Ike is back in town - Some hunting photos

Ike is back at it.
After some prescribed R&R by the Vet, Ike and I gave it a trial run at Hickory Grove.  We went out on Halloween and with the help of friend Wayne as photographer, we got some really nice shots of Ike in action.    Thanks Wayne!!

On Point #1

On Point #2

He did great and while a little sore no problems with the Achilles!!!!

 

We then went back a couple weeks later to try again as part of the Blackhawk Sportsman Club Walk up Hunts and Mike and crew put out 3 birds for us.  Well we saw 7 and got 5 and the 4 scratch birds we saw were all in the trees.. Kind of like hunting grouse - now I know why a short barreled shotgun is so desirable when going for grouse.. by myself and not in good position when those birds flushed - didn't even get a shot off at 2 of them - through the trees..  But the last one was worth a little story...

 

We had gotten 4 and saw the other two I mentioned above and it was about time for lunch so we were headed back to the house when we heard a rooster cackle in the trees..  I looked at Ike and said, "OK, we have 15 minutes lets go make that rooster pay for his teasing us."  Ike took off and headed into the trees and I learned from the others in there that I was not going to stay too close and let him kind of work on his own and stay back and in better position.  Well sure enough he got birdy down by a little pond and I fought the urge to go in there and kick up the bird.  I thought just let the bird get nervous- with Ike on point and give it a couple of minutes - I figured that since he was not recently placed, the rooster would get a little antsy and flush on his own.  Sure enough after about a minute (and enough time to get in a clear shooting position) we were rewarded with a cackling busting rooster.  He flew right over me and I dropped him right over my head.   I walked over and saw a rooster with the longest tail... So take a look - I measured the tail and it was a full 24" long..  Perhaps I should have saved the bird but I didn't but I did bring the tail feathers home... 

Nice Bird

 

So Ike is back and pheasants don't sleep well at night LOL..  And we are officially back to "Ike find that bird"