First ever triple ... for roosters

[OntarioHunter]

I have shot countless waterfowl triples but this is the first for pheasants. Not an easy accomplishment. First, it requires an empty bag as the daily limit is three roosters. Bird numbers are still very low this year so just finding three roosters together is a rarity, especially this late in the season. Today the weather was the pits: 25 degrees (F) with winds out of the north 20-25 mph. Frigid. I just couldn't make it work with a glove on my shooting hand. Can't feel the trigger. I still managed to hit two roosters hard enough to bring them down but both flew off again. After three hours of freezing my butt off and fighting blowdown cattails and bullrushes I was ready to hang it up. Ellie was plumb wore out. We were walking the road back to the Jimmy when she went on point in front of me. She was on a corner barely in sight. I quickly worked my way around to the far side of her and waited. Totally expected it to be another hen. Up goes a squawker through the willows. Not a tough shot but not easy either. Just as it fell another rooster gets up almost at my feet. That was an easy going away shot and I creamed him. Ellie went for it. No more shells in my right vest pocket so I peeled the left glove and pulled one out. As I shoved it in three more roosters bailed. The one on the right flew down the road. I dropped my glove, shouldered the magnum A-5, and knocked him down. He wasn't hit hard. Meanwhile Ellie is messing around showing off with the second dead rooster, oblivious that others are on the ground. I finally had to go to her and get the pheasant. The third rooster was closest so went after it first. It ran into a big ditch full of bullrushes. Ellie chased that bird around in the ditch for more than a half hour before finally nabbing him. Couldn't turn up the first one that fell in the willows ... or the glove I dropped. Went to the Jimmy, warmed up for a while, then went back with my 11 year-old Fr Britt "Puppy." She eventually pinned it down against a big Russian olive and Ellie brought it in. Helluva day. I won't forget it.

Edit: Should clarify that I was off the road in the willows when I shot and the last rooster flew in the direction of the road. He hit the ground five yards from it. As far as I know I was the only person crazy enough to hunt there yesterday.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Heavy game bag walking back to the rig, not a bad day at all.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Heavy game bag walking back to the rig, not a bad day at all.

The old rooster in the middle had some wicked long spurs. The other two were this year's birds and not very big. That helped. This Browning vest is a size medium to keep the fit snug so my gun doesn't get tangled mounting it to my shoulder in a hurry. With three roosters in back it's a VERY snug fit. Can't leave it unzipped or it will slip off my shoulders. I ripped out the zipper from my old Walls vest and sewed in a double action one that opens from the bottom. Great for a full bag. I once had a limit of roosters, two Huns, and a sharptail shoved in that game bag. Those were the days! Finally wore that vest out. It was a great. Three zipper pockets in the inside the lining including a big one for lunch to keep it separate from game. Sadly, they are no longer made. This Pheasants Are Forever model has TWENTY shell loops. Silly. If a guy can't put three birds in the bag with ten shots, he should go back to the motel and watch TV instead of making pheasants spooky for the next hunter. I shot six rounds yesterday. Batting .500 is not a good day for me. But now that I think about it only one shot missed so that's a little better than my average.

 

[CPAjeff]

Congrats!

 

[Sheltowee]

Went to the Jimmy, warmed up for a while, then went back with my 11 year-old Fr Britt "Puppy." She eventually pinned it down against a big Russian olive and Ellie brought it in. Helluva day. I won't forget it.

How dare you post this without an accompanying photo of the aforesaid Brittany?

 

[OntarioHunter]

How dare you post this without an accompanying photo of the aforesaid Brittany?

They were too tired to pose for photos.

 

[Sheltowee]

Ha! Mine will be 12 this month-- sprawled or balled up for a nap seems to be the default setting at this age.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Puppy will outlast my seven year-old Lab in the field. She is truly amazing. In eleven years her only vet bills were for vax and spaying. I have been alternating the two dogs when hunting. Yesterday I was mostly hunting in cattails where it's too hard to keep track of her. She works better in open country or just letting her push birds out of heavy Russian olive groves. Can't get a shot in there anyway. My Lab won't work out of sight.