Well Sunday really kicked off my favorite 30 days of the year. We got down to the ol’ Rooster Honey Hole around 2 in the afternoon on Sunday to get my best buddy Rufus a little warm up before we head to the Rooster Mecca of the World in SD this Friday. 
Two good hunting buddies of mine, Chris Bristow and the “Captain” Greg Szypulski joined me for a quick afternoon of chasing Roosters down by Mankato.
We were plenty surprised and excited to see that many of the farmers were pulling corn off as we neared the honey hole. I would say about 60% of the corn around the area down there was already off and the farmers were working hard and fast to take the rest of it off. I was really kicking myself for not waking up early and getting my 
down there for a early morning deer hunt. Knowing that there is a total bruiser buck using the 160 acre CRP land as his house made it even worse. We were greeted with a pretty stiff winds and some warmer temps when we started the day. The first walk showed promise, but seemed to hold only hens. This grass cover had really grown from the year before and although had great cover it made it quite tough to walk through.
After a small break for the dog and the hunters (pictured in the next post) we were ready to make the 2nd walk through the edge of the bowl and up the gulley. This was a walk that always held birds last year, so I was highly anticipating a good walk. It started out with similar results as the first. Showing decent birds but mainly Hens flushing as Rufus was really starting to work well and find his groove of spending the right amount of time with each hunter and quartering perfectly. We were about to the end of the gulley, when I noticed Rufus getting “Birdy” and Rufus flushed up a BIG Fat Rooster. It was just a beautiful old bird. I pulled my Berretta Pin Tail up, clicked off the safety and fired my first shot a little to quickly and missed as Chris did the same. My second shot, I was on him and pulled off another round to watch our first Rooster fold up and bomb back into the wild grass it came from, with a bouncing black lab named Rufus hot on his tail. After getting the bird back, we really noticed the beautiful size and tail feathers to this bird. After that the Roosters started to flush a lot more frequently. As we returned and walked our way back towards the truck Chris downed the next 2 birds quickly and let one go (missed) just as we were getting close to the truck. We next worked the top area where we felt the birds would be and was a little easier (thinner grass) for the walking. This is where the ol’man (Greg) and the ol’ Dog really teamed up. Rufus was doing his best work of the day in this thick (but thinner) cover up top. After flushing a few hens Rufus was hot on the trail on another bird that was trying to give him the slip when in between Greg and I up flushed an absolute beauty of a bird. Greg pulled up his Browning over under and downed his first bird of the year as Chris and I didn’t even get to pull the trigger. As I got the bird back it was another adult bird with perhaps the most brilliant colors I have ever seen on a bird. It was amazing the amount of color this bird had. This is the bird in the pic above. Man that was cool 
Just another 100 yards down or so another Rooster flushed under the pressure of that hard charging lab and Greg downed his second bird of the year, but needed a little help from Rufus. As I saw the bird go down kind of soft. I took off running with Rufus to where I saw the bird go down and gave Rufus the “Dead Bird” command as he instantly picked up the scent trail of this Rooster and gave a short chase until he finally caught up to our 5th Rooster of the day.
We had a few more opportunities that we just did not take advantage of, but it didn’t mater we had an awesome short afternoon chasing those Ringnecks. Greg being new to the “Honey Hole” kept track of the birds we had seen and came up with 38 total, but told me he could not give a Rooster/Hen count. I told him that was about average of what we see down there. This was with only hunting about less than ½ of the property, as I like to stay away far away from my deer stands and the small line of woods on the property. I’m excited to get back down there when all the corn is off. Not only should it be better bird hunting, it also gives that big ol’ bruiser buck less places to hide 
This property has really changed since I started hunting it. Every year it seems to hold more deer and birds and this year is no exception. I can’t wait to get back down there. I’m just so glad I have a place like this, where I’m able to spend time with friends, family and my best buddy Rufus. Thanks for everything Izzy!
This week I hope to make it out fishing (crossing my fingers), but come Friday I’m headed out to Hoven, SD to chase some more Roosters with my 2 best buds (Stacie and Rufus) and Stacie’s family. I’m excited as stated before this is Rufus’s and my first trip to the Pheasant Capitol of the world. Until then, have a fun and safe time in your next outdoor adventure.
