Post by greyphase on Oct 18, 2015 5:27:45 GMT -5
Thicket and I hunted the Piney Creek Covert yesterday and the 'cock were there. We moved 10 birds in 2 1/2 hours with Thicket giving me 5 beautiful points, a couple of bumped birds (which didn't bother me with Thicket being only 1 year old) and several birds that I "bumped" who were allowed to fly away unscathed. The first bird used a large pine to escape my right barrel load with the left barrel not able to catch up with it. The second point produced a wickedly low flyer who also flew away to live another day. Finally the third point produced a bird who I felt may have "caught" some shot as it disappeared behind some pines. As I pushed my way in that direction I found Thicket sniffing the woodcock.
Her fourth point was in he!!ish thick multiflora rose and as I fought my way in the cock flew just over my head with me getting off one shot more in self-defense than actually trying to hit the bird. The bird in her last point was able to flush without me getting a shot, so I ended the hunt with a dismay shooting average badday, but with a big smile on my face 8-)as Thicket showed me that she was well on her way to being a good solid bird dog.
Due to their fast & hard flying style I believe these birds are locals who use this bottom as a "staging" area. They definitely weren't tired migrant birds who can make you look like a better shot than you really are. smileys-whistling-823718
