The season is closed in Missouri and is winding down in Kansas. It’s been hard for Don Hansen and me to be able to hunt together. We both are retired but life gets in the way. Yesterday we finally were able to get together. I met Don and Linda at a convenience store in Kansas. Don’s dog, Goofy, was in the front seat while they were in the store. He looked like, “if you don’t come back soon, I’m leaving”.
Come on or I’m leaving.
Don and Linda near Sally’s point.
Goofy
On the walk-in properties I like to hunt them different than what I think the last guy did. Instead of just going the easy route I like to go to places that some of the people will miss. After we turned our dogs (Don just brought Goofy but I had Mann, Sally, Abby and Boss) loose we went along the side of a winter wheat field, but we were out in the CRP.
We had only gone about a quarter mile when the GPS handheld vibrated showing Mann on point. By the time we got there the other dogs were honoring. He was looking into a long plum thicket. When we got close to him a large covey of quail flushed about 40 yards ahead of us out the end of the plum thicket.
We couldn’t tell where they went down but we followed in the direction they flew. As we went along Don had a single get up right in front of him. We don’t shoot unless the bird is pointed but we got the dogs in to hunt for more singles. No luck.
We came on around the end of the property and started back to the north. Suddenly there was another covey in the air flying the way we were going. We were able to mark this covey down by an old dead tree. Two coveys of quail in the first 30 minutes and not a shot fired. We went toward these birds.
Before we got close to the tree the GPS vibrated and Mann was on point to the east. We got close and he was moving. Then Sally was on point in the same area. When we got close to her she was moving. We let the dogs work this area for a little while and started toward our dead tree.
Again the GPS vibrated and Mann was on point back close to his other point, only about 35 yards from us. We went back to see him twisted into a point. It looked like the bird was right under his nose. A bird exploded right in front of him and just as I shot went around a cedar tree. Another quail flushed from behind me and Don dropped it into a plum thicket. As we stood there with me congratulating Don on his shot Mann brought the dead bird to me and dropped it in my hand. It was kind of slimy from Mann’s saliva but we didn’t mind.
We were closer to another edge of this property than the old dead tree so we decided to hit that first. Out in the CRP, 75 yards from the end of the property, Goofy pointed. When we got to him a single came up and went my way. I missed with the first barrel but dropped it with the second.
Boss pointing Abby honoring.
We got the dogs in to hunt dead. I saw Boss point and encouraged him to jump in. It didn’t take much. He grabbed the bird and wanted to run. I grabbed him and started petting. In just a few seconds he was ready to get rid of the bird. I took it from him. We started to our tree, again.
We hadn’t gone far when the GPS handheld vibrated again. Mann was on point 200 yards behind us along the edge of the property. When we started toward our old tree, he hadn’t come with us. I could not hunt without GPS collars.
When we got close the other dogs were honoring. He was looking into a plum thicket. There was a small clump of plums near him that he was looking into but as we got in front of him he turned his head toward the real long thicket. As we took a step or two about 65 yards ahead of us a huge covey of quail flushed, without us getting a shot. These flew to the south over a small rise. We followed.
Abby honoring Sally.
With all of the dogs off to the south west, about 50 yards ahead, about 10 quail flushed from a small thicket and flew west. We got the dogs in to hunt where those flushed and where we thought they had flown. As the dogs were hunting close to us another huge covey of quail flushed about 150 yards ahead of us. No dogs or people near.
We hunted around for the ten birds for a little while then started following the big covey that had flushed. All of the dogs were really birdy as we followed. We had several points. When we got close the dogs would trail. We were almost to some plowed ground when Sally and Abby pointed at the same time close to us.
Sally must have lost the scent because she trailed on off. Abby didn’t move. She knew the bird was right in front of her. When the bird flushed it curled around Don and put a tree between them really quick. He shot but didn’t have a chance. There was almost no cover left as we got close to the plowed ground and another quail flushed coming back past me. We weren’t shooting at birds not pointed.
Abby pointing.
As we come along the edge another quail flushed. It had to almost be standing in the plowed field. Still no shot. We came on around and started one more time for the old dead tree. This time we made it but it had been a couple of hours since we had seen the birds land close. The dogs worked around the area but we never came up with anything.
It was pretty warm, 57 degrees when I got in my truck to go home, so we started to the truck. When we got close to where we had seen the very first covey the GPS vibrated. Boss was on point. Just a few seconds later Mann was too. Mann was honoring Boss or he had come between Boss and the birds without seeing Boss. As we went toward them they both moved. Then they were on point again.
When we got there Mann was ahead and Boss was honoring in the very same plum thicket where the original covey had been. When we went in front of Mann a quail flushed and I shot but missed as it flew around the plum thicket. Another quail flushed and Don knocked it down. Abby found the bird and I petted her until she gave it up.
Boss honoring.
We went just a little farther into the CRP and Sally pointed. When we got in front of her a single quail flushed. When I shot it folded. Sally made the retrieve. I tried to feed her the head but I think she dropped it. We let the dogs work the area. About the time we started to leave the GPS vibrated. Mann was on point about 35 yards from us. When we got close I saw he was sitting down. When I got in front of him he stood. A quail flushed and hit the ground on my second shot.
In the heat the dogs were hot and tired. Once more we started toward the truck and Sally went on point just a few yards in front of us. When we walked in a single quail flushed. Again, on my second shot it came down. Sally found the bird but was just walking back to me. I hit the tone button on her e-collar and she ran back with the bird. This time she ate the head from the bird.
Boss
That made 4 birds out of this covey so we started to the truck, again. Linda had already taken Goofy to the truck. As we came by a plum thicket I saw all of the dogs on point. I think Mann had pointed in a plum thicket and the other 3 had honored. I took pictures of them all. When I went to Mann he started moving. Then all of the dogs were moving. When Sally came by me I could see something was wrong.
She wasn’t running right. I thought at first she had a stick inside the vest I had her wearing but that wasn’t it. She was staggering around in the plum thicket. I couldn’t get to her so I called her to me. When I started petting her she was moving her left back leg up and down. I took the vest off and grabbed some snow and rubbed it on her chest to cool her down. In just a few seconds she seemed better.
Sally with her leg straight out.
We were 300 yards from the truck and she stayed closer than usual but she still hunted back to the truck. When I loaded her in the truck she seemed fine but tired. Later when I saw the picture of her when she was honoring Mann she had her right front leg pointing straight out. I’ve never seen her or any other dog do that. Looks like a cartoon dog pointing at the dog on point.
I think she was having cramps but I don’t know. Today she is sore but much better. I will watch her for a while and if she needs to see a vet I will take her.
We were out from about 10 am until about 2:30 pm and saw 4 coveys and possibly part of 5 coveys. We didn’t kill a lot of birds but all 5 dogs pointed and that’s what we came for. This was the best day of the season for us. We were in birds most of the day. That had to be really good for the dogs.