Cattail Roosters

[TARNATION !!!]

So, I experimented with Maple Butter Sharptail because of that annual "gotta clean the freezer" task. I found a forgotten sharptail and some frozen apples. Today was the actual dig it all out, put it outside (colder than the freezer), defrost, dry and re-load. I try to not have too much food in there for this task, but every year it seems there's more than enough. I guess we have yet to adjust life for just being two old folks in the household. I was really hoping to find more apples, they were just great. Anything picked off your own tree beats the commercial products hands down. Alas, no more apples. But, the back half of a rooster from Nov 13 2008 surfaced. Every year I vow to be more organized but every year I seem to find something interesting. I know this won't happen next year because I didn't have much time hunting this past season and didn't even end up with possession limit in the freezer. I have always rationed the possession limit through the winter and spring but my rationing days are over. I'll dine on upland like a ravenous coyote from here on in and when it's done, well I can always join Kay with store bought chicken

Now I was able to recall the sharptail flush, because I only take a few any given year, but roosters that far back are blended into a montage of memorable days afield. But, I was fairly active with the camera back then - not near as much now. Upon checking the date and viewing the images I now recall. It was a wonderful day for the time of year. A hunting buddy from the '80's had called and wondered if I still chase roosters. He had given up on the hunt because of all the bureaucracy surrounding gun ownership. He wondered if I might want some company for a day and he would just hike along. Now I'm a bit anal about the hunting regs and losing a gun, vehicle and priveleges over some infraction. He wouldn't be hunting in the sense we all consider hunting but he would fall within the wide definition of hunting "on the trail of, worrying wildlife etc" so I took the time to write to the department and get a written response that they would be fine with another old guy hiking along with a camera while I was hiking along with a shotgun. I have that letter tucked away with the guns and carry it along if I have a non-shooter potentially worrying wildlife. The day also included taking MORGAN, the neighbors pet golden retriever along, as at that time, I was dogless. We also ended up at the home of RIO the wonder dog, who joined us for an hour or so. Got some pictures of an old church undergoing renovation because we hit a chunk of metal on the grid road that took out the fender liner and sliced the tire sidewall. The church is about 1/2 mile from the scene of the tire carnage, which we only discovered when we stopped to take some pics. Roosters per pound price is never ever calculated for any reason

Here's some pics from that day.

MORGAN

RIO

THE CHURCH

JACK & MORGAN followed by the end of day sunlight near the location where the rooster was taken and a whitetail buck in search of the other half of his rack.
Cheers,
Jack