Saturday Mother Nature loosened her icy grip just enough for a friend and I to do a pheasant hunt at the Hay Marsh. It was a sunny day with very little wind even though there was a good 18 inches of powdery snow on the ground. The dogs have been cooped up since deer season started in mid November and they were anxious to stretch their legs.
We had a 160 acre CRP field to hunt in and had 10 birds released with the hope of a few strays from prior hunts. I figured the birds would hold well in the deep snow and chose an upgraded AAHE 28 with 26 inch barrels attached choked IC/M. Dave has a Parker VHE 16ga skeet that I fixed him up with via a member here.
Things were progressing nicely with two birds in the bag when Ella one of my friend Dave's English Setters bumped a big rooster out of range. The bird flew an easy 400 yards to the safety of the adjoining property so there was a missed opportunity. Our shooting was actually pretty good and the dogs were enjoying doing what they do when a shadow passed overhead. Looking up I saw a big Red Tailed Hawk also hunting for a little breakfast. The Hay Marsh provides fine dining for the hawks, owls, coyotes and the occasional eagle.
I thought little of the hawks intrusion and we continued on our way. By this time we were well on our way to having collected the 10 birds we had released and had gone back to the truck to change out the dogs, empty our vests and I need some more shells.
Dave's setter Gracie looked like a big tan and white snowball as she rolled and played in the snow but she quickly got down to business. We were slogging through the snow when she went on point. As we pushed our way into position that hawk I saw earlier flushed from where the dog was pointing. Gracie held her point and when we got close she picked up a very warm but very dead hen. We had interrupted the hawks breakfast. It had made a clean kill but hadn't had the time to start eating any of the bird. We stuffed it our game bag. This time the ground hunters won out. That was bird number 9 and though we made a couple more big swings around a wood lot and some pond edges no more birds were located.
I have hunted the Hay Marsh for at least 20 years and a hawk kill evidenced by the scattered feathers is a common sight but I have never gotten the upper hand on one until that day. I bet he's still mad over that one.
Hunter VS Hunter
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