I had put together a Pheasant hunt for the Monday after X-Mass with three friends. We had four hunter and six dogs and 20 birds were pre released in 160 acers. One guy didn't show up with his two well seasoned Setters so dog power was basically Gunner and Daisy as the other two Setters were young and inexperienced.
We got off to a bad start as the youngest Setter Grace hit the ground running like a throughbreed race horse and Pheasants were fleeing everywhere. It was very windy and Gunner can barely hear me on a good day. He did his best and made two wonderfull point that put Roosters in the bag.
To make a long story short the other hunters called it quits around noon and only seven of the 20 birds were in the bag
Daisy and I went back out today to see what could be found and up the tally somewhat. She made game befor I got the shells into my CHE 20. It was a game of cat and mouse for about 40 yards befor she locked up solid and a rooster was airborne. The right barrel brought him to earth and we were off to a good start. A ditch bank provided a hen a little while later and we continued the search but no more opportunities came to pass. I hunted towards the truck to put the two birds in it and have a drink of water.
As we were headed towards another field Daisy though she might help out the bag some as she jumped up into another truck and brought back a hen! I nonchalantly tossed it back into the truck as I went by.
The north end of this 80 acers is a big marshy area with a pond and will hold birds. Daisy got birdy in about the middle of the field and was working very hard to sort out the scent. There was a skiff on snow but I couldn't find a track but she was on a bird of that I was certain. She would creep ever so slowly, briefly go on point then back to the cat and mouse game of tracking by scent alone. The bird was a worthy advesary and kept Daisy on her toes for several hundred yards. She was solid in her convictions and as we had undergone this same scenerio in the same field Monday with no results I was determined to give her all the time she needed. This was better than any movie as she would double back to pick up the bird then pussyfoot along ever so slowly, so intense. She was determined and this didn't fail her even when she hit the marshy area and was hunting on the skim ice. I heard a crash as she broke through,undaunted she climbed out of the icey water shook off and regained her composure and continued with the quest.
We had been on this bird for almost 30 minutes and Daisy was on the other side on the marsh when I climbed up on a tree stump to see if some evelation would give me any leverage.To be brutally honest if this non flying bird gave me the chance I'd have ground swatted it just because. No sooner had I climbed up the stump Daisy had a solid point for the first time. Here I was 25 yards from her on a stump on the other side of a frozen marsh. The ice didn't support her so I knew i was going to get wet. She had worked hard for this moment in time and given her all as had the bird now it was up to me. I never thought the bird would hold what with the noise I would have to make getting to Daisy but I had the Parker ever ready for whatever flew. Crunch, crash, crunch went the ice as I made my way forward, the reeds brushing noisely against the nylon brush pants. I made my way through the final bit of brush and there was Crazy Daisy still rock solid on point. I eased in for the flush and a Rooster rocked out of nothing just in front of her nose. With every wingbeat he clamored for altitude cackeling his displeasure at being forced airborne. The fine walnut touched the skin of my cheek when the bird was 15 yards out and the front trigger released it's payload of 7's to no effect much to my surprise as it was an easy going away shot. Flustered the back trigger instantly sent a load of ill aimed 6's towards the rapidly departing Pheasant. I was off target again but by some stoke of dumb luck some of the pellets reached their target as the big cockbird fluttered to the ground. Daisy was on it in a flash so I wasn't concerned with looseing it but she doesn't hunt dead. I dropped two more shells into the Parker and the chase was on...again. This one didn't last long as Daisy quickly repointed the bird. I saw it under some brush off to her left and called he over and told her "dead bird Daisy fetch it up". She locked into a point her nose a mere foot from the quarry. I gave him a kick and the race was on. He was quick but Daisy was quicker and soon she had him. I don't think there was a prouder dog on the planet in that moment than my Daisy.
A better hunt couldn't have been scripted for the last bird of the day. The Rooster played his part very well and gave us a grand challenge. Dasiy stuck to it and didn't give up I was the weak link in the trilogy of this hunt but it all worked out in the end...at least for Daisy and I. We headed for the truck with three revenge birds for four shots. Not a bad afternoon...beats working
12-30-2011, 08:44 AM
Great story pal. You should send some of these to Dean for Parker Pages.....
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