Karey Courson brought out her two boys, Blake and Blaze along with her Brittany, Belle for a pheasant and chukar hunt. Her dad, Dean Devall, came out to help guide with his labs, Hunter and Peach. They enjoy hunting the milo strips in the Tinkerfarm Field, so I stocked their birds throughout the rows a the north end of the field. The dogs and hunters had a great hunt, working hard, but coming back with all their birds.
Chuck Gurkin and Gene Hodge came out for pheasant and chukar hunt, with Gene’s lab Kizzy. Kizzy got some help from her buddy, Duke, a cocker mix that came out for a nice walk. I set some birds in the Clubhouse Field and Kizzy did a good job finding and flushing them. The birds were up and on the move on the warm spring morning so they left a few birds in the field to give Addie May, Gene’s new shorthair pup a chance to find her first bird. After some shotgun acclimation and retrieving practice, Addie May headed out on here first hunt. They came back with a pheasant that Addie found, pointed and retrieved, great start.
Bill Warix and Alan Feezel brought out their shorthairs, Whip and pup, Harley for a pheasant hunt. They chose hunt some pheasants in the milo strips at the north end of the Tinkerfarm Field. The pheasants were on the move in the warm spring air, making the hunting tough on the young dogs. They had a good hunt, chasing the big birds from the strips to the fencerows and the old orchard, getting the dogs and themselves a nice workout.
Randy and Gene Perkins got out more time with Randy’s young English Setter, Jesse. I filled the Clubhouse Field with some mini-coveys of quail and the trio went to task, finding, pointing and shooting all the quail they could find. Jesse performed well and the hunters backed her up and they came back with almost all their quail.
Michael Williamson came out with his dad, Ray and son, Evan for an upland bird hunt. I set out some pheasant, chukar, and quail in the Clubhouse Field and Michael got his German Shorthair pup, Ranger to do the hunting. The birds behaved well giving us many opportunities and they ended up with almost all of their birds.
Jim and Tim Ziegler came out to hunt some pheasant and chukar with their buddy, CJ Goldstein. I set some birds in the Clubhouse Field and then got out Curly to find them. All the pheasants had nice rises from Curlys’ points, except for one rooster that might still be running. The chukar flew well and were difficult to hit when they jumped up in pairs. Mac and Doo got to come out to find the stragglers and we came back with most of our birds.
Chris Champlin set up a pheasant hunt for his friends, Jon and Corey Thornburgh. He brought along is your chocolate lab, Bear, to find and flush the birds. I set out pheasants in the milo strips at the north end of the Tinkerfarm Field, ideal cover for flushing dogs. Bear was able to find and point some birds, while others didn’t play fair and ran ahead taking flight out of gun range.
Terry Knebel brought his friends, Lou and John Stamm and Blake Lampe for a quail hunt. I set out some quail coveys in the Cabin Field and Sadie, Terry’s German Shorthair, got to do the hunting. Good rises by the coveys had the group in and out of the timber and prairie edges. Some good dog work and shooting led to a pile of birds for the dinner table.
Gary McMillin came out with his friend Mark Brown for a pheasant and chukar hunt. I stocked the Clubhouse Field with birds and Gary got his two german shorthairs, Gizmo and Gabby, out for the hunt. The pheasants were holding a little tighter than the day before, but they were still a challenge. The chukar mostly held tight, but at least one escaped taking wing out of the late season cover.
Wayne Ingram and Louis Carter finally got their schedules together for another pheasant and chukar hunt. Greg Ireland brought out Daisy, the amazing pound puppy, to do the guiding. I filled the Pasture Field with pheasant and chukar and Daisy found them all. I think one hen pheasant eluded the group, but they came back with an extra chukar to make up for her.
