Thicket and I hunted the Bennett Run covert on Friday. I discovered this little gem last spring while exploring for new woodcock covers. Located in a hollow at the bottom of a steep ridge that contained a clearcut which I had been hunting for several years. The clearcut covers about half of the ridge and I had never ventured beyond the lower edge where it turns into mature white pine. Barberry and mutiflora rose make cover for the birds and goldenrod grows in the scattered openings. A small wet weather stream winds through the bottom which has a scattering of old hawthorn, apple, locust, and pine trees. Not a big cover, it only takes about 1/2 an hour to hunt, but it's always held a few woodcock when I have visited it. Once again today it would not disappoint me.
Soon after entering the cover I walked up a fat hen who made a hasty exit. A little while later Thicket "mishandled" a bird who also got a free pass. As we approached the end of the cover I thought our day was over but Thicket suddenly pointed just ahead of me and I walked in and flushed a small male . I was carrying "Colette" my 1st top lever Belgium hammergun who often seem like an extension of my body. Today was such a day. I dropped the right hammer and saw the bird fall in thick briers. Thicket made a nice find and short retrieve.
We pushed our way back up the ridge to the truck as the heat of the day settled in, satisfied with our one well handled bird.
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