How we spent our day...

[mobirdhunter]

My favorite sporting author, George Bird Evans, wrote in his An Affair with Grouse: "The child tells what he got for Christmas, the mature man tells how he spent the day; the immature hunter tells how many birds he shot, the mature gunner tells of the experience."

At this season, I'm sure that those of us who live to chase game birds or waterfowl with vintage guns know that Mr. Evans' comment rings true, and that beyond the taking of game is the fulfillment of the pursuit. My wife and I have for nearly 40 years hunted on Christmas Day and this year was no different. We've hunted on a frigid SE Minnesota bluff when it was so cold the bells and beeper collars all froze; in the Ohio foothills when the only Christmas dinner available was a microwave meal from a rural gas station; and, more often than not, driving from home for a "short hunt" on a nearby farm.

This year was no different, and after opening presents and communicating with relatives in far away states, we loaded the entire family -- my wife and I and our four Gordon Setters -- and drove just across the Missouri State line to a small farm in Appanoose County, Iowa. The Day had been forecast as cloudy with some fog, but it was sunny and 46 degrees, and made for lingering to enjoy the sun. The one covey that lives here was not home, but we walked the backside of the CRP in hopes that maybe a rooster could be found. We hunted our "new" brace -- 6-year old Cedar and our 15-month old pup, Aspen. I could tell they were enjoying the day and its weather as they ranged a bit too far in friendly competition. This is not a tale of a large bag, or even many pointed birds, but we did manage a rooster over a point, both dogs claiming the honor. I'm sure we walked slower than we normally do to take it all in -- the beautiful day, stolen in a way from the weatherman, was all we could have asked for, and to have us together was by far the most memorable present we received.

I have always enjoyed seeing the pictures of other members' hunts and reading of their days afield. I invite others to add their accounts of the season. If hunting was part of your Christmas Season, whether on Christmas Day or at any time during the holidays -- how did you spend the day?

Key to the photos:

1. The weather was to be cloudy with fog. Thank goodness the weatherman is as often wrong as right. We call this a "stolen day."
2. Elaine said there was color in this photo -- bird, vest, sky...and the case coloring of the Smith she bought me a few days earlier after we stumbled upon it at a local gun store where we stopped on a whim. It was hidden away among black guns and commemorative Winchesters. I put away the 20 gauge DHE today to use this Christmas present (I hope you'll forgive my posting "another" gun!).
3. Two Gordons who think this bird is theirs. Both pointed the bird and gloated over it in the weeds.
4. Peat, who is retired at 11 years and who has hunted since birth without one of his back feet due to an accident, still likes to ride along and take account of the day's bag. I've admired his spirit and attitude for all of his 11 years.
5. Color as good as that of any Christmas present wrapping.