A Happy Halloween Hunt

Emma and I headed north to explore some new coverts. This grapevine covered ridge should have held some grouse but if they were there we couldn't find them. Note the rare October snow. Nothing like some places got but enough to make for some slippery walking.

Our next stop was an old field growing back nicely in hawthorn. Woodcock cover but nobody was home today.

Our third stop finally held some birds. Emma had a nice point on a woodcock. She had her nose almost touching the ground and I was sure she was pointing a mouse or a mole. I went in and kicked around to no avail and tried to get her to move out. She held steady and as I took one more step the woodcock went up almost at the toe of my boot. My first shot was open and I missed it clean, the second shot mortally wounded an autumn olive bush as the bird fly away unscathed. The lesson for the day "always trust your dog".




We had two grouse wild flush in this cover.

Walking back a gas well road I noticed Emma below me worrying something. I call her in and she brought me a set of pheasant wings, the only thing left from some predators meal.

As we drove to the next cover this doe simply would not move off the road. She won't be in the gene pool long it she doesn't wise up.

The day was fading as I pulled into a parking lot with a thin line of aspen running along side it. As Emma went into the cover she stopped and moved her head back and forth testing the air for scent. She moved a few yards further in and went on point with one paw raised. I quickly circled around her and came in from the front and a woodcock flushed straight up and dropped at my shot.

Our first bird of the year and we couldn't be happier.

Heading back up north in the morning for another day in paradise.