The 2009-2010 hunting season has been a busy one.   We started with Dove Season in September and I had Spud out with a couple of friends and enjoyed watching him stay steady in the midst of the action on a busy dove field.  Then in October I was able to make a trip to North Dakota pheasant hunting.  The crops were still in the field and I now know why that is important information for trip planning.  The birds were out in the fields and not where we were able to hunt so the bird production was not a typical Dakota hunt.  None the less, it was fun to get out and walk the fields and get some pheasant action.   We got back home about the time woodcock season opened.  The woodcock's didn't ever migrate into my areas in great numbers but we consistently got into birds and had a nice season.   The highlight of my woodcock season was getting to bag a limit of woodcock in SE Kansas. 

 

 

This was a cool hunt and was neat to confirm that there was opportunites for nice dog work on woodcock in Kansas.  This limit was taken in 30 min and wasn't more than 150 yds from the road where I parked my truck.   I know I was fortunate to have been at the same place the woodcock were on the same day.  Hunting migrating birds is not the same as hunting local game birds.

 

Thanksgiving weekend I was in Western Kansas with my Dad and son, Taylor.  We had a nice time walking the wide open spaces.   We found pheasants on most every walk.  We finished the two days of hunting with 9 pheasants. 

 

I would like to make another trip over to Kansas in January.  We will see how that works out. 

 

Made it back to Kansas in mid-January but the hunting was extra tough.  The weather had been very cold but by the time we got there the temp's were getting back into the upper 40's to low 50's and the birds were really on the move. Getting shots at late season roosters are tough.  We had a blast this year chasing wild pheasants in Kansas and I am sure we will be after them again in the Fall of 2010.  For now it is back to shooting released birds and dog training for the spring hunt test season.  

 

 

 

 

 

2008-2009  Hunting Season

 

We started the 2008 Hunting Season off on September 1, 2008 hunting doves on public land with limited success. 

 

Then me and the dogs went back to training for the Hunt Tests we were going to enter.  Spud and I went to Kansas to try to finish his Master Title.  Spud decided to break on the shot of the first bird and was DQ'd from the test on Saturday.  He completed the other test elements that day but was already out of the test.  On Sunday, Spud was steady to flush and shot on the first bird.  I started to smile.  Then he broke on the next bird and was DQ'd. 

 

The next Hunt Tests would be at the Missouri Hunting Spaniel Club Hunt Test.   The first day, Spud did well and passed.  One more to go.  On Sunday, Spud decided to chase a chukar when it flushed and another DQ was given.  Spud now has 4 Master Passes and one more is needed to complete his title.   All the skill sets seem to be in place but the "steady" has been the most difficult to get consistent.

 

Then off to North Dakota for opening weekend of pheasant season.  This was a great trip with lots of pheasants found and bagged. 

 

When we arrived home, the woodcock season had opened.  However, we have to wait for the birds to actually arrive this far south. We did get a couple of hunts in prior to taking off for Kansas. 

 

I took a couple of boys to Kansas for their last Youth Bird Hunt prior to turning 16 yrs old.  The boys had a blast and took 2 Roosters each on Saturday and Sunday.   It was neat watching the boys have fun hunting pheasants.   A friend of mine came along and got to work his dogs on pheasants for one of the boys.

 

Then....back to Missouri for more woodcock hunting.   Spent the next couple of weeks chasing timberdoodles with some success.  

 

Then...back to Kansas for a weekend of Pheasant chasing.   We found some birds but we had to cover a lot of ground looking.   I had the Youth Hunt boys back with me along with my Dad and a friend.   Dogs worked well and everyone got some shots. 

 

Back to Missouri to finish up the woodcock season.  

 

In December, I started getting calls to help pick up birds at European Style Pheasant shoots. 

 

I was able to jump shoot some ducks in December and January but never got back to Kansas wild bird hunting.  Quail season ended in Missouri on Jan 15, 2009 but I didn't get back out any.  I was invited to work at European Shoots at 4 different game bird farms.   Spud and Bingo did a great job and were a joy to watch.  I don't know how much the shooting clients enjoyed the show but I sure did!   On January 30, 2009, I ran Bingo in an Upland Classic event at 4-B's Hunting.  Bingo did well and found 2 of her birds quickly but we couldn't find the elusive 3rd bird.  I don't know what happened but she was steady to flush and shot on the two birds she found and had them quickly. 

 

I am looking forward to running her and / or Spud this Fall in a Tournament hunt.  Also, I will be entering Bingo in the Master Level Hunt Tests.   Hopefully, I can have her finished with her Master Title before I start running the new pup.