One last time

[Richard Flanders]

I figured I'd get him 'next time' and next time was today. Took me 2.5hrs on snowshoes but I found two birds. Gorgeous day. He'll be in the frying pan tomorrow night... I used my 28" VH20, which is a wonderful length for a 20. Points like a dream... even for me. And there's nothing like using (and smelling) old paper shells. You can run, but you can't hide!! And "I'll be back"... I saw a lot of sign on my way out of the lake.

[charlie cleveland]

rich i agree the 28 inch barrel on the 20 ga is the barrel i would choose...nice lkooking bird..tell us how he tasted...i envey you you at times...charlie

[wayne goerres]

Good thing you have the bird to prove it. I was thinking alien crop circles.

[Richard Flanders]

Well, despite another couple of hours on snowshoes, no birds bagged today but it was nice down there again.... and there's always tomorrow!

[charlie cleveland]

what a view you have there this is your master piece photo..charlie

[Richard Flanders]

The more I look at this one from yesterday, the more I like it too. If it weren't snowing lightly here in town I'd be back out there right now.

[charlie cleveland]

looks like somebody went over the edge..charlie

[John Dallas]

Charlie - I'm guessing that you have almost 1 of everything in your barn/shop, but that doesn't include a pair of snowshoes

[charlie cleveland]

your right about me not having a pair of snow shoes in the barn..guess i d better start looking .reckon rich knows were i can find a pair... charlie

[Dean Romig]

Looks like there are some wolf tracks in a couple of your pictures.... off to the right in the picture you posted on the 6th of April and in the top picture you posted yesterday.

Beautiful country and excellent shooting!!

[Richard Flanders]

Dean: The tracks you're referring to from yesterday are lynx. Those from the 6th aren't wolf but I can't tell for sure what they are from the picture - I think they're moose. I've not seen any wolf sign up there at all. Not enough moose. They're all down in the flats so that's where the wolves are. Wolves rarely leave a single set of tracks. Generally when they travel as a pack in deep snow they walk in a line and create a narrow entrenched trail that is unmistakable and very easy to spot from the air. I saw several yesterday but not this far into the mountains. There have been moose in this area recently but I've not seen them.

[Dean Romig]

Now I see that they are Lynx tracks. I didn't enlarge it before.


.

[Richard Flanders]

That one track blown up is as good as it gets when it's this warm. These birds are not wasted in the end. My cross fox buddy, who eventually nailed all of my backyard chukar buddies, gets the remains. Here he is yesterday morning, first looking for what he smells then running away with it. He was not using his eyes at all in the search, just his nose. I tossed one out last night while cleaning them and it's gone already. This is one healthy fox. He must make regular stops at the dog dishes in the neighborhood.

[charlie cleveland]

thats one pretty fox..he looks like his hair is in full prime...charlie

[Richard Flanders]

I had to edit my original post and am putting it back in here. I made my final trip out April 14 and finally got into birds. It was an hour on snowshoes to get to where they were. I went a bit less than half way up this side valley along the hillside where I had spotted a lot of sign from the air then came back down in the creek bed. I kicked up birds all the way back down and got every bird I saw except one. Best day ever on snowshoes and best ptarmigan day ever. I got a limit this time. When I got out I put down a tarp, made a jacket pillow and took a nice nap in the sun. Great way to end my ski flying season.