Spencer Patton set up a pheasant hunt for his buddies, Bill and Jeff Riley, Terry Mulligan, and Mark Maxey. Spencer brought out his setter, Flip to find the birds in the Clubhouse Field. The frigid temperatures kept the birds holding tight and Flip got a little help on the second round from Colton Wilkins and his shorthair, Preacher. Spencer brought out his Cubs World Series ring for all the hunters in the clubhouse to see, very cool.

Steve, Dale and Nathan Henna came out for an upland bird hunt on Christmas Eve. The snow was coming down pretty good when Jeff Powell brought out his dogs to find the pheasant and quail I set out in the Clubhouse and East Bottom Fields. They nailed their pheasants and most of their quail before heading home to celebrate.

Mike Severe set up an all-day hunt for his buddies, Dan and Joe Butler and Cole, Clay and Gary Geisler. Colton Wilkins guided the morning hunt in the Clubhouse Field, finding the pheasant, chukar and quail. Two really nice covey rises in the morning hunt. Then back to the Clubhouse for some warmth and chili. Back out to the Cabin Field for the afternoon hunt with Jeff Powell and his dogs. Great day in the field with a ton of action.

Derek, David, Daniel, Mike and Donovan Delaney came out for pheasant and quail hunt. Travis Devall did the guiding over at the north end of the Tinkerfarm Field. The pheasant were tough, running around the milo strips and the quail got into the timber and rough country on the west side and fencerows. They still had a nice hunt coming back with a pile of birds for Christmas dinner.

Bryan Johnson set up a pheasant hunt for his two sons, Nolan and Ryan. Jeff Powell brought out his pups to find the birds in the Cabin Field. They had a good hunt getting most of their pheasants and shooting at a bunch of leftover quail.

Guy Merker came down from Northern Illinois with his two sons, Clayton and Cameron for some upland bird hunting. They came down the evening before to get a nice start in the morning after some eggs and bacon. Travis Devall took them over to the Tinkerfarm Field to run his dogs on the pheasant and chukar in the prairie strips and edges. This was the first pheasant hunt for the two boys and after a few rises they were knocking them down.

John Cavaletto brought out his pointer, Burl for a quail hunt with his friend Larry Ackerman and his shorthair, McCallister. I was able to get a few rises on camera, but the hunters and dogs were on and they almost emptied the Clubhouse Field of birds.

Randy and Jody Perkins came down to celebrate Gene’s birthday with a couple of chukar and quail hunts. Randy brought his setter, Jesse, to find the birds I set out in the East Bottom Field. Jesse did a nice job both on both hunts finding the birds in the prairie strips and then the timber edges surrounding the field. She also found a few pheasants traveling through the Clubhouse Field on her way back to the Clubhouse.

John Dye set up a pheasant and chukar for his brother, Richard and son, Jon. Richard brought along his lab to find the birds I set out in the Clubhouse and East Bottom Fields. He did a nice job finding the birds in the thick prairie. I got out my lab, Ty, to help find some extra pheasant at the end of the hunt and the two dogs worked nicely together flushing some extra pheasant.

John Wright set up a hunt for his buddies, Logan Stine, Chris “Squishy” Russell and Ryan Reeter. I set out some pheasant and quail in the Cabin Field and Jeff Powell brought out his dogs to guide the hunt. They knocked down most of their pheasant, but the quail were a tough quarry and some escaped into the timber.