Heavens Ranch...

I'm certain the second I wrapped the E-collar around Suzie's neck she knew not only where we were, but exactly her role in what was to come...


I'm also pretty certain my friend perfered the scenery to where he's been the last two years, but just kept it to himself mostly; and just smiled randomly thruout the trip...


Only moments after leaving the truck we were walking the fields of the BMA I've often referred to as 'Heavens Ranch'; as its similar to the actual name without giving away its location (XX). Its also without doubt the most scenic I've yet to come across and I've hunted near a hundred parcels statewide. The fact that it holds a nice population of birds doesn't hurt either and today we were in search of the the almighty sharptail...


Breathtaking indeed and even Szuie stopped several times to take in the view from up top..


Still birds rose and fell and shotguns sounded. Gun Powder filled the air first then my nose and even on the tongue if you weren't careful. Birds were brought to hand and high fives were shared. Pats on the soft head and scratches behind the ears were doled out in equal fashion for both girls doing their best.



Dogs, the best of them I'm certain dont fully understand our compliments or adjectives we use when describing their ability in either type or verbal; instead they simply are doing what they were designed to. They smile and laugh and let us stroke them when they're weak or tired. They're fully capable I'm sure and could outhunt the best of us; catching birds themselves on the stalk, if only given the chance.



The Field is theres'.... without them we'd wild flush everything we stumbled across but with that uniquely designed nose they possess we are foretold what is to come... We are warned where game lies to within mere feet and to get ready for the shot. In some instances were even told which species lie ahead, dependent on the past experience and bond between a particular dog and onwer.


When I saw Suzie working the cover in front my friend and I in this frame with the sun blinding as it set behind her; there was something in her actions and joyful movements it was simply a moment I'll never forget.
I think I just felt comfortable afield more than on any hunt before and deserving of owning such a great little bird dog; since I have very little else of monetary worth.

At that moment the trip was coming to a close and I knew it had to eventually, but didn't care what came next; whether we got another bird up or not. She and (Mocha) and I have lived Montana now going on two years and have enjoyed ourselves immensely.


We'd done it...Exactly as I'd imagined it would go; a few hiccups along the way sure, but we were now here in our third bird season afield - working in the outdoor industry once again - and content;...sharing it with close friends.



Life is good...


Moe.

The Best of Times...

My oldest friend and hunting buddy of 20 years 'finally' made another journey to Montana to take advantage of all the state has to offer; and capitalize on the opportunity - he did (lucky bastard)...



After no less than fifty emails, a dozen phone calls, and a week of pre scouting, I managed to find upland bird-lands and put my friend on wild pheasants no less than 30minutes after he stepped foot off the plane...



Of course we had a little help...


A brand new Browning Citori Featherlight, never before fired took a fine handsome rooster on its very first shot!!


Not a bad start too what would end up being an incredible trip...


As if the almighty above was helping us along we were blessed with incredible weather, multiple points, and lots of cocky roosters to break in the new gun; as well as my old (pump)...



Both girls performed well and while Mocha flushed a few premature; we still connected and she retrieved better than ever.


Still, God lover her, Suzie was a natural once again and worked her cute little tail off to put us on more birds than I ever expected to find within such close proximity to home and handled them so well even I was in awe by how far she's come along.


Yup it was a good day and only the first of five as elk and mule deer awaited us on the ridges beyond the skyline...


A few birds for the freezer and bison steaks for dinner and we made our way to XX to hunt for big game for a few days..


As a reminder of how out of shape I am, my old buddy passed me uphill once and we barely hunted together from then on...


Still I thought I did pretty well, and even though I nearlly had two heartattackes and a stroke I managed to see some game, just nothing big enough to shoot.


Old "eagle eyes" however, spotted this handsome buck from over 400 yards and put on a text book stalk, belly crawling thru knee-high sagebrush to close the distance to 280 yards; then made a clean shot dropping his first muley ever (on the first day)...


A dandy buck by south Florida standards and impressive still for a first muley in anyones' book..Good eats and back strap and tenderloin for the whole family was shipped home before he was; some more hunting still 'to do'....

(Part Two tomorrow)....

Moe

A hunt in God's Country...

We ran my GSP Mocha first and while she did her job; pointing a couple mature roosters under our feet, Rookie and I did not and both duffed the simple shot..


So we entered the river bottom and were in awe at the colors of Fall...


She ran hard and got birdy several times, but we came up empty after that. Even though it was in the 30's; Mocha worked up quite a sweat by 9 and after a 'very cool' dip in the Musselshell; and we headed back toward the house to switch her out for Suzie...

...


And so the hunt continued.. as we circled several islands around the river bottom..


Once up on higher ground, and only moments after Alex showed us what the birds were eating; Suzie went on-point and a fat rooster presented me with a cross-the-river shot which landed in cattails on the furthest side...?!


After a lot of coaxing, which included both Alex and I leading the way up to our knees; eventually Suzie followed across the chilly stream and retrieved a fine pheasant to hand.



....


While the river bottom produced a few hens; we didn't find any more roosters till we hit the huge pigweed field..


The pigweed will surely provide great cover in winter, as even in Fall (me at 6'5") I disappeared several times dwarfed by the large stems and fat sunflowers since sprouted last post...

Still, even though Suzie did her part and trailed the runner just right we did'n't follow close enough and he flew out of range at the end of the field and across the river toward safety untouched.


