Montana Roosters
 

Just returned from a hunt in eastern Montana...the birds were plentiful, the weather held fair, the dogs worked hard, the scenery was spectacular, and new friends were made. Pretty much a perfect vacation....and the old restored VHE 12 got plenty of use....

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We also bagged this odd bird....the head and neck of a rooster and body of a hen. The locals, who probably handle hundreds of birds each season, could only recall seeing something like this once before.

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Clearly a rare "Jenner Phez".... I think they all come with a "I am Caitlyn" band....

At a cursory 'first glance' you might think it is simply an immature cock bird, but it is clearly a mixed gender bird.

We have an old hen turkey where I hunt in Vermont with three beards, the longest of which is about 10". Everybody in the area has agreed not to shoot her.

Their X and Y chromosomes are pretty confused and give their bodies conflicting orders.





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Here is a cross between a Scale quail and a Gamble quail shot this week. It was running with a covey of Scale quail. Between 3 of us that have hunted quail for over 40 years, this is only one he 2 new one taken. It was not until the bird was shot that we realized it was a cross. It's being mounted

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Weird. Was that along the Milk River? If so I hunted around there several years ago and the pheasants numbers were super.

I am only at liberty to say that it was eastern Montana...I'm sure you can understand.

I thought we were only that secretive with our woodcock covers ;)





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Sorry the Milk River is 700 miles long wasn't trying to hot spot. We hunted it in 2004. That was a long long drive from Va.

Tom, I am serious when I say that I am not at liberty. My hosts would actually be slightly irritated that I accurately specified the state!!! They tell people that we were in North or South Dakota. I personally don't see the need for that level of secrecy, but it was their spot and their hunt, so I have to respect their rules.

Justin, I think we all can respect your need to keep the location as obscure as possible... Been there - done that.

Suffice to know you had a very productive and successful hunt somewhere in Montana!!






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Understood and no problem. We hunted in 2004 in Glasgow (think that is how its spelled) with and outfitter that has since went out of business. Big gnarly country and the roosters looked like they had been feed steroids. Best pheasant hunt of my life as far as competing against mature smart roosters who had been dodging things that want to eat them. Course all the dogs we had with us are long since gone and we aren't in the kind of shape we were in then. Back then the idea of driving 32 hours one way didn't seem like the killer it is now. I look at it as having done one bucket list thing before I even knew what a bucket list was. :) Have a great season.