In the bird world it might be considered a massacre; seven FCS members (six hunters) armed with a variety of shotguns descended on the Upland Bird Hunting Inc. ranch and caused the untimely demise of 35 Quail, 27 pheasants, and one unlucky chucker (63 birds).
Our second annual Upland Bird hunt was a success, thanks to the crew at Upland Bird Hunting Inc. Mike, Barney, Glen, our own Joe Schram, and Julie treated us to a fantastic hunting experience. A hearty THANKS!
We started the day with good fresh coffee and a round of Five stand that made you want to give up shotguns and take up knitting. The wind was steady at about 25 MPH with gusts up to 40 causing both clay birds and shot streams to drift unpredictably. There were two mini’s screaming to the stratosphere and into the sun, a tower shot that required at least a six to eight foot lead depending on the gusting wind. Did I mention the dust blowing across the range from the drive way partially obscuring our vision?
After this enlightening and confidence building experience we were off to the hunt. Divided into two groups of three with a guide and well trained dogs we trudged off into the tundra in pursuit of our feathered quarry.
Ronnie Ross, Frank Hamilton, and Jere Fletcher were led the first go round by Mike Tyson and his dogs. They bagged six pheasants and nine quail.
Glen Tyson, Mike’s uncle, led Randy Rowley, Dick Matteson, and I, Kenneth Kidd, on a merry chase resulting in the demise of 13 quail, 10 pheasants, and one unlucky chucker that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dick’s dog Buck assisted the guide's dogs and did a marvelous job.
We took a break and had more good strong coffee and some snacks. We also gathered a few rocks to put in our pockets to help keep us from blowing away. By now the wind was up to a sustained 30 - 35 MPH with gusts to 40 - 45 MPH. Seriously sometimes it was hard to stand straight up.
It is the custom to switch guides and fields with the groups at the ranch so our group went off with Mike to the field that had been diligently and thoroughly hunted by Ronnie’s group where we ushered eight pheasants and four quail to their final resting place.
Meanwhile Ronnie’s group bagged three pheasants and nine quail.
Not that there was any completion between the two groups but Randy’s group must have done something right and it could not have been the superior shooting nor the outstanding dog work (it must have been the wind). We got a total of 18 pheasants, 17 quail, and one unlucky Chucker (36 birds) while Ronnie's elite group came in with a total of 18 quail and nine pheasants (27 birds).
Note…if you are curious about the chucker they are, as described by Glen, a quail on steroids, as to why he was unlucky….you had to be there to understand.
Don’t miss this one next year, watching good dogs work a field with good handlers is truly a beautiful site.
President's note: This was my first pheasant hunt and my first quail hunt with dogs. I've been dove, duck, and goose hunting for 31 years. This was the second funnest bird hunt that I have experienced, right after the 11/9/01 - 11/10/01 Goose Hunt (where eight of us harvested 119 geese).