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- Aug 29, 2016
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I hadn't hunted yet this year...more from a lack of time options, but also because I hadn't seen many out on the farm. Just couldn't motivate myself to go. Yesterday was supposed to be a 30 percent chance of rain...it drizzled all day. The farm is mostly pasture and hay fields...grown up fence line separating them. There is one patch of woods..maybe 10-12 acres. When I hunt here, I setup in the edge of fence row, or the edge of those woods.
Anyway, yesterday the wife got off work at 230...and was off from WM. Around 1:00 I seen a tom and hen up on the ridge in middle of pasture. Kinda figured the rain would push them out there. I watched those two birds for near an hour...from the house. Then, they disappeared. Wife got home just before 3. No sign of the birds in last hour.
I asked the wife if she seen any birds as she was coming in...the road is above/looking down onto that ridge. She said she "thought" she seen some on the tractor path. This path runs out that ridge from the barn. Also, it's the same place I had seen them...but she wasn't sure.
I drive up to the barn, and park with it blocking the view of me/jeep from the field. I don't know if anything in the field, and definitely don't want to blow them out if there are. I walk quietly to the right side of barn where the gate is. Tractor path goes from there 400+ yards up to a hay field. I don't see anything, so back to jeep. Before getting my stuff, a decide to check the left side. There is a fence from that corner..and it's grown up thick with trees, but there is about a one foot gap through the foliage that I can see through. The pasture rolls off that side into a bottom...I won't be able to see the bottom, but I can check the field farther out. When I'm maybe 5 yards from the gap in the leaves...I look through and see a neck and head peeking over the edge at me. Dang hen...
She wasn't 20 yards from me. Figuring she was gone, back to jeep to get my stuff...no need to be quiet now...
Get my stuff and head to gate. Make a crap ton of noise getting through gate...chain smacking wood. Get that closed back up and start out the tractor path. At end of barn I decided to ease over to other side and have a look into that bottom. First thing I see...2 hens walking quickly towards those woods. This ain't right...I seen one hen and one tom...where did the second hen come from... and where did the Tom go??
One more step was all it took...he was just over the edge...looking straight at me. He hauled it into the woods with the two hens.
Ok, I blew out the field. I'm going to hunt anyway...I don't get many opportunities...so this is it.
I get back on the tractor path and move about 300 yards back. Then down to the tree line of the woods the birds went into. Hoping maybe I can call them back up. I sit there a while, giving things time to calm down. Called a couple times... nothing. Those birds went to a neighboring farm!! Then the deluge gets here....damn!! I'm getting soaked. My slate is wet...and worthless. But I'm going to sit here anyway... dang it. If nothing else...I'm committed...
After an hour or so, I decided that any/all birds were in the next county...I'm out of here.
I was about to 20' or so back in the edge of the woods...the outer edge has a bunch of cedars. I step out into the field to begin my walk back. Almost immediately I see a hen back in the same spot as before...where I was first busted...by the barn. I can't see into that bottom from here, but maybe that Tom is there.
Back into the woods, to try to close the distance. It's raining, the wind is blowing the trees around...I feel good about my chances.
The tree line I'm in curves around and down into that bottom, curves left and back up the other side...at far end of barn...where I started. I get setup at the corner above where they originally fled to...and start calling. Nothing. I don't have a clear view of the bottom, as the cedars are thicker there. I can see parts of it. That hen is probably 150 yards away, but I can't see what's between us. After a little bit, I decide to move again. A washout runs down the hill about 20 ft into the woods...I'll use it to move down closer to where the birds entered the woods. About a third the way down...I catch movement on opposite side. That Tom is just stepping out of the woods. I get flat...half in that washout, half against a big pine that was there. I'm laying low... looking through the seedlings between me and edge of field. Fortunately, my hands are lower than his line of sight. Get my call out...and start calling. Here he comes. He's a little over 100 yards away, but definitely coming. I'm ready. I'm using my dad's old model 37 Winchester. Start digging in pocket for an extra shell...just in case. Got it....come on buddy...I got something for you.
At about 60 yards he stops. WTF?? Starts preening (he's as soaked as I am). I call again..and he starts my way again...but stops short. I'm using 2 3/4 # 5 lead turkey loads...I need him closer. I guess he was at about 50 yards when he stopped....and laid the frig down!!! WTF???
For the next 2 hours we just laid there...me in the washout, him in the middle of the field in front of me.
I'm getting really over this... something needs to give. The rain has stopped, not that it matters now, and the sun is trying to peek out.
I start moving around...scooting, try to figure out why we are where we are. I scooted up the hill maybe a foot...and it became clear.
That one hen was still up at the barn, but I hadn't seen the other one.
It was because she was literally right in front of me...maybe ten yards...laying down. The foliage had her blocked from my view the whole time.
I kinda slid back down to where I started...and started watching him again. He was moving again...away from me. I then found the hen again...she was moving now...towards him. My hunt was over. I just needed to let them clear the field before heading out. Fortunately I didn't spook them again. At least now I have a starting point if I get to go again this year. Wife just said maybe Monday...so we will see.
