# Out to Lunch



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Duke had a vet appointment in Bismarck so why waste a trip. We hunted our way out on a 2 day jaunt. They had plenty of rain that filled the sloughs and left good cover but the big rains must have missed the hatch. We hunted the PLOTS CRP and cattails.









Sam and Duke fast-tracked  a hen around a big slough and then came back upwind through the middle. I was out of gas so I just waited them out and they flushed a few by me. Got 2 for the day and felt lucky.









The only other hunters around were these guys. They were out for lunch too. I saw 5 of them in an 8 mile stretch. Gotta enjoy them because they don't show up like this very often.









This morning time was short so just a quick hunt before Bismarck. Duke wrapped up a rooster.









I juiced the color on all these as the sky was heavily overcast. Tuesday was very windy and the last times we were out on windy days we had good luck. Nice days not so much; they seemed more skittish. ???









Where else but a small town could you get a meal like this with pie included for $10. Love it.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

We had good luck Friday, another rough weather day, and was going to try for sharptails today, but the roosters were calling. It was a perfect fall day, 40+ above and calm. No gloves needed. I left Sam home and took Duke instead. He needs the practice and they hunt don't well together. Just too much competition between them.

Five minutes from the truck he had the first one locked down and in the bag.









Figured that's a good sign and a few minutes later we had a repeat. Now I'm getting cocky. There is saying " that whom the Gods destroy, they first give 2 roosters."









We put up a couple hens at the far end of the field and as we swung back I heard a rooster crow up on the hillside. Turned the dog and we zipped right up there. I like a gun sling so I can carry over my shoulder between times the dog gets birdy. Saves on the arms but you lose a few birds by not being ready. That thought was going through my mind when the rooster got up behind my right side, close, and made a clean getaway. %@(*!^#....

We were back to the truck for a water and quick snack and there was a PLOTS across the section line. Didn't look too bad, lets go. Just got started walking when Duke went birdy and worked the bird for a couple minutes, then locked up 20 feet away looking right at me. This is going to be sooooooooo easy. The rooster went straight up and I have no idea where the first shot went.  The second barrel trimmed a couple inches off one tail feather. Gaaaaa. After that it was just hen after hen. Done deal.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Dick, great pics! Looking to get out one more time myself, as there are birds just would like a little snow to hold them down.

Is that a phone camera or do you bring along a camera?


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Thanks Dick... great pics and story.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

The camera is a Panasonic FZ-40. Kind of bulky but no weight. Has a 24X optical zoom and digital zoom also, which I haven't figured out yet. Way too many bells and whistles on this camera for a guy like me. The operators manual was written by North Koreans. All fall I've been trying to get the flush picture and have given up birds to do so. No luck. But it has pretty good video capability with zoom and you can pick individual frames out for still pics so I'm going to try that some bright sunny day. I'm using Pisca-3 for editing ( came on the computer) and I'd like to be able to crop the picture without enlarging it, which Pisca doesn't do.


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