A Red Letter Day

[Cold Spring]

Dean, the big reddish ruff bird has a full band on the tail; it's cut off in this pic. Rick, no I didn't measure the fan and the bird is in the freezer now along with the other one. Rich, yes this is walk-up hunting, no dog. I have a system for flat areas that was shared with me in confidence by my mentor Goldie when I was a teenager and it helps to keep birds from getting spooked when walking up on them. If Goldie appears in a dream and releases me from my promise I'll post it some day.

But when hunting along the old RR beds and timber roads on the side hills here in the Endless Mountains, imagine yourself sneaking along the uphill edge and looping to look for birds on the downhill side, like every 20 yards or so. These beds have grown up a lot since this pic was taken in that general area. But the beds were made of cinders, mine tailings, rocks etc and that tends to keep it in weeds and rough brush rather than trees.