Finn from the Cascades, Season 2
- Thread starter El Jason
- Start date
El Jason
Well-known member
Today was a good day, but not in terms of birds in the bag. High winds, an unsteady dog, poor shooting, and birds that were wild as December roosters made for a light game bag.
The climb today was a grunt.
Union break.
The birds were REALLY in the steep and nasty today.
Lots of sunshine today.
Voting on whether to call it a day.
The climb today was a grunt.
Union break.
The birds were REALLY in the steep and nasty today.
Lots of sunshine today.
Voting on whether to call it a day.
Hem
Well-known member
Getting on this thread waaay late JLS.
Speechless, awesome everything.
Took my dog on a mountain bike ride this morning....pick up on some bird hunting after the general is over.
Speechless, awesome everything.
Took my dog on a mountain bike ride this morning....pick up on some bird hunting after the general is over.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
I think I would have preferred your day to mine. I got talked into a release site this weekend. Nothing quite like a vest full of factory farmed dumb-as-shit roosters to make a guy feel like a lazy SOB. Did find a couple of screechers much closer to home though.
Definitely some big country down that way.
Definitely some big country down that way.
Brittany Chukarman
Well-known member
Just looking at those pictures make my hips hurt but boy do I miss following my Brit up those hills. Finn has a lot of drive, great dog. Love these posts.
El Jason
Well-known member
We ventured to north central ‘Tanny for Thanksgiving. It was chilly when departure time rolled around for our Black Friday hunt.
I had to muck about 10” of snow off the Dodge so we could see.
We tried two different spots today in search of sharp tails. I have decided I really don’t know enough about these birds to hunt them late in the year. The bag report confirmed this.
We found a few pheasants that behaved like, well late season public land pheasants. I.e. little chance of killing the lone rooster that flushed at 100 yards.
The day was good. I wandered some ridges I hadn’t been to in a decade. Snow and fog limited any scenery shots.
I did find a delicious new beer.
I have a fair bit of vacation to use by the end of January. Things are just getting warmed up.
I had to muck about 10” of snow off the Dodge so we could see.
We tried two different spots today in search of sharp tails. I have decided I really don’t know enough about these birds to hunt them late in the year. The bag report confirmed this.
We found a few pheasants that behaved like, well late season public land pheasants. I.e. little chance of killing the lone rooster that flushed at 100 yards.
The day was good. I wandered some ridges I hadn’t been to in a decade. Snow and fog limited any scenery shots.
I did find a delicious new beer.
I have a fair bit of vacation to use by the end of January. Things are just getting warmed up.
El Jason
Well-known member
I just returned from two days in purgatory or heaven, whichever you call it. I’ve decided it largely depends on if you’re looking at it from the top or the bottom.
I tried @Khunter ‘s recipe for success.
An old friend from college met me there. It was a special trip, as his dad was the one who first introduced me to this country and the chukar partridge 30 years ago.
Lots of elk.
I took the great equalizer, aka the ATV. Unfortunately, I found out I didn’t read the regulations very closely, and discovered the discriminators closed the gate a week ago.
I resorted to my own quads and started climbing. Finn had a good roll in the snow.
We found birds. LOTS of them. Unfortunately, they were like opening weekend antelope in terms of skittishness. We moved over 100 birds on this ridge, and I was damned lucky to end the day with a single bird.
It was a firm reminder of why they’ve earned the moniker “devil birds”. Spoor of the devil bird....
We drank a lot of beer and burned a lot of firewood. The next day we went to a different ridge. Results were much the same. From a dog training aspect, it was invaluable. The birds would not tolerate ANY pressure. Finn really gained a lot of cautious and steadiness. He had some awesome finds and points today. His retrieves were impeccable, as I’ve come to both expect and appreciate.
My buddy has a deposit down on a pup from Finn’s mom. He is super excited, and watching Finn work really got him stoked for next fall.
Heaven.
I tried @Khunter ‘s recipe for success.
An old friend from college met me there. It was a special trip, as his dad was the one who first introduced me to this country and the chukar partridge 30 years ago.
Lots of elk.
I took the great equalizer, aka the ATV. Unfortunately, I found out I didn’t read the regulations very closely, and discovered the discriminators closed the gate a week ago.
I resorted to my own quads and started climbing. Finn had a good roll in the snow.
We found birds. LOTS of them. Unfortunately, they were like opening weekend antelope in terms of skittishness. We moved over 100 birds on this ridge, and I was damned lucky to end the day with a single bird.
It was a firm reminder of why they’ve earned the moniker “devil birds”. Spoor of the devil bird....
We drank a lot of beer and burned a lot of firewood. The next day we went to a different ridge. Results were much the same. From a dog training aspect, it was invaluable. The birds would not tolerate ANY pressure. Finn really gained a lot of cautious and steadiness. He had some awesome finds and points today. His retrieves were impeccable, as I’ve come to both expect and appreciate.
My buddy has a deposit down on a pup from Finn’s mom. He is super excited, and watching Finn work really got him stoked for next fall.
Heaven.
onpoint
Well-known member
The significance of the Donettes cannot be overstated
Happy dog.....
Happy dog.....
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Irrelevant
Well-known member
Sweet man. Love it
rtraverdavis
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2016
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Beautiful stuff, as per norm.
Hem
Well-known member
Let's see...good dog, good buddy, good beer, good views, good exersize , huntable weather....
Not working.
Skittish birds.
Why you sad bro?
Not working.
Skittish birds.
Why you sad bro?
Nameless Range
Well-known member
I love the pictures of the country you hunt chukar in and those of your dog in it. Just awesome.
El Jason
Well-known member
These are Finn’s half brothers. My buddy will be getting one of these little rascals. Expect pictures next year.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
...and the hardest of hearts are melted.
Northwoods Labs
Well-known member
looks like a fantastic season so far
El Jason
Well-known member
Great day with a couple of Hunt Talkers today. Light on pictures (ie none), but some great dog work, lots of skittish birds, and plenty of skid marks on the mountain from falling. @teej89 diacovered why Danners suck for chukar hunting in the snow. @neffa3 might have some photos to share. Great dog progress today, we’ve turned a significant corner.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
teej89
Well-known member
It was a blast! The chukar were as thick as the mosquitoes in the breaks, granted we took a multi hour multi hundred foot climb detour from where they all were hahaha
Damn those boots and wet snow combo.... I felt like a kid trying to stand up on a boogey board
Damn those boots and wet snow combo.... I felt like a kid trying to stand up on a boogey board
Irrelevant
Well-known member
I should add that I wouldn't have found at least two or more of my birds without Finn. It was a pleasure to watch a dog actually hunt for his people... and then bring the birds to hand
