Every year when I mow paths in the Clubhouse Field I set the tractor bucket to catch seeds, leaves and critters. This video clip and picture doesn’t come close to showing the diversity of insects, larvae, spiders, worms and ticks that get collected. The bucket is just a moving mass of insects like the massive praying mantis to spiders so small you can barely identify them without magnification. Lots of bird feed crawling around out there.
Too much gun, too close or too often or all three, these birds didn’t have a chance. Check out some of the worst bird blow-ups I caught on camera last season at Sandy Run.
Some of my favorite pictures from the 2016-2017 upland bird season at Sandy Run Hunt Co. Happy hunters, flushing labs, pointing setters, flying pheasant, they are all here. Enjoy.
Jeremy Manier brought out his nephew Anthony Samuel from Trescleoux, France along with his buddies, Bret Giaudrone and Barry Ownens to hunt some pheasant and chukar on the last afternoon of this hunting season. Jeremy brought along his lab, Darma to flush the first batch of birds and then Barry’s lab got the second batch. I got out a few setters to help Darma on one last cleanup trip around the Clubhouse Field. Great end to another awesome season.
Dan Crunk and Cletus Roy came out to run their pointers on some quail. It was way too hot and dry, but they had a lot of dogs to run, so none got too hot. So hot that Dan wore his nice white tennis shoes, but unfortunately got into some mud in the timber flushing a quail.
Sean, Kaden and Alex Junge along with David Budde brought out their two labs, Kola and Ben to hunt some pheasant, chukar and quaill on a hot spring day. Tyler came along to help do some filming. The labs did a good job finding and flushing the birds, but Kola ran out of gas after the first round. I was able to get my lab, Ty, out of the kennel to help Ben find the rest of the birds. All went well, til Kaden got attacked by a flushing rooster, it turned out ok because his brother Alex knocked it out of the air.
Dale Phillips set up a hunt for his buddies, Tyler Startt and Tim Lillie. He brought out his young German Wirehaired Pointer, Franklin to find the pheasant and chukar stashed around the Clubhouse Field. High temps and wind on a late spring day, made the hunting difficult but with a little help they had a good morning in the field.
Wil Bryant, Gerritt McCrory, Wayne Lilly, Todd Goeb, Jon Johnson, Randy Hardtner, Tim Guskey and Tyler Schroeder came out for a late season day of upland bird hunting. Jeff Powell took have the group over to the Cabin Field and Steve Sanders guided another four on the Clubhouse Field. After a nice morning of pheasant, chukar and quail hunting, I served them some of my pulled pork and chips. Then I took a group out to the Clubhouse Field while Jeff headed back with another four to the Cabin Field. Lots of shooting action and dog work in this video.
Brien and Hanley Guy came out after their turkey hunt to run Brien’s dog, Rex on some quail. I set out some quail coveys and Rex hunted them up. No gobblers out of the Clubhouse Field, but they got some action knocking down a few quail.
Larry Holman and Brad Hecht came out to work Brad’s pointer Ruby on some quail. With each bird Ruby got a little steadier. Gonna be ready for shooting dog trials next fall.