The last hurrah
 

I made it back to Kansas for what has been the "Hunting Season of a Lifetime" for me. Despite the forecast for bad weather I decided to make the trip. I was able to hunt a couple hours on Friday and most of the day on Saturday before the rain/sleet began to turn really ugly. We were blessed with some really nice dog work and lots of opportunities to harvest birds. My 1889 (ish) GH 16 was in lovely form yesterday. God blessed me with a wondeful ending to an amazing bird hunting season. My cup runneth over.

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Dan, so glad to see you got out again. Safe travels!
(Remember, the Kansas bird season runs to the end of January :))

Well Hurrah for you my friend! Looks like great fun.

Dan the white pup is a pointer, and a Gordon?

Reggie, Yes the white pup next to me is a sweet female EP and the brown dog is a nice GSP pup.

Looks like my kind of trip! Congratulations

congrats - looks cold

South Dakota runs thru Jan 31. Going to brave the cold, leaving Jan 16.
Kansas would probably be warmer.

Be safe hunting by yourself, Harold. I assume you’ve scoped out vets in the area, too.

Well said Dan

Garry, my best friend and hunting partner and his lab going with me and my 3 setters. Most of the ground we will be hunting will require non tox shot, hunting WPAs, cattail sloughs, etc.
Yea, with my luck, need to look up some vets

Glad to see you won’t be by yourself. Best of luck to you, and keep those pups safe and warm. (And post some photos!)

I was raised in western Kansas, not far from Dodge City. The bird hunting was wonderful! We pond jumped for ducks and cruised the plains for bob white quail. We tromped the wheat/milo fields for pheasants. Not many guys had dogs. We'd just walk the furrows and kick up birds as we came across them. If a hen came up we'd shout "Hen" and let it go, but a cock bird was in deep trouble. After the hunt we'd troup back home and clean the birds and then we'd have a feed! The women would cook pies and string beans and they'd cook up the birds. No wine, but a little bourbon. Children running around playing. It was just a little slice of Heaven. I am 80 years old now and I harken back to those days with a smile and a sigh.

You're speaking my language (string beans). I'll bet many have never heard that term for that particular type of green beans.

I grew up in the South, and we ate string beans. Here in rural Missouri they’re referred to as snap beans. Same delicious beans, especially good when cooked with new potatoes and fatback. Yum!

We are a lot of string beans. Best was ham and string beans. Pour vinegar on it and scarf it up.