11 April With all the predictions about declining turkey numbers, increasing predator counts, the April 2007 nest freeze and folks traveling in to spring turkey hunt from a multitude of northern states, one aspect that does not affect our turkey population in the manner of those northern states is our winters.
January was an unusually bitter cold month, but wasn't cold enough to have affect on the upland bird population. These two adult gobblers didn't seem to have any problem scratching through bean stubble to feed on a gloomyJanuary evening.
Last HuntA continuation of the earlier update.
Bird hunters will quickly recognize the value of this picture.
Anyone that has hunted plumb thickets knows full well the sinking feeling that follows a bird dropped after shot into a plumb thicket. That feeling is often expressed by a groan coming from the knowledge that any dog on point in a thicket or a bird dropped into one without a dog that retrieves means to leave the gun behind, hunch over at best, most likely crawl into the far stronger than they look thicket to release the dog or to retrieve. The goal besides the bird is not to get stuck in the eye.
For a dog as this one not strong on retrieve to do so from a plumb thicket is to make him loved all over again. This day he reminded me that not all dogs or people meet our ideals at all times. To compare any current dog to the few great dogs that may have punctuated our previous years would be un-fair. Accepting his strengths, ignoring his weakness makes for more enjoyment and getting that special feeling of satisfaction of spiritual tranquility only another bird dog hunter that has experienced that feeling can understand. It is after such dog days that people that fail to meet our ideals have little impact on our lives. Hand gestures accompany unheard epitaphs in confined traffic circumstances or that less than agreeable person at work are ignored with understanding those folks probably have nothing in their lives that comes close to the mind and body restoration of a hunting dog that makes us smile.
Thanks to MAHA and the dog for a great day. April 2008 page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
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