Sorry for being so long winded. Just wanted to tell you about my "bird watching" trip...
Anyway, yesterday the wife got off work at 230...and was off from WM. Around 1:00 I seen a tom and hen up on the ridge in middle of pasture. Kinda figured the rain would push them out there. I watched those two birds for near an hour...from the house. Then, they disappeared. Wife got home just before 3. No sign of the birds in last hour.
I asked the wife if she seen any birds as she was coming in...the road is above/looking down onto that ridge. She said she "thought" she seen some on the tractor path. This path runs out that ridge from the barn. Also, it's the same place I had seen them...but she wasn't sure.
I drive up to the barn, and park with it blocking the view of me/jeep from the field. I don't know if anything in the field, and definitely don't want to blow them out if there are. I walk quietly to the right side of barn where the gate is. Tractor path goes from there 400+ yards up to a hay field. I don't see anything, so back to jeep. Before getting my stuff, a decide to check the left side. There is a fence from that corner..and it's grown up thick with trees, but there is about a one foot gap through the foliage that I can see through. The pasture rolls off that side into a bottom...I won't be able to see the bottom, but I can check the field farther out. When I'm maybe 5 yards from the gap in the leaves...I look through and see a neck and head peeking over the edge at me. Dang hen...
She wasn't 20 yards from me. Figuring she was gone, back to jeep to get my stuff...no need to be quiet now... Get my stuff and head to gate. Make a crap ton of noise getting through gate...chain smacking wood. Get that closed back up and start out the tractor path. At end of barn I decided to ease over to other side and have a look into that bottom. First thing I see...2 hens walking quickly towards those woods. This ain't right...I seen one hen and one tom...where did the second hen come from... and where did the Tom go??
One more step was all it took...he was just over the edge...looking straight at me. He hauled it into the woods with the two hens.
Ok, I blew out the field. I'm going to hunt anyway...I don't get many opportunities...so this is it.
I get back on the tractor path and move about 300 yards back. Then down to the tree line of the woods the birds went into. Hoping maybe I can call them back up. I sit there a while, giving things time to calm down. Called a couple times... nothing. Those birds went to a neighboring farm!! Then the deluge gets here....damn!! I'm getting soaked. My slate is wet...and worthless. But I'm going to sit here anyway... dang it. If nothing else...I'm committed...
After an hour or so, I decided that any/all birds were in the next county...I'm out of here.
I was about to 20' or so back in the edge of the woods...the outer edge has a bunch of cedars. I step out into the field to begin my walk back. Almost immediately I see a hen back in the same spot as before...where I was first busted...by the barn. I can't see into that bottom from here, but maybe that Tom is there.
Back into the woods, to try to close the distance. It's raining, the wind is blowing the trees around...I feel good about my chances.
The tree line I'm in curves around and down into that bottom, curves left and back up the other side...at far end of barn...where I started. I get setup at the corner above where they originally fled to...and start calling. Nothing. I don't have a clear view of the bottom, as the cedars are thicker there. I can see parts of it. That hen is probably 150 yards away, but I can't see what's between us. After a little bit, I decide to move again. A washout runs down the hill about 20 ft into the woods...I'll use it to move down closer to where the birds entered the woods. About a third the way down...I catch movement on opposite side. That Tom is just stepping out of the woods. I get flat...half in that washout, half against a big pine that was there. I'm laying low... looking through the seedlings between me and edge of field. Fortunately, my hands are lower than his line of sight. Get my call out...and start calling. Here he comes. He's a little over 100 yards away, but definitely coming. I'm ready. I'm using my dad's old model 37 Winchester. Start digging in pocket for an extra shell...just in case. Got it....come on buddy...I got something for you.
At about 60 yards he stops. WTF?? Starts preening (he's as soaked as I am). I call again..and he starts my way again...but stops short. I'm using 2 3/4 # 5 lead turkey loads...I need him closer. I guess he was at about 50 yards when he stopped....and laid the frig down!!! WTF???
For the next 2 hours we just laid there...me in the washout, him in the middle of the field in front of me.
I'm getting really over this... something needs to give. The rain has stopped, not that it matters now, and the sun is trying to peek out.
I start moving around...scooting, try to figure out why we are where we are. I scooted up the hill maybe a foot...and it became clear.
That one hen was still up at the barn, but I hadn't seen the other one.
It was because she was literally right in front of me...maybe ten yards...laying down. The foliage had her blocked from my view the whole time.
I kinda slid back down to where I started...and started watching him again. He was moving again...away from me. I then found the hen again...she was moving now...towards him. My hunt was over. I just needed to let them clear the field before heading out. Fortunately I didn't spook them again. At least now I have a starting point if I get to go again this year. Wife just said maybe Monday...so we will see.
Sorry for being so long winded. Just wanted to tell you about my "bird watching" trip...
