Roosters 2016

[hobbes]

I had a fun season with the bird dogs. I'd have loved to have shot more roosters, but I ended up with several good hunts. Some hunts didn't go as well as others, but I several that included limits of roosters for two of us.

I started the season with my dad making a trip for his first chance to hunt wild roosters.

Dad with a couple roosters

I killed my first bird of the season with my grandfathers old Model 12 16 gauge.

Early morning

 

[hobbes]

Tired bird dogs deserve to be pampered

The pup I left at home, Finn, was happy when we returned, but may have been suspicious that he missed out on something.

Some pheasant parmesan with fresh vegetables was a nice meal when we returned.

 

[hobbes]

Finn

I got Finn out some this season also. His first time out was at 5 months old. Other than pigeons, this was his first time hunting.

Finn did well considering his age and how thick the weeds were. He hunted some, he chased Cash some, and he was under my feet some. He also found every bur that grows in Montana then curled up to dream the rest of the afternoon.

I think Cash checked in to ask why I brought Finn.

One tired pup.

 

[hobbes]

Sharpies and Huns

My wife and I got out one day with Cash and Kassie to look for any of the three, roosters, huns, or sharpies, that would give us an opportunity. It was already late enough for the sharpies to be bunched up and unwilling to hold.

Cash managed to corner one rooster near some willows, but as expected he flushed opposite of the side I was on and no shot was offered.

We found some sharpies scattered on a hill top and managed to kill one of them. I had several more on the outside edge of range that I failed to connect on.

The one covey of huns we found flushed wild and I was lucky to pick up a single.

Big Sky Country

Cash

Kassie

 

[hobbes]

Roosters in the thick stuff

A buddy and I hunted a combination of private land and block management a couple days before I hunted mule deer in the rut. We hunted thick nasty riverbottom country that was tough on a pointing dog. I'd lose sight and sound of Cash for a while and knew he was pointed, but I couldn't find him in the overgrown jungle. A rooster would eventually flush from somewhere and Cash would come back with a 'where were you' look on his face.
I only got photos of four of the roosters just before we left the cabin for a quick run of the dogs to finish out the day and some photos of my GWP, Cash, and my buddy's two WPGs, Clancy and Griff (my pup Finn' s littermate).

 

[hobbes]

Cash showing his battle scars from the thick stuff.

My buddy and his Griffons, Clancy and Griff

Griff tired but still ready to play......100% puppy

 

[hobbes]

Cold Roosters
We hunted some nasty cold weather mid December. Weather was staying in the single digits for highs and negative temps at night and early in the morning. The first day I hunted we were into plenty of birds but they were in tall willows and shots were difficult to come by, so we ended up with 3 roosters between us.

Cash pointing in the snow and wind. Too bad it was all hens. 9 hens total came out from this area.

I hunted on my own on day 2. It was the nicest of the hunt. The hight wasn't above 10, but the sun was shining and there was no wind. It was a beautiful late season day.

I found a good pocket of birds and could have used a blocker.

Rooster tracks.

Finn with the days limit of roosters and a bonus sharpie. This was tough hunting for Finn at 6 months old. He hunted a little, smelled some of the roosters that were running on us in a wind break. He even spotted some of them and started to chase, but the snow was a little too much for him. He did dive on two roosters and the sharpie while they fluttered on the ground. He got the sharpie picked up, but couldn't get the roosters picked up in the snow.

The third days was brutal cold with the addition of a steady 10 mph wind with 15 to 20 mph gusts. I didn't take the time for photos during the cold, but we ended the day with five roosters between us. The hunt was just a few short hunts jumping back into the truck between each one.
Our final day didn't turn out as planned because my tailgate froze up and I couldn't get the dogs in and out of the box on the back. I had room for my dogs up front, but needed to place my buddies dogs in the back since he wasn't in a 4x4. We weren't comfortable leaving his dogs in his vehicle while we drove the snowy roads to our planned spot, so we hit some spots along main roads on the way toward home. My buddy ended up with one rooster.
Everything is tougher to deal with in the cold. The main concern is always the well being of the dogs, but it's tough on everything. If we had known the wind was going to make the last two days so cold, we may have rescheduled the hunt.