After this we headed toward the first realease-site in 'the upper-field'; where a dozen pheasant have taken residence for the first time in 5 years (presumably those from the first batch from surrogator)..


None were where we thought they'd be at the first site; so Alex suggested "a detour" so we ventured on toward another drainage instead..


Once we reached the end of this cover (birdless) I realized Alex does not really know the definition of the word detour; as we now had to exactly backtrack where we came from and I was slightly exhausted I might add.

So was poor Suzie, so we took a much needed break beneath the cliffs for about 15 minutes to cool down...where Alex was kind enough to remove a few dozen burrs from Szuie's coat..


The break offered a nice opportunity to study just how beautiful these creatures we hunt are; in all their colorful plumage...


A 'fine gun' for just about $150.00 (mine)...
....


Back on track, Suzie quickly found the pheasants and after a wild flush we trailed two runners like a hound dog (a hen and rooster) toward a food plot where Alex took another handsome bird right under her nose...



........


Just when our confidence was at its' highest a dozen sharptails we missed after a quick volley of number sevens; brought us back to the realization we were in land filled with smart birds and whether we put them in our game-bags wasn't always up to us...


Once back at the house, and after a quick lunch; Mocha seemed ready to go again and kinda bummed we'd bagged brids without her. So we gave Suzie a much needed rest and headed after sharpies and huns up top (of the ranch) and found some quite quickly.. Though again the misses outnumbered the hits..


Still, I managed to scratch down a single out front and Mocha was only happy to retrieve on a nice sharptail...

....


Over a dozen pheasants seen easy, two large groups of over 40 sharps, and two very healthy coveys of huns (we didn't even get a shot off on); and I'd say it was a pretty fine day overall...Only a few birds to bag, but I was a guest so was missing on purpose so I'd be invited back LOL...



....

The million-dollar question would be 'whether the pheasant we shot were banded birds' of course; and in truth they were not. But one was very young and when we ventured up toward the group of a dozen who'd taken up permanent residence in 'the upper field' (almost exactly where we released 60); we all were in agreement these were in fact surrogator birds. Half of them were hens too; which was the point all along. If they've made it this long and fly as fast as they do now all winter; they should make it into next spring..(well over 20 during both releases got away before we could band them)..

I'm not sure of the math behind it all but I'd estimate for every dozen we see and think they are surrogator birds; maybe a dozen or more are out there we might never.

Sure over 30 likely parished under the onsluaght of hawks and other predators; but the general consensus amongst family and friends who had visited the ranch in the past and seen two maybe three pheasant (harvested only one last year) and now see over 20; is "its working". Another Surrogator has already been ordered for next year because if it..


While Novemeber is devoted to deer hunting only and no birds hunted on the ranch; come December we'll be at it again; and hopefully take a couple more nice wise pheasant ...and maybe one will even be wearing jewelry to further prove the point...


We'll see...and I'll post about em when we do too...


Moe

While the double porcupine fiasco was all their fault..

...the 3 skunkings have been all mine.

Certainly not the best way to start the season...

A week ago a friend and I, along with my girls, headed toward a promising looking BMA, but after walking a few miles came up empty.

That was skunking number 1 and a hot one too! My new minimum degree for hunting them is 65 and under after that one; plus they and myself were extremely out of shape.


When my GSP Mocha's tongue is hanging out the side of her mouth and Suzie comes up to me and lays down; thats when I know I've pushed them too far. We took a nice break then meandered back to the truck.

....

Next we hit an old place I've had luck before (yesterday) and while we should have at least seen some pheasants; instead we saw nada in the first half hour. Certainly their were birds still around, even though we missed 'openner' due to work. But before we could head elsewhere in the unit to check, BOTH girls got nailed 50 quills each in the face by a porcupine and chaos and pain ensued in the next hour and a half.

"#@%&"!!

I mean all up in their nostrils, mouths, gums, with blood and painful yelps as I used my foreceps on each; the whole thing...sucked big time!! Poor Suzie was climbing on my back while I was bent over taking some out of Mochas face. Then finally she just just lay down defeated and let me do what needed to be done.

No pics as when it happened, all I could think of was get them out fast before something worse happens; like they swallow a few of them.

We headed home and called it quits...skunking Number 2.

....

So today we hit the Lower Madison to run around and see about what we expected...nothing but deer. Then headed toward a huge BMA I know has huns to give that a try and forget about pheasant for a while...


Last year, very late in the season, I found this place and Suzie pointed two nice family coveys right around here. The only thing was their were four at best left then, after being shot-out earlier I assumed. As bad as we needed and wanted them; I passed, but made note to return this season to give them a go...


So here we were, only problem we couldn't locate them and not like we didn't try; Suzie and I hoofed two mile at least (?).


We saw lots of mule deer and two nice bucks right at dark. A few elk were skylined too; though not for long as they saw us too...


Does or fawns, something I like about muleys is they're different. I've seen thousands of whitetails and shot close to a hundred, but muleys just are neat I think; the way they bound off when spooked or stop and stare aftera short distance. Not considered 'smart' by a lot of folks for this reason, but thats unfair as no deer realzies what man has as far as accuurate ammo and scoped rifles I dont think.


Still, both girls had fun I think and got in better shape too. I know I did and am sore from head to toe..


All 3 of us, birds or no birds, enjoyed that wonderful sunset Montana's come to be famous for.


Though we had to leave since I got work tomorrow; both girls seemed sure their were birds back there (somewhere) and I am too. So I guess we'll head that way again and give it another go; just to see...

Moe

.