Why I missed my fall trip

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Ryan

Ryan

Keeper of San Juan Secrets
So, not Powell related, but I figured the post would be ok since the season is winding down.

I missed my fall trip so that we could go pheasant hunting. This is our 25ish trip to South Dakota. Dad, brother, and a solid group of guys went. Bird count is WAY down this year, but we still had a good trip. Averaged about 2 birds/person on Saturday and Sunday. The "W" kicked up on Monday and made life VERY difficult (W is my least favorite type of weather, regardless of what I am doing).

We hunt a mix of private and public. All wild birds.

Day 1 with dad. 28 birds in the photo. We added another 4 later that day.
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Day 2 with dad and brother. About 30 birds in this photo, we added another 8 later in the day.
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Can you tell the wind is blowing?
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The line up.
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My hunting partner. If you are a hunter, and haven't had a chance to hunt with a good pointer, you are missing out.
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Most of the crew.
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And a little nap between fields.
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Now that is some really good eating on that table. ;) unfortunately time to hunt anything for that matter is much more limited, the lake is always available. I got an October trip in this year because I didn't draw for elk.
 
good job, hopefully I can fill my tag Friday. Needing some meat for the freezer and my hunting partner is wanting some deer bones.
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That is not hunting! That is an army shooting fish in a barrel! Hunting is a couple of guys and a dog in that field!
 
Seen them once on a show called hunting with Hank, they were hunting quail in the Arizona desert. Curious as to why Moose is wearing them? Rough and rocky ground?
 
Dale said:
That is not hunting! That is an army shooting fish in a barrel! Hunting is a couple of guys and a dog in that field!
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Dale, I have had the opportunity to hunt many different ways. From a completely solo trip (like my deer hunt earlier this year), to just me and my dog, to hunting birds with a group of 20. And just about everything else in-between.

I can find something (actually, a lot) to like about every trip.

Completely solo is not my favorite, but with a very stressful job where I travel somewhere just about every week, it allows me a chance to enjoy the outdoors, and gather my thoughts and clear my head with very little distractions.

Hunting birds with just my dog(s) is on of my favorites. Similar to hunting solo, but I get the joy of following my friend in the field as he does what he was meant to do. We have no schedule to keep, and a lesson in life where I virtually always come away remembering to trust my instincts, and to trust my dog.

Sometimes I go with a small group, often including my father. He is in his mid 70's now, and after losing my mother two years ago, it makes me realize that our time on Earth is limited, and what time we have together is way too short.

But do you know what my favorite trip is? South Dakota, where we go with a large group. We were 16 this year, and around 6 dogs. That trip is special, as we are a group of friends who really only see each other one time a year. We come together from California, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Kansas, Indiana, North Dakota and South Dakota. We spend a couple hours every day out in the field chasing birds (and they are big fields, usually one mile long by one mile wide with all wild birds), but more importantly, we meet for breakfast together. Have supper as a group. And sit at the bar at night, having an adult beverage, watching a sports game, and giving each other grief for the shots that were missed, the great dog work, and relive the tough shots that were made. The only thing that would make the trip better is if we could do it for more than 3 days, or more than once a year. But maybe that is what makes it so incredibly special?

With certainty, I can tell you that this trip is MUCH more than "an army shooting fish in a barrel". If anything, it is the epitome of what hunting is all about.

Dale, the vast majority of your posts on the forum are very negative, so I don't know how to take this one. Are you giving me a hard time, or are you being a judgmental, nasty individual? I hope it is the former, but if I were betting, I would bet on the later. Which is sad. I hope I am wrong.

Life is very short. I try to avoid the negativity as much as I can, and make the most out of the time we have here. I wish more people would do the same. And if you are a hunter, I hope you someday have the opportunity to enjoy a trip like this one.
 
