After a late start (another story) to my mother’s place for the holiday, we arrived at the farm in Dunnell, MN right at dark just in time for left over dinner. As much as I tried to get down there for an evening hunt it just didn’t work out, but I stuffed myself full of food for the second time that day and visited with family as there were 18 of us in all.
The plan for Saturday was to meet some friends at the Kum and Go in Sherburn and head off to some public land to try our luck. It only took about 100 yards from the trucks and hens started popping up as we were making a push towards a grove of trees. We arrived at the grove and pushed it with a goose egg to show for our efforts. From there we pushed around a pond and followed a tree line resulting in another zero. Upon arriving at another pond we decided to split the group of five and push each side of the pond. As we started converging upon another on the other side, we pinned in a covey of birds with a couple squeezing out and the rest still on the run nearing two fence lines that intersected at the corner of the property. As we all pushed the birds one popped up and was quickly dusted and another met the same fate shortly after. It took the five of us and three dogs to get to these birds after two hours of hunting. At this point we needed to start heading back to the trucks as one members of the group, Travis had to get back to town for hockey practice. I’m glad Trevor was able to drop a rooster.
After another plate of food and a nap we; my step-nephew, Evan and I were off for an evening hunt on the farm. This is your typical western MN farm of approximately 2,000 acres where everything is drain tiled and tilled, but it does have a few nooks and crannies for the birds to hide in but the quarters are tight for two hunters.
The first spot is called The Water Way. It’s a strip of grass with tile under it in a low spot between two fields that stretches about a half mile and is about 30 feet wide. We were hardly out of the truck and down the trail when my year and a half old lab, Sadie started getting birdie. Maybe 50 yards down the trail and up pops a rooster and I shot one time and Sadie was on the retrieve. The same scenario played out again maybe five minutes later with the attached picture showing the results. As we were reaching the end on the grass I told Evan to get ready and to walk down the middle and follow the dog as she was starting to get birdie again. Now keep in mind that Evan will turn 13 in a few weeks so he doesn’t have much experience, so as we get to the end of the trail I tell him again to get ready as this bird was going to be all his as I stood back and a few moments later a rooster flushes at the end and we all stand and watch it fly. I asked him why he didn’t shoot to which he replied “I thought it was a hen”. Oh well, chalk that one up to experience.
With some sun remaining we hit a neighbors CREP grass that is bordered by a harvested field and a creek. I told Evan to walk along the creek as it should give him the best position for shooting. It didn’t take Sadie long and she was hot, but this bird was on the move. Sadie finally had the bird pinned in along the creek finally flushing but Evan was still trying to catch up with us and was not into position to make a shot though I did send off a hail marry shot missing it’s mark. Light by this time was getting scarce so we moved across the field and hunted on the way back to the truck. Sadie started getting birdie again as we neared the truck. I waived Evan into position, but he was too tired at this point and told me to go. As we neared the end of the field I could tell Sadie was all over this bird with her tail going and her legs taking her back and forth when she came to a complete stop and froze. She was a statue like when two young dogs are playing when they both freeze waiting for the other to move. She stood completely still with a playful expression on her face so I started toward her as I knew a bird had to only be only a foot or two away. Finally the rooster flushed and was dropped with one shot as Sadie retrieved the bird. I’m not sure what to make of the statue thing???? She doesn’t have “pointing” genes nor do I think she was pointing. Maybe she doesn’t realize what a live bird it?
In all it was a good hunt with birds holding very nice. Evan said he learned that he needs to follow the dog more and pay more attention to the dog’s actions. Also he said that he needs to speak up if he needs to stop and rest. I guess it’s all in helping to develop a new hunter as he did say he had a good time.
I attached a picture of the quick limit as well as the last bird with the long tail feathers that was the statue maker.
