Ithaca 37
New member
Yesterday we started walking up a draw I've never hunted before. It's always looked real good for chukars. We got about a quarter mile up it and I was starting to think we'd be into the birds pretty soon when Scout stopped and started whining up the deer trail I was walking on about fifty yards ahead. That's real unusual behavior for her and I suspected something was wrong so I hustled up there as fast as I could and she was caught in a double spring number three trap that some trapper had put right in the middle of the trail! I got her out right away and she acted like nothing had happened and was all set to continue on hunting. I had put a rubber boot on that foot, luckily, before we left the truck because she had scraped her ankle about a week ago and I didn't want her to aggravate the sore spot when she was running thru the brush. The boot and the vet wrap under it and the duct tape over the boot had kept the trap from doing any damage and, even today, she doesn't act like it's sore. I was pretty upset, though. It was a bad place to put a trap and there wasn't any tag on it. I almost unwired it from the bush it was tied to and threw it away but decided not to, so I just left it hanging on a branch.
I walked back to the truck because I figured there were probably more traps around and moved down the road a few miles to another spot. Scout wasn't happy when we gave up the first hunt and headed for the truck because she was pretty hyped up and ready to hunt. I wanted to watch her run for awhile before deciding what to do but she showed no sign of being hurt or sore on the way back to the truck. We started up another hill and after about two hundred yards she took off on some scent and pointed some birds about three hundred yards up ahead. It was a good covey but they flushed wild because the wind was blowing real hard and they always get real spooky in high winds. They can't hear as well and can't judge how far away the danger is, so they usually play it safe and flush early.
We couldn't find them again, either. Scout got another covey real soon and I got two birds outta that one. No follow up points. I headed off in a direction I've never been before and walked my ass off for about three hours without finding any more birds. Looked like good habitat. I think the birds had probably just moved down into some lower draws to get out of the wind.
We got back to the bottom of the hill and I decided to walk along the river for awhile and look for some quail. We couldn't find any quail sign and I was about ready to quit when Scout got birdy and zeroed in on a bush. She pointed it from about thirty feet and I was expecting a covey of quail and was completely shocked when a rooster came cackling out. So shocked I was late getting my gun up and he was out about thirty five yards before I got on him and let fly with the 7 1/2s. He came down running and I knew we were in trouble. This is what Scout loves best, though, so she circled around and took off like a hound dog on his trail. I last saw her about 100 yards out ahead and walked in that direction and stood where I had last seen her going into the brush by the river. Pretty soon I heard a splash and looked across the river and here she came with the rooster in her mouth!
I don't know how the rooster got across the river 'cuz he had a broken wing, but she must have inspired him to super escape efforts somehow! Maybe he swam across, although I never saw a pheasant swim before. I guess that's what happened and he musta left enough scent on the water for Scout to track him. I've seen her do that a lot with ducks.
Anyway, she delivered the pheasant and I sat there with her awhile and told her what a great dog she is. It had been a long, rough day for her and she was a little worn out so we headed back to the truck. Actually, I was probably in worse shape than she was because she got birdy and took off again and went on point about sixty yards ahead. Before I got close another rooster took off and he was too far out to shoot. We made it back to the truck and Scout went to sleep and has been layin' around and snoring most of the day today. She'll be rested up by tomorrow so we'll go again in a couple days.
The huntin' is just starting to get good!
<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-15-2003 21:56: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>
I walked back to the truck because I figured there were probably more traps around and moved down the road a few miles to another spot. Scout wasn't happy when we gave up the first hunt and headed for the truck because she was pretty hyped up and ready to hunt. I wanted to watch her run for awhile before deciding what to do but she showed no sign of being hurt or sore on the way back to the truck. We started up another hill and after about two hundred yards she took off on some scent and pointed some birds about three hundred yards up ahead. It was a good covey but they flushed wild because the wind was blowing real hard and they always get real spooky in high winds. They can't hear as well and can't judge how far away the danger is, so they usually play it safe and flush early.
We couldn't find them again, either. Scout got another covey real soon and I got two birds outta that one. No follow up points. I headed off in a direction I've never been before and walked my ass off for about three hours without finding any more birds. Looked like good habitat. I think the birds had probably just moved down into some lower draws to get out of the wind.
We got back to the bottom of the hill and I decided to walk along the river for awhile and look for some quail. We couldn't find any quail sign and I was about ready to quit when Scout got birdy and zeroed in on a bush. She pointed it from about thirty feet and I was expecting a covey of quail and was completely shocked when a rooster came cackling out. So shocked I was late getting my gun up and he was out about thirty five yards before I got on him and let fly with the 7 1/2s. He came down running and I knew we were in trouble. This is what Scout loves best, though, so she circled around and took off like a hound dog on his trail. I last saw her about 100 yards out ahead and walked in that direction and stood where I had last seen her going into the brush by the river. Pretty soon I heard a splash and looked across the river and here she came with the rooster in her mouth!
Anyway, she delivered the pheasant and I sat there with her awhile and told her what a great dog she is. It had been a long, rough day for her and she was a little worn out so we headed back to the truck. Actually, I was probably in worse shape than she was because she got birdy and took off again and went on point about sixty yards ahead. Before I got close another rooster took off and he was too far out to shoot. We made it back to the truck and Scout went to sleep and has been layin' around and snoring most of the day today. She'll be rested up by tomorrow so we'll go again in a couple days.
The huntin' is just starting to get good!
<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-15-2003 21:56: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>