There is a reason my mantra is "life is short, eat dessert first" and you have put it down nicely in a way that simply makes this special day easier to verbalize. As I have gotten older Thanksgiving has become a time to look within and try to be the man that others will miss when I'm gone. Not to be morbid or fearful but rejoiceful and positive. Very nice post.
Ryan said:
Dale, I have had the opportunity to hunt many different ways. From a completely solo trip (like my deer hunt earlier this year), to just me and my dog, to hunting birds with a group of 20. And just about everything else in-between.

I can find something (actually, a lot) to like about every trip.

Completely solo is not my favorite, but with a very stressful job where I travel somewhere just about every week, it allows me a chance to enjoy the outdoors, and gather my thoughts and clear my head with very little distractions.

Hunting birds with just my dog(s) is on of my favorites. Similar to hunting solo, but I get the joy of following my friend in the field as he does what he was meant to do. We have no schedule to keep, and a lesson in life where I virtually always come away remembering to trust my instincts, and to trust my dog.

Sometimes I go with a small group, often including my father. He is in his mid 70's now, and after losing my mother two years ago, it makes me realize that our time on Earth is limited, and what time we have together is way too short.

But do you know what my favorite trip is? South Dakota, where we go with a large group. We were 16 this year, and around 6 dogs. That trip is special, as we are a group of friends who really only see each other one time a year. We come together from California, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Kansas, Indiana, North Dakota and South Dakota. We spend a couple hours every day out in the field chasing birds (and they are big fields, usually one mile long by one mile wide with all wild birds), but more importantly, we meet for breakfast together. Have supper as a group. And sit at the bar at night, having an adult beverage, watching a sports game, and giving each other grief for the shots that were missed, the great dog work, and relive the tough shots that were made. The only thing that would make the trip better is if we could do it for more than 3 days, or more than once a year. But maybe that is what makes it so incredibly special?

With certainty, I can tell you that this trip is MUCH more than "an army shooting fish in a barrel". If anything, it is the epitome of what hunting is all about.

Dale, the vast majority of your posts on the forum are very negative, so I don't know how to take this one. Are you giving me a hard time, or are you being a judgmental, nasty individual? I hope it is the former, but if I were betting, I would bet on the later. Which is sad. I hope I am wrong.

Life is very short. I try to avoid the negativity as much as I can, and make the most out of the time we have here. I wish more people would do the same. And if you are a hunter, I hope you someday have the opportunity to enjoy a trip like this one.
Click to expand...
 
Ryan said:
Dale, I have had the opportunity to hunt many different ways. From a completely solo trip (like my deer hunt earlier this year), to just me and my dog, to hunting birds with a group of 20. And just about everything else in-between.

I can find something (actually, a lot) to like about every trip.

Completely solo is not my favorite, but with a very stressful job where I travel somewhere just about every week, it allows me a chance to enjoy the outdoors, and gather my thoughts and clear my head with very little distractions.

Hunting birds with just my dog(s) is on of my favorites. Similar to hunting solo, but I get the joy of following my friend in the field as he does what he was meant to do. We have no schedule to keep, and a lesson in life where I virtually always come away remembering to trust my instincts, and to trust my dog.

Sometimes I go with a small group, often including my father. He is in his mid 70's now, and after losing my mother two years ago, it makes me realize that our time on Earth is limited, and what time we have together is way too short.

But do you know what my favorite trip is? South Dakota, where we go with a large group. We were 16 this year, and around 6 dogs. That trip is special, as we are a group of friends who really only see each other one time a year. We come together from California, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Kansas, Indiana, North Dakota and South Dakota. We spend a couple hours every day out in the field chasing birds (and they are big fields, usually one mile long by one mile wide with all wild birds), but more importantly, we meet for breakfast together. Have supper as a group. And sit at the bar at night, having an adult beverage, watching a sports game, and giving each other grief for the shots that were missed, the great dog work, and relive the tough shots that were made. The only thing that would make the trip better is if we could do it for more than 3 days, or more than once a year. But maybe that is what makes it so incredibly special?

With certainty, I can tell you that this trip is MUCH more than "an army shooting fish in a barrel". If anything, it is the epitome of what hunting is all about.

