SoDak Gentle Breezes and Refreshing Snow

[Bruce Day]

Hunting in SoDak , three days down and another four or five to go for me chasing pheasants. Winds up to 25 so hitting a 50 mph bird is a little tough. Snow and cold bow to 11 at night , day temps been in the 20s but supposed to warm.

1. The farmhouse where we stay

2. The view of the Missouri River from the house Nebraska bluffs across the river

3. Our hosts , Barbara is a practicing psychologist and has lots to practice on with with us.

4. Jan and daughter and

5. Their cooking

6. The boys and birds midday. Jeff, Wayne, Charlie, Dick and Russ

7. Me

9.

10. Plains.

11. Out guide county deputy sheriff Rich


Now I’m north and west on a reservation and will hunt new land

[Randy Roberts]

Good stuff. It was 60 degrees when I left SD. In Tulsa at the show now. In the 20's here's tonight. Have fun!!!

[Daniel G Rainey]

Thanks for the post. Enjoyed the SoDak pictures.Understand the bird numbers are down ?

[Bruce Day]

We are now on the Sioux Reservation. Wild birds but numbers are down to 47 percent of average. We put up about 35 birds total today with five roosters and none in the bag. Cold only about 33 today for a high and snow. It was 11 degrees when we started this morning . We’ve had snow in Montana in September , snow in Minnesota in early October and snow now when last year was warm.

[Reggie B]

I see some very nice looking straight stock doubles, tell us what you guys are using.

[Bruce Day]

I am using a CHE 12

Dick was using a Galazan Fox 16, whatever that highest grade of Fox that Tony makes.

We were mucking through thick cattail marshes because the birds had burrowed into them. Some dry land but much was ice which you would break through and into a couple inches of black mud and water. When it wasn’t that we had bent over grass covered in wet snow. Both of us were wearing those Xtra Tough boots like are ubiquitous in Alaska. Rich Flanders got us wearing them the last time he came along.

[SXS OHIO]

Hi Bruce...I wanna see the boots....must be some good ones. We will be in Kansas the Saturday after thanksgiving for a week and hope for good weather....(-: After reading your post about the cold streak I will bring heavy duds along this year just in case. Bird numbers may also be down in the area we hunt...they had hail storms during the nesting time. I will call my land owners today and ask how the numbers are, they know the facts! Thanks for your posts. You fellers stay safe and keep having good sport in your travels.....SXS Ohio

[mobirdhunter]

Hey, Bruce,

Thanks for the hunt report and, especially, the pictures. I really enjoy seeing your reports.

[Bruce Day]

Still on a Lakota Reservation. The people could not be nicer , I had a free sirloin steak dinner tonight as a veteran and wearing an Air Force Vietnam hat many came by to shake my hand. To those unfamiliar with the Lakota , many are big people , men well over 6 feet tall and muscular. Many upwards of 6 1/2 feet tall.

So about 32 degrees today, cloudy and wind out of the northwest. Cold. The birds are in the shelterbelts and cattails. The dogs have to dive in and rout them out. Tough tough hunting but all wild birds it’s late season and it’s not supposed to be easy.

1. Dick Dow , Missouri River in distance.

2. My pointer Bert

3. Corn and grass

4. Me and Bert

5. Me, Bert and Fielder. Fielder is 15 months old , her second full season on wild birds and she is getting it figured out. Bert runs to flank a running bird and drive it back to me. This rooster came out of the cattails. I sent in both dogs to drive the birds out and then you just hunker down so that a flushed bird doesn’t see you and you get a shot. You can’t see the dogs in there , the stuff is 5-6 foot tall, full of ice and muck in there.

[Gerald McPherson]

TTOF. Two tough old f**ts.