Kassie didn't get to go on this hunt. Unfortunately she was in heat and would have caused more problems than I needed. I also don't want an accidental litter of pups on my hands.

 

[hobbes]

Finn

I got Finn out again on Christmas Eve for another hunt close to home where the bma has been pounded, but he made some progress on this hunt.

Finn found his first pheasant on this hunt. He had a couple in his mouth along with a sharpie on the last trip but the conditions kept him close by and not smelling much. Today, however, he seemed to have a little better understanding of what we were there for especially after sniffing out a hen in the grass. I had just looked away toward Kassie while they were both trailing scent. Finn was inspecting a heavy patch of grass and had just hesitated when a hen flushed from the grass. He stood staring as it flushed, bound forward a few feet, then excitedly went back to trailing scent. I wouldnt call it a point, but it must have clicked because he appeared to spend more time using his nose afterwards. It made the walk worthwhile to see the light starting to brighten over his bearded head. He may be a bird dog yet.

 

[hobbes]

Last Hunt

Friday before New Years Eve was the last hunt that I could make for the 2016 season. I was fortunate enough to get invited to hunt some private land. It was a beautiful day with very little wind. Deep brushy coulees with cattails in the bottom and wheat fields on top. It took the better part of the day with most birds out smarting us and flushing wild ahead, but we cornered enough birds to get them to hold and limited out with one bonus sharpie.
Finn, my 7 month old Griff, did well. He sniffed out a couple hens and hesitated before the flush. He pointed one hen, even had one foot raised. I was thinking "that looks like a point" when he decided to just keep on hunting, so I thought "I guess not". I walked to the spot he'd just left and a hen flushed. He's still trying to put it all together.
Cash with first rooster of the day and Finn looking over the terrain. I let Cash hold the bird for a little while. He loves to retrieve.

There is a chance that I'll try to set up a hunt at a preserve soon to let Kassie and Finn both get some more time in the field. If not, Finn's next exposure to birds may be time with a trainer. I have great intentions for training, but I'd like him to be a couple steps above what I'll get out of him.

 

[bobbydean]

Great post.

Great dogs. How could you leave the poor dog home?

Enjoyed!

 

[fulldraw]

Great posts and great pics. Thanks for sharing.

 

[fowladdict]

Thanks for taking us along. My favorite reads on this forum usually involve a hunter and his dog. Your experiences with Finn in the early stages are very similar to mine with my GWP. Hope you have a good brush that he likes. Those burrs are a Bearded dogs enemy.

 

[hobbes]

Thanks for taking us along. My favorite reads on this forum usually involve a hunter and his dog. Your experiences with Finn in the early stages are very similar to mine with my GWP. Hope you have a good brush that he likes. Those burrs are a Bearded dogs enemy.

I think it will get a little better at least it has with Kassie. He's still got a lot of puppy fluff that I think will get a little more wirey

 

[MTBirdhunter]

Great write up and photos, I already miss the seas of grass that have been replaced with waves of snow...lol. Good looking pups, we shall see what the remainder of winter brings, right now, looking bleak in some areas of Montana already, but looking at he long long range forecast, break might be coming towards middle of January...can only hope.

 

[JohnCushman]

Awesome season! I can't wait until my labs get over their 'special needs' stage.

 

[fishing4sanity]

I enjoyed reading about your season and especially the photos. Those birds your dad is holding sure have great tail feathers. Time with your dad, wife, friends and dogs; then throw in some great scenery and birds - looks like a fantastic season, congrats!

 

[FAIR CHASE]

Excellent all the way around!

 

[El Jason]

Great pictures, Finn sure is a nice looking pup.

 

[mtmiller]

Some great days in the field.

 

[F250]

Thank you for posting your pics and stories. I hunted pheasants over pointers in North Dakota in October for the first time. Fun !!!!