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Pheasant hunting in the snow.

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  northwoodneil 
#1 ·
I spent another Saturday morning in Western Iowa with my son following a pair of seasoned bird dogs around the weed patches. Temps warmed by noon and we called it a day with 5 birds between us. He had his three and I wasn't hunting while he sat in the truck so we headed for the ranch!

As much as I love bird hunting I love my grandkids more so I spent Sunday at church with them and then spent the afternoon playing football. The one on one variety with me being the all time quarterback. It was a hoot.

I got back to Grinnell last night ahead of the snow fall but received a phone call at bedtime asking me if I wanted to bring Roy to North Central Iowa to help guide a group of hunters. I declined but my son jumped at the chance, 20 degree temps and 30-40mph winds blowing the snow around was not a deterrent for him. He called me at 10AM and said that they had limited out already.

15 years ago we hunted that same 400 acre parcel of land and saw one bird out of range. Today they saw over 100. It makes me smile knowing that even though I am getting near the end of my run there may be some birds left for generations to come to enjoy!
 
#2 ·
My sister and brother owned a grocery store in Ida Grove Iowa. I always went to see them during pheasant season. With a cooler full of Wisconsin cheese to offer I got to hunt what I thought was some really good ground. The story was always the same "this spots been hunted and there's not the birds like there used to be". Then you'd let the dog out to exercise and 10 birds would get up. What was it like when there was birds? Here in Wisconsin they drop our birds off every other day with the chicken truck, between the hunters and the coyotes no planters make it. I saw a pheasant on the way home from my cabin yesterday, first one in 2 years, beautiful tail feathers about 3 inches long. I miss hearing that cackle at sun up.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I forgot to say our dogs were beagles. Got a lot of funny looks from folks. But once them dogs figured out what we we were hunting the game was on. You had to hunt at a pretty fast pace as pointing wasn't gonna' happen, just keep up and shoot. It would kill me today unless we could teach pheasants to circle like cottontails.
 
#4 ·
Sounds like a great hunt with your grandson, I grew up pheasant hunting with my grandpa and it was always a great time. Now that he isn't physically able to get out and hunt he likes me stopping by with the birds at the end of the hunt. Hopefully this leads to a lifetime of bird hunting for your grandson
 
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