Dale, the vast majority of your posts on the forum are very negative, so I don't know how to take this one. Are you giving me a hard time, or are you being a judgmental, nasty individual? I hope it is the former, but if I were betting, I would bet on the later. Which is sad. I hope I am wrong.

Life is very short. I try to avoid the negativity as much as I can, and make the most out of the time we have here. I wish more people would do the same. And if you are a hunter, I hope you someday have the opportunity to enjoy a trip like this one.
Click to expand...
 
I couldn't agree more. As an avid sportsmen all my life I too enjoy the different types of hunting and fishing trips I have been blessed to have. I have two Britts and often find my self on fishing or hunting trips with just them. Just spent three days @ Powell with my young male a couple weeks ago and had a great time. When I go solo with just my dogs It really is a head clearing experience. The only negative feeling I got with Blaze (my 2 year old Brittany on the recent trip to Powell is the look he would give me when I would real in a pole with no fish on it. It is also so true that hunting over a good pointer is fantastic experience. I take my dogs each year to my home state of Arizona and hunt quail and I can tell you even though I enjoy shooting and eating quail my favorite part is the dog work. I often boot my dogs down there and they act the same way for the first few minutes then they forget about them. I do have a hard time keeping them on however. Those were great photos , thanks for sharing. I have never been able to do the South Dakota trip but it is on my bucket list. I have hunted Pheasants in Eastern Colorado with some success. I also heard bird numbers were way down in South Dakota this year. Lets just hope Dale meant no ill will from his comments and your reply gave him a little perspective on all the ways to enjoy are great outdoors. It was so well put.
Howard Irion.
 
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Irion said:
I couldn't agree more. As an avid sportsmen all my life I two enjoy the different types of hunting and fishing trips I have been blessed to have. I have two Britts and often find my self on fishing or hunting trips with just them. Just spent three days @ Powell with my young male a couple weeks ago and had a great time. When I go solo with just my dogs It really is head clearing experience. The only negative feeling I got with Blaze (my 2 year old Brittany on the recent trip to Powell is the look he would give me when I would real in a pole with no fish on it. It is also so true that hunting over a good pointer is fantastic experience. I take my dogs each year to my home state of Arizona and hunt quail and I can tell you even though I enjoy shooting and eating quail my favorite part is the dog work. I often boot my dogs down there and they act the same way for the first few minutes then they forget about them. I do have a hard time keeping them on however. Those were great photos , thanks for sharing. I have never been able to do the South Dakota trip but it is on my bucket list. I have hunted Pheasants in Eastern Colorado with some success. I also heard bird numbers were way down in South Dakota this year. Lets just hope Dale meant no ill will from his comments and your reply gave him a little perspective on all the ways to enjoy are great outdoors. It was so well put.
Howard Irion.
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Irion when I first started reading you post I thought you were bringing two englishmen with you. The two britts
 
Ryan, is Moose a Wimer or a silver lab, I have a silver lab and have trouble with the contact on the paws but he is such a big dumdum he wont walk with the bootys on, have tried multiple brands for the feel, have tried to get him used to them, tried socks then the boots...... still just wants to lay down, or get dragged, he doesn't want to walk, hop skip or jump with them on.
 
ROSCOELAB said:
Ryan, is Moose a Wimer or a silver lab, I have a silver lab and have trouble with the contact on the paws but he is such a big dumdum he wont walk with the bootys on, have tried multiple brands for the feel, have tried to get him used to them, tried socks then the boots...... still just wants to lay down, or get dragged, he doesn't want to walk, hop skip or jump with them on.
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MOOSE is a blue Weimaraner.

I had him successfully wearing boots a few years back. This last time he really through a fit.

I've never had a dog that I couldn't get to wear them though. We are headed to KS this weekend to chase birds. He will likely wear them again that trip, despite any protest he might have.

All my dogs that have worn boots have been pretty driven hunting dogs. I had one where I left her outside near the truck (where she through herself down), but she eventually caught up to me in the field because she wanted to be with me and look for birds. If Roscoe isn't as driven, getting him to accept the boots may be more difficult. But likely still possible.
 
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