is what is different from 5 years ago. You won't see the numbers like we did in 2007 regardless of the weather. As to what to plant, it is up to the farmer. Winter wheat appears to be a better crop for both farmers and wildlife but the market will drive most of the decisions. As I noted, I am most curious what will be planted if corn and soybean prices drop so low that a farmer can't make a profit.


The only way most a lot of farmers would ever plant winter wheat, is if DU or Pheasants Forever would pay for the difference of spring wheat and winter wheat. I would imagine that after the 2016 growing season and nothing drastic happens, landowners will be going all over CRP.


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## shaug

Geez I'm stuffed. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cranberries, muffins, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, baked beans, wine (merlot) and one home made marion berry. We live in a land of abundance.

Winter wheat.......it needs to be planted in September. The row crops are all still out there well into October so winter wheat only fits into certain rotations. You can put it on oats ground or canola stumpage or a couple other crops that come off early. It can be put on spring wheat ground but beware of carry over diseases. Scab lives in the straw. That is why farmers rotate to sunflowers corn etc. to break up the life cycle.

Cash price today is about $3.77 for winter wheat. That is about $1.00 less than spring wheat. The incentive just isn't there.

Indsport, your winter wheat idea is simplistic. If everyone plants it, I know you understand that prices will tank from over supply.

As for me, I've been putting a lot back into alfalfa. It's a great nursey for pheasant chicks in the spring. Makes for poor hunting in the fall.


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## duckyboymn

Talked with some of my hunting tribe in ND that are farmers as well. They are considering dumping land into a program. Hopefully this trend builds. With the price of oil plummeting and a bumper crop, crop prices SHOULD drop significantly. If your a farmer, you have to realize that the record numbers ($$$$$) you've had the last few years aren't going to last forever.


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## shaug

duckyboymn said:


> Talked with some of my hunting tribe in ND that are farmers as well. They are considering dumping land into a program. Hopefully this trend builds. With the price of oil plummeting and a bumper crop, crop prices SHOULD drop significantly. If your a farmer, you have to realize that the record numbers ($$$$$) you've had the last few years aren't going to last forever.


Embedded message.


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## Dak

Sunny, almost 40, no wind...late season rooster chasin' doesn't get nicer weather. That was a great hour of hunting. Of course, the day was made better by the old gal Autumn proving once again that experience, cunning, and guile can kick the butt of youthful athleticism!


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## Dak

One thing you can say about a day like today...you know one of those can't hit the board side of a barn days. You get to watch lots of dog work. An even dozen solid points on roosters to bring home three. Scout was pretty impressive though. Seven solid points with him. Flat out missed the bird five times. Winged two. He followed the first one over a half mile...in and out of cattails...in and out of bushes...in and out of grass. I knew he was on the trail because every ten yards or so I could find a drop of blood. Finally cornered him in a cattail clump. Shortly after, point...rooster...boom...down but just winged. However, all the way across the cats. Scout is there seconds after the bird drops. Can't find him...it was as if there was no scent. Took him out of the area and brought him back in. The chase was on...or so I thought. Follows a hot trail...a quarter mile or so...point...different rooster jumps and...of course I miss. Ok, back to square one. Hot on another trail. Trails the bird for well over a quarter of a mile...locks up. Walk in...another rooster flushes...which I proceed to miss. I figure my wounded bird is gone. Hate not being able to find a hit bird. Look down...Scout has my winged bird in his mouth. Sweet.


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## blhunter3

Good write up! Sounds like you have a pretty god dog. I sure the dog was getting a little annoyed at the amount of work for one bird.
Everyone has those days of bad shooting.


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## Dak

They are good dogs...


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## Dak

Shooting woes fixed. Which is good as we saw only three roosters. One point over each dog. Auts pointed hers about ten yards from the truck. Always nice to get a bird over the old girl..


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## brobones

Dak,
I wish I could witness as many flushes as you over a 5 year span not just one season. Hope you continue to have a fabulous season.
:beer:


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## indsport

bro bones, correct. Yesterday's hunt was 5 hours from sunup to just after lunch time. Saw just three pheasants the whole day and no shots. Pretty much over for the season here. Not enough left to make it worth hunting. Did see some sharp-tails up on the Coteau after lunch, but nothing closer than 200 yards before they flushed.


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## Dak

Always fun...

Old gal ... Only 48 on the truck thermometer today a cool down from 52 yesterday. Decided to go check a couple PLOTS areas.

Worked first area with Scout...saw a ton of birds. All either hens, wild or on the posted side. Got back to the truck and decided I should take Auts out for a bathroom break as Jazz was gonna hunt an area that was a couple hour walk next. About 250 yards of grass strip along the prairie trail. Figured she would whizz and feel like she hunted if we walked it.

Old gal :beer: Auts locked up not 1, not 2 but 3 roosters in that 250 yards. I got two should have had three. She was pretty proud of herself. Got third bird over Jazz on that long walk area.


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## blhunter3

I going to be hitting in hard after the Nebraska Power Farm Show. Went out west turkey hunting on Friday and I helped my grandpa get his turkey tag filled and I missed my turkey. We saw a lot of pheasants, next time we go out there I will bring my dog. There were a lot of places to walk if you had a dog.


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## Dak

63 degrees on 9 Dec in the Dak...craziness
Did three walks today...all on the same section of land.

We saw:
2 whitetails 
3 antelope
12 roosters
20+ Huns
40+ hens
70+ chickens

All but one hen and one whitetail while I had Jazz out.
Luck of the draw but Scout not pleased... 

Brought home 3 roosters and 2 chickens.


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## indsport

Reminds me that on 5 of the most recent pheasant hunting trips I took since the deer hunting season, we have seen but one deer.


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## Dak

Haven't seen many deer all Fall. First year I have seen antelope in a while.


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## indsport

Did a swing from home to the south dakota border and back. No shots fired. Saw no deer, 3 roosters, 2 hens, and 2 sharptail in an area where even two years ago, shot a limit of roosters in less than a half hour and got a limit of sharps. More native prairie plowed up (3 more sections missing and planted to corn) and CRP is pretty much gone. It will probably be my last hunt for this season.


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## Dak

Today was young Jazz the snow bunny's first chance to bust cattails in the snow. Got our first couple inches of the year. She had a blast. Her and I saw probably a couple hundred birds. Mostly from a long distance. But enough wanted to play French Brittany games that we brought home our three birds in an hour or so.


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## Springer

Dak I'm jealous I have to drive 2 1/2 hrs one way to hunt roosters but have still managed about 8 days and hope to make it out 2 or 3 more days. Bird numbers seem to be up and good in the area that we hunt.


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## Dak

I am incredibly fortunate. Have been in your situation as well. Love having choices. Drive further south, walk out the back door, drive fifteen minutes and park for the rest of the day. Crazy lucky to have lucked into our home.


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## KEN W

Dak said:


> I am incredibly fortunate. Have been in your situation as well. Love having choices. Drive further south, walk out the back door, drive fifteen minutes and park for the rest of the day. Crazy lucky to have lucked into our home.


I see you live in Gladstone. Is the Happy Rock still there?


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## Dak

Definitely.


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## KEN W

I lived in Ritcharton back in the 70's......loved that bar.


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## Dak

Great day. 34 degrees, sunny, 5-6 mph wind...perfect weather for busting cats. Jazz made short work of it...three birds pointed, three shots...time to head home. Jazz pointed a hen and almost caught her in mid air as she flushed. Mouthful of tail...feathers. On the way to retrieve her last bird she kept getting distracted...birds would flush with just about every step she took. Wore very little energy off her. Proud papa day. Since Scout didn't get to hunt promised him we would try it tomorrow.


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## blhunter3

I am hoping to get out this next week in between talking to farmers. I have a nice little chuck of CRP that the farmer has been waiting for me to come down with my pup to get her on some birds. Nothing like doing some business over a pheasant hunt.


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## Dak

Perfect.


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## indsport

Below zero wind chill, saw but one rooster out of range during the hunt and a total of 3 roosters and 2 hens anywhere else. Confirmed that it there are not enough birds to make it worth while to hunt and still saw no deer at all.


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## blhunter3

indsport said:


> Below zero wind chill, saw but one rooster out of range during the hunt and a total of 3 roosters and 2 hens anywhere else. Confirmed that it there are not enough birds to make it worth while to hunt and still saw no deer at all.


 Drive 20 miles either way and you will find deer and pheasants to hunt.


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## indsport

Fraid not. Last week, covered an area in a 30 mile radius where I live on three mornings and did not see a single deer.


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## Dak

Got Scout out for his make up hunt from yesterday. He didn't get out of the truck at all yesterday. Walked 300 yards of crick cattails. Three points...three shots...three roosters...back home in plenty of time for Bears vs Vikes. Sunny 28 and no wind this morning. :beer:


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## shaug

Dak,

Could you please take indsport hunting? It pains me to read his snivel.

I see deer all the time. The pheasant population is a little down because we have experianced some wet springs not conducive to the hatch. Maybe had three hunts this year short of a limit. The Canada geese are here along the Missouri River now and the hunting is fantastic.

This is the fifth year in a row that we have had an elk show up. He hung around for about three weeks and a 31 year old lady from Dickinson bagged him.


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## brobones

Dak said:


> Got Scout out for his make up hunt from yesterday. He didn't get out of the truck at all yesterday. Walked 300 yards of crick cattails. Three points...three shots...three roosters...back home in plenty of time for Bears vs Vikes. Sunny 28 and no wind this morning. :beer:


Dak, sounds like you had another great day, easy day on shells too. Thanks for the update, since I can not get out for the season here in SK. it is nice to read about your hunts.


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## Dak

Thanks. Hoping it continues.


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## Dak

No sun. No mid 30s. No wind. No snow. No long walks. No private land. No boot leather burned. Three birds in a hour. Jazz more just a ball of energy than a hunter today. Think her second walk would have been better but she never got one. Did get one over her and she did make a nice find. Got our second bird over me walking back to the truck...Jazz was out burning off energy running in the stubble. Third bird over Scout...he did an excellent job of trailing broken wing bird. I had just decided that he had lost the trail when he pounced and grabbed the old boy. Time for a brew.


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## blhunter3

Lennox and I scored one bird yesterday evening. There was a lot of birds around where we were at, but just about everything was posted and no one was willing to let us hunt. Lennox is a 10 month female old black lab. She is still learning, so most of our hunts together is more about me trying to get her accustom of what is expected on a hunt. She is getting better, but I do sometimes forget that she is a puppy and still has to do puppy business.

I know Lennox had a long day riding around in the pickup while I was attending to business, so I knew I need to let her get out and run. I found a little slough that a guy could easily throw a rock across it, that was posted. I let Lennox out of her kennel and she ran around for a bit then then we started walking the slough. I am pretty sure Lennox flushed the bird by accident as she ran through the first part of the slough, then paused like she caught a scent, then she pounced and a nice roost flushed. It took three shots to knock him down.

Hopefully, this afternoon after I meet with a farmer, his CRP still has some birds in it and she can find.


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## Dak

Nicely done.


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## Dak

Jazz was back to being a hunter today. Scout had his oddball Dawg moments but was good as well. Not many roosters to be found though. Jazz pointed about 12 hens. One rooster that I shot. One that refused to get up. I finally just picked it up and wrung its neck. Figured it for a cripple...upon cleaning...not a bb in it. Scout pointed a half dozen hens and a couple coveys of partridge. Also pointed a rooster that refused to get up. Figured another cripple...yes and no. Looked like a Yote raked both sides of his breast with his teeth when the bird jumped at some point in the last day or maybe two. Odd day.


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## blhunter3

Lennox did great today and also horrible. Flushed some birds that the farmer I was with. He blamed two easy shots on the wind. It was fun watching her work.I didn't carry a gun as it was a long walk and I wanted to focus on working with my dog. After a few good flushes and a so so point, things went down hill. She thinks that chasing rabbits away from us is her job and that takes priority over looking for pheasants. But I have plans to get her out over Christmas break to look for some birds.


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## Dak

More exposure to birds the better.


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## Dak

Jazz was back to being a hunter today. Scout had his oddball Dawg moments but was good as well. Not many roosters to be found 
though. Jazz pointed about 12 hens. One rooster that I shot. One that refused to get up. I finally just picked it up and wrung its neck. Figured it for a cripple...upon cleaning...not a bb in it. Scout pointed a half dozen hens and a couple coveys of partridge. 
Also pointed a rooster that refused to get up. Figured another cripple...yes and no. After wringing its neck, I looked it over. Looked like a Yote raked both sides of his breast with his teeth when the bird jumped at some point in the last day or maybe two. Odd day...one shot...three roosters.


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## Dak

Got a great Christmas present this AM. Autumn was feeling good enough to get out for a little lite hunting. No birds for her but Le Grande Dame of our dogs was running and jumping and having a party. Brought her home to rest and then took Jazz and Scout out. Saw a ton of birds. Mostly from a distance. They each got to point several hens and two roosters each. Jazz also pointed a covey of Huns. Three roosters came home and one Hun. My excuse for missing the one rooster...and having to bust some more cats...trying to keep my leg dry as the ice broke beneath me...my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Merry Christmas